II. JEREMIAH’S COMMISSION
Verses 9 through 19 speak of Jeremiah’s commission.
A. Touched on His Mouth by Jehovah’s Hand
Verse 9a says, "Then Jehovah stretched out His hand and touched my mouth." Since God is absolutely spiritual, how could He have touched Jeremiah’s mouth with His hand? We do not know and we cannot explain this. We only know that Jeremiah was in fact touched on his mouth by Jehovah’s hand.
B. Jehovah Putting His Words
into Jeremiah’s Mouth
After touching Jeremiah Jehovah put His words into his mouth. Jehovah said to him, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth" (v. 9b). This enabled the prophet to speak for Him. The principle is the same with us today. When God puts His words into us, we have much to speak for Him.
C. Jehovah Having Appointed Him
over the Nations and over the Kingdoms
"See, I have appointed you this day / Over the nations and over the kingdoms / To pluck up and to break down, / To destroy and to tear down, / To build up and to plant" (v. 10). On the negative side there was to be the plucking up, the breaking down, the destroying, and the tearing down; on the positive side there was to be the building up and the planting. Here we are reminded of the two meanings of Jeremiah’s name: "Jehovah exalts" and "Jehovah tears down." The plucking up, the breaking down, and the destroying are Jehovah’s tearing down. The building up and the planting are Jehovah’s exalting. Surely every negative thing—everything of Satan, sin, and the world—must be torn down. Along with this we have Jehovah’s building up and His planting, both of which involve His word. God’s word is a building up of Christ and a planting of Christ. This is for the exalting of Christ.
(Life-Study of Jeremiah and Lamentations, Chapter 5, by Witness Lee)
