Jeremiah 20 - Introduction

REVIEW OF CHAPTER ELEVEN

I. Facts to Master

1.

The place to which Jeremiah is directed to go (Jeremiah 18:2).

2.

That which Israel was in the hand of God (Jeremiah 18:6).

3.

The response of Israel to the prophet's call for repentance (Jeremiah 18:12).

4.

The figure by which the prophet illustrates the unnaturalness of Israel's apostasy (Jeremiah 18:14).

5.

The nature of another plot against Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:18).

6.

That which Jeremiah is now commanded to purchase (Jeremiah 19:1).

7.

The place where the action parable was to take place (Jeremiah 19:2).

8.

That which Jeremiah was to do with the bottle after he preached his sermon (Jeremiah 19:10).

9.

Two acts of worship to the astral deities (Jeremiah 19:13).

10.

The place of defilement and death which Jerusalem will shortly resemble (Jeremiah 19:12).

11.

Name of the chief officer of the temple who smote Jeremiah and put him in the stocks (Jeremiah 20:2).

12.

Location of the stocks and length of time Jeremiah spent there (Jeremiah 20:2-3).

13.

New name given to Pashur and significance of that name (Jeremiah 20:3).

14.

Fate of Pashur (Jeremiah 20:6).

15.

That of which Jeremiah accuses God (Jeremiah 20:7 RSV).

16. That which Jeremiah felt within himself whenever he tried to resign from his prophetic ministry (Jeremiah 20:9).

II. Questions to Ponder

1.

What is the basic lesson that Jeremiah learned in the house of the potter? Where does the analogy of the potter and clay break down?

2.

What bypaths have this modern generation chosen above the ancient paths of fidelity to God? In what sense is the road that leads to destruction a broad and smooth way and in what sense is it an ill-defined and unprepared way?

3.

What is meant by the expression I will show them the back and not the face.? Jeremiah 18:17.

4.

How were the people of Judah rendering to Jeremiah evil for good? See Jeremiah 18:20.

5.

Is Jeremiah 18:21 a petition or a recognition of the inevitable? Can you cite other examples of this type of verse in the Old Testament? Are Jeremiah 18:21-23 the cry of a vengeful spirit?

6.

How are the words eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters to be interpreted? Jeremiah 19:9.

7.

What was the significance of the smashed bottle? Jeremiah 19:11.

8.

Was Pashur a priest or a prophet? See Jeremiah 20:1; Jeremiah 20:6.

9.

In what respect did Jeremiah feel that God had deceived him? Jeremiah 20:7-8.

10.

Jeremiah experienced discouragement and even despair during his ministry, yet he did not quit! Why do so many leave the Gospel ministry today?

11.

Why did Jeremiah become so discouraged? Jeremiah 20:10.

12.

How does Jeremiah's confidence shine through the gloom of despair? Jeremiah 20:11-13.

13.

In Jeremiah 20:14-18 does Jeremiah lapse back into despair or could these verses be assigned to another occasion?

14.

Why did Jeremiah curse the day of his birth? Jeremiah 20:15-18.