Jeremiah's Relationship with God
The relationships between God and the biblical characters throughout the Old Testament are very different. If we look at the relationships between God and the prophets, we can see a clear difference between the relationship between God and Jeremiah, and the relationship between God and other prophets such as Hosea and Isaiah. Jeremiah and God’s relationship is more intimate and personal compared to those of Isaiah and God and Hosea and God. God chose Jeremiah as a prophet before he was even born. This is shown in the verse, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” (Jeremiah 1:5) If God claimed him as a prophet that early, he must intend to invest in a personal relationship with him. As compared to the other prophetic relationships, Isaiah just receives God’s word, he isn’t chosen in the way that Jeremiah has been chosen. From Isaiah 1:1, “The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” This is the first we hear of Isaiah and he just had a vision instead of being called upon like Jeremiah. God’s word also just came to Hosea, rather than being chosen like with Jeremiah. This is shown in Hosea 1:1, “The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.” Jeremiah was also sanctified and blessed by the Lord compared to the other prophets, Hosea and Isaiah. In Jeremiah 1:5, “…and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” The fact that God saved Jeremiah and appointed him a prophet reveals the strength of the relationship compared to that of Hosea’s and Isaiah’s.
When God touches Jeremiah’s mouth with his hand, “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:9) In Isaiah 8:11, God’s “hand was strung upon
When God touches Jeremiah’s mouth with his hand, “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth.” (Jeremiah 1:9) In Isaiah 8:11, God’s “hand was strung upon