Jeremiah 20-26
The leading men of Jerusalem did not like the words God told Jeremiah to speak against their idols and evil ways, and that their sins would cause sorrow to come: they were very angry, and wanted to stop him.
A common way to punish a man at that time was to put him in a wooden frame, called “stocks”, which would hold him in a painful position, and he could not change, or get out. A son of the chief priest took Jeremiah and put him in the stocks, which were near the gate of the temple, where many could see and mock him.
That was a cruel and wicked way to treat one who spoke only the true words of God; but he was left there all night, and not let out until morning.
Jeremiah was often sad and discouraged that the men mocked and denied the words God told him to tell them, even people who had been his friends wanted to take revenge on him, and the men of his own town (Anathoth) said, “speak not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand.” Jeremiah 11:21; 20:1021Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand: (Jeremiah 11:21)
10For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. (Jeremiah 20:10). But Jeremiah knew God’s words were true and he kept on telling them to each king and to the leaders and the people. God told him how each king would be taken away captive, unless they would give up their sinful ways. They were all young men who chose evil instead of good.
Once God caused Jeremiah to see two baskets of figs in the temple: in one basket were fine ripe figs; in the other were poor, hard figs, not fit to use. God told him the people were like the figs: those who were taken to Babylon and there repented of their sins and believed God’s words would be like the good figs, and would he used by Him; the people who were not sorry for their sins and did not believe God’s words were like the bad figs and of no use for God (Jer. 24).
There was one man, named Urijah, who believed Jeremiah’s words and told them to others. The king and his great men were angry at him also, and wanted to kill him, but he fled to Egypt. The king sent men to get him, and they brought him back to the king, who killed him. But Jeremiah was kept alive (Jer. 26:20-2420And there was also a man that 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 into Egypt; 22And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt. 23And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew 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, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death. (Jeremiah 26:20‑24)).
Jeremiah told the people God’s promise, to one day give them a righteous King:
“Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise....a righteous Branch (a living One), and a King shall...... execute judgment and justice......and this is His name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness.” Jeremiah 23:5,65Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:5‑6).
God’s words about that great and right King will surely come true.
ML 03/01/1942