“DO NOT BE AFRAID” True worshippers were affected by the appalling conditions that prevailed before Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 B.C.E. You can thus understand why God told Jeremiah: “Do not be afraid.” (Jer. 1:8; Lam. 3:57) And Jehovah had him tell others of his people the same encouraging words. (Read Jeremiah 46:27.) What insight can we gain from this? In this dangerous time of the end, we could occasionally feel fear. At such times, will we listen to Jehovah, who in effect is telling us: “Do not be afraid”? Lets considered how God sustained Jeremiah during that truly fearful time. Let us briefly review what happened, in order to see a lesson in it for us. As the Babylonians tightened their grip on Jerusalem, hunger overtook the people. Soon many were without food, some even ate their own children. (Jer. 37:21) As if the famine were not enough, Jeremiah was trapped in a place that could become his grave. The princes of Judah had pressed weak-willed King Zedekiah to acquiesce. Then they had Jeremiah thrown into a deep cistern. There was no water in it, just a lot of mire. As Jeremiah began sinking into the mud, he could see no human way out. If you had been in that situation, would you not have felt some fear?—Jer. 38:4-6. Though he was a mortal like us, Jeremiah trusted Jehovah’s word that He would never abandon him. (Read Jeremiah 15:20, 21.) Did Jehovah reward that trust? We know for a fact that he did. God moved Ebed-melech to defy the princes and rescue Jeremiah. With the king’s permission, Ebed-melech pulled the prophet up out of the cistern, rescuing him from death in that muddy deep.—Jer. 38:7-13. Even when Jeremiah was back standing on solid ground, he was not out of danger. Pleading in Jeremiah’s behalf, Ebed-melech had told the king: “He will die where he is because of the famine. For there is no bread anymore in the city.” (Jer. 38:9) Food was so scarce in Jerusalem that people were resorting to cannibalism. Yet, Jehovah again intervened to save his prophet. And Jeremiah passed on to Ebed-melech a guarantee of protection from Jehovah. (Jer. 39:16-18) Jeremiah had not forgotten God’s assurance: “I am with you to deliver you.” (Jer. 1:8) With Almighty God guarding those two loyal men, neither human enemies nor hunger would finish them off. They escaped death in that doomed city. What is the point? Jehovah promised protection and fulfilled his promise.—Jer. 40:1-4. The fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy about the conclusion of the system of things is moving inexorably toward its climax. In the near future, there will occur “signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out . . . while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” (Luke 21:25, 26) We must wait to see what form those signs will take and what terror they produce among many. No matter what develops, though, you need never doubt Jehovah’s ability and desire to save his people. The outcome for those who do not have his favor, however, will be quite different. (Read Jeremiah 8:20; 14:9.) Even if it seems that his servants are in a condition as hopeless as the dank, dark bottom of a cistern, he can rescue them! God’s words to Ebed-melech will apply to his people: “‘I shall without fail furnish you an escape, and by the sword you will not fall; and you will certainly come to have your soul as a spoil, because you have trusted in me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”—Jer. 39:18. WORDS WRITTEN FOR JEHOVAHS SERVANTS TODAY “To all those to whom I shall send you, you should go; and everything that I shall command you, you should speak.” (Jer. 1:7) Jeremiah’s life changed forever when he heard that command from God. From that moment forward, his overwhelming concern was to announce “the word of Jehovah.” That phrase appears repeatedly throughout the book of Jeremiah. In the last chapter, Jeremiah relates the capture of Jerusalem and the exiling of its last king, Zedekiah. Yes, Jeremiah continued teaching and exhorting the people of Judah to obey Jehovah until events made it clear that his work was complete. There are many parallels between Jeremiah’s assignment and the public ministry of Jehovah’s Witnesses today. Like him, we serve the true God during a time of judgment. Other responsibilities require some of our time and energy; yet the PREACHING of the GOOD NEWS is by far the most SIGNIFICANT work WE can do in this system of things. By means of it, WE exalt God’s GREAT NAME JEHOVAH and accept his absolute right and authority as Universal Sovereign. (Read Lamentations 5:19.) We also demonstrate outstanding love for neighbor by helping others to know the true God and his requirements for life.—Jer. 25:3-6. 20 Regarding the work that Jehovah gave him to do, Jeremiah said: “Your word becomes to me the exultation and the rejoicing of my heart; for your NAME has been called upon me, O Jehovah God of armies.” (Jer. 15:16) Such rejoicing and contentment are set before all today whose hearts move them to speak on behalf of the true God. WE thus have good reason to keep proclaiming Jehovah’s message, as did Jeremiah.MALACHI 1:11..11 “For from the sun’s rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations,+ and in every place sacrificial smoke+ will be made, a presentation will be made to my name, even a clean gift;+ because my name will be great among the nations,”+ Jehovah of armies has said.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 16:22:21 +0000
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