Jeremiah's Warning

Jeremiah 26

After the death of Josiah, the people made his son, Jehoahaz, king of Judah. He was not like his father, for he was a wicked man and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Jehoahaz did not reign long. Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt, came to Jerusalem, took Jehoahaz prisoner, and carried him away to Egypt. Jehoahaz died there, and the king of Egypt made another son of Josiah king of Judah. His name was Jehoiakim; he was wicked and rebellious, like his brother Jehoahaz.

And now the time was coming for God to punish His sinful and ungrateful people. He had spared them many, many years. He had given them time to repent. He had warned them by His prophets. He invited them to return to Him. He had promised to bless them if they would obey Him, but no—they would not listen.

Still God waited in mercy. He sent one more messenger to warn them of their danger, to tell them to repent and turn to God. This messenger was the prophet Jeremiah. God commanded him to stand in the court of the temple and speak to all the people who came to worship there. What did Jeremiah say to them? This was his message: “Thus saith the Lord; if ye will not hearken unto Me, and unto the words of My servants the prophets, I will destroy this house, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”

Did the people listen to what Jeremiah said? They heard what he said, but they were not willing to receive the warning which God sent them. The message made them angry, but it did not humble them. They did not like to be reproved and corrected, and they were angry with the messenger who brought it. When Jeremiah had finished speaking, the priests, the people, and the prophets took him and said, “Thou shalt surely die. Why hast thou said that this house shall be destroyed and that this city shall be thrown down?”

Then the people assembled, the princes of Judah came from the king's house, and they all sat down at the gate of the temple to talk about Jeremiah and the message he had brought. The priests and the prophets were angrier than the rest. They should have taught the people to fear and serve the Lord, but these priests and prophets were proud, rebellious, wicked men. They sinned against God themselves, and they encouraged the people in sin, too. They honored their temple and loved their city, but they did not honor the God of the temple. They did not love Him who had kept their city in safety so many years.

These priests offered sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord, but their sacrifices were not accepted because they were not offered in faith. The prophets read God's holy law, but their knowledge of the law was of no use, for they read but did not obey. What do we do when we hear God's Word? It is God's voice to us. We must ask God for the Holy Spirit to teach us and to make us willing to do those things which He commands us to do. He sees our hearts and knows our very thoughts. Oh, ask Him to guide us in our daily lives in those ways which are pleasing to Him.

Jeremiah stood quietly before his judges. They were stronger than he, but he was not afraid. He knew it was his duty to speak the truth boldly for God, and he prayed for courage to do so. God gave him the boldness and courage he needed. The priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and people, saying, “This man deserves to die because he has prophesied evil against our city.”

But Jeremiah cried out to them all, “It is God who sent me to prophesy these things. He has spoken the words you have heard, and what He says is truth. If you wish your city and your temple to be spared, you must amend your doings and obey the voice of the Lord, and then He will have mercy and will not bring this evil upon you. I am in your power; do with me as you please. But know that if you put me to death, you will bring worse punishment upon yourselves and upon your city, because what I have spoken is the word of God.”

And did the wicked priests and prophets put Jeremiah to death? No, God inclined the hearts of the princes and people to listen to Jeremiah. He made them fear to hurt His prophet; and they said to the priests, “No; this man does not deserve to die. He has spoken to us in the name of God.”

Then some of the elders rose up and said, “Many years ago Micah prophesied that this city should be destroyed because of the wickedness of the people. Hezekiah was king when Micah prophesied this. But Hezekiah and his people did not put Micah to death. They were not angry with him for speaking the truth. They believed what he said, and they repented, feared the Lord, and besought Him to have mercy on them. God heard their prayer and spared them. Let us do as they did, and not kill Jeremiah and bring God's anger upon us.”

There was another prophet of the Lord who prophesied as Jeremiah did. His name was Urijah. The wicked king Jehoiakim slew him with the sword; but the Lord gave Jeremiah friends to keep him, and his enemies did not hurt him at that time.

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