Dear Saints, I wonder if you have ever found yourself in Jeremiah’s shoes. Have you ever tried to help someone you’ve grown up with or someone you work with deal with a problem? Because of the time you’ve spent with them in the past you feel like the two of you have some rapport. You might even have similar backgrounds. You share with them what you think is sound advice and they appear to listen so you are hopeful they will soon get past their problem. Then someone tells you that this person has been telling others they don’t like you and wished you would mind your own business. This takes you by complete surprise! You feel foolish and hurt. That’s what happened to Jeremiah.
When the Lord called Jeremiah to service, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been wiped out because of their unfaithfulness to God. The Southern Kingdom of Judah, where Jeremiah lives, is headed down that same path. They were already feeling some of the pressure of God’s judgment against them. The major powers of the day were struggling for world dominance and Judah was stuck in the middle.
The false prophets were telling the people what they wanted to hear. The priests twisted God’s Word to suit their own purposes. Their message was what the people wanted to hear. Their problems couldn’t be their fault, but they were. They had broken their covenant with God.
God called Jeremiah to preach a message of stern judgment. In fact, God’s judgment was so extreme and terrifying that Jeremiah cried out; “My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!” (Je 4:19). It hurt Jeremiah to know what was coming for Judah. God also called Jeremiah to preach a message of repentance. Their earthly judgment was coming, but they still had time to repent and be saved from eternal punishment.
“The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds” (Je 11:18). What is Jeremiah talking about? The Lord had just revealed to Jeremiah that the people of his own village were plotting to kill him. The people leading this plot against Jeremiah were the priests; the very men he served with in the temple. God’s message through Jeremiah against the priests and the hypocritical worship they led in the temple had angered them. Jeremiah was an embarrassment to them. He had to go!
God’s revelation caught Jeremiah completely off guard. He had believed his people would listen to God’s message and repent, but he was wrong. Professor Gosdeck notes; “Because he was a man wholly dedicated to the Lord’s work and because he trusted the Lord with all his heart, Jeremiah was convinced that the people also shared his faith. But this incident was to shatter his illusions.” Jeremiah hadn’t grasped the depth of their impenitence even when he had proclaimed these words of God; “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not” (Je 5:21).
The people of Judah were angry with God. How could God treat them, his chosen people this way! In spite of their anger and hatred, God still loved them. God’s revelation to Jeremiah about their plot to kill him was a call to repentance. Think about it; how could Jeremiah know their plans? There was only one way. The all-knowing, all-powerful, one true God of grace had told him. This revelation preaches a message; “Do you think you can succeed; succeed against me? I the Lord know all things. I am always in control. I protect my own.”
This revelation was also a message of comfort for Jeremiah. He was witnessing God keeping his promise to him; “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord” (Je 1:8). Jeremiah could not let the people’s hatred stop him from proclaiming God’s word because it was their only hope. Only God’s Word changes hearts.
“But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, ‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more’” (Je 11:19). These words express Jeremiah astonishment over his ignorance. What a fool he had been. The Hebrew word translated “lamb” is the word used to describe the lamb set aside for sacrifice or a domestic pet. This animal feels secure around its owners. Jeremiah felt secure around his people even when he preached God’s message of stern judgment.
Now, do you understand what is meant by the expression, “let us destroy the tree with its fruit”? If you kill the tree then there is be no fruit. If they kill Jeremiah then he can’t preach any more.
As awful as these statements are, they don’t show the full intensity of the people’s hatred for Jeremiah. That hatred is seen in this expression; “his name be remembered no more.” They hated Jeremiah so much that they never want to hear his name mentioned again.
Do you realize how foolish that kind of statement truly is? What Jeremiah is preaching is not his message, but God’s message. Think of what Jesus said the Pharisees; “I tell you, if my disciples were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Lk 19:40). They can’t silence God!
Now, you can sense in vv18 and 19 that Jeremiah has been sobered to the reality of the fight he is involved in. He understands what Paul will later share with the Ephesians; “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against … spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). Jeremiah, like every Christian is in a fight with Satan and his minions.
