從第一章我們知道耶利米來自一個祭司家庭，住在亞拿突──一個便雅憫支派的城邑，屬亞倫家擔任祭司的地方，位於耶路撒冷東北約四公里（參書21：18）。雖然他生為祭司，他受上帝呼召成為一個先知。在耶利米未出生前，耶和華已「曉得」他，把他「分別為聖」（為特殊目的分別他），並已「選派」他為上帝的先知（發言人），這說明上帝的主權和全知（參詩139；徒15：18）。當摩西為上帝所召，他覺得無才能又無裝備（出4：10）。當以賽亞受召時，他覺得「不潔」（賽6：5）；當耶利米受召時，他覺得不配。耶利米因他年幼（約二十歲左右）以及責任重大，必定像是不能勝任的，但上帝所呼召的，祂也必裝備。雖然耶利米膽小且弱，上帝揀選他，所以他就當完全信賴上帝（參林前1：26~29）。上帝坦白告訴耶利米，幾乎每個人包括所有的君王、大臣和祭司會因上帝要他宣告的信息而反對他，但當上帝應許要與他同在、要拯救他時，耶利米就無可推辭（1：8，18）。他實在是一位非常有信心的年輕人。

        在一個按立禮中耶和華伸手按耶利米的口，像以賽亞和其他上帝所召的人一樣（參賽6：7；但10：16；結2：8~10）。這表示分給某種恩賜，如此上帝可裝備祂的僕人作祂發言人的特別工作。耶和華除了給耶利米所說的話，也給他能力、膽量和權柄，俾成為上帝計畫的一部分，以向犯罪的百姓宣告毀滅的審判；這將是他主要的信息。然而，藉著他也要宣告上帝慈愛的預言，他要「建立」和「栽植」（1：10），如此得以堅固那些仁義的餘民之信心，並幫助他們帶來復興。

        上帝用二個異象堅定耶利米所受神聖的託付：第一、他看見「一根杏樹枝」，這可能表示像杏樹是季節中的第一種樹，快速發芽開花一樣，上帝會快速完成並實現耶利米所說出一切的預言（1：11~12）。第二、他看見「一個燒開的鍋」，從經文中可以清楚看明，因猶大一切的惡和拜偶像，巴比倫要侵犯猶大的事。（1：15）

        耶和華所給耶利米的第一篇講章記載在第二章中，顯示上帝確實裝備了他，作為耶和華發言人所需的恩賜。從他流利的言詞，加上他迫切、同情的心，可看出上帝的信息極為重要。耶利米不但宣告他的同胞要受審判，而且想像到它的情形，他必定心碎極了。難怪他被稱為「哀哭的先知」。藉著他，耶和華使猶大百姓想起祂的良善和信實，以及從前他們之間愛的關係和對祂的順從。可是現在他們充滿悖逆和忘恩負義的情況；官長和祭司不尋求上帝，也不認識祂，因之引導百姓走迷了路。他們放棄那曾是他們的上帝，尋求別神以致羞辱他們的土地（「屈身行淫」，2：20；賽42：8；王下17：15）；這是別國所不做的事，因為每國在自己土地上有一固定的神，為它經常所忠心事奉的；但是猶大卻不忠心事奉那位獨一的真神。因此，刑罰是無可避免的。　

        耶和華比喻祂自己是「活水」的泉源，這是新鮮、甘甜、不斷湧流的水泉，且為真正生命所必需的（約4：13~14；7：37~38；賽55：1~2）。祂比較偶像為破裂的水池，對人完全無用且無益處可言；即使它們有些水，也是停滯、腐臭的。同樣，埃及、亞述和巴比倫的水是「惡和苦」的（2：18~19）。猶大為何犯罪、墮落，切望與外邦結盟（雖是無用的，2：37），要學他們敬拜偶像而不信靠上帝呢？由於他們不斷地墮落，這曾被上帝揀選且細心照顧的葡萄樹，竟變為壞枝子的葡萄樹，而必須被踐踏（參2：21；賽5：1~7；約15：1~7）。他們犯罪深刻得像永久可見的紋身一樣（2：22），而他們卻拒而不察，自稱是無辜的（2：35）。可是有一天他們的罪會使他們羞愧，像大審判日子對所有不肯悔改的人一樣。

