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Thus Says The Lord: Stand and Speak
Jeremiah 26
In the twenty-third year of Jeremiah's beleaguered ministry as a prophet, God
told him to speak once again to the nation. "Rooting out" and "pulling down"
characterized the prophet's message from the beginning (Jer. 1:10). This message
was to be no different. The nation had refused to heed the warnings and the day
of destruction drew near.
"Thus says the Lord: 'Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all
the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words
that I command you to speak to them, Do not diminish a word (Jer. 26:2)."
The pristine and holy glory that characterized the temple in Solomon's day had
dimmed to the point of going out. Here for a brief moment the truth of God's
word spoken by a humble servant eclipsed the dark deeds practiced within its
walls. The prophet's work was difficult but simple; stand and speak. Difficult
because, as Jeremiah had been promised by God twenty-three years earlier, there
would be opposition to his message. Simple in that God would give him the words
to speak. The simple message was,
"If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law...I will make this city a curse
(Jer. 26:4-6).
Jeremiah had not entered his life's work without great reluctance. "Behold, I
cannot speak, for I am a youth" (Jer. 1:6), he offered when called by God. God
assured him by making this pledge, "Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am
with you to deliver you" (Jer. 1:8). Now after many years of devotion and
faithfulness Jeremiah once again stood before those hard faces and foreheads of
stone. His task as a prophet of God was to stand and speak. The truth never
finds its true expression in the corners or recesses in small whispered voices.
Falsehood is arrogant and bold and so those who have the truth must stand and
speak.
God made it clear to Jeremiah what He wanted spoken. "All the words that I
command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word." The truth becomes weak
and ineffective when whittled down by man. No trees are felled by the woodsmen
wielding a chainsaw minus the chain. The sappy, toothless message containing
partial truths may please and console the hearers but has no power to change
their hearts.
A heavy mantel of responsibility lies squarely on the shoulders of the one who
proclaims truth, what about the listener? The Lord told Jeremiah, "Perhaps
everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning
the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their
doings" (Jer. 26:3)
"Perhaps" is a word expressing hope and possibility. God does not force one to
heed His word. He waits in anticipation. "Maybe, perhaps they will listen to Me
this time." Although the nation as a whole rejected the word of God there were
still some pliable hearts encouraged by the message of Jeremiah. The message so
clearly and boldly proclaimed must have penetrated the hearts of some, perhaps
even Daniel and his three friends who would very shortly be snatched from their
homeland never to return.
Inspired by the word of God and the example of this courageous and faithful
servant, these and others would be able to maintain their faith during the
trials of captivity.
God intensifies his optimism saying, "Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from
his evil ways." Repeated proclamation of the truth without apparent results
often produces discouragement, resentment and even bitterness of heart. It
disappointed God that His people did not listen and turn. Jesus centuries later
wept for the people as He viewed the city of Jerusalem crying, "O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!
How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks
under her wings, but you were not willing" (Mat. 23:37). But optimism kept alive
is the boon of the proclaimer of truth. We cannot taint our message with
pessimism, heartfelt disappointment out of love, yes, but not pessimism. After
all, it is "good news" that brings promise of good results.
"And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: "If you will not listen to Me,
to walk in My law which I have set before you, to heed the words of My servants
and prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you
have not heeded), then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this
city a curse to all the nations of the earth"'" (Jer. 26:4-6)
The responsibility of Jeremiah was to stand and speak, the people's was to
listen. If they heeded the word God would relent, if not He would make their
city a curse. Time was running out for Judah. In less than two years
Nebuchadnezzar would enter the gates of the city and seize control of their
nation. In the prophecy of Ezekiel it is made abundantly clear that God finds no
pleasure in condemning the wicked. Rather he says, "Repent, and turn from all
your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you
all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart
and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? for I have no
pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord God. Therefore turn and
live" (Ezek. 18:30-32)!
In a similar message spoken by Jeremiah, God said, "But go now to My place which
was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it
because of the wickedness of My people Israel" (Jer. 7:12). The reference to
making "this house like Shiloh" goes back to another dark time in the history of
God's people. He called upon them to remember the misplaced trust that an
earlier generation had put in the ark of the covenant. In those days the sons of
Eli made the Lord's people transgress (1 Sam. 2:24). Threatened by hordes of
uncircumcised Philistines the sinful children of Israel summoned the ark of the
covenant to the field of battle thinking that it would insure their victory. It
was a sad day, Israel was defeated and the ark of God was captured. Not unlike
the people in Eli's day, Jeremiah's listeners were guilty of listening to the
lying words, "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord..." (Jer. 7:4),
believing that a city containing the temple of God would surely be spared from
the invasion of a foreign nation. However, God would not relent if they refused
to turn from their evil ways.
When the priests, the prophets and the people heard Jeremiah's message they
seized him saying, "You will surely die!" (Jer. 26:8). When the princes of Judah
heard these things they came and heard Jeremiah's message (Jer. 26:10, 11).
Their reaction was quite different. There were still some honest hearts in
Jerusalem. They said, "This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us
in the name of the Lord our God" (Jer. 26:16).
In arguing the case for Jeremiah the princes of Judah appealed to the case of
Micah, the prophet, and king Hezekiah. Micah called upon God's people to repent.
Hezekiah did not kill Micah but listened to him and God relented concerning
their doom (Jer. 26:19) . Those who thought Jeremiah should be put to death, for
his supposed blasphemy against the temple of God, brought up the case of the
prophet Urijah. Urijah prophesied against the city and the land as had Jeremiah.
Jehoikim hunted-down the prophet who had fled to Egypt and put him to death (Jer.
26:20-23). Those who believed Jeremiah was not worthy of death prevailed and he
was spared (Jer. 26:24).
Reactions to the truth vary as widely today. Some will listen to those who stand
and speak the truth and they will put away their evil ways. Others hardened by
the deceitfulness of sin will be stiff-necked and call for the ouster of the
messenger. Our responsibility is clear. If we are speaking the truth we must do
so boldly, unafraid, and refusing to diminish God's word. If we are listening to
the truth we must examine ourselves and turn from our evil ways. Christianity is
not for the faint of heart.
May God grant us the courage to seize the prize.
By Karl Hennecke
From Expository Files 4.5; May 1997
