Immerse: Prophets - Flipbook - Page 215
JEREMIAH
These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests from the
town of Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. The Lord first gave messages
to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon,
king of Judah. The Lord’s messages continued throughout the reign of
King Jehoiak im, Josiah’s son, until the eleventh year of the reign of King
Zedekiah, another of Josiah’s sons. In August of that eleventh year the
people of Jerusalem were taken away as captives.
The Lord gave me this message:
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
“O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever
I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people,
for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
Today I appoint you to stand up
against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
and plant.”
Then the Lord said to me, “Look, Jeremiah! What do you see?”
And I replied, “I see a branch from an almond tree.”
And the Lord said, “That’s right, and it means that I am watching, and
I will certainly carry out all my plans.”
203
