Introduction We come to another major division in the book of Jeremiah. In the next four chapters (26-29) the opposition to Jeremiah s message will continue to grow. Opposition will come from the religious leaders and religious worshippers; the religious establishment (26:1-24); opposition will include the false prophets who resent the preaching of God s Word and the ongoing declaration of coming judgment (chapter 27:1-28:17); and the opposition from the letter writing campaign against Jeremiah (chapter 29:1-32). People do not like their wicked behavior exposed; let alone a call to repentance. Few people who are engaged in wicked behavior really believe God is going to judge them and condemn them. The message to Judah and Jerusalem concerning their ongoing gross sin and open rebellion; falling short of God s glory and perfection; resisting God s Word and God s message; the people must repent or face God s judgment. The message Jeremiah preached generated profound hostility and persecution against the prophet. Citizens united against Jeremiah--priests and politicians--even family and friends. The message of Jeremiah has remained unchanged. The human race is depraved. God demands righteousness. God s judgment is coming. Why does God allow faithful followers to suffer persecution? There are no easy answers. We can speculate. There is something about hardship that allows us to go deeper and grow deeper in the Lord Jesus Christ. When things look out of control God is still in control. God is able to give peace and courage and even joy when we stand strong in the storm. The Merciful Message (vv.1-6) Jeremiah 26:1 24 (NKJV) 1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, The beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim was sometime between 609-608 B.C. 2 Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word. Jeremiah is standing in the Temple courtyard; where large crowds gathered to worship. It may have been during a feast day or a festival day when large crowds when press their way into the courtyard. Some Bible teachers and commentators believe this is the message that Jeremiah preached in chapter 7 (vv.1-20). Did Jeremiah preach the same sermon? Perhaps. But apparently the emphasis on the occasion of the sermon has shifted. In the earlier passage the 1
emphasis was on the content of the message. Here the emphasis is on the people s reaction to the message (vv.7-24). Jeremiah is to be bold and blunt; Jeremiah was not to omit a single word--but declare the whole message. There is a great temptation to leave out the part of the message that causes concern to the hearer. A preacher must be called to account for both the content of his message and what the preacher fails to leave out! 3Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings. Look at the passage: Part of the purpose of the message was to arouse or awaken in the heart of the hearer a sense of their sinfulness and an urgency to repent. Note the emphasis on each person. Hebrews 9:26 (NKJV);26He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. The sacrifice of Jesus, the death of Jesus means that sin s hindrance has been removed. Hebrews 2:14; Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. (17) Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in all things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (18) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. The author of sin is overthrown (v.14). Sin s guilt is answered (v.17). Sin s hindrance removed (9:26). In Jesus the gulf of sin has been bridged (Heb.10; 19-20); the pollution of sin removed (Heb. 10:16-18); the power of sin broken (Heb. 10:16-18); and sin s victory destroyed (1 John 3:8). 4And you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, The Lord gives a summary of the sermon; (1) the people must listen to God and obey His law and His commandments (v.4); (2) the people must listen to God s servants, His prophets, whom He has sent time and time again; only to have them rejected and persecuted; (3); the people must know that they would face judgment if they disobeyed Him (v.6). 2
5to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded), In chapter 25 God sent the messenger of judgment (v.9); described the scope of judgment I will destroy ; outlined the misery of judgment I will take away the voice of mirth (v.10); talks of the stroke of judgment; I will punish (v.12); the desolation of judgment I will make desolate (.v12); the certainty of judgment I will bring to pass all my words which I have pronounced (v.13); the righteousness of judgment; I will recompense them according to their deeds (v.14); the effect of judgment; be mad because of the sword that I will send them (v. 27); the crushing of judgment; Drink ye, and be drunken, and vomit, and fall and rise no more, because of the sword I will send (v.27); the awfulness of judgment; He will mightily roar (v. 30); the place of judgment Jehovah will roar from on high (v.30); the shout of judgment he will give a shout (v.30); the universality of judgment; he will plead will all flesh (v.31); and the subjects of judgment as for the wicked he will give them to the sword (v.31). 6then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. The message of Jeremiah was not simply you are sinners and need to repent; the message included God s deep desire to demonstrate mercy; repentance and humility and dependence upon God s grace would mean the people escape God s judgment. If the people did not obey God; their capitol would be destroyed, the temple demolished, and the people displaced. Shiloh was the place where the Tabernacle was located and where the people worshipped the Lord (see Joshua 18:1); but the Philistines were allowed to destroy it around 1050 B.C. The people of Jeremiah s day were welcome to see the evidence of that destruction. Jeremiah uses Shiloh as an illustration of the coming judgment on Jerusalem and the Temple. After Judgment fell the Temple would be an object lesson for the watching and wondering world. The lessons of judgment are lost on the world. We are familiar with the statement that those who will not learn from history are destined to repeat it. Eve was tempted to believe that God s statement you shall surely die was not really true. Humanity is tempted to believe the flood never happened. Sodom and Gomorrah were not really destroyed by fire from heaven. Jerusalem was not meant to be a curse--but a blessing. Does God long to show mercy? And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation (Luke 1:50). But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come 3
