"You have observed correctly," said the LORD, "for I am watching over My word to accomplish it." You have observed correctlyThis phrase is a response from God to Jeremiah, affirming that Jeremiah has accurately perceived the vision given to him. The Hebrew root for "observed" is "ra'ah," which means to see, perceive, or understand. This indicates not just a physical sight but a deeper spiritual insight. In the context of Jeremiah's calling, it underscores the importance of spiritual discernment and the ability to perceive God's truth. Historically, prophets were often given visions that required divine interpretation, and Jeremiah's correct observation signifies his readiness and alignment with God's purpose. said the LORD
The phrase "said the LORD" is a common biblical expression denoting divine speech. The Hebrew term for "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. This divine communication highlights the authority and certainty of the message. In the conservative Christian perspective, the emphasis is on the inerrancy and infallibility of God's word, as it is directly spoken by the LORD Himself, ensuring its truth and reliability. for I am watching
The Hebrew word for "watching" is "shaqad," which means to be alert, awake, or vigilant. This conveys God's active and attentive oversight over His word. It is not a passive observation but an engaged and purposeful vigilance. In the historical context, this reassures Jeremiah and the people of Israel that God is not distant or indifferent but is intimately involved in the unfolding of His plans. For believers, it is a reminder of God's constant presence and His commitment to His promises. over My word
The phrase "My word" refers to the declarations and promises made by God. In Hebrew, "word" is "dabar," which can mean speech, matter, or thing. It signifies not only spoken words but also the power and authority behind them. Scripturally, God's word is creative and transformative, as seen in Genesis where God speaks creation into existence. This underscores the belief in the power and efficacy of God's word, which will accomplish what it is sent to do. to accomplish it
The Hebrew root for "accomplish" is "asah," meaning to do, make, or complete. This indicates that God's word is not merely spoken but is intended to bring about a specific outcome. The historical context of this assurance to Jeremiah is crucial, as it comes at a time when Israel faced uncertainty and turmoil. For conservative Christians, this is a powerful affirmation of God's sovereignty and faithfulness, ensuring that His purposes will be fulfilled despite human circumstances. It inspires trust and confidence in God's unchanging nature and His ultimate plan for redemption. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. His ministry spanned over 40 years, during which he warned of impending judgment and called for repentance. 2. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who speaks directly to Jeremiah, affirming His active role in fulfilling His promises and prophecies. 3. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing imminent judgment due to its persistent disobedience and idolatry. 4. The Almond Tree VisionIn the preceding verse, Jeremiah sees a branch of an almond tree, which is a play on words in Hebrew. The word for almond tree ("shaqed") sounds like the word for watching ("shoqed"), symbolizing God's vigilance. 5. Prophetic FulfillmentThe event of God watching over His word to ensure its fulfillment, emphasizing His sovereignty and faithfulness. Teaching Points God's FaithfulnessGod is faithful to His word. Just as He watched over His promises to Jeremiah, He remains vigilant over His promises to us today. Divine SovereigntyGod's sovereignty is evident in His ability to bring His word to pass. We can trust in His control over all circumstances. Active ParticipationBelievers are called to actively engage with God's word, knowing that He is actively working to fulfill it in our lives. Encouragement in UncertaintyIn times of uncertainty, we can find comfort in knowing that God is watching over His word to accomplish it, providing assurance and hope. Call to ObedienceUnderstanding God's commitment to His word should inspire us to live in obedience, aligning our lives with His revealed will. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding God's vigilance over His word impact your trust in His promises today? 2. In what ways can you actively participate in God's work, knowing He is watching over His word to accomplish it? 3. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's faithfulness in fulfilling His word in your life. How did it strengthen your faith? 4. How can the imagery of the almond tree and its connection to God's vigilance encourage you in your current circumstances? 5. What steps can you take to ensure that you are aligning your life with God's word, knowing that He is committed to fulfilling it? Connections to Other Scriptures Isaiah 55:11This verse highlights the effectiveness of God's word, emphasizing that it will not return void but will accomplish His purposes, similar to the assurance given to Jeremiah. Psalm 121:4This psalm speaks of God as the one who neither slumbers nor sleeps, reinforcing the idea of His constant vigilance over His people and His promises. Hebrews 4:12The living and active nature of God's word is emphasized, showing its power to discern and accomplish God's will. People Amon, Anathoth, Benjamin, Hilkiah, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Josiah, ZedekiahPlaces Anathoth, JerusalemTopics Effect, Fulfilled, Hast, Hasten, Perform, Watch, Watchful, WatchingDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 1:12 1155 God, truthfulness Jeremiah 1:11-12 4416 branch Jeremiah 1:11-14 5548 speech, divine Jeremiah 1:11-16 1431 prophecy, OT methods Library May the Fifteenth God is Wide-Awake
"Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree." --JEREMIAH i. 7-19. And through the almond tree the Lord gave the trembling young prophet the strength of assurance. The almond tree is the first to awake from its wintry sleep. When all other trees are held in frozen slumber the almond blossoms are looking out on the barren world. And God is like that, awake and vigilant. Nobody anticipates Him. Wherever Jeremiah was sent on his prophetic mission the Lord would be there before …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling YearJeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
"Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord."--Jeremiah i. 8. The Prophets were ever ungratefully treated by the Israelites, they were resisted, their warnings neglected, their good services forgotten. But there was this difference between the earlier and the later Prophets; the earlier lived and died in honour among their people,--in outward honour; though hated and thwarted by the wicked, they were exalted to high places, and ruled in the congregation. …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII The Writings of Jerome.
