Panorama of the Prophets

Christ in Jeremiah

 

The writer of Hebrews gives this Messianic quote: Hebrews 10:7

Then I said, 'Behold, I have come — In the volume of the book it is written of Me —  To do Your will, O God.'" 

 

The Purpose of the Bible is to point us to a person – the Person of Jesus Christ.

A)Panorama of the Prophets series – 1st week overview – 2nd Christ in …..

 

B)Last week Overview of Jeremiah – tonight – Christ in Jeremiah.

 

C)The very first Messianic statement in the book of Jeremiah is found in Ch. 2 – indirect way – V.13

1)God refers to himself as the fountain of living water –

 

D)Indicts Judah for rejecting Him the fountain of living water and carving out cisterns – broken cisterns that hold no water.

 

 

The interesting thing about that statement is that Jesus referred to himself in the same manner on two separate occasions.

A) John 4:13-14

“Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,  14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."

 

B)Perpetual flow { Inner thirst quenched

 

John 7:37-39

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."  39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

 

C)The role of the Holy Spirit – imparting the life of Christ into us – fulfilling

 

Another Interesting thing about the Prophet Jeremiah is – when Jesus asked his disciples – who do men say that I am –

A)One of the opinions was Jeremiah.

 

B)The Disciples said some of the people think – you are Jeremiah – you remind them of Jeremiah the prophet

 

The similarities between Jeremiah and Jesus Christ are worth noting.

Neither married (16:2)

Both were rejected by their own towns (11:21 and 12:6) with Luke 4:16-30).

Jeremiah ministered under the menacing shadow of Babylon, Jesus under the shadow of Rome.

 

Both were considered traitors by their people.

Jeremiah was viciously opposed by the false prophets, Jesus by the scribes and Pharisees, the false leaders of His day.

 

Jeremiah gathered few disciples about him; Jesus had a small following.

Both were arrested falsely and persecuted.

 

Both emphasized a religion of the heart, and not merely one of outward forms and ceremonies.

In their preaching, both used striking illustrations and comparisons.

 

Both revealed a tender, sympathetic heart that was crushed by the wickedness of a nation that should have obeyed God’s Word.

Both wept over the city of Jerusalem, and both predicted its ruin

 

It was this heart for the People that reveals our next picture: Jeremiah 23

A)God indicts the Shepherds of Israel for caring more about themselves than the people. Not caring for the people properly.

 

B)He prophesies that God is going to send one from the branch of David – that will be a true Shepherd – a true King  Jer 23:4-6

 

4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking," says the Lord.

 

5 "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord,

"That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: 

                            THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

 

Jehovah Tsidkenu — The Lord our Righteousness

 

When you put your faith in Jesus Christ,

 

His righteousness is put into your account and you are declared righteous before God. This is called "being justified by faith" (Rom 3:21-5:11).

 

The Greatest picture of Christ we have in the book of Jeremiah comes in the form of what he will establish – A new Covenant

“The doctrine of the New covenant lies at the root of all true theology. It has been said that he who understands the distinction between the Old Covenant & the New Covenant is  a master of divinity.”    Spurgeon.

 

Now a Covenant is a Contract or an Agreement between two parties

A)Several covenants that God made in the O.T. –but the Main Cov. Was the called the Old Cov. That He made w/ Israel

 

B) In the Book of Exodus – giving of the Law – the Lord established this  Cov. / the TERMS of this Cov are found in several places Rd on Deuteronomy 11:22

 

22If you are careful to obey every command I am giving you to follow, and love the LORD your God, and do what he has told you to do, and are loyal to him, 23then the LORD will force all those nations out of the land ahead of you, and you will take the land from nations that are bigger and stronger than you. 24Everywhere you step will be yours

26See, today I am letting you choose a blessing or a curse. 27You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. 28But you will be cursed if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God.

