Jeremiah 11:18-20

II. THE PLOT AGAINST THE PROPHET

Jeremiah 11:18-23

Jeremiah was to suffer much during his ministry. At times his enemies almost got the best of him. But God was faithful to His promise to deliver Jeremiah from his enemies. In the present paragraph Jeremiah experiences his first personal crisis. He learns through revelation that the men of his home town are plotting against him (Jeremiah 11:18-23). These developments seem to catch Jeremiah by surprise and in great distress he cries out to God in the first of his complaints or confessions. Probably this material is to be assigned to the early years of wicked king Jehoiakim.

A. The Case Which He Presents Jeremiah 11:18-20

TRANSLATION

(18) And the LORD made known to me that I might know; then You showed me their deeds. (19) But I was like a pet lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they were plotting against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with its fruit and let us cut him off from the land of the living that his name be remembered no longer. (20) But, O LORD of host, who judges with righteousness, who tries the kidneys and heart, I will see Your vengeance upon them for I have revealed my case unto You.

COMMENTS

Jeremiah learned that the men of his home town were plotting against him through special revelation from God. God caused Jeremiah to correctly analyze and interpret the deceitful deeds of these cunning adversaries (Jeremiah 11:18). Jeremiah had never suspected that they were plotting against him. He was as unsuspecting and trusting as a lamb being led to the slaughter. As Jeremiah had been comparing Judah to a tree which God would destroy (Jeremiah 11:16-17) so the men of Anathoth contemptuously refer to Jeremiah as a tree which must be destroyed. They wish to rid themselves of that tree and its fruit. Since Jeremiah had no children, the fruit of the tree probably refers to his life work, his prophetic ministry. If they could slay Jeremiah there would be no descendant to perpetuate his name. Thus they schemed and plotted in an effort to find an opportunity to assassinate Jeremiah or have him publicly executed (Jeremiah 11:19).

Upon learning of the plot against him, Jeremiah turns immediately in prayer to God. As a petitioner before a court of law the prophet presents his case to the righteous Judge knowing that the Judge of all the earth will do right. God alone can test or try the kidneys and heart, the innermost feelings and thoughts of a man. The Lord knows that Jeremiah has been utterly sincere in his ministry. There has been no guile or bitterness in his heart. On the other hand God knows the hypocrisy and the evil intent of the men of Anathoth. Jeremiah is confident of the verdict which the righteous Judge will render in his behalf. Divine vengeance will be poured out upon the evil schemers and thus the cause of God and His prophet will be vindicated. Jeremiah has only to reveal his case to God and the just verdict will be rendered (Jeremiah 11:20). God, of course, was aware of the plight of the prophet; Jeremiah is not telling God something which He did not already know. To reveal one's case is to publicly, formally plead one's case before the bar of justice.

When the conspiracy against Jeremiah was exposed the men of Anathoth openly and outwardly began to threaten the life of the prophet. Only if he ceased to prophesy in the name of the Lord would his life be spared (Jeremiah 11:21). Other prophets had been threatened. Amos was ordered to leave Bethel (Amos 7:10 ff.). Elijah had to flee for his life to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:1-4). Some prophets had died because they fearlessly preached in the name of God. Zechariah was slain in the Temple (2 Chronicles 24:20-22) and Isaiah, according to tradition, was sawn asunder during the reign of king Manasseh. In Jeremiah's own day a prophet by the name of Uriah, who spoke words similar to those of Jeremiah, was slain by king Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:20-23). The threats made by the men of Anathoth were not idle. These men meant business. From this day forward Jeremiah would be putting his life on the line every time he uttered an oracle in the name of the Lord.