Passages: Jeremiah
Big Idea: Judgement will come, for every person, for every sin, but God in his kindness gives his people a way out.
Ages: 8-11
Eight lessons exploring the book of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah explores the ministry of Jeremiah, the prophet, as he speaks God’s Word to the people of Judah. Words of judgement and words of hope.
The book begins with two promises to Jeremiah. God will keep him safe. And, God will give Jeremiah his words to speak to his people - powerful and true words - words of judgement and hope. Everything God says will happen, will happen.
The persistent sin of God’s people is a repeated focus in the book. Their hypocrisy is evident. God sees every sin - every sin is known to him. The people bring sacrifices to the temple, then go out and steal and murder. They fail to care for the vulnerable - the orphans, widows and poor. Their idolatry is described in terms of unfaithfulness. They persistently commit adultery, preferring to worship false gods, instead of the one true God. They put their trust in idols that have no power to do them good or to harm them.
Judgement will fall on every person for every sin. In the context of Jeremiah, God uses the Babylonians as judgement on his people. For seventy years the people of Judah would be captives in Babylon. The message of the book is clear. Those who refuse to repent and put their trust in God, will be cursed - things will not end well for them. But those who turn to God, who trust in him, will be blessed - things will end well for them.
Jeremiah is not alone in Judah. Other prophets also claim to speak God’s words. In Jeremiah 28, Hananiah softens God’s judgement, claiming God will break the hold of the Babylonians, and within two years God’s people will return. Hananiah speaks words the people long to hear, but he does not speak truth. Hananiah is judged for putting words into God’s mouth - words God never said. The call for God’s people is to be discerning. Be careful when people claim, ‘God says…’ We may not like everything God says, but God’s people are to trust God with all of his words, and not be swayed by people whose words give us momentary comfort.
In the midst of the judgement, there is hope. At Sinai, God reminded his people of the covenant he made with Abraham. God had kept, and would continue to keep, the agreement he made with Abraham. He reaffirmed his covenant with Abraham’s descendants at Mount Sinai. God’s law was written on stone tablets, and the Israelites agreed to love God and keep his law. But God’s people were never going to be able to keep God’s law. In Jeremiah 31, God announces a New Covenant. God would write his law on their hearts. Finally, God's people will want to love and obey God.
In the final chapter of Jeremiah we see the king of Judah abandoning his people and fleeing the city in the hope of saving himself. Years later God’s King would weep over this city, then enter it knowing he was about to give up his life to save his people.
Judgement will come, for every person, for every sin, but God in his kindness gives his people a way out. Jesus is God’s hope for all people everywhere.
The unit comes complete with stories, pictures, suggested songs/memory verses, games, drama activities, crafts, large and small group activities. A resource pack full of crafts and worksheets is also included.