 

C) The thing we see about the terms of this Cov. Is there was a Condition

1)    The Promise of Blessing was based upon man’s obedience in keeping the Law of God / In Living according to the 10 Commandments

 

D) And in the Book of Exodus When God thundered from on top of Mt. Siani in giving the Law to Israel, the people responded

1)    All that the Lord has said we will do/  But Broke that 40 days later

  Moses delayed his coming down – Make us a Calf

 

That was the Problem w/ the Old Covenant & the reason there was a Need for a New Cov. / Problem was  Man couldn’t keep it

Hebrews 8: 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah

 

A)The First Cov. Was not Fautless or w/ out Fault – but the fault wasn’t w/ God or what He established / it was w/ THEM /

 

B) The Problem was w/ Man & in his inability to hold up his end of the Bargain / to keep the  O.C. / the Law

 

C)The Lord sent Jesus to establish a new Covenant – Jeremiah – foretold -

                                       RD Jeremiah 31:31-34

 

 

 

 

Now there are 3 key components to the N.C. – New heart / New Part /New Start /

 

New heart v.33

 I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts;

 

Ezekiel 36:26-27  the Lord clarifies what He is doing in the NC -

26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

 

There the Lord declares I am going to give you a New Heart

A) New Heart speaks of an Internal work! The O.C. was external: the focus was on man's outward performance:    Sacrifices/ washings

  1) Keeping the Law

 

B.) But The outward sacrifices; & washings could not effect the inward!

Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it! "

 

C)Be surprised what heart is capable of :

   Matthew 15:19 "Out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander."

D.) Been rightly said that at the Heart of man’s  problem is a heart problem!

   1) Our Hearts are wicked – I am never surprised any more hear of something someone did .

 

But praise the Lord - He has the answer to OUR heart problem: He says  I will give you a new heart!

A.)    Not  clean up the heart but give you a new heart!/

 

B)The Heart is the core of who we are & that is where God starts on the Transformation work

 

B.)     Heart transplant! – Meet people here testimonies

 

 

Now in Ezk God says I will Remove your Heart of stone:

A.) Speaks of Hard heart no response to God's call - seed on wayside no interest     in spiritual things / it is a heart that is spiritually Cold & unfeeling

 

B) A heart that is Dead – Spiritually there is no life; no vitality;

1)    The Lord takes out that cold hard lifeless heart & gives us a New  heart a heart of flesh

 

C) Living; feeling Tender: & responsive!        Pride stubbornness are broken down - the new heart readily answers the call of God;

 

But notice what else the Lord declared in Ezk. Not only will I give you a New heart but I will place my spirit w/ in you & He will cause you to ….

A)The Lord says that Part of this new work is that my spirit is going to live inside your heart – do a change in you

 

B)Jesus declared John 14 – With you shall be in

1)Teach you – guide you – convict you – call to your remembrance.

 

C)Point – Internal work Vs External working.

 

 

A Scieintist was touring in the Aminish Country of Penn. The Amish are people who love God very deeply / Very old fashioned in the way they live

A)No TV / no computers / no modern day appliances / no cars / everything is still in the horse & buggy stage

 

B) They live very simply & they talk in king James English / thee’s & thou’s

 

C) Well this particular Scientist was talking w/ this Amish man about the Amish man’s believe in God

1)    Do you really believe that there is a God ? / A. man answered Ye

 

 

 

 

Sceintist said

Have you ever seen God ? Ne / Smelt God ? Ne / touched God ? Ne

Well how can you believe that there is a God if you haven’t seen / smelt / touched God How do you even know there is a God / Unscientific illogical

 

The A. man answer was great : tellest thou me this / Pretale – Hast thou ever seen thy brain ?  No /hast thou …. Smelt … / NO / touched thy brain ? NO

 

Then how knowest thou that thou hast a BRAIN ?

 

How Knowest thou that God is real – New Cov. Like that great old Hymn put it :

“I serve a risen savior He is in the world today, I know that He is living No matter what men may say I hear his voice of mercy I hear his voice of cheer and just the time I need Him He is always near.

He lives, He lives Christ Jesus lives today He walks w/ me & talks w/ me along life’s narrow way. He lives He lives salvation to impart You ask me how I know He lives He lives w/ in my heart . The  NC

 

A New heart – God’ spirit in us to lead us / direct us & empower us

 

 

 

 

 

I want us to consider the 2nd aspect of this New Cov – A New Part / notice the end of  v.33,34  and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

 

A.)Now right away we see a difference here / there is an Intimacy that is described in the words  "I will be their God!  They all shall know me "

 

B)we see here the Lord gives Himself as the chief blessing of the NC

 

C)OC relationship of Distance – Tab / veil / Priest

 

D)Calvary that all Changed – Veil rent – Open house

1) Know me -

 

But in the NC the Lord says – I will be their God & they shall be my people and all of them shall Know me

 

Not just Knowing him as the Creator

 

More than Knowing about Him

 

