Key Verse
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
—2 Timothy 4:2
Key Verse Thought: Read the Key Verse and use the following definitions to help you understand it better:
- preach means to herald (as a public crier) especially the divine truth (the gospel); proclaim
- instant means to stand upon, that is, be present; be at hand, present, stand
- in season means conveniently. From the word that means well timed, that is, opportune.
- out of season means inopportunely. From the word that means to be inopportune (for oneself)
- reprove means to confute, admonish: convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove
- rebuke means to tax upon, that is, censure or admonish; by implication forbid; (straitly) charge
- exhort means to call near, that is, invoke (by imploration, or consolation): beseech, call for, intreat, pray
We will see today that Jeremiah had this call upon his life. It wasn’t an easy message he had to deliver, but he remained faithful through much!
Emphasis: We are to hear and understand the call of God upon our life. Christians are to be faithful, as Jeremiah was, to obey that call no matter how difficult it may seem.
Lesson Summary: There is so much information found in the book of Jeremiah (much like the book of Isaiah), that we could never fully understand it in a couple of lessons. The next couple of lessons are meant to help one grasp a few of the important things found in the book of Jeremiah. In addition, one should recognize that Jeremiah too, preached Jesus.
Jeremiah lived about one hundred years after Isaiah. Jeremiah was both a priest and prophet. God ordained Jeremiah as a prophet before he was even born (see Jeremiah 1:4-5). He lived during the last five kings of Judah; the kings we studied the last couple of lessons. Remember that only one of them was a good king and that was King Josiah. Jeremiah preached during his reign (see Jeremiah 2-12) during which time King Josiah began eliminating idolatry and cleaning out the temple. Remember that while repairing the temple, a copy of the Law was found. King Josiah read the law, leading Judah to one final time of repentance and reformation. Today we will find new information about the heart of the people during this time of reformation in Judah.
Jeremiah was given many signs for God’s people, and he had many messages from God for the people. We will take time to look at some of the words he spoke to the kings. We will especially remember the time that Jeremiah wrote the words of the Lord, and the evil king Jehoiakim cut it up with a penknife and threw it into a fire.
Jeremiah was a prophet to Judah before they were carried into captivity, and he prophesied that the people would be held in captivity for seventy years. We will continue to consider Jeremiah in our next lesson.
Y2Q3 – Lesson 10 Children’s Worksheets
If you are teaching this lesson to younger children, the following is a craft idea to go along with this lesson.
