What job did God give Jeremiah?

God called Jeremiah to be a prophet.

 Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah the priest. He lived just north of Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s ministry began when God called him: “I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

Who else did God call in the Old Testament? God called Noah to build an ark (Genesis 6); He called Abram to leave his home (Genesis 12:1-4); He called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3). Each time God calls someone, He equips them to do His work. Like Moses, Jeremiah was hesitant: “Oh no, Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6). God assured Jeremiah: “I will be with you” (Jeremiah 1:8).

God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Judah. Judah was deep in idol worship and other sins and God’s judgment was coming. Jeremiah’s job was to warn them. God gave Jeremiah two visions. The first—a branch of an almond tree—was a sign that God would keep His promise to send judgment, and He would do it soon. The second vision—a boiling pot—meant that God’s judgment was coming from the north. God would bring the Babylonians from the north as judgment on His people. Then God sent Jeremiah out to announce God’s declaration.

Jeremiah challenged the way people lived in Judah and led them to turn away from their idol worship and other sins. Christ did more than challenge how people lived; He called people to turn from their sins, and He provided the way for people to have a relationship with God.