So that's where it came from!

Interesting what you find when you read the bible eh?

I came across this little gem as I started to read Jeremiah (1:4-5) today:

The Lord gave me this message:
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
Before you were born I set you apart
and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.

Now I'm sure you've all heard the 'I know you before I formed you in your mother's womb', but when you see it here, it becomes clear that God is talking very specifically to Jeremiah - that the point is, he was chosen to do a certain task.
So why is the first half of the verse banded around, and the second half forgotten about?

I for one dislike verses quoted out of context, but in this instance, we have other backup. We know God is outside of time, that he is actively involved in the creation of all life (Genesis), and so this verse fits with the rest of God's character.
Conversely, the second half of the verse 'appointed you as my prophet to the nations' does not apply to us all because of what we read elsewhere in the Bible - God has appointed some to be prophets, but there's plenty of other jobs we find in Ephesians 4 where this comes from.

So as we read the prophets, and come across many familiar verses, think about the context in which they are found, and decide for yourself whether they apply to Israel at the time, or to all believers, to this day.

Stuck?
Comment here, on facebook or ask a question on Sunday!