THE CALL OF JEREMIAH by DAVID TUDOR ... - David T Williams

Abstract
The literary problems associated with the Book of Jeremiah are firstly discussed in
order to demonstrate that the references to Jeremiah's experience may be taken as
historically reliable. Because direct reference to his experience is infrequent, the
ministry that he had is considered in order to determine what could have initiated it. Its
nature was such that it implies an initial experience of an appearance of God to him,
commissioning him to be a prophet, even though direct reference to this theophany is
limited because of the particular situation. Thus the fundamental aspect of being a
prophet was not that of speaking for God, but of having entered into a particularly
close relationship with him. This is also seen in the account in Jeremiah 1 which
recorded his appointment as a prophet, and which thus rejected other possible direct
causes of his prophesying.
Jeremiah was then sent as a messenger of God. However, his message was not
simply due to his initial call experience, but was received in later experiences of
revelation which did not involve theophany. The initial experience did however enable
the revelation to be recognised as from God. For Jeremiah, both initial experience and
later revelation were centred on the word of the Lord. The positive connotations of this
term were very appropriate for Jeremiah, reflecting the creative and rational aspects of
his ministry and also the dialogues with God which are a particular feature of the book.
Other possible forms of revelation such as vision and dream are rare to Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was not irresistibly constrained to become a prophet. Once he had accepted
the call, he irresistibly received oracles from God, but was not irresistibly constrained
to deliver them, although the pressure to do so from various sources was high. He was
also free to put particular form to the message which he had received.
Mention of the spirit is rare in Jeremiah, although frequently associated with prophecy.
The reasons for this, and the role of the spirit in Jeremiah are discussed.