THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF JEREMIAH

IX. Jeremiah’s Example Of Not Being Intimidated By Opponents

(Jeremiah 26:1-24)

I. Introduction

A. God called Jeremiah to minister in Judah during its spiritual decline until God’s judgment fell on the nation.

B. Jeremiah’s spiritual ministry is then similar to what God’s servants face in our era of spiritual decline. Such a ministry can be marked by opposition that seeks to intimidate God’s servants into ceasing to do God’s work.

C. Jeremiah 26:1-24 records such an event in Jeremiah’s ministry, providing a powerful lesson for us, so we study the passage for our insight, application and edification (as follows):

II. Jeremiah’s Example Of Not Being Intimidated By Opponents, Jeremiah 26:1-24.

A. When God first called Jeremiah to his prophetic ministry and told him that He was sending Jeremiah to pronounce judgment against them unless they repented, God also revealed that Judah’s kings, princes, priests and the people would be against him, Jeremiah 1:18-19.

B. Nevertheless, the Lord promised to be with Jeremiah to deliver him from his opponents providing Jeremiah was not dismayed because of those foes, Jeremiah 1:19 with 1:17a,b. However, if Jeremiah was intimidated by them, the Lord would only accentuate Jeremiah’s fear of them in divine discipline, Jeremiah 1:17c ESV!

C. In Jeremiah 26:1-24, the contrast between what Jeremiah and another prophet did when confronted with threatening opposition provides an important lesson for us:

1. God initially told Jeremiah to go, stand in the court of the Lord’s temple and speak the words that God commanded him, not holding back a single word, Jeremiah 26:1-2.

2. Since this assignment occurred at the start of the reign of king Jehoiakim, son of Josiah who had repented at the ministry of God’s words of warning, the Lord intended that the people of Judah along with Jehoiakim would respond as had their previous good king Josiah and repent, Jer. 26:3; 2 Kings 22:1-25.

3. Jeremiah obeyed the Lord, warning Judah to return to God lest He punish them by making the temple and city of Jerusalem a heap of ruins as He did the town of Shiloh, a former site of the tabernacle, Jer. 26:4-6.

4. The people, priests, and prophets initially rejected Jeremiah’s message, arresting him and telling him that he would die for predicting that the temple and city would be destroyed like Shiloh, Jeremiah 26:7-9.

5. When Judah’s officials heard of this incident, they came and took their seats of judgment in the entry of the New Gate of the temple and Jeremiah’s critics brought their court charges against him, Jer. 26:10-11.

6. In his defense, Jeremiah testified that the Lord had sent him to give the message he had given, and he added that his hearers needed to repent for the Lord to relent concerning the disaster He had warned, Jer. 26:12-13. However, if they killed Jeremiah, they would bring the death of an innocent man on themselves, the city and its inhabitants, for the Lord had truly sent him to give the message he had spoken, v. 14-15.

7. The people, priests, and prophets then changed their minds to conclude along with the court officials that Jeremiah did not deserve to die, that he had spoken in the name of the Lord their God, Jer. 26:16. Also, some elders testified that the prophet Micah of Moresheth during king Hezekiah’s reign (Micah 1:1) had predicted Jerusalem would be plowed as a field, become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the temple of the Lord be made like a wooded height, Jer. 26:17-18 ESV (Micah 3:12). Hezekiah had not put Micah to death for this message, but he had humbly entreated the Lord for His mercy and God had relented of the disaster He had warned, Jer. 26:19a,b. Thus, these elders warned that they would bring disaster on themselves if they put Jeremiah to death in contrast to how Hezekiah had responded to Micah, Jer. 26:19c.

8. However, another prophet named Uriah gave a message similar to Jeremiah’s words, and when king Jehoiakim and his officials sought to kill him, instead of standing his ground as Jeremiah had done, he fled to Egypt, v. 20-21. Jehoiakim sent officers to Egypt to capture and return Uriah to Jerusalem where the king slew him and dishonorably dumped his body in the burial place of the common people, v. 22-23.

9. However, God was with Jeremiah for taking his stand, and He used official Ahikam, son of Shaphan who had helped Josiah in his reforms for the Lord protect Jeremiah from death, Jer. 26:24; 2 Kings 22:11-20.

Lesson: When Uriah fled before his opponents to his correct message, God let him be dishonorably executed, but when Jeremiah stood his ground before his foes with his correct message, God honorably protected him.

Application: If God gives us a message that others oppose, but we stand our ground, we testify that our message is of God, and He will sustain us. If we yield to intimidation, we discredit God’s message, so He will not help us.