The Most Demanding of all occupations in Biblical times was the responsibility of being a prophet of the Lord.
During much of Israel’s history the prophets of God were men who were looked down upon and despised by the general population. It was an occupation that was sure to bring much difficulty into one’s life. Accordingly, the prophets were men of solid character; they had to have strength and courage and a healthy measure of faith in God. Ezekiel, as an example, was continually asked to act out his messages; at one point he was to lie on his side for 430 days to portray the sin of the nations of Israel and Judah (Ezek. 4:4-8). Daniel was thrown into a den of raging lions because of his trustworthy service to the king of Babylon and to God.
A prophet, by definition, was a person who delivered the message of God to the people Often this message was one of judgment or warning of impending doom and punishment Seldom was it received peaceably, and as a result the messenger was usually reviled and hated Ahab’s attitude to %claims typical “I hate him, for he never prophesies good unto me, but evil” (II Chron 18:7).
The character of Jeremiah
Reading through the book of Jeremiah does more than establish the certainty of God’s judgment on a wayward people, it slowly paints a picture of its author as a man who faced all the trials of a prophet of God Thankfully, despite being surrounded by a nation that reviled and oppressed him, Jeremiah rallied around the messages of hope that God provided and remained firm in faith till the end.
He knew trials would come
Jeremiah was predestined to endure trials, God chose him before he was formed m the womb (1 5), and as Jeremiah was accepting his commission from God, he was warned of the difficulties that would await him “Get yourself ready, Stand up and say to them whatever I command you Do not be terrified by them They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you” (1 17-19 NIV) However comforting this promise was, it carried with it the stark reality that persecution was inevitable Such is the warning to anyone who accepts the calling of being a messenger for God “Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim 3:12)
Jeremiah bereft of friends
Perhaps the hard times became more difficult when opposition to the work of Jeremiah started to come from among his own people and from his own family The general warning in chapter 9, “Beware of your friends, do not trust your brothers ” (v 4 NIV), became personal in chapter 12, “Your brothers, your own family, even they have betrayed you, they have raised a loud cry against you” (v 6 NIV).
Jeremiah’s commitment to the ways of God left him alone and without many friends He was forsaken because of his open allegiance to the Truth Agam, followers of God are promised no less Jesus warned his disciples that some would have to leave their mothers and brothers, their homes or children for the sake of the kingdom of God (Luke 1829) Many times a believer is called out from his own family to serve the Lord Such sacrifices must be made by those who would be God’s messengers.
Torment of mind and body
The trials that Jeremiah faced involved both physical oppression and mental anguish He dealt with many grievous situations that drained him physically, especially as he neared the end of his ministry. The list of burdens he carried rivals those endured by the apostle Paul (cp II Cor 11) Jeremiah was threatened with death (26 8), beaten with a rod (37 15), placed m stocks (20 2), forced into hiding (36 26), imprisoned m dungeons (37 15,16) and a miry pit (38 6), and finally dragged off to Egypt against his will (43 6) It is clear that Jeremiah was placed m all of these situations because he was the prophet of the Lord.
Despite all the physical terrors that came upon Jeremiah, it was the insulting word of the people that hurt him most When he complains to God, it reveals that he is vexed more from their disrespect than from their punishments Jeremiah recounts the words of his enemies “So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says” (18 18 NIV) This frustration leads him to complain to his God with the following words “I am ridiculed all the day long, everyone mocks me so the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all the day long” (20 7,8 NIV) Living among men and women who have no respect for the words of God is likely the most difficult trial for a prophet.
Those who have faced ridicule because of their belief in God can relate to Jeremiah’s attempt to suppress the message within his heart (209) But the word of God was so powerful within him that it was like “a fire within m his bones” (20 9) which he could not hold back.
Golden thread of hope
God always provides a message of hope to comfort those who trust in Him and thus, intertwined among the prophecies of judgment, in the book of Jeremiah is a golden thread of hope — a thread that when combined with faith proved to be a strong cord to support Jeremiah under the weight of his burdens The comforting message was the promise of a remnant. A repetitive phrase in Jeremiah underlines this point “I will not make a full end” (4 27,5 10,18,30 11,46 28) Within long prophecies that seemed dedicated to “the rooting out and pulling down” of God’s people, the concept of “planting and building” (110, 24:6) must have stood out as a wonderful promise Jeremiah could take comfort in knowing that God would not totally forsake the nation.
As in these last days, the return of Israel to the land was the greatest reminder that God still has a purpose in mind for His people God made it clear, through the words of Jeremiah, that the people would not be scattered forever “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess” (30 3 NIV) Such a spectacular return was promised, that it was to overshadow the deliverance from Egypt (16 14,15) The promise of a remnant was so sure, that God promised the captivity would be only 70 years (25 11,12, 29 10).
Encouragement to the faithful
Standing up for the ways of God and becoming His spokesperson is never an easy undertaking Jeremiah was chosen by God for this role and suffered for his obedience He faced the ridicule and slander of all those around him, even his own family Yet he allowed the word of God to speak from his mouth and he took comfort m knowing that God would restore the small remnant that remained faithful Everyone who takes upon him the calling to be a herald of the good news and finds it to be a difficult road, should remember the words of Jeremiah “It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord” (Lam 3 26).
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