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JEREMIAH 1:1, 2

"THE WORD OF JEHOVAH"

Intro: Difficult to conceive situation more painful. Great man condemned to watch lingering 
       agony of exhausted country. Words of Jehovah to decadent age. Wonderful thought having
       spoken and been disobeyed. God should continue to speak.

I. THE NATURE OF THE AGE.
        A. 5 kings during Jeremiah's prophesies.
                1. Josiah - 18 years after Jeremiah started.
                2. Jehoahaz - 3 months.
                3. Jehoiakim - 11 years.
                4. Jehoiachin -3 months.
                5. Zedakiah - 11 years.
        B. Josiah came to throne at remarkable time.
                1. 8 yrs. old.
                2. 1/2 century back reign of Hezekiah (Isaiah..
                        a. Manassah - corruption.
                        b. Aaron.
                        c. Josiah.
        C. Josiah instituted reforms.
                1. Popular king and people followed.
                2. Surface experienced.
                3. Then Jehoahaz - vassal of Egypt then Babylon.
                4. Zedekiah - moral corruption; intrigue; religious darkness.
                5. During this time Jeremiah uttered word of Lord - mocked, imprisoned, 
                   scoffed.
        D. Three great events.
                1. Battle at Corchemish against Egypt - Josiah killed.
                2. Battle at Corchemish, Egypt defeated by Babylon.
                3. FaIl of Jerusalem to Babylon.

II. WHO WERE THESE PEOPLE TO WHOM WORD OF THE LORD CAME?
        A. Paul in Romans - what advantage Jew?
                Adoption, covenants, glory, law, service, promises, Fathers, Christ.
        B. These are the people mowing toward their doom.
                1. Chapter 2 - My people have committed two evils.
                        a. Forsaken fountain of living waters.
                        b. Hewn broken cisterns that can hold no water.
                2. Forsaken one - Basic sin from which others sprang.
                3. Darkest period of any history.
                4. Northern kingdom as example - barren land testifying to the result  of
                   forsaking God.
        C. Yet Word of Jehovah came.
                1. Faithfulness of God amid unfaithfulness of people.
        D. Purpose of word - vs. 10.