1. Lament and Repent Unit 7, Lessons 9 and 10

2. I. Important Questions A. What is a Prophet’s Job? 1. To speak God’s words of a. Judgment b. Repentance c. Restoration

3. I. Important Questions B. When and Where had God’s word been revealed? 1. In the Covenant requirements spelled out at Mt. Sinai C. Why was the law given? 1. So people could live abundantly according to God’s plan for creation D. What was the purpose of reminding the people of God’s law and the judgment that inevitably followed disobedience? 1. So that they could live in a RESTORED RELATIONSHIP with God and escape judgment by acknowledging God’s plan and living obediently

4. I. Important Questions E.How would you respond to the persecution Jeremiah suffered? F. What do you think Jeremiah’s personal response will be? G. What does Jeremiah’s rejection imply about the people’s relationship with God? –1. Rejection of God’s prophet = rejection of God and his plan

5. II. Lament – an expression of deep grief, often written as a poem A. Jeremiah 11:18-23 B. Jeremiah 12:1-6 C. Jeremiah 15:10-14 D. Jeremiah 15:15-21 E. Jeremiah 17:14-18 F. Jeremiah 18:19-23 G. Jeremiah 20:7-18 Jeremiah’s Complaint: Jeremiah’s Petition: God’s Response

6. III. Repent A. In Jeremiah 18:1-11, he used the illustration of a pot being reshaped by the potter’s hands in his call to repentance. B. The people responded by plotting against Jeremiah. C. Jeremiah took a harder stance. In Chapter 19, he details the sins of the people and coming doom. D. In Egypt a potter would write the name of one of Egypt’s enemies on a pot. Then an official would hurl the pot to the ground and smash it. This act was a prediction and a threat. E. Jeremiah’s goal was not Israel’s destruction, but rather its repentance.

7. IV. Jeremiah 7:1-8 A.The Call to turn from: A. false belief in ritual; oppression of the poor and innocent; worship of idols B.The Call to turn to: A.the Lord Almighty C.Why? A.So that they could live in their land forever in safety

8. V. Repent and Live A. Jeremiah 3:12-14 B. Jeremiah 4:1-2 C. Jeremiah 7:3-7 D. Jeremiah 18:7-11 E. Jeremiah 21:11-12 F.Jeremiah 22:1-5 G. Jeremiah 26:3-6, 13 What’s wrong? What should they do? Why?

9. VI. Questions for Reflection A. What do Jeremiah’s calls to repent and turn away from evil say about God? B. What does Jeremiah’s grief over Judah’s rejection reveal about god? C. What kind of things might Jeremiah call us to repent from today?