Crystallization-Study
of Jeremiah and Lamentations
Message One
Jeremiah, the Tenderhearted Prophet
of the Tenderhearted God
OPENING WORD
OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Jer. 1:18-19 And I am now making you today into a fortified city and into an iron pillar and into bronze walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. And they will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you, declares Jehovah, to deliver you.
Acts 20:19 Serving the Lord as a slave with all humility and tears and trials which came upon me by the plots of the Jews.
Word of Appetizer
Why could God use a prophet like Jeremiah to express Him, speak for Him, and represent Him on earth?
The book of Jeremiah has as its particular nature and standing God’s tenderheartedness plus God’s righteousness. This book is also an autobiography in which Jeremiah tells us of his situation, his person, and his feeling, revealing his tender heart. Jehovah is the tenderhearted God, and in being tenderhearted Jeremiah is absolutely one with God….In his weeping Jeremiah represented God.
Spiritual Burden
Jehovah is the tenderhearted God, and in being tenderhearted, Jeremiah was absolutely one with God; thus, God could use the prophet Jeremiah to express Him, speak for Him, and represent Him.
CONCLUDING WORD
OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
The Revelation of the Truth
Jeremiah was born a priest, but he was called by God to be a prophet not only to the nation of Israel but also to all the nations; hence, he was a priest-prophet.
Jehovah appointed Jeremiah to be over the nations and over the kingdoms to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to tear down, and to build up and to plant.
Jehovah made Jeremiah into a fortified city, into an iron pillar, and into bronze walls against the whole land, the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land; they would fight against him but would not prevail against him. Jeremiah was an overcomer speaking for God.
The book of Jeremiah has as its particular characteristic and standing God’s tenderheartedness plus God’s righteousness. The book of Jeremiah is also an autobiography in which Jeremiah tells us of his situation, his person, and his feeling, revealing his tender heart.
The Experience of Life
Every time God works on us, chastises us, and deals with us, our feelings become finer and more sensitive.
When, in the church life, we pass through the valley of Baca (weeping), God makes this valley a spring; this spring is the Spirit; the more we weep on the highways to Zion (Psa. 84:5), the more we receive the Spirit; while we are weeping, we are being filled with the Spirit, and the Spirit becomes our spring.
Practice and Application
In order that God may be fully expressed through us, we need to have spiritual emotions, be tenderhearted with one another, and be able to serve God with tears
In the church life we need to be tenderhearted with one another; we should not judge and condemn our fellow believers but be kind to them, tenderhearted, forgiving them even as God in Christ also forgave us.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—
TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1: Jeremiah was a priest-prophet (Jer. 1:5-8).
(When God called Jeremiah and commissioned him to speak for Him, what was Jeremiah’s excuse?)
T2: Jeremiah was sent to represent God and fight for Him.
(Why was it necessary for God to make Jeremiah into a fortified city, into an iron pillar, and into bronze walls?)
Day 2
T1: Jeremiah was an overcomer speaking for God (Jer. 1:9-10).
(Please explain the spiritual significance of the fact that Jeremiah was an overcomer speaking for God.)
T2: When God’s people are desolate, we need to rise up to be an anti-testimony (Jer. 27:1-15).
(Please explain how Jeremiah was called by God to be an anti-testimony according to the Bible.)
Day 3
T1: The book of Jeremiah has as its particular characteristic and standing God’s tenderheartedness plus God’s righteousness (Jer. 9:1; 13:17).
(Please explain how Jeremiah represented God in his weeping.)
T2: Jehovah Himself was weeping in sympathy with His people (Jer. 9:17-19).
(How can we see, according to the Bible, that God joined Himself to the suffering people and was one with them in their suffering?)
Day 4
T1: In the Gospels the Lord Jesus wept (John 11:35; Luke 19:41).
(Please explain that He wept from His spirit as His person with His soul as His organ.)
T2: Tears are a good way to work (Acts 20:19, 31).
(Why must we have tears, both before the Lord and before men, in serving the Lord?)
Day 5
T1: How fruitful we are, how much fruit we bear depends on whether or not we have an intimate concern (2 Cor. 12:15; 7:3).
(When James McKendrick preached the gospel, he did not say a word but a number were saved; what is his secret?)
T2: It is easy to point out others’ shortcomings, but it is difficult to say it with tears. However, only those who have tears are qualified to speak (2 Cor. 2:4).
(Why must every worker of the Lord be experienced in the matter of tears?)
Day 6
T1: It is not adequate simply to love the church; this love must become a deep concern (2 Cor. 7:2-3).
(Please explain Paul’s deep, intimate concern for the Corinthians according to the Bible.)
T2: God will turn our tears into a spring (Psa. 84:5-6).
(Please explain that this spring is just the Spirit and the Spirit is our blessing.)
