Jeremiah 20
-Pashhur, a priest in Jerusalem,
after hearing Jeremiah’s broken jar prophecy, had the man of God beaten and put
him in stocks at the upper Benjamin Gate for a day. After Jeremiah was released
he called Pashhur by a new name, Magor-missabib (terror on every side) and
prophesied further concerning the coming Babylonian invasion and destruction
and captivity. He prophesied that Pashhur would die in captivity in Babylon
along with all his friends to whom he had falsely prophesied (Jeremiah 20:1-6).
*Application* Don’t ever listen to false prophets. Discern the actual word of
God and test each revelation by the Word of God to escape deception.
-Jeremiah then pours out
compliant in his distress before God due to the agony he was in as His prophet
during a turbulent time period. He has become a laughingstock among the people
and is mocked relentlessly. He is reproached and deriding all day long, but he
knows in his heart that he must speak out what he knows to be true from the
LORD’s own Spirit. His trusted friends even are watching for his fall and want
revenge on him. But the LORD was with him like a “dread champion.” Jeremiah
knows that his persecutors will stumble and not prevail in utter shame and
failure with everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. The true prophet
will exalt the LORD who tests the righteous and sees the mind as well as the
heart. Jeremiah wants to see God’s vengeance on these mockers because he had
set forth his cause to the right and proclaimed the truth even though they did
not want to hear of it. He will sing to the LORD and praise Him who has
delivered the soul of the needy one from the hand of evildoers (Jeremiah
20:7-13). *Application* The wise righteous are always vindicated by their deeds
(Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:35). Stay strong in the LORD no matter what the false
prophets say in a wicked and perverse generation.
-Almost inexplicably Jeremiah
then turns negative again as his despair is written in the pages of Scripture.
He curses the day he was born and the man who brought his father the news of
his birth, which made his father happy. He wished he had been destroyed in the
womb so that he did not have to go through the horrific life that he was now
living. Trouble and sorrow and shame seemed to be indicative of his existence
and he was deeply grieved at this point (Jeremiah 20:14-18). *Application* Here
is an instance where honesty with God is depicted by a righteous individual. We
can pour out to our Maker and realize He understands our heart completely. Take
your frustrations honestly and openly before God. The healing you will receive
afterwards is therapeutic. God will reveal His truth and forgive your
negativity when times are difficult. Remember too that He will not put on you
more than you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Verse to Memorize: Jeremiah 20:11
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