 

 

 

 

Nor is it simply an intellectual Knowledge of Him / Knowing about Him

A)I know about Billy Graham – read books about his life / From what I have read / I consider him a great man / But no first hand Knowledge

 

B) Now I have friends who have spent time w/ him / pictures of them w/ Billy in their office –They Know him

1)    They tell me about their time w/ him ( very jealous )/ But for me – It is only a Knowledge

 

C) The NC promises more than just an intellectual Knowledge /

1)    it is not a vicarious relationship where I am trying to live my relationship thru someone else ( tell me more about God)

 

Remember Kid – tell her I like her / See if she likes me / Tell her I think she is cool / tell her pretty dress

A)Word gets out so & so likes each other – never talked / don’t really know each other

 

B) Some people are like that w/ the Lord – Live their relationship w/ Him through someone else / parent / Spouse / Missionary in a book

  1) But the NC is a Relationship where the Lord says – You can Know me

 C) It is a Knowledge that speaks of an Intimacy a closeness in relationship

 

D) And When God says they shall be my people – terms of endearment not servitude that He is referring to / talking FAMILY

1)    Incredible to try & understand that God declares that He wants us to know Him !!!!

 

When He says that I will be their God – He is declaring I will be their ALL in ALL!  

A)Aloving & tender Father. A watchful shepherd &Guardian of his flock. A friend that stickes closer than a brother. A rock/ A refuge/ A fortress/

 

B)A high tower/ A castle of defense/ all that,& more is part of what is ment   when He said “I will be their God,”

1)    Included in that phrase are all the gracious titles of our Lord and all the blessed promises, and all the divine privileges.

 

C) A new Part

 

 

 

 

 

New Start

Jer 31:34

For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

 

This is the most Exciting aspect of the New Cov. Sins forgiven & forgotten

1)   Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west he has removed our transgressions

 

How far is the East from the west – Immeasurable – no end in sight infinte : God chooses to  put out of His Remembrance

A) Not just that He is not  dwelling on them  / completely REMOVED/ gone

 

B)Now on the day of Atonement the Priest would first sacrifice a bull for his own sins

1)    Go into the HH w/ the blood of the Bull sprinkle

7 times on the floor and then 7 times on the Mercy seat – Signifying his sins were covered

 

C) After that He would go out & Sacrifice a goat – the goat was sacrificed for the sins of the people/ back into the HH sprinkle the Blood …7 times….

     1) The People would wait w/ anticipation for the

          High Priest to come out

 

 

 

D) Now there was a 2nd goat that were chosen Now the two goats were actually VIEWED as one goat,

1)    Because both goats had a part to play in this ritual representing the sins of the  People being covered for another yr

 

E)The First goat was slain / his blood shed :satisfying the requirement of God that w/out the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins

 

Then the H.P. would take the live goat  place his hands on it – signifying sins being transferred /  – this goat was bearing their sins /                     

A)Then this goat which was called the scapegoat would be led out into the wilderness – far away

 

B) Several priests would leave with the goat, and at each mountain peak a priest would wait.

1)    One Priest would lead the goat out in the wilderness by himself he’d  untie it, turn it loose, chase it off,

 

C) Now when it went over the hill, he would turn and wave to the priest on the hill behind him. Signaling It’s gone.

 1) He would in turn, wave to the priest on the next hill, who would wave to the priest on the next hill, …..  H.P.who standing at the door of the Tab.

 

D)He then would go out and announce to the people, “You’re sins are gone!” And the people would rejoice/ & Celebrate

  1)“Our sins are gone! The goat is disappeared and the sins are gone!”

      Great cause for celebration.

 

The two goats picture beautifully the work of redemption in Christ

A)One was killed sig.  The requirement met/ wages of sin is death – w/out the shedding of blood there is no remission / Signified Sins were forgiven

 

B) The One led out sig.  Sins being forgotten taken away … to be remembered no more   Puts it out of God’s  rememberance

1)      That is exactly what Christ accomplished for us on the Cross / thru which He established this NC – Sins Forgiven / Sins Forgotten

 

C) So that everyday in the NC is a NEW START !!!!

 

D)Sins forgiven and forgotten.

 

E)Took the cup this cup is my blood – of the new Covenant – shed for many – remission of sins.

 

F)Covenants sealed in blood or a Sacrifice.

1)Final Sacrifice – glorious new covenant

New heart / Part / Start