Meditations in Jeremiah
Due to Jeremiah’s proclamation of God’s fierce wrath and fiery judgment against His people for their sinfulness, Jeremiah was greatly persecuted through both verbal and physical attacks by God’s own, rebellious people. Such persecution motivated Jeremiah to express his burden of prayer in Jeremiah 15:15 for deliverance, saying, “O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.” Furthermore, in Jeremiah 15:16 Jeremiah expressed his commitment to and delight in the truth of God’s Word, saying, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”
Yet in Jeremiah 15:17-18 Jeremiah expressed his attitude of discouragement at the tribulation and doubt in the Lord, saying, “I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?” Indeed, Jeremiah began to accuse the Lord of unrighteousness and unfaithfulness. Yea, he directly accused the Lord of being “altogether” unto him “as a liar.” Although Jeremiah had a commitment of heart toward the Lord, his growing doubt in the Lord was corrupting that commitment. So then, how did the Lord our God respond unto Jeremiah’s prayer for deliverance and accusation of doubt?
Due to Jeremiah’s proclamation of God’s fierce wrath and fiery judgment against His people for their sinfulness, Jeremiah was greatly persecuted through both verbal and physical attacks by God’s own, rebellious people. Such persecution motivated Jeremiah to express his burden of prayer in Jeremiah 15:15 for deliverance, saying, “O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.” Furthermore, in Jeremiah 15:16 Jeremiah expressed his commitment to and delight in the truth of God’s Word, saying, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.”
Yet in Jeremiah 15:17-18 Jeremiah expressed his attitude of discouragement at the tribulation and doubt in the Lord, saying, “I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?” Indeed, Jeremiah began to accuse the Lord of unrighteousness and unfaithfulness. Yea, he directly accused the Lord of being “altogether” unto him “as a liar.” Although Jeremiah had a commitment of heart toward the Lord, his growing doubt in the Lord was corrupting that commitment. So then, how did the Lord our God respond unto Jeremiah’s prayer for deliverance and accusation of doubt?
The Call to Repentance of Sin
In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:19, the Lord’s response to Jeremiah began – “Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return . . . .” Herein the Lord called Jeremiah to repentance of His sinful attitude. Indeed, Jeremiah’s attitude of doubt and accusation was a sinful attitude against the Lord his God. Due to this attitude, he had gone away backward from the Lord in his heart. Thus the Lord called him to repent of that sinful attitude and to return unto a right relationship with Him. In addition, the Lord called Jeremiah to separate his righteous commitment (of verses 15-16), which the Lord described as “precious,” from his sinful doubt (of verses 17-18), which the Lord described as “vile.” In the midst of verse 19, the Lord stated, “And if thou take forth the precious from the vile . . . .” Finally, the Lord called Jeremiah to quit being influenced by the ungodly character and conduct of the rebellious. In the closing portion of verse 19, the Lord commanded, “Let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.”
The Promise of Restoration to Fellowship
To Jeremiah the Lord our God then delivered His promise – if Jeremiah would meet the requirements of the Lord’s call to repentance. First, the Lord promised to restore Jeremiah unto the blessedness of His fellowship. In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:19, the promise was delivered, “Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me.” As the whole counsel of God’s Word teaches, this restoration unto fellowship includes the forgiveness of sinful iniquity, the cleansing of all unrighteousness, and the renewal of enabling grace.
The Promise of Revival to Service
Second, the Lord promised to revive Jeremiah unto usefulness in His service. In the midst of Jeremiah 15:19, the promise was delivered, “And if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth.” Jeremiah’s sinful attitude toward the Lord had damaged his spiritual usefulness for the Lord. Yet if through repentance he would purge himself from his sinful attitude against the Lord, he would be spiritually revived by the Lord’s hand to “be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
The Promise of Reinforcement against the Rebellious
The first two promises of the Lord to Jeremiah concerned Jeremiah’s relationship toward the Lord and toward His service. The latter two promises of the Lord to Jeremiah concerned Jeremiah’s relationship toward the rebellious persecutors against whom he was called to preach. Third then, the Lord promised to reinforce Jeremiah against the attacks of the rebellious. In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:20, the promise was delivered, “And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee.” Herein the Lord indicated that He would enable and empower Jeremiah so that he might be as an unbreakable wall against these attacks. The Lord did not promise to remove all attacks from Jeremiah. In fact, the Lord specifically declared that the rebellious would fight against him. Yet the Lord promised that through His power Jeremiah would firmly withstand all attacks so that the rebellious would not prevail against him.
