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“The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah came from the priest who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, as the word of the Lord came to him in the days of Josiah the son of Amoz king of Judah” (Jer. 1:1-2). So, Jeremiah prophesied under Josiah king of Judah, and he prophesied about the captivity of Judah by the Egyptians, saying: “And the sons of Memphis and Taphne... will break your head" (Jer. 2:16), also prophesied about the captivity of Jehoiachin, about the third captivity of Judah during the reign of Zedekiah; he also prophesied about the captivity of the nations neighboring the Jews, about the fall of Babylon, about the return of the people of Judah from captivity, about the restoration of the kingdom of Judah. fathers was delivered by God from slavery in Egypt, again given over to slavery for many sins, and the truth of God quite rightly punished this people for their guilt. “Before I created you in the womb, I knew you,” that is, I knew that you were worthy to be a prophet of the people of Judah, “and before I brought you out of the womb that sanctified you” (Jer. 1:5), that is, I chose you to be a prophet for the pagans. “Do not say that I am a child, for you will go to everyone to whom I will send you, and speak everything that I command you. Do not be afraid from their presence, for I am with you” (Jer. 1:7–8). You will go to kings who are hostile to you, to princes and false prophets who are hostile to you; and when you speak everything that I tell you about the captivity, about the famine and about the deadly plague, do not be afraid of their faces. “And the Lord stretched out His hand... and touched me with my mouth, and the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. Behold, I have set you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms,” that is, over the kingdoms of the people of Judah and the pagans, both adjacent to the people of God and those distant from it, “that you may uproot and destroy, and waste, and destroy, and again build and plant” (Jer. 1:9-10), not in actual deeds, but with your predictions, advice or commands. This clearly shows that it depends on our freedom to do good and enjoy God’s benefits for it. And if we ourselves shy away from doing good, then God changes His way of acting, instead of satiety he sends us famine, and instead of peace - war and a sword, in order to admonish us when we act foolishly. And just as the freedom of our will is not bound by law and the bonds of necessity, so God, the Lord of all and the Lawgiver, is not bound by law in anything, but rules everything as He pleases and, according to His will, changes times, seasons, and human affairs. This is also taught by what is written further, when the prophet speaks on behalf of God: “Finally I will speak against the tongue and against the kingdom, that I will uproot them and destroy and waste them: and if that tongue turns away from all its wickedness, then I will repent of the bitterness that I have thought to create for them... And finally, I will speak against the tongue and the kingdom, that I may build and plant. And if the evil one does something evil before My eyes, and does not listen to My voice, then I will repent of the good things that I have done to them” (Jer. 18:7-10). “And the Lord said: What do you see, Jeremiah? And the nut rod (I see)” (Jer. 1:11). The nut rod is an image of the judgment prepared by the truth of God, for just as a nut branch bears flowers early, so will disasters and the captivity and resettlement predetermined for your city soon come to your people. “And the Lord said: ... what do you see, Jeremiah? And he said: Lord, the konob is set on fire (I see), and his face is from the face of the north. And the Lord said to me: from ... the north evil will be kindled against all those who dwell on the earth" (Jer. 1: 13–14). “The konob that is set on fire” means anger that ignites like fire. The words: “the face of it from... the north,” means Chaldea, because Chaldea lies to the north of the land of Judea. “As if evil will kindle from... the north,” that is, disasters will come from the north, the captivity of the inhabitants and the destruction of their homes. “On all those who dwell on the earth,” that is, on those who dwell in the land of Judea and on the pagans, because they too are destined to be taken captive. “Behold, I will call together... the tribes from the north” (Jer. 1:15), that is, the Babylonians and all the kings they conquered; and Nebuchadnezzar will soon come to oppress Jerusalem and all Judea, and subject them to immeasurable disasters. “And I will speak to them in judgment” (Jer. 1:16). I will enter into court with them and show that they are worthy of the punishment determined by them; or I will judge them, that is, I will actually strike them with the disasters that I had previously only threatened them with, because they did not heed My word, did not want to turn away these disasters from themselves by repentance, and for their stubbornness My judgments will befall them. “Do not be afraid on their behalf” (Jer. 1:17), that is, on behalf of those about whom you thought that they were preparing death for you. “Behold, I have built a strong city” (Jer. 1:18), that is, a city that cannot be taken either by force or by cunning. You might be interested in: