In the foregoing message we emphasized the subject, the content, and the central thought of the book of Jeremiah. As a way of reviewing these matters, in this message I would like to say a word concerning certain crucial aspects of the divine revelation in Jeremiah.
In John 5:39 and 40 the Lord Jesus said to the Jewish religionists, "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that testify concerning Me. Yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." To "search the Scriptures" may be separated from "come to Me." The Jewish religionists searched the Scriptures but were not willing to come to the Lord. These two should go together. Because the Scriptures testify concerning the Lord, they should not be separated from the Lord. We may contact the Scriptures, yet not contact the Lord. Only the Lord can give life.
From the time the Pentateuch was written until today, the Jews have been studying the Scriptures, but they do not know Christ or come to Him, even though the Scriptures testify concerning Him. It is quite possible that this may be our situation as we study the Bible and particularly, in the case of this life-study, the book of Jeremiah. Because of this, I would like to point out that my burden in these messages is not to have a Bible study but to seek Christ as life. Life is different from mere letters (2 Cor. 3:6b).
Furthermore, I am burdened that we would see God's economy in this book. We should not understand the Bible in a natural way but according to the divine revelation regarding God's economy. During the last thirty years, the Lord's recovery of the truths has reached the matter of God's economy, and my messages have therefore been focused on God's economy.