Yokes All Around (2)

Pray Psalm 59.1-3.
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
Defend me from those who rise up against me.
Deliver me from the workers of iniquity,
And save me from bloodthirsty men.
For look, they lie in wait for my life;
The mighty gather against me,
Not for my transgression nor for my sin, O LORD.

Sing Psalm 59.1-3.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Deliver me from all my foes, Lord;
set me on high secure away;
From all who seek to work me woe, Lord,
deliver me from day to day.
For, lo, they seek to take my life;
fierce foes advance to bring me strife!

Read and meditate on Jeremiah 26.12-24.

Prepare.
1. What was Jeremiah’s message to the priests, prophets, and princes?

2. To what did the elders appeal in sparing Jeremiah?

Meditate.
The presence of Nebuchadnezzar at the gates of Jerusalem seems to have caused the emotional level to ratchet up a bit. The “shepherds” of Israel – priests and prophets – have had it with Jeremiah, and they want him put to death, and they sought to rile up the people in support of their intentions (v. 11).

For his part, Jeremiah knuckled down and held the line. He repeated his oft-repeated warning of judgment if the people refused to repent (vv. 12, 13). He was not concerned about what they might do to him, but he wanted them to know that putting him to death would only add to their woes (vv. 14, 15).

The princes and the people were not convinced by the priests and prophets (v. 16). Jeremiah was just doing his job, they argued. Then “certain of the elders of the land” remembered how King Hezekiah had listened to the prophet Micah when he prophesied essentially the same message as Jeremiah (vv. 17, 18). Hezekiah did not put Micah to death; rather, he listened to him and feared the Lord. Thus, he was able to postpone the Lord’s judgment to a later generation (v. 19).

Zedekiah, however, was not Hezekiah. He neither feared the Lord nor tolerated His prophets. He had already had Urijah the son of Shemaiah extradited from Egypt and killed (vv. 20-23). But Jeremiah managed to avoid the king’s wrath at this point, thanks to the intervention of Ahikam the son of Shaphan (v. 24).

Those who have been entrusted with the Word of God, to be witnesses to His truth, won’t always have an easy road. Some people just don’t want to hear the call to repent and believe the Good News, and they can be right contrary about it. But there are plenty of Hezekiah’s out there, waiting for us to come and tell them both the bad news of God’s judgment and the Good News of His love. We continue like Micah and Jeremiah did, because we know God wants to save all those He has chosen for Himself.

Reflect.
1. How can you see God’s hand at work in this situation?

2. How does the warning of judgment fit in with the message of Good News?

3. How can believers help one another to remain firm and consistent in their witness for the Lord?

When therefore the elders saw that wrath was still burning in the people, and that their minds were not disposed to shew kindness, they made use of this discourse. They took their argument from example, ― that Jeremiah was not the first witness and herald of dreadful vengeance, for God had before that time, and in time past, been wont to speak by his other prophets against the city and the temple. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Jeremiah 26.17-19

Lord, You have called me to be Your witness; help me today as I…

Pray Psalm 59.10-17.
Thank God for His mercy and His help against every foe; call on Him for strength to serve Him faithfully throughout the day.

Sing Psalm 59.10-17.
Psalm 59.10-17 (Neumark: It Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee)
My God in steadfast love will meet me,
and let me look triumphantly
on all my foes, who would defeat me,
did not He shield and shelter me.
That men may know Your pow’r, O Lord,
subdue and rule them by Your Word.

But as for me, Your strength I’m singing;
with joy I sing Your grace, O Lord!
My trials and troubles I am bringing
to know the shelter of Your Word.
O God, my strength, I sing Your praise;
You are my stronghold all my days.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).