Jeremiah 20:7-10

IV. THE HUMAN VESSEL Jeremiah 20:7-18

In his public confrontation with Pashur Jeremiah had remained as firm as a rock. Now in his private moments with God he breaks down completely. He looks upon his ministry not as a high privilege but as an intolerable burden. He is discouraged with his task; he is disgruntled with his God. This is the fourth personal crisis in the ministry of Jeremiah. His confession moves through three stages: (1) complaint (Jeremiah 20:7-10); (2) conviction (Jeremiah 20:11-13); and (3) curse (Jeremiah 20:14-18).

A. Complaint Jeremiah 20:7-10

TRANSLATION

(7) You have enticed me, O LORD, and I was enticed; You have completely overpowered me. I have become an object of ridicule all the day, everyone mocks me. (8) For as often as I speak, I cry out, Violence! and destruction I must proclaim! Surely the word of the LORD has become to me shame and derision all the day! (9) But when I say, I will not remember Him nor will I speak again in His name, then there is in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones. I weary myself trying to contain it but I cannot. (10) For I have heard the whispering of many: Terror round about! Denounce him! Let us denounce him! All of my intimate friends are watching my step. Perhaps he will be enticed and we shall prevail over him and take our revenge on him.

COMMENTS

In this bitter moment Jeremiah accuses God of deceiving him. The same Hebrew verb is used of seducing a maiden (Exodus 22:16) or enticing a husband (Judges 14:15; Judges 16:5).In 1 Kings 22:21 a spirit from God enticed Ahab to go up to Ramoth-gilead in order that he might meet his death. Of course this accusation against God is absolutely false, God had not deceived His prophet in the least about his mission. He had pointedly warned His prospective prophet that his mission was fraught with danger and disappointment (cf. Jeremiah 1:18). The accusation continues: you completely overpowered me, literally, you took hold of me and you prevailed. Jeremiah seems to be complaining that he was compelled against his own will to preach the word of God. Now because of the nature of his ministry Jeremiah has become the object of ridicule and mockery (Jeremiah 20:7). Jeremiah could face physical torture without flinching but he seems to cringe before the barbs of ridicule. He blames his plight upon the nature of his message. He must be a prophet of doom. He must constantly cry Violence! Destruction! This message had brought him nothing but reproach and derision (Jeremiah 20:8).

A tremendous battle rages in the heart and mind of this sensitive man of God. On the one hand he wanted to resign his ministry and retreat to the peaceful and quiet life at Anathoth. He could not bear to face the prospect of continued ridicule and opposition. He wanted to forget all about his recent unpleasant experiences and never preach another sermon again. On the other hand his heart was burdened with a sense of prophetic obligation and divine mission. The fire of God's wrath against sin burns fiercely within him. He tries to hold it back but cannot. He becomes utterly exhausted from trying to fight his compulsion to preach. In spite of himself he must follow the divine call, he must resume his ministry (Jeremiah 20:9).

Jeremiah knows the dangers attendant upon his resumption of the prophetic ministry. He knows his enemies are plotting against him. He even seems to hear them urging one another to lay false charges against him. Even his friends (literally, all the men of my peace)those who greeted him with familiar greetings of friendshipare watching his every move. They hope that he will take one false step so that they may take advantage of it. Perhaps, they think, the prophet can be enticed or seduced into making some mistakes or saying something on which a charge of treason can be based. These enemies will stop at nothing. They are out for revenge against the meddlesome prophet who had dared contradict their pro-Egypt policy and pronounce the doom of their nation (Jeremiah 20:10).