he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:4-8). God loves us. God wants to show mercy. But God will not force love or mercy; all He is willing to do is offer mercy and offer love. But God will force judgment. Once God has offered mercy, we must receive it by repenting of our sins and turning back to Him. The Miserable Opposition (vv.7-24) 7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, You will surely die! What happens at the conclusion of Jeremiah s sermon? A massive wave of brokenness and repentance? No. The pent up anger erupts like a storm on Jeremiah. The crowd rushes Jeremiah and threatens to kill him. In their mind Jeremiah was a traitor; undermining the nation s security. The people could not even imagine the destruction of the Temple. It would be like telling the American people that the symbols of our freedom, the statue of liberty, the white house, the capitol building--could be destroyed! Unthinkable. In the people s thinking God could never allow such a thing to happen. After all they called on the name of the Lord. 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. 10When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord s house. The officials arrive on the scene. They had received a report of a riot in the Temple courtyard. The officials call for a trial at the entry Gate called the New Gate. It was common for the ancient peoples to conduct their judicial proceedings from the gates of the city. 11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears. 4
The priests and the false prophets serve as the prosecution. They charge Jeremiah with treason. The charge was a capital crime--worthy of death. Remember the priests and the prophets were not speaking God s message. They were speaking a message of optimism and hope and self-esteem to boost moral and people s spirits. The claim was since they had the Temple, and called out to God; called on the Name of the Lord; they could rest in God s protection and presence and promises. The Lord had after all called them to be a special people, a chosen people. They were the ones who received God s promises for the coming Messiah. The Temple represented the presence of God, and the promise of God and the Word of God. The priests and prophets felt secure. When Jeremiah announces the destruction of the Temple (same thing Jesus predicted) the religious leaders believed the prophet was undermining their authority; the people s beliefs; he was threatening the very security of the nation! 12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard. 13Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. 14As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you. Jeremiah offers his own defense. He declares both the right and authority to speak and preach God s Word and God s judgment. Jeremiah insists God sent him (v.12); that his words were true (to prophesy); Jeremiah s singular message of the coming judgment and destruction of the capitol and the temple; but the message was conditional (v.13); if the people amended their ways and their doings; if the people repented God would not destroy them. He would turn away the hand of judgment and stay the disaster pronounced against the city. In humility he submits to the authority of the government; but defends himself against the false accusation. The court had power over life and death. But if the court executed him--they would be compounding their offenses against God--by shedding innocent blood. Jeremiah was either telling the truth--or fabricating a message. 15But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing. 16So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God. Something happened. In some way the Spirit of God convicted the city officials through the testimony of Jeremiah. The city officials ruled in favor of Jeremiah. 5
At this point two scholars; Jewish officials cited reasons for the release of Jeremiah; the elders cite two legal precedents in order to set Jeremiah free. 17Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: 18 Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest. The prophet Micah in the days of Hezekiah preached the same message of judgment as Jeremiah. King Hezekiah did not execute the prophet. Rather the king responded to the message of Micah by fearing the Lord and seeking God s favor (see verse 19). 19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and seek the Lord s favor? And the Lord relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves. The second case cited was more contemporary. A prophet named Uriah (vv. 20-23). Uriah predicted the same catastrophic judgment. But Jehoiakim reacted in a much different manner. They plotted to put the prophet to death. Uriah heard about the plot and fled to Egypt (v.21). But Jehoiakim was not about to let the prophet escape. The king sent an ambassador to Egypt to extradite Uriah (v.22). When the prophet was returned to Jerusalem King Jehoiakim executed the man (v.23). Filled with bitter hatred the king had Uriah s body dumped in the trash pit in an unmarked grave. This does not seem like a very good argument for Jeremiah--but rather for the prosecution. The elders were giving one precedent that turned out good--and another that did not turn out--so good. It may be that the example is offered that they did not want to follow the king s evil example. 20Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. 21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt. 22Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt. 6
23And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. 24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death. The royal secretary Ahikam intervenes to support Jeremiah. It would seem that he vouched for Jeremiah s character and encouraged his release (see 2 Kings 22:8-14). The weight of Jeremiah s defense--the two legal precedents, and the strong testimony of Ahikam could not be refuted. It was enough to secure the release of the prophet. We as Christians sometimes face hostility. We as Christians are sometimes deprived of justice. Conclusion Those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. We will be singled out for ridicule, or ignored, or discriminated against or abused or killed. Few people desire their sins, their mistakes, their shortcomings exposed. Most people are unwilling to hear God s demands for righteousness. Blessed are you when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake (Matt.5:11). Christians face torture, intimidation, and even death. Christians all over the world face severe hostility and deprivation of justice. Christians are denied an education, barred from all but the most menial labor; and told by corrupt officials to pay impossible fines. They are charged with crimes; denied building permits and forbidden opportunities to meet. Ronald Boyd-MacMillan has written; The meaning of life does not consist in what we make of it, but in what God makes of it. Sometimes weakness is a direct path to power and sometimes overcoming is greater than deliverance. Sometimes extreme hurt requires extreme forgiveness. In Jeremiah s life he will go through several stages of persecution; opposition, personal slander, injustice (discrimination); mistreatment. How will Jeremiah stand strong in the storm? How will you? 7