Jeremiah 1:5

[CantThinkofaUserName]

(Jer 1.5): "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

Jeremiah was told by God that he (Jeremiah) was known before he was born. Is this the case for all humans, or just Jeremiah? If the latter, is it an implication because God is "all knowing" and/or that if He knew Jeremiah, then He must know everyone else, as well? Or is there a specific verse that claims that he knew everyone before they were born?

 

[FutureAndAHope]

That is a very interesting question. I think the first thing we need to be aware of is that God does not predestine anyone to go to hell. "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies", and "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? said the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?".

The prophet Jeremiah may well have had a specific calling from God, but all people are called to a general repentance. In the New Testament Jesus referred to it in such a way that he portrayed himself as a loving father who waits for his rebellious son to return. When the son returns he has no bad feelings but rather throws a party. Also he referrers to it like a farmer and a tree, that if the tree does not initially bear fruit, he waits for it to see if it will in the next season, even though the other workers thought the tree was worthy of destruction. In other words he lovingly waits during the period when a person is not bearing any real fruit (goodness) in the hope that some day soon it will. The bible says that God is "Faithful and just to forgive our sins", and that "God is Love", as such even the most rebellious of sons and daughters of God can be forgiven. We are all called, no one is called to destruction, why as I said before he does not delight in death. Sadly this does not mean no one will go to hell, rather God is not sending people there against their will, i.e. predestining them to destruction. Only through a persons own stupidity will they go to hell, no one alive is beyond Gods grace, he will pardon anyone who is willing to repent. That is why it says "if today you will not harden your hearts", God wants to soften our hearts and offer us his free gift of eternal life.

 

[drich0150]

This passage speaks specifically to Jeremiah, (Jer 1:4) but at the same time does not limit God in any way from knowing the rest of us in a similar manner.

 

[texastig]

Father's Love Letter Text

 

[bling]

This has a lot to do with how God knows the future. God could know all our free will decisions we made yesterday and send that information back to himself in a previous time without removing our free will. Jeremiah could have been know this way and God started the blessing early. Jeremiah can still have a lot of free will decisions to make.

 

[lucaspa]

(Jer 1.5): "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

Jeremiah was told by God that he (Jeremiah) was known before he was born. Is this the case for all humans, or just Jeremiah? If the latter, is it an implication because God is "all knowing" and/or that if He knew Jeremiah, then He must know everyone else, as well? Or is there a specific verse that claims that he knew everyone before they were born?

Let's put this in context. The text is written by Jeremiah. Jeremiah is called as a prophet when he is an adult. "To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign."

Jeremiah is explaining to people his calling and why they should listen to him. Look at the verses afterward where Jeremiah makes all kinds of objections to his ability to be a prophet. God answers all these objections and reassures Jeremiah that he will do a good job. So what God is saying here is metaphorical and not literal. The really important thing is "I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations". That God planned for Jeremiah to be a prophet is really irrelevant, isn't it? Jeremiah is no less an authentic prophet if God made a last-minute decision. Verse 5 is simply part of that pattern: reassuring Jeremiah that he will be a good prophet, by telling him that God decided it long ago.

 

[zaksmummy]

This is what King David has to say on the issue:

Psalm 139v13-16
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

 

[razeontherock]

OP, I think you should take this from a Mother! While there are certainly metaphors in the Bible, don't let those detract from cold hard reality we're shown, which is precious insight.
G-d knows each of us before we're born, knows us by name, and knows how many hairs are on our head! He knows our thoughts, and can even tell the difference if it's something we really intend or not.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Psalm 19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."