Now, it is important for us to realize as we reflect on these words of Jeremiah that his enemies failed in their plot. Think about it. We know none of their names. On the other hand, Jeremiah has been remembered and read by believers in every generation. God’s Word endures forever.
But there is more. The names of God’s children endure forever too. You see, God as a book called “the book of life.” In this book he records the names of every single one of children. Jeremiah was a sinner just like the people he was preaching to, but he was different. God gave him faith in the coming Savior who would pay the debt for his sins. Jeremiah’s name is written in “the book of life.” No matter what the world forgets, God knows Jeremiah and will never forget him. This truth gave Jeremiah the strength to preach God’s Word boldly and clearly.
Dear Saints, God has given you faith in Jesus. Your name is written in “the book of life.” Has this truth made you a bold proclaimer of God’s Word? Now, I imagine some of you are thinking I can’t do this at work and I don’t have any unbelieving friends. That may be true, but I want to remind you that you are part of a bigger ministry; the ministry of the WELS. There is no shortage of mission opportunities for the WELS, but we don’t have the dollars to fund them. We have a mission project here at St. Paul; our school. If our giving doesn’t improve in the next few years we will be forced to cutback this ministry by eliminating some missionaries—called worker. That is what Satan would like to happen. It’s in the best interest of his kingdom. My prayer is that God will move you through these words of Jeremiah to make sure it doesn’t happen.
As we look at the rest of these words of Jeremiah today, you will see why I’m confident that is exactly what God will do.
“But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause” (Je 11:20). With the words “Lord of hosts” Jeremiah is acknowledging that his God is in control of all things. Regardless of how things appear, God is always in control.
These words of Jeremiah remind us of a common theme in the psalms: “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision—he mocks them” (Ps 2:4); “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1). Listen to this comment from Professor Wendland; “The Lord judges according to reality, not appearance. He is not neutral, but takes up the cause of the believer. He acts on behalf of those who are unable to defend themselves and those who have committed their cause to him. He will make no mistakes; the faithful will not be left wanting.”
Jeremiah knows that by himself he can’t handle this enormous problem; his whole village wants to kill him. In faith he pleaded for God to intervene and he trusted that he would. His words “let me see your vengeance upon them” are a request that he might witness God righteous judgment against God’s enemies. There is no personal hatred in his heart. He does not cry out for personal revenge. Jeremiah understands what is this is all about; God’s glory, faithfulness, and truth. Jeremiah prayed what you and I pray in every worship service; “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done.” Scripture records that Jeremiah waited confidently and patiently for God to act while he continued to proclaim God’s Word.
This sinful world hasn’t change since Jeremiah’s day. If we want to live according to God’s will and proclaim the truth of Scripture, then people will oppose us. Don’t fool yourself; Christians are a minority in this country. A recent Pew Pole shows that 63% of Millennials, those born after 1980, are in favor of homosexual marriage. Another Pew Pole found “Of the respondents, 86% said a single parent and child constitute a family; 80% said an unmarried couple living together with a child is a family; and 63% said same-sex couplesraising a child is a family.” In other words, the most people don’t believe in the biblical definition of family. Just like in Jeremiah’s day, people do now want to hear God’s law and face the fact we are accountable to God. Just like in Jeremiah’s day, God’s Word is the only hope for this sinful dying world.
You are an example of the power of this hope; the power of God’s Word. You were born a God-hater. The Holy Spirit worked through God’s Word to give you faith; faith in Jesus as your Savior. Now, you stand in awe of God’s love for you; for you! You know that you deserve to go to hell for your sins, yet, through your God-given faith in Jesus heaven is your eternal home.
Like Jeremiah, God has called you to a mission; “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). God has given you the WELS and our school to carry out his mission. God will continue to give you the means to continue his mission. I pray that God will allow me to watch him accomplish this through you. Amen
Jeremiah 11:18-20