Who were the prophets? What is their importance for us today? Have you ever thought about it? When we read Holy Bible, we come to know that:

1. The true prophets were the recipients of God’s

message. 2. They were the spokesmen for God because they

spoke to people on God’s behalf and conveyed His message.

They were not simply the puppets, but they were real people who faced difficulties & problems.  In the Old Testament , 3 different terms are used to define the character of a messenger.

1. First such term is nabi(prophet), which is used more than 300 times in the Old Testament. Clear example of the character of the prophet is seen in Exodus 7: 1, 2.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh…

2. Second Hebrew term is shalech, which refers to a person who is someone’s official representative who has been given some important task to fulfill. To some extent, it is the synonym of the Greek word apostolos from where the the English word apostle has come.

3. Third Hebrew term is malach. The word malach is a Hebrew word for an angel. And meaning of the word malach is messenger. Name of one of the Old Testament books, Malachi (my messenger) is also derived from Hebrew word “malach”.  In Jeremiah 7:9-15, we read about the message of the prophet Jeremiah. Now if you read the whole book of Jeremiah, you will come to know that above mentioned aspects are seen in prophet Jeremiah’s life.

1. He was nabi, a prophet, a spokesman for God. 2. He was shelech. He was given an important task by God to fulfill. 3. He was malach, a messenger.

So that is why we read again & again in the book of Jeremiah: Thus says the Lord. This is the word of the Lord. The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord.

Prophet Jeremiah’s message is of great importance. Basically his message was for the people of Judah before the fall of Jerusalem & soon afterwards it. But, we have to keep in mind that his message was not only limited to the people of that age 2500 years ago. His message is still relevant. His message is of great importance for our lives.

PROPHET JEREMIAH SPOKE AGAINST THE SINS OF JUDAH.

Whatever prophet Jeremiah said about God it was not something new. He said the same thing that the prophets used to say before him. He criticized the people of Judah because of their sins. He wrote that God is the spring of living water (2:13). To describe the authority of God he gave the example of the potter (ch.18) Jeremiah 2:13

They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Now what does this mean?

People at that time were worshipping false gods, i.e.

Baal(Canaanite god), Molech(Ammonite god), & Ishtar (Mesopotamian goddess). In Jeremiah 7:9, God is complaining against His people in these words: Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, [a] burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known…

People were living sinful lives to such an extent that God said to Jeremiah:

7:16-18 16 do not pray for this people… for I will not listen to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven.

Jeremiah also spoke about social injustice. Rich were guilty of suppressing poor. They failed to understand that God requires a holy life. They used to come in the Temple of the Lord just to show to the people that they were righteous. So that is why God says in Jeremiah 7:10-11

10 (They) come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"-safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD.

God wants us to obey His commands. He wants us to submit our will before His will. God wants our heart. What kind of heart? A Contrite heart. But what most of the people are doing today in today’s world? • Today people have become materialistic; they have given God’s place to other things which are temporal/ material. Now their God is money/ family/ career/ internet/ cable net / intellect & so on.

• Those who only depend on their baptism for eternal life & do not live a godly life, they continually say; I have been baptized, I have been baptized I have been baptized.

• Those who only depend on their coming to the church building for their salvation. Those who only depend on their denomination.

To such people Jeremiah says in Jeremiah7:4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!

Prophet Jeremiah did not only tell people of Judah about their sins but he also described the reasons for their sins. Reasons of the sin • People were not paying attention to God’s Word. • People were not listening to God’s voice.

• People had a stubborn heart. He also encouraged people to repent from their evil ways. In the book of Jeremiah, three confessions are written & Prophet Jeremiah wanted his people to confess their sins in those words. Jeremiah 3: 22-25 (…we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God…). Jeremiah 14: 7-10 Although our sins testify against us, O LORD, do something for the sake of your name. For our backsliding is great; we have sinned against you… You are among us, O LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us! Jeremiah 14:20-21 O LORD, we acknowledge our wickedness and the guilt of our fathers; we have indeed sinned against you. 21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.

JEREMIAH ALSO GAVE THE MESSAGE OF GOD’S JUDGMENT & MESSAGE OF HOPE.

He spoke about God’s coming wrath, the Babylonian attack on Jerusalem and Exile in Babylon. At that time false prophets were saying that God will not bring disaster to Jerusalem & to the temple. But Jeremiah said that surely God will judge. According to him coming judgment was an ethical & logical need. Jer. 7: 12-15 Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. 15 I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim.'

Jeremiah also prophesied that a remnant will return from exile & God will not forget his covenant with his own people. He will raise a righteous branch. (a prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ). Jesus also spoke about the coming destruction of Jerusalem (which took place in 70 AD) and said that people are ignoring House of God. It is written that my house will be called the house of prayer but you have turned it into the den of robbers. (Luke 19:46) Can we recall what did St. Paul write in his first letter to Corinthians? He wrote that: Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple. (1 Cor 3:16-17) Now, temple symbolizes the dwelling place of God.

1. In the Old Testament, Temple was the symbol of divine victory

2. It was the symbol of God’s victory over his enemies. 3. It was a place of communication b/w man & God.

At one time there was earthly temple on this earth(But that temple do not exist today). Today, every believer is the temple of God and all the believers collectively, as a church; they are the temple of God. We must examine our lives in the light of the message of Prophet Jeremiah.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION Who is my God?

Is my body temple of God? How do I think, act & live?

What are the weak areas where I need to confess before the Living God?