Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land--against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. Now beholdThe phrase "Now behold" serves as a divine attention-getter, emphasizing the immediacy and certainty of God's action. In Hebrew, the word "behold" is often used to draw attention to something significant. It is a call to witness the unfolding of God's plan, underscoring the importance of the message that follows. This is a moment of divine revelation, where God is about to declare His empowerment of Jeremiah. I have made you
This phrase indicates God's sovereign action and purpose. The Hebrew verb used here conveys a completed action, signifying that God has already equipped Jeremiah for his prophetic mission. It reflects the divine initiative and authority in appointing Jeremiah, emphasizing that his strength and ability come from God alone. today
The use of "today" highlights the immediacy and present reality of God's empowerment. It signifies that Jeremiah's commissioning is not a future promise but a present reality. This immediacy underscores the urgency of Jeremiah's mission and the pressing need for his prophetic voice in the current context of Judah's spiritual and moral decline. a fortified city
The metaphor of "a fortified city" suggests strength, protection, and resilience. In ancient times, fortified cities were bastions of defense against enemy attacks. By likening Jeremiah to such a city, God assures him of divine protection and the ability to withstand opposition. This imagery conveys the idea that Jeremiah, though alone, will be unassailable because of God's presence with him. an iron pillar
The "iron pillar" symbolizes unyielding strength and stability. Iron, being a strong and durable metal, represents the enduring nature of Jeremiah's mission and character. This metaphor suggests that Jeremiah will stand firm in the face of adversity, unbending and resolute, supported by divine strength. and bronze walls
"Bronze walls" further emphasize the theme of protection and resilience. Bronze, known for its durability and resistance, suggests that Jeremiah will be impervious to the attacks and criticisms of his opponents. This imagery reassures Jeremiah that he will be safeguarded by God, enabling him to fulfill his prophetic duties without fear. against the whole land
This phrase indicates the scope of Jeremiah's opposition. His message will challenge the entire nation, including its political, religious, and social structures. The comprehensive nature of this opposition highlights the widespread corruption and rebellion in Judah, necessitating a strong prophetic voice. against the kings of Judah
The mention of "kings of Judah" points to the political leadership that Jeremiah will confront. The kings, as representatives of national authority, are often depicted in the Bible as leading the people either towards or away from God. Jeremiah's mission includes calling these leaders to account for their actions and urging them to return to covenant faithfulness. its officials
"Officials" refers to the administrative and governmental leaders in Judah. These individuals, responsible for the execution of justice and governance, are also targets of Jeremiah's prophetic message. Their corruption and failure to uphold God's laws contribute to the nation's moral decay. its priests
The "priests" represent the religious leadership, who are supposed to guide the people in worship and adherence to God's commandments. Jeremiah's confrontation with the priests underscores the spiritual apostasy prevalent in Judah, as the religious leaders have strayed from their sacred duties. and the people of the land
This phrase encompasses the general populace of Judah. The inclusion of "the people of the land" indicates that Jeremiah's message is not only for the leaders but also for every individual. It highlights the collective responsibility of the nation in turning away from God and the need for widespread repentance and reform. Persons / Places / Events 1. JeremiahA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his perseverance and faithfulness amidst opposition. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, which was facing impending judgment due to its disobedience and idolatry. 3. Kings of JudahThe ruling monarchs during Jeremiah's time, often resistant to his prophetic messages. 4. Officials and PriestsThe leaders and religious figures in Judah who were often corrupt and opposed Jeremiah's warnings. 5. People of the LandThe general populace of Judah, who were also resistant to Jeremiah's message and God's call to repentance. Teaching Points Divine EmpowermentGod equips those He calls with the strength and resilience needed to fulfill their mission. Just as Jeremiah was made like a fortified city, believers today are empowered by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in their faith. Facing OppositionExpect resistance when standing for God's truth. Jeremiah faced opposition from all levels of society, yet he remained steadfast. Believers should be prepared to encounter and withstand challenges. God's ProtectionThe imagery of a fortified city, iron pillar, and bronze walls signifies God's protection. Trust in God's safeguarding presence, even when circumstances seem overwhelming. Faithfulness in MinistryJeremiah's example teaches the importance of faithfulness in delivering God's message, regardless of the audience's response. Believers are called to be faithful messengers of the Gospel. Courage in CallingEmbrace the courage that comes from knowing God is with you. Jeremiah's courage was rooted in God's promise to be with him, a promise that extends to all believers. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the imagery of a fortified city, iron pillar, and bronze walls in Jeremiah 1:18 inspire you in your personal walk with God? 2. In what ways can you relate to Jeremiah's experience of facing opposition when standing for your faith? 3. How can the assurance of God's protection, as seen in Jeremiah 1:18, influence your response to challenges in your life? 4. Reflect on a time when you felt empowered by God to accomplish a difficult task. How does this relate to Jeremiah's calling? 5. How can you apply the lessons from Jeremiah's faithfulness and courage in your own ministry or service to others? Consider connections to other scriptures that encourage perseverance and trust in God. Connections to Other Scriptures Isaiah 41:10This verse reassures believers of God's presence and strength, similar to how God fortified Jeremiah. Ezekiel 3:8-9God makes Ezekiel's forehead like the hardest stone, symbolizing divine empowerment against opposition, akin to Jeremiah's fortification. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5Paul speaks of spiritual warfare and divine power, reflecting the strength God provides to His servants. People Amon, Anathoth, Benjamin, Hilkiah, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Josiah, ZedekiahPlaces Anathoth, JerusalemTopics Appoint, Behold, Brasen, Brass, Brazen, Bronze, Captains, Defenced, Fenced, Fortified, Heads, Iron, Judah, Kings, Officials, Pillar, Priests, Princes, Stand, Strong, Thereof, Town, Wall, Walled, WallsDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 1:18 4312 bronze
4336 iron
5256 city
5443 pillars
5604 walls 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 1:18 NIVJeremiah 1:18 NLTJeremiah 1:18 ESVJeremiah 1:18 NASBJeremiah 1:18 KJV
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