Honest Reflections on Jeremiah 19 - 20 Whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, Violence and destruction! For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, I will not mention Him [the LORD], or speak any more in His Name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot (20:8-9). It is a profound mystery, that the Sovereign Lord over all the universe would choose to use such weak vessels to carry out His work, when He could do the work so much better without us! Yet, God delights in taking earthen vessels that are weak and fragile, and accomplish His purposes in and through them for His glory, while He supplies the power and grace to enable us to carry out what He has planned for us since eternity past. What a profound mystery indeed, that changes our perception on our life, when we recognize, It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Jeremiah is told by the LORD to take a potters earthenware flask and gather up some of the religious leaders of Judah, and to to the Valley of the Son of Hinnon (19:1-2). There, the LORD tells Jeremiah to break the flask to signify how God will break this people and this city, as one breaks a potters vessel, so that it can never be mended (19:11). This word of judgment is given to Jeremiah because of the apostasy of Judah and their refusal to mend their ways to the Lords will (19:4 - 9). So, Jeremiah obeys and declares to the people all that the LORD commanded him to prophesy (19:14-15). While doing this, though, Pashhur the priest, a chief officer in the Temple, beats Jeremiah him and imprisons him for the rest of that day and evening (20:1-2). Consequently, the following day Jeremiah pronounces Pashhurs along with Judahs downfall once again, and how all of them will be taken to Babylon, taken into captivity (20:3-6). After this, Jeremiah prays to the LORD and complains about how he has been treated, even blaming God for this: O LORD, You have deceived me, and I was deceived; You are stronger than I, and You have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me (20:7). Jeremiah is wrong in his accusations, because the LORD does not lie, and in Him there is no darkness at all (Num 23:19; 1 Jn 1:5). Nor is God out there to get us, especially since He called Jeremiah to preach to Judah, and even warned him of the coming resistance he would face (Jer 1:17 - 19). Might we becareful of allowing our emotions to cloud our understanding of who God really is, because our circumstances are not going the way we would prefer them to go. God is sovereign, and He is providentially working all things together for good and for the glory of His Name, even our suffering. Jeremiah continues his cry of despair for how he is being persecuted for the mission God has given to him and the strong words of judgment God has entrusted him to speak with (20:8). Just as a side thought, can you imagine being part of a local church where God had set over you a pastor who was appointed by God to constantly give hard words of admonition, warning, and repentance, not just words of encouragement? Would we react the same way the people did to Jeremiah? Jeremiah testifies to even his desire to be silent and not prophesy what the LORD has told him to prophesy, but even in his refusal he cant bear to keep silent with Gods Word. There is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot (20:9). The preacher cannot keep silent what God has commanded him to say, for it eats away at him, as the LORD will not allow for His Word to not accomplish all His intended purposes with it. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My [the LORD] word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it (Isa 55:10-11). Sometimes Gods Word is sent to build up, sometimes its sent to confront and purify His people. Thus Jeremiah has to speak, and he is persecuted for doing so. In the midst of Jeremiahs grievances, though, he praises God, as he remembers, the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me (20:11). Jeremiah turns his heart to praise God, at least for the time being, saying sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers (20:12). What hope and confidence we can all have, as those who belong to the Lord and remain faithful to Him! As soon as Jeremiah turns his complaints to praise, however, he turns again with words of despair that indicate his desire for never being born into this lonely life he has been given. Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed (20:14)! Why did I come out from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame (20:18)? Jeremiah is saying this because as he is faithfully doing what the LORD has assigned to him, he is ill recieved by his own family and people, and the message God gave him to speak is rejected. Indeed, Jeremiahs suffering prefigured Christ Jesus own suffering, for He too was rejected by His own, but it was through that rejection that eternal life was made available for all. There is glory in our suffering. God has a purpose for everyone of us. For we are His [Gods] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10). It was according to His good pleasure that He decided beforehand, from eternity past, to draw us to His Son Jesus Christ and convict us of our sins, and give us faith to trust solely in Jesus for the salvation of our souls (Jn 6:44; Eph 1:3 - 14). We then responded with yes, and committed our lives to follow Him, even as He has equipped us with various gifts, skills, and passions to serve Him with our new life in Christ. He began the good work of redemption in us, and He continues that work until it is completed in glory, through the agency of His Holy Spirit (Phil 1:6). He has entrusted us with the mysteries of His Gospel, to proclaim it to the nations and make disciples of all peoples (Mt 28:18-20). Might we be like Paul, then, who said This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy (1 Cor 4:1-2). Questions. Are we burdened for the things of God? Are we burdened to share the Gospel with the lost, even as Paul would say, If I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship (1 Cor 9:16-17). Have we given ourselves to the ministry of Gods Word and to the Kingdom of God, such that it is impossible for us to be silent about it or do nothing? Are we confidently and joyfully resting in Gods faithfulness and provisions, even if those whom He sent us to minister to, refuse to listen and threaten to harm us? Prayer. Father, You are good and in You there is no darkness or deceit at all. You are faithful to Your Word. You gave me life and called me to Yourself, even as You breathed life into my dead soul. You saved me from the Hellbound course I use to delight in, and turned all my delights to You instead. Thank You for this great salvation You have begun in me and will complete in me. Take me and use me. I am Yours. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 12:00:34 +0000
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