        主啊，我感謝您。當您召人工作時，您也裝備他（她），並應許與他（她）同在。願我們勇敢完成您今天在我們生命裡的旨意。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        In chapter one, we are told that Jeremiah came from a priestly family that lived in Anathoth, a city in the territory of Benjamin designated for the priests from Aaron's family; it was located about four kilometers northeast of Jerusalem (cf. Josh. 21:18). Although he was a priest by birth, he became a prophet by divine call. Before Jeremiah was even born, the Lord "knew", "sanctified" (set apart for a special purpose) and "ordained" him to be a prophet (spokesman) for God (1:5); this speaking of God's sovereignty and omniscience (cf. Ps. 139; Acts 15:18). When Moses was called by God, he felt unable and unequipped (Ex. 4:10). When Isaiah was called, he felt "unclean" (Isa. 6:5), and when Jeremiah was called, he felt unworthy. His young age (likely early twenties) and the magnitude of the responsibility must have seemed overwhelming, but whomever God calls, He will also equip. Though Jeremiah was timid and weak, God chose him so he would have to trust and depend fully on the Lord (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-29). The Lord plainly told Jeremiah that virtually everyone, including the kings, princes, and priests, would be against him because of the message God would give him to proclaim, but when God promised to be with him to deliver him, Jeremiah gave no more excuses (1:8, 18). He was surely an extraordinary young man of faith.

        Jeremiah's lips were touched by the Lord in an inauguration ceremony, similiar to that of Isaiah and other men of God (cf. Isa. 6:7; Dan. 10:16; Ezek. 2:8-10). It signified the imparting of certain gifts so that God might equip His servant for the special task of being His spokesman. As well as giving Jeremiah the words to say, the Lord also gave him strength, boldness, and authority to be a part of God's plan in announcing the judgments of destruction upon the sinful people; this was to be his main message. However, through also announcing prophecies of God's mercy, he would "build" and "plant" (1:10), thereby strengthening the faith of the righteous remnant and helping to bring restoration.

        The two signs confirming Jeremiah's divine commission were, firstly, the "branch of an almond tree", possibly signifying that just as the almond tree is the first tree of the season to hastily bud and blossom, so God would hastily perform and fulfill all the prophecies that Jeremiah would speak (1:11-12). The second sign, that of the "boiling pot", is clearly interpreted within the text as referring to Babylon's invasion of Judah because of her wickedness and idolatry (1:15).

        Jeremiah's first sermon from the Lord, found in chapter two, indicates that God had indeed equipped him with the necessary gifts to be the Lord's spokesman. He combines eloquent speech with campassion and a sense of urgency, for God's message was of utmost importance. How heartbreaking it must have been for Jeremiah to not only pronouce the judgment upon his own people but also envision it. It is no wonder he is called "the weeping prophet". Through him, the Lord reminded the people of Judah of His goodness and faithfulness and of their former loving relationship and obedience to Him. But now they were full of rebelliousness and ingratitude. The rulers and priests did not seek God, nor did they know Him, thus they led the people astray. They abandoned their God, who was their glory, and defiled their land by seeking other gods ("harlotry"; 2:20; Isa. 42:8; 2 Kings 17:5); this was something no other nation had done, for every other nation had a certain god over its land to whom it remained loyal, but Judah was not loyal to the one and only true God. For these reasons, punishment was inevitable.

        The Lord God compares Himself to a spring of "living water", that is fresh, sweet, continually flowing, and necessary for true life (John 4:13-14; 7:37-38; Isa. 55:1-2), but He compares the idols to broken cisterns, which are totally useless and benefit no one; if they do contain any water, it is stagnant and rancid. Likewise the water of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon is "evil and bitter" (2:18-19). Why then should Judah sin and backslide in eagerly trying to form alliances with the heathen (though in vain, 2:37), and in trying to be like them by worshipping their idols rather than trusting in God, the living water? Because of their continuous backsliding, the once choice vine that God had lovingly tended had become a degenerate vine which had to be trampled down (cf. 2:21; Isa. 5:1-7; John 15:1-7). Their sin reached the point where it was carved deeply like a permanent and visible tattoo on them (2:22), and yet they refused to see it, claiming themselves to be undefiled (2:35). But one day their sin would put them to shame, as it will for all unrepentant people on the great judgment day.

        Thank You, Lord, that when You call someone to do a task, You also equip and promise to be with him or her. May we be bold to carry out Your will in our lives today.