Persistent Obedience

Persistent obedience

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Jeremiah 1:10-19

In the way our culture usually judges successful people, Jeremiah would probably

preached that God would make Jerusalem

be labeled a failure. Although he served as

a "curse to all the nations of the earth" (Jer.

God's prophet for more than forty years, he

26:6)-that even the religious leaders tried to kill him (Jer. 26:8).

was consistently rejected by the people of

Yet where the people of Judah were

Judah, ranging from the rulers to the ordinary faithless, Jeremiah was consistently faithful,

citizens. For forty years the people ignored obeying God until the end. When the remnant

Jeremiah's messages, choosing to go their of the Jews who had not been deported by

own way. Because of the pitiful choices of the Babylonians in 586в.c. wanted to flee to

the people around him, Jeremiah suffered Egypt for safety, Jeremiah preached against repeatedly: people mocked him as often as running away. He knew it was against God's

daily, threatened him, locked him in prison,

plan. When the remnant went to Egypt any-

and threw him down a well.

way, they took Jeremiah with them. Jeremiah

When God called Jeremiah, He warned faithfully continued his prophetic ministry

him that this ministry would be a long, hard until his death.

challenge. God sent Jeremiah out to "root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant" (v. 10).

Changes of this magnitude do not come without pain, and as is often the case, the easiest person to blame is the messenger.

"Do not be afraid of their faces, for 1 am

MORE INSIGHT

Jeremiah is known as the "weeping prophet," whose tearful confessions and anguished outbursts (Jer. 8:18-9:2; 12:1-4; 20:7-18) combined with forceful denunciations of sinful society give rise to the term jeremiad.

with you to deliver you" (Jer. 1:8). Jeremiah did not run from God's call, even when God told

previous: Jeremiah 1:1-5

next: Jeremiah 3:1-25

him he would face great opposition in delivering the message (vy. 18, 19). The people were so angered by Jeremiah's condemnation.