The following is a list of the writings arranged under various heads, and showing the date of composition and the place held by each in the Edition of Vallarsi, the eleven volumes of which will be found in Migne's Patrologia, vols. xxii. to xxx. The references are to the volumes of Jerome's works (i.-xi.) in that edition. I. Bible translations: (1) From the Hebrew.--The Vulgate of the Old Testament, written at Bethlehem, begun 391, finished 404, vol. ix. (2) From the Septuagint.--The Psalms as used …
St. Jerome—The Principal Works of St. Jerome Out of Sectarian Confusion
I was still a Methodist. The Methodist did not license women to preach; but when the preachers found out that God was using me in the salvation of souls and that I was not especially interested in building up any certain denomination, I had an abundance of calls. God had already begun talking to my brother Jeremiah about the sin of division, and he was beginning to see the evils of sectarianism. The winter after I was healed, he had attended the Jacksonville, Illinois, holiness convention, and had …
Mary Cole—Trials and Triumphs of Faith How those are to be Admonished who do not Even Begin Good Things, and those who do not Finish them when Begun.
(Admonition 35.) Differently to be admonished are they who do not even begin good things, and those who in no wise complete such as they have begun. For as to those who do not even begin good things, for them the first need is, not to build up what they may wholesomely love, but to demolish that wherein they are wrongly occupied. For they will not follow the untried things they hear of, unless they first come to feel how pernicious are the things that they have tried; since neither does one desire …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Servant's Inflexible Resolve
'For the Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face like a flint.'--ISAIAH l. 7. What a striking contrast between the tone of these words and of the preceding! There all is gentleness, docility, still communion, submission, patient endurance. Here all is energy and determination, resistance and martial vigour. It is like the contrast between a priest and a warrior. And that gentleness is the parent of this boldness. The same Will which is all submission …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Baptismal Covenant Can be Kept Unbroken. Aim and Responsibility of Parents.
We have gone "to the Law and to the Testimony" to find out what the nature and benefits of Baptism are. We have gathered out of the Word all the principal passages bearing on this subject. We have grouped them together, and studied them side by side. We have noticed that their sense is uniform, clear, and strong. Unless we are willing to throw aside all sound principles of interpretation, we can extract from the words of inspiration only one meaning, and that is that the baptized child is, by virtue …
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church That Sometimes Some Laudably Desire the Office of Preaching, While Others, as Laudably, are Drawn to it by Compulsion.
Although sometimes some laudably desire the office of preaching, yet others are as laudably drawn to it by compulsion; as we plainly perceive, if we consider the conduct of two prophets, one of whom offered himself of his own accord to be sent to preach, yet the other in fear refused to go. For Isaiah, when the Lord asked whom He should send, offered himself of his own accord, saying, Here I am; send me (Isai. vi. 8). But Jeremiah is sent, yet humbly pleads that he should not be sent, saying, Ah, …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus Christ;
SHEWING, TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; OR, MR. FOWLER'S PRETENDED DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE IDOLIZING OF MAN'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ALSO, HOW WHILE HE PRETENDS TO BE A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVERTHROWETH THE WHOLESOME DOCTRINE CONTAINED IN THE 10TH, 11TH, AND 13TH, OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE SAME, AND THAT HE FALLETH IN WITH THE QUAKER AND ROMANIST, AGAINST THEM. BY JOHN BUNYAN …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Letter Xlv (Circa A. D. 1140) to the Canons of Lyons, on the Conception of S. Mary.
To the Canons of Lyons, on the Conception of S. Mary. Bernard states that the Festival of the Conception was new; that it rested on no legitimate foundation; and that it should not have been instituted without consulting the Apostolic See, to whose opinion he submits. 1. It is well known that among all the Churches of France that of Lyons is first in importance, whether we regard the dignity of its See, its praiseworthy regulations, or its honourable zeal for learning. Where was there ever the vigour …
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux—Some Letters of Saint Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux Epistle iv. To Cyriacus, Bishop.
To Cyriacus, Bishop. Gregory to Cyriacus, Bishop of Constantinople. We have received with becoming charity our common sons, George the presbyter and Theodore your deacon; and we rejoice that you have passed from the care of ecclesiastical business to the government of souls, since, according to the voice of the Truth, He that is faithful in a little will be faithful also in much (Luke xvi. 10). And to the servant who administers well it is said, Because thou hast been faithful over a few things, …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great The Sin-Bearer.
A COMMUNION MEDITATION AT MENTONE. "Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 24, 25. THE SIN-BEARER. THIS wonderful passage is a part of Peter's address to servants; and in his day nearly all servants were slaves. Peter begins at the eighteenth verse: "Servants, be subject …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come John the Baptist's Person and Preaching.
(in the Wilderness of Judæa, and on the Banks of the Jordan, Occupying Several Months, Probably a.d. 25 or 26.) ^A Matt. III. 1-12; ^B Mark I. 1-8; ^C Luke III. 1-18. ^b 1 The beginning of the gospel [John begins his Gospel from eternity, where the Word is found coexistent with God. Matthew begins with Jesus, the humanly generated son of Abraham and David, born in the days of Herod the king. Luke begins with the birth of John the Baptist, the Messiah's herald; and Mark begins with the ministry …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 1:12 NIVJeremiah 1:12 NLTJeremiah 1:12 ESVJeremiah 1:12 NASBJeremiah 1:12 KJV
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