Jeremiah
1:4-8
The Lord appointed Jeremiah to be a prophet. But Jeremiah thought he was too young. He thought he didn’t know what to say.
The Lord explained to him why those things didn’t matter.
What did God tell Jeremiah in verse 8?
Hearty wonders how Jeremiah felt when he heard these words? What do you think?
If God asks you to do something, do you think he will help you do it?
How does that make you feel?
1:5
The Lord knew Jeremiah long before he was born. God already knew what he wanted Jeremiah to do for him.
The apostle Paul told us this. He said that God chose us to be his children before he made the world. Read Ephesians 1:4.
Inny wants you to know that you are important to the Lord! He has known you from forever. He has loved you from long before you were even born. He couldn’t wait for the day you were born!
2:13
In those days, people would rather fetch water from a spring. That is because a well could easily be run dry.
The Israelites worshipped false gods. They did this even though those gods were like empty wells.
When there is no water, there is no life. But the Lord is like a spring of clear water that gives life.
3:12-13
Both the northern and the southern kingdoms of Israel worshipped false gods for hundreds of years.
Yet the Lord never stopped loving them.
He was always willing to forgive them.
All they had to do was return to him and admit that they had disobeyed him.
God only punished the Israelites so that they would come back to him.
4:22
Jeremiah compares the people of Judah to naughty children.
Often children choose to do wrong instead of doing what is right.
Joinme thinks you should plan together to follow the rules and do the right things.
Talk about any changes you might have to make at home and school to do this.
After a few days, get together again. Talk about what is working and what isn’t.
You might have to make some changes in your plan.
You can help make your home and your classroom peaceful, happy places.
8:4-6
These verses tell us that the people of Judah had turned away from God.
They didn’t recognize their sins and hadn’t asked God to forgive them.
It was like they had fallen and didn’t want to get up.
So God tells them that they will be punished.
Inny knows that when you fall down, you get up again.
You do that even when you hurt yourself!
So think about this.
When you sin, it’s like falling down.
But then you ask the Lord to forgive you and he does.
That is like getting up from your fall.
Remember to ask the Lord to forgive your sins every day.
Then you will get up and live!
10:5-6, 10-16
Make a list of the things a false god or statue can’t do.
Now make a list of everything that the Lord can do.
How do people feel when they see how great God is?
Jeremiah tells us in verse 13.
Hearty would like to know if this is how you feel.
What important things must you remember about the Lord?
Read verse 16 for the answer.
15:13-16
In chapters 13 – 16, Jeremiah wrote that the Lord finally ran out of patience.
He decided that it was time to punish his people.
The people would be taken into exile.
They would have to leave their city and their country.
But worst of all, they would be taken away from the temple, the house of God.
But the Lord’s punishment never lasts forever.
The people stayed in exile until the Lord decided they had suffered enough.
The people who were taken as prisoners had died.
It was their children who returned to Judah.
Then God gave them back their land and their beloved home.
Read Jeremiah 16:15.
18:1-6
How does it feel when you have no control over what is happening to you?
Choose a color on Hearty’s color chart on page 19 that shows how you feel.
We don’t always understand why God allows things to happen to us.
When this happens, we need to believe and trust that he loves us.
Maybe you are experiencing a lot of trouble right now.
Remember that the Lord can make good things happen for you.
And remember that he loves you, no matter what happens.
How does knowing that make you feel?
20:7-13
Jeremiah didn’t like always being the one to bring bad news to the people.
Nobody wanted to hear his words, so they treated him badly.
Still, Jeremiah couldn’t stop speaking the Lord’s message.
God’s words were like a fire inside of Jeremiah.
They had to come out!
Jeremiah chose to be obedient to God, even when it was difficult.
Jeremiah also remembered that the Lord has all the power.
God knew what was in the people’s hearts.
Jeremiah knew he could trust the Lord.
23:23-24
Hearty has a secret hiding place.
Do you also have one?
How do you feel when you are there?
When do you go there?
You are never really alone, not even in your hiding place.
The Lord is everywhere.
He is with you even in your hiding place.
How do you feel about that?
