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Now, we begin Jeremiah.
āāJeremiah⬠ā1:1ā-ā¬19⬠āMSGā¬ā¬
[1-4] The Message of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah of the family of priests who lived in Anathoth in the country of Benjamin. Godās Message began to come to him during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon reigned over Judah. It continued to come to him during the time Jehoiakim son of Josiah reigned over Judah. And it continued to come to him clear down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah over Judah, the year that Jerusalem was taken into exile. This is what God said: [5] āBefore I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nationsā thatās what I had in mind for you.ā [6] But I said, āHold it, Master God! Look at me. I donāt know anything. Iām only a boy!ā [7-8] God told me, āDonāt say, āIām only a boy.ā Iāll tell you where to go and youāll go there. Iāll tell you what to say and youāll say it. Donāt be afraid of a soul. Iāll be right there, looking after you.ā Godās Decree. [9-10] God reached out, touched my mouth, and said, āLook! Iāve just put my words in your mouthāhand-delivered! See what Iāve done? Iāve given you a job to do among nations and governmentsāa red-letter day! Your job is to pull up and tear down, take apart and demolish, And then start over, building and planting.ā [11-12] Godās Message came to me: āWhat do you see, Jeremiah?ā I said, āA walking stickāthatās all.ā And God said, āGood eyes! Iām sticking with you. Iāll make every word I give you come true.ā [13-15a] Godās Message came again: āSo what do you see now?ā I said, āI see a boiling pot, tipped down toward us.ā Then God told me, āDisaster will pour out of the north on everyone living in this land. Watch for this: Iām calling all the kings out of the north.ā Godās Decree. [15b-16] āTheyāll come and set up headquarters facing Jerusalemās gates, Facing all the city walls, facing all the villages of Judah. Iāll pronounce my judgment on the people of Judah for walking out on meāwhat a terrible thing to do!ā And courting other gods with their offerings, worshiping as gods sticks theyād carved, stones theyād painted. [17] āBut youāup on your feet and get dressed for work! Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say. Donāt pull your punches or Iāll pull you out of the lineup. [18-19] āStand at attention while I prepare you for your work. Iām making you as impregnable as a castle, Immovable as a steel post, solid as a concrete block wall. Youāre a one-man defense system against this culture, Against Judahās kings and princes, against the priests and local leaders. Theyāll fight you, but they wonāt even scratch you. Iāll back you up every inch of the way.ā Godās Decree.

