Those of you who have read a number of my blogs will know that I often refer back to my younger days in gospel halls in Ayrshire. I used to hear frequently Bible teaching on what were called 'types of Christ.' This was taking Old Testament characters and showing how they compared to the Lord Jesus. One favourite was Joseph, the favourite son of Jacob. This was a picture of the Lord Jesus who was loved by His Father and hated by His brothers. Jeremiah is also a picture or a type of Jesus Christ. There are several features about the character of Jeremiah which remind us of our Lord.
Total commitment to God's will.
From the time when he first heard God's call to his departure to Egypt, Jeremiah was faithful to God. His loyalty and commitment never wavered despite the constant opposition he endured.
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. [Jeremiah 15: 16 NIV]
Notice two aspects of Jeremiah's commitment to Jehovah. Firstly, he had a deep reverence for and delight in the word of God. "When your words came, I ate them," presents a graphic metaphor. He had so much affection for the words of God that it was as if he had digested them. The word of God gave him joy and delighted his heart. Secondly, he identified himself totally with the Lord - "I bear your name, Lord God Almighty." When they reproached and insulted the prophet from Anathoth, they were grieving the Lord. When they were angry with God, Jeremiah felt this personally. He was deeply affected by the behaviour of the people of Judah as it was dishonouring to God.
Luke's Gospel presents Jesus as a boy of 12 in the temple and he tells his grieving earthy parents that 'he had to be in his Father's house' (Luke 2:49). I am more familiar with the KJV which translates this clause as 'I must be about my Father's business.'
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. [John 9:4 NIV]
Jesus was diligent and eager in His service for His Father. He was aware that his years of public service were short and there was so much to do. He had so many lessons to teach his disciples and to impart to the world. He had so many miracles to perform and sick people to heal.
He even regarded his service for the Father a higher priority than daily eating. When the disciples were urging him to eat, his reply was
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. [John 4:32-34 NIV]
Patient suffering
Jeremiah was a victim of persistent persecution from his own people and he bore this with humility and patience. A previous Day Share focused on some of the persecution Jeremiah encountered [See Day Share entitled Jeremiah: Persecution of a Prophet 15/11/2021]. There are some interesting descriptions of Jeremiah's reactions to his suffering.
I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter [Jeremiah 11: 19 NIV] This immediately reminds us of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus as described in Isaiah 53: 7. Sidlow Baxter talks about Jeremiah's 'guileless motive' [Baxter, J. Sidlow. Baxter's Explore the Book (p. 796). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.] And this is illustrated in chapter 11 of Jeremiah. Jeremiah is oblivious to the plots against him, even by the residents of his own village and his own family. Although his gentle submissiveness is Christ-like, it is good to remind us that our Lord knew the end from the beginning and he knew the very motives of his enemies. Jesus was never taken by surprise - unlike God's faithful prophet.
At times, Jeremiah shows signs of an internal conflict when he finds it hard to accept God's plans. He claims that the Lord 'deceived' him and he claims that God 'overpowered' him (Jeremiah 20:7). He is insinuating that he has been acting against his will but he also admits that he is unable to keep silent (Jeremiah 20:9). The incident in the Garden of Gethsemane shows that when Jesus contemplated the reality of Calvary which lay before Him, He even questioned if there was another way to accomplish redemption. (Matthew 26: 39). But Jesus stated clearly his readiness to submit to His Father's will: "Yet not as I will but as you will." (verse 39) and "may your will be done," (verse 42). By way of contrast, Jeremiah indulges in a personal lament and curses the day he was born and curses the person who intimated his birth (Jeremiah 20: 14-15). This personal indignation and resentment is entirely absent from the submissive Lord Jesus.
Compassion
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 NIV
Jesus demonstrated this compassion in so many different ways, not least by performing so many miracles to alleviate suffering and distress. In the context of Matthew 9, Jesus has been engaged in sacrificial service on behalf of this harassed and helpless crowd: teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
How does Jeremiah measure up to that standard? Jesus compassion was prompted by what he saw. In the case of Jeremiah, it was God's message which he was proclaiming to the people which prompted the tender affection and care. He was horrified by God's future judgement on his own people.
Oh, my anguish, my anguish!
I writhe in pain.
Oh, the agony of my heart!
My heart pounds within me,
I cannot keep silent.
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;
I have heard the battle cry. [Jeremiah 4: 19 NIV]
Jeremiah is writhing in pain and his heart is pounding because he is contemplating the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah at the hands of the Babylonians ('the trumpet' and 'the battle cry'). At times his love for his own people makes him question God's justice (See Jeremiah 10:23-25). He wants God to be merciful to his own nation and to act in judgement and revenge on the surrounding nations. Jesus, the Son of God was completely in tune with the will of God even though it meant Calvary and a shameful, degrading painful death. Jeremiah showed the features of tender love for others which were in keeping with the care and compassion of the Saviour but in the case of Jesus his love and forgiveness extended even to Judas, the rich young ruler and the Roman soldiers (Matthew 26:50; Mark 10:21; Luke 23:34).
This is only the beginning of a study which you might want to pursue in more detail in your own private study. There are many other similarities between the character of Jeremiah and the Lord Jesus. We have seen, for example, that Jeremiah was hated by his own people and this strikes a chord with John 1:11. I would like to end this blog with a mention of the striking difference between the life of Jeremiah and the life of the Lord Jesus. God had promised Jeremiah that his life would be preserved, despite the personal animosity and persecution (Jeremiah 1:17-19). Not so with Jesus who came to earth with the specific purpose of giving his life as a ransom for the many on the cross of Calvary (Matthew 20:28; Mark 8:31; Mark 10:45).
Picture by Nick Fewings on Unsplash].
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