Remember that he loves you.
He wants to comfort you.
25:4-6
The message in these verses is important.
God forgives those people who are sorry for their sins.
He forgives those people who turn back to him and serve him.
Arty likes to look at the large billboards alongside the road.
Draw a billboard or big poster.
Write a message or draw a picture asking people to go back to the Lord.
Remember that people will pass your billboard or poster quickly.
You only have time to say the really, really important things.
Write using large letters.
Use only a few words.
Draw a big picture.
Then put your billboard or poster outside your house.
People driving past have only a few seconds to see and understand your message.
27:8–11, 28:1–2
Jeremiah’s advice was that the people should surrender to the
Babylonians. He said this because he knew that they weren’t going to win the battle.
The Lord wasn’t going to give them the victory.
But the false prophet Hananiah said the Lord would save the people from the
Babylonians. Who was right?
Inny knows that it’s not always easy to know whom to believe. That is why you should
always go back to the Bible. Find out what God’s Word has to say. Then pray about the
situation. You can also ask advice from wise Christians.
30:10–11, 31:3
Chapters 30–32 are often called the Book of Consolation. To
console someone means to bring them comfort. The people had been taken
to a faraway land. But Jeremiah sent them a message of hope. The bad times
wouldn’t last forever. The Lord would bring them back to their own country.
One day they would once again live safely in their own homes.
God’s love lasts forever.
31:31–33
The Lord made a covenant or agreement with the Israelites.
That covenant had two parts. God promised the Israelites he would be their God
and that he would protect them. The Israelites promised God that they would
love and serve him. But the Israelites broke their promise to God. They didn’t
serve the Lord faithfully. So the Lord stopped protecting them. And they were
taken from their country.
Then the Lord decided to make a new covenant with them. He would change
their hearts. His word was going to be in their hearts. Then they would be able
to serve him faithfully.
31:29–30
Once, Inny ate sour grapes. It left an awful taste in his mouth.
God is saying in these verses that everyone will answer for their own lives. If your father
ate sour grapes, would the taste be in your mouth? Of course not! Your father ate the
grapes. He tasted the grapes, not you.
Your faith is something between you and the Lord. You have to make that decision for
yourself. Someone else’s decision won’t influence how God sees you.
32:21–25
Jerusalem was destroyed. The people had been taken away into exile.
Nothing was left in the city.
But the Lord told Jeremiah to buy a piece of land in this empty country.
What does that mean?
The Lord wanted to give Jeremiah hope for the future. The city would be rebuilt.
People would live there again. The Lord’s punishment wouldn’t last forever.
But the Lord’s love will last forever.
38:20–23
Jeremiah gave King Zedekiah good advice. The king’s friends also gave him
advice. But Jeremiah warned the king against taking his friends’ advice.
Inny wants you to think about this. How do you know the difference between good
and bad advice? How can we tell the difference? To whom should we listen?
Jeremiah’s advice was from the Lord. So we should always ask the Lord for advice first.
The Lord will never give us bad advice. Then compare your friends’ advice with what
you read in the Bible. The advice you follow must be guided by the Lord’s commands
for serving him.
42:1–6
A small group of people were left in Jerusalem after the Babylonians conquered
the city. Talky noticed something about these people. They realized that they had to
ask the Lord what they should do.
They wanted to begin obeying God. They didn’t want to live in disobedience any
longer. They decided that they would do whatever the Lord asked them to do.
Get your group together. Read verse 6.
Talk about what it means to do the Lord’s will. When is it difficult to follow God’s laws
and commands for our lives?
52
This chapter tells us how Jerusalem was destroyed. The story is also told in
2 Kings 25 and Ezekiel 33.
It was a terrible event that happened to the people of Judah. They thought the
Lord would never allow Jerusalem to be destroyed. But God’s judgment is fair
and he will punish evil. God expects his people to be obedient to him. And if
they aren’t, they will experience his judgment. God showed the people of Judah
that their obedience to him was most important. It was more important than
saving Jerusalem and the temple.
The Lord allowed the city and the temple to be destroyed. He did this to teach
the Israelites to be faithful to him.
