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Serving – July/August 2024 – Grace & Truth Magazine

Chosen, Ordained, And Equipped

Jeremiah the prophet was faithful from an early age, even in trying times, and some lessons can be learned from his example. Yet, some people may say, “It was easy enough for Jeremiah as he had received a special touch and appointment of the Lord.” Actually, the first nine verses of Jeremiah provide a number of points that may suggest that he was more specially chosen, set apart, ordained and fitted for the work that the Lord had for him to do, and the abuse and suffering that he had to endure, than most of us have felt. He was:

From a priestly family (Jer. 1:1),Addressed by the Lord specifically (v.2),Known before he was formed in the womb (v.5),Sanctified (set apart) and ordained for his work before birth (v.5),Commissioned with the Lord’s work (v.7),Promised the Lord’s presence (v.8), andEquipped for his work (v.9).

Now, it is very possible that most of us do not feel that we have had such a specific or articulated calling to do the Lord’s work. We may not only feel poorly enabled, like Jeremiah did (v.6), but ill equipped. To counter this notion, it may be advantageous to examine several examples of some people like us in the Scriptures.

• Jochebed* was an unnamed mother in perilous times, whose faith and service provided and trained a leader for Israel (see Ex 2). Being faithful in the home and family is the place to start.
• Hannah (1 Sam. 1) was a faithful woman in a dysfunctional family. Through her quiet demeanor, godly behavior and dependence on the Lord, she was a witness to Eli, the high priest. Hannah was used to prepare Samuel for the Lord’s service in such a way that Eli could bless the child’s parents. The Lord granted to them five more children (2:21). Faithfulness and service may be exemplified in the public place of worship as well as in the home.
• A little maid, an Israeli captive in Syria, could witness to her mistress to the salvation of the mighty Naaman (2 Ki. 5:3). The Lord can use a young child to encourage others and to do good.
• Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, was a brave man of compassion who saved Jeremiah from a sure death in a dungeon of mire (Jer. 38:6-13). He spoke to the king and was allowed to draw the prophet from a pit. We may be reminded, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Mt. 10:41 KJV). Meanwhile, we have a greater King than the one this eunuch served.
• The Good Samaritan is an example that could provide pages of delightful lessons (Lk. 10:25-37). Do we see any special calling, ordination or equipping of this unnamed neighbor before he showed fitting compassion to save the wounded man and cause him to provide proper attention, adequate care and sufficient resources for the stranger’s well-being?
• “And what shall I more say?” (Heb. 11:32). For the space would fail us to tell of others of faith, including “women who received their dead raised to life again … others [who] were tortured … others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging … bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned … sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; … they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (vv.35-38).

None of these individuals had any biblical mention of having been specially chosen, set apart, ordained or fitted for the work that the Lord had them do. Yet, they were certainly faithful in trying times!

Let us go back to those earlier seven points suggesting that Jeremiah may have been different from you and me.

1. He was from a priestly family; so are we. All Christians are a part of “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9). “Jesus Christ … hath made us … priests unto God and his Father” (Rev. 1:5-6).
2. He was addressed by the Lord specifically. The Lord continues to speak to us through the Word of God and its application to us by the Holy Spirit. “The anointing which ye have received of Him, abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him” (1 Jn. 2:27).
3. Jeremiah was known before he was formed in the womb. We go back before that: “He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).
4. The prophet was sanctified, or set apart, and ordained for his work before birth. God’s plan and perfect will are being worked out in our lives too. “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (2:10).
5. Jeremiah was commissioned with the Lord’s work. Did not the Lord tell us all, in His commission to the eleven disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20)?
6. The prophet was promised the Lord’s presence. We claim the same, and even more so! “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (v.20).
7. He was equipped for his work. So are we as having received “an unction [anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 Jn. 2:20). Furthermore, “we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having … gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us …” (Rom. 12:5-6).

Those of us who have thought of ourselves as just being ordinary are not really that way. The Lord has truly and especially chosen, set apart, ordained and fitted each Christian – and that includes you and me as believers – for the work that the Lord has given us to do. Therefore, we too can be faithful in trying times as we yield to His will and power.

ENDNOTE
* An article about Jochebed can be found at the May 2014 Grace & Truth Magazine.

By G. H. B.