Jeremiah 20 & 21 - Persecution, Lament, and Rejection

LINK: Jeremiah 20 & 21

BACKGROUND

Jeremiah 20 - Pashhur's Persecution and Jeremiah's Lament

Pashhur, chief officer of the temple, did not respond well to Jeremiah's prophecy. He had him beaten and put in stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin (northern gate). After he was released, Jeremiah refused to change his message but changed Pashhur's name instead. Magor-Missabib means "terror on every side." Because Pashhur refused to heed God's message, he would see this terror and be carried away to Babylon. His judgment was not only for having Jeremiah beaten but also for prophesying lies.

This chapter contains the last of Jeremiah's recorded laments. He complained to God about his treatment by others. He considered withholding God's Word, but it was "like a burning fire" within him that he could not keep in (20:9). His lament vacillates between great confidence in God to deep despair as he sees that if the prophecy comes true, Judah will be destroyed. What a difficult message to convey!

Jeremiah 21 - God Rejects Zedekiah's Request

The book now turns toward prophecies directed at specific individuals or groups. The hope of repentance is replaced by the certainty of judgment. In this chapter, Jeremiah begins his rebuke toward the kings. They were to be shepherds to the flock of Judah, but they did not shepherd according to God's way. The first king singled out is Zedekiah who was the last king chronologically. Although Zedekiah requests deliverance as in times past (Probably referring to the deliverance from Sennacherib, king of Assyria, in the days of Hezekiah. See Isaiah 36:37.), God rejects his request and there would be no mercy. This request was probably given between 588 B.C. and 586 B.C. The exile was in 586 B.C.

REFLECTION

The persecution of Jeremiah always cuts my heart. He was being faithful to give God's message that was "like a fire" within him, but he was physically beaten for being faithful to deliver it. 

Isaiah and Jeremiah are so different. Isaiah does not lament about his treatment as Jeremiah does. I think I am more like Jeremiah. I do not like to be persecuted for speaking the truth, and God hears about it when I am!

That is what I love about God. He did not condemn Jeremiah for his laments, and He does not condemn us for our laments, but the ultimate goal in our laments is for Him to bring us to a point of having His perspective on our circumstances so that we might grow to be more like Him. That is a win-win situation!

I have had a few times in my life where I felt like God was wanting me to say something. I prayed about it, sought counsel, prayed about it, searched God's Word for guidelines, prayed about it, resisted God's direction, prayed about it, and eventually did what God wanted me to do because I loved that person enough to not want to see them continue in sin. I did this with much fear and trembling and a big prayer backup.

Sometimes, the truth was received with great humility, and the person thanked me profusely for speaking truth! It was all good! Other times, the truth was not received very well, and it was horrible. Lies and gossip about me spread like wildfire, and I was really mad at God for leading me into it! You can bet that I lamented and complained to God about it too.

It went something like this:

"God, I felt like I followed You every step of the way. I didn't want to do it, but you were "like a fire" within me! I went into this prayerfully, lovingly, and gently, and I came out bruised emotionally. What gives! This is so painful. I wish I had just kept my mouth shut. UGH!"

Unlike Jeremiah, I have never been beaten or put in stocks, but I have been "beaten up" by slander and condemnation, and it hurt!

Yet, God grew me up in those tough times. He helped me to see more of Himself. He helped me to continue to LOVE those who persecuted me. He helped me to pray more diligently and trust Him more fully for His outcome in His time.

And it was all good. :)

APPLICATION

Have you ever been persecuted for doing what is right or speaking the truth in love? Are you still smarting over it? Do not stuff it! Lament! Let God bring you over to His point of view via that process!

Here is a short click regarding the importance of lament by Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann:

I have facilitated a cohort of people since 2021, and in one of our units, we craft a lament. It is so powerful when people read them!

PRAYER

Lord, You are the almighty, sovereign God who sees all things from Your perspective. Help us to grasp a better glimpse of Your perspective and plan for our lives. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.