The Promise of Relief from Persecution
Fourth and finally, the Lord promised to relieve Jeremiah from the persecuting force of the rebellious. In the closing portion of Jeremiah 15:20, the promise was delivered, “For I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” Again in Jeremiah 15:21 the promise was delivered, “And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” Indeed, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:16-18). Indeed, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate” (Psalm 34:22).
Oh, how we who are in spiritual leadership need the rebuke and the reassurance of Jeremiah 15:19-21!
In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:19, the Lord’s response to Jeremiah began – “Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return . . . .” Herein the Lord called Jeremiah to repentance of His sinful attitude. Indeed, Jeremiah’s attitude of doubt and accusation was a sinful attitude against the Lord his God. Due to this attitude, he had gone away backward from the Lord in his heart. Thus the Lord called him to repent of that sinful attitude and to return unto a right relationship with Him. In addition, the Lord called Jeremiah to separate his righteous commitment (of verses 15-16), which the Lord described as “precious,” from his sinful doubt (of verses 17-18), which the Lord described as “vile.” In the midst of verse 19, the Lord stated, “And if thou take forth the precious from the vile . . . .” Finally, the Lord called Jeremiah to quit being influenced by the ungodly character and conduct of the rebellious. In the closing portion of verse 19, the Lord commanded, “Let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.”
The Promise of Restoration to Fellowship
To Jeremiah the Lord our God then delivered His promise – if Jeremiah would meet the requirements of the Lord’s call to repentance. First, the Lord promised to restore Jeremiah unto the blessedness of His fellowship. In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:19, the promise was delivered, “Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me.” As the whole counsel of God’s Word teaches, this restoration unto fellowship includes the forgiveness of sinful iniquity, the cleansing of all unrighteousness, and the renewal of enabling grace.
The Promise of Revival to Service
Second, the Lord promised to revive Jeremiah unto usefulness in His service. In the midst of Jeremiah 15:19, the promise was delivered, “And if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth.” Jeremiah’s sinful attitude toward the Lord had damaged his spiritual usefulness for the Lord. Yet if through repentance he would purge himself from his sinful attitude against the Lord, he would be spiritually revived by the Lord’s hand to “be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21).
The Promise of Reinforcement against the Rebellious
The first two promises of the Lord to Jeremiah concerned Jeremiah’s relationship toward the Lord and toward His service. The latter two promises of the Lord to Jeremiah concerned Jeremiah’s relationship toward the rebellious persecutors against whom he was called to preach. Third then, the Lord promised to reinforce Jeremiah against the attacks of the rebellious. In the opening portion of Jeremiah 15:20, the promise was delivered, “And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee.” Herein the Lord indicated that He would enable and empower Jeremiah so that he might be as an unbreakable wall against these attacks. The Lord did not promise to remove all attacks from Jeremiah. In fact, the Lord specifically declared that the rebellious would fight against him. Yet the Lord promised that through His power Jeremiah would firmly withstand all attacks so that the rebellious would not prevail against him.
The Promise of Relief from Persecution
Fourth and finally, the Lord promised to relieve Jeremiah from the persecuting force of the rebellious. In the closing portion of Jeremiah 15:20, the promise was delivered, “For I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.” Again in Jeremiah 15:21 the promise was delivered, “And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” Indeed, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:16-18). Indeed, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate” (Psalm 34:22).
Oh, how we who are in spiritual leadership need the rebuke and the reassurance of Jeremiah 15:19-21!
Posted in Meditations in Jeremiah, In Time of Trouble, Prayer, Trust in God, Repentance of Sin, Forgiveness of Sin, Deliverance of Our Lord, Faithfulness of Our Lord
RSS Feed
