God message to Jeremiah

The linen belt

In this parable, the Lord asked Jeremiah to buy a belt and wear it around his waist for a time ensuring that it did not come in contact with water. Later, the Lord came to Jeremiah again and then asked him to take the belt to Perath and to hide it in a rock crevice. Several days later he was asked to return to where he hid the belt and retrieve it. When Jeremiah did so, the belt was completely ruined and useless. Just as a belt is bound around the waist, God had bound the people of Israel to his covenant. The ruining of the belt was to be like the ruining of Judah and Jerusalem’s pride. Its uselessness is as useless as the gods they served and worshiped.^[69]

Wineskins

In Jeremiah's ministry, he declared that God had likened the filling of wineskins to filling with drunkenness all who lived in the land of Israel, including the kings who sat on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those in Jerusalem. Then it was proclaimed that God would smash them one against the other, both parents and children, and they were not to be interceded for with pity, mercy nor compassion.^[70] God was so angry over their sins, that he says that even if Moses and Samuel were to intercede for the people, he would not relent.^[71]

The potter

While at the potter's house, Jeremiah watched a craftsman shaping a
bowl from clay on the wheel. When it became marred in his hands, the potter then reshaped it into another bowl that suited best. This is how God wanted Jeremiah to envision the reshaping of Israel.(Jeremiah 18:1-6)

The Rechabites

In order to contrast the people’s disobedience with the obedience of the Rechabites, the Lord has Jeremiah invite the Rechabites to drink wine, in disobedience to their ancestor’s command. The Rechabites refused, and God commended them.

"This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem, “Will you not learn a lesson and obey my words?” declares the Lord. “Jonadab son of Recab ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather's command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed me. Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, ‘Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your fathers.’ But you have not paid attention or listened to me. The descendants of Jonadab son of Recab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.” Jeremiah 35:13-16 (NIV)

The field

During the siege of Jerusalem, when it was finally obvious that Jeremiah’s prophecies of disaster would be fulfilled and that destruction and exile were imminent, the Lord instructed Jeremiah to make a real-estate investment by purchasing a field at Anathoth from his cousin Hanamel. Jeremiah obeyed, weighed out the silver on scales, and had the deed witnessed and sealed. The Lord was making the point that the nation would eventually be restored and that houses and fields would once again be bought in the land.

Follow @Iam_Mtriller