15 O LORD, you know;
remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your
forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate
them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am
called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of
revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for
you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing, my
wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful
brook, like waters that fail?
19 Therefore thus says the LORD:
"If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you
utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this
people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall
not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares
the LORD.
21 I will deliver you out of the
hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."
(Jer. 15:15-21 ESV)
Jeremiah is known as “the weeping
prophet” and this reading is an example of that part of his life and ministry.
To understand why Jeremiah feels the way he does, we have to go back to the
beginning of chapter 15 and hear God’s message to him and His message to Israel
through him. The Chapter begins, “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Though Moses and
Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people.’” God
is telling Jeremiah that His people have become so corrupt, so idolatrous, and
so separated from Him that even if these two great prophets of old were to
intercede on their behalf, He would still move forward to bring judgement on
them.
Hearing that message would be bad
enough, wouldn’t it? Knowing that God’s wrath burned so heavily against His own
people must have broken Jeremiah’s heart. And making it worse, Jeremiah was
tasked to tell the people that God’s judgement was coming and describe how God
would become His people’s enemy and how He would destroy them because they had
broken God’s covenant with them.
Some people seem to revel in God’s
judgement. I recently saw a new story about the Westboro Baptists in the news;
they are the people who picket at soldiers funerals and on street corners
saying that God’s judgement is against the United States because of
homosexuality, and they carry signs with crude and derogatory language as they
claim to represent God. I thought they had gone away, but apparently not. Perhaps
you have encountered a person who, with smug satisfaction, called out others
for their sin while they themselves claimed a place of moral superiority over
others. And perhaps you have been a person like these to some degree.
How did Jeremiah respond to
receiving a message of God’s judgement? He was heartbroken, torn in two by his
love for God and his holy Word, and his compassion for the people.
In many ways, this reading is a
glimpse into Jeremiah’s heart as he steels himself to do the job God had given
him to do. It hurts him. He knows people will hate him and punish him for God’s
message. Nevertheless, he remembers God’s mercy and grace – his promise of
restoration – and refuses to turn away from God’s Word.
We too must learn to live under a
similar burden as Jeremiah’s. God’s word to Jeremiah was, “I will make you to
this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they
shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you.”
Jesus’ word to us is, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and
take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
There is nothing wrong with feeling
grief at the state of the world around us. We know God’s righteous judgement is
coming. That day of judgement will be a day of salvation for all of us who
trust in Jesus. That gives us hope and confidence to live faithfully in this
world. It also helps to keep us from running away from the conflict that comes
when we share God’s message: especially the message that God forgives sins for
Jesus’ sake. God protects his people and uses our lives to convict others and
to comfort them with the message that we bear.
Prayer
O God, conflict is inevitable if
we, like Jeremiah, speak Your Word in this life. We thank You that You have
given us Your delightful word of joy in Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord, who
died and rose for us. Please forgive us for times when we have shied away from
speaking Your Word because we knew that there might be painful consequences in
this life from representing You. Be a wall of bronze for us. Protect us. Give
us courage. Empower us to speak the true message of your judgement and
salvation in Jesus so that some might hear, believe, and be saved as well.
Amen.
Memory Verse
Matthew 16:25 - For whoever would
save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find
it. (Matt. 16:25 ESV)
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