Jeremiah 26:1-24

I. THE ARREST AND TRIAL OF THE PROPHET Jeremiah 26:1-24

The faithful proclamation of the word of God is dangerous business. Amos, the prophet from Tekoa, was openly rebuked by Amaziah the high priest of Bethel and was ordered to leave the country (Amos 7:10 ff.). Zechariah the son of Jehoiada was stoned to death by the order of the pompous king Joash because he had the audacity to rebuke the king for apostasy (2 Chronicles 24:20 ff.). Legend has it that Isaiah was sawn asunder by wicked Manasseh. It was the faithful proclamation of the word that got Steven stoned, John beheaded and Peter imprisoned. The ministry is a hazardous vocation! It is no place for those with weak knees and faint hearts! In the present chapter Jeremiah is put on trial for his life because of his uncompromising and forthright presentation of the word of God.

A. The Arrest Jeremiah 26:1-10

TRANSLATION

(1) In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying, (2) Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which are coming to worship at the house of the LORD, all the words which I command you to speak unto them. Do not omit a word! (3) Perhaps they will hear and turn each man from his evil way, that I might relent concerning the calamity which I am planning to bring upon them because of their evil deeds. (4) Say unto them, Thus says the LORD: If you will not hearken unto Me, to walk in My law, which I have set before you, (5) to hearken unto the words of My servants the prophets whom with urgency and persistence I have been sending unto you (although you have not obeyed); (6) then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth. (7) And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. (8) And it came to pass when Jeremiah had finished speaking all which the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, You shall surely die! (9) