Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Jeremiah Chapter 1
Metaphysically Interpreting Jeremiah 1:1-3
1:1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 1:2to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 1:3It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.
Metaphysically Interpreting Jeremiah 1:4-19
1:4Now the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
1:5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee,
and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee;
I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations.1:6Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child. 1:7But Jehovah said unto me,
Say not, I am a child;
for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go,
and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak.
1:8Be not afraid because of them;
for I am with thee to deliver thee,
saith Jehovah.1:9Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said unto me,
Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth:
1:10see, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down
and to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.1:11Moreover the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. 1:12Then said Jehovah unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I watch over my word to perform it. 1:13And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling caldron; and the face thereof is from the north.
1:14Then Jehovah said unto me, Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. 1:15For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. 1:16And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. 1:17Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at them, lest I dismay thee before them. 1:18For, behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. 1:19And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, saith Jehovah, to deliver thee.
September 14, 1930: Jeremiah 1:4-10
What is the meaning of the word Jeremiah? The word Jeremiah means “Jah is high.” Another definition is “the exalted one.” Spiritual discernment reveals Jeremiah to be man's highest concept of man working faithfully under the divine law.
What was the condition of the nation, Israel, in the time of Jeremiah the prophet? Israel was in great distress spiritually, mentally, and physically. Its condition was the result of its failure to follow the commandments of Jehovah. The land was full of idols, and immorality was rampant.
Explain the statement, “Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child.” In outer consciousness one may be timid and shrinking in bearing witness to Truth. To this state of consciousness Jehovah says, “Be not afraid ... I am with thee to deliver thee.”
May 12, 1929: Jeremiah 1:6-10
What is the meaning of the word Jeremiah? The word Jeremiah means “Jah is high.” Another definition is “the exalted one.” Spiritual discernment reveals Jeremiah to be man's highest concept of the divine law working faithfully in human consciousness.
What was the condition of the nation, Israel, in the time of Jeremiah the prophet? Israel was in great distress spiritually, mentally, and physically; its condition was the result of its failure to follow the commandments of Jehovah. The land was full of idols, and immorality was rampant.
Explain the statement, “Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child.” In outer consciousness one may be timid and shrinking when moved by the Spirit of the Lord to testify to Truth. To this state of consciousness Jehovah says, “Be not afraid ... I am with thee to deliver thee.”
What was the nature of the message of Jeremiah to the children of Israel? The message of Jeremiah was a call to repentance for having transgressed God's law. He told the children of Israel that the sensuous lives of the people would end in disaster and desolation unless they repented.
October 13, 1935: Jeremiah 1:6-10
What is necessary in order to speak with authority? One must know one's subject and be convinced that one's cause is worthy of being championed.
Can the courage of one's convictions be cultivated where it is lacking? By an act of conscious willing to know the divine will one can gain strength of conviction. “If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself.”
What is the meaning of the name Jeremiah, and what does it represent metaphysically? Jeremiah means “exaltation of Jehovah.” Metaphysically the name represents spiritual faith demanding that all the religious thoughts (Judah) shall prove faithful to the divine law.
What follows the development of faith in the reality of spiritual things? As our spiritual faith grows, we get rid of fear, because we realize the omnipresence of spiritual power. “I am with thee to deliver thee, saith Jehovah.”
Explain what the “nations” and “kingdoms” represent that are to be plucked up, broken down, destroyed, and overthrown. These all represent negative states in consciousness. Doubt, discouragement, anxiety, all are nations and kingdoms ripe for overthrow; and there are many others.
Does the sense mind recognize the authority of the spiritual consciousness? To the sense mind the activities of the spiritual consciousness are a foolish waste of time and energy, and are wrong as well. When he completed his message, Jeremiah was pronounced worthy of death by priests, prophets, and people.
Does man resent being told what is right for him to do? The personal man resents being told what is right for him. He prefers to follow his own will regardless of the effect on himself, and does not care to be reminded that he is subject to law.
Can effects be controlled? By changing one's mind so as to modify an existing cause or substitute a new one in its place, one can change an effect at will. “Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.”
November 27, 1949: Jeremiah 1:9-10
What is represented by the prophet Jeremiah? Jeremiah represents spiritual faith demanding that all religious thoughts be faithful in the observance of divine law.
What is represented by the “hand” of Jehovah touching Jeremiah's mouth? Jehovah's hand touching Jeremiah's mouth represents the expression of divine law in terms of cause and effect. Jeremiah understood this law, and when Jehovah touched his mouth, he knew that he could speak with authority.
What is any person's supreme authority for carrying out works of reform or reconstruction? A commission from God: “Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” “He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God.” Jeremiah was convinced that he was uttering the divine law in each word that he spoke.
What precedes the work of building and planting in the spiritual realm? The denial of all error so that it may be erased from consciousness. “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy and to overthrow.” Only when the work of denial is completed is it time “to build and to plant.”
November 27, 1949: Jeremiah 1:18-19
Is courage required to enable one to stand alone while proclaiming unpalatable truth to those in error? Yes, supreme courage. “Behold, I have made thee this day a fortified city {an aggregation of thoughts of courage}, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls, against the whole land.” Such courage is an unshakable defense to its possessor.
Against what does the possession of spiritual consciousness equip one to stand? Against the attempts of the personal consciousness in all its forms to dominate the spiritual man. Jeremiah was to stand fast for Jehovah in the face of opposition from the kings of Judah, its princes, priests, and people. In the consciousness of the divine presence he was to be called upon to cope with them all.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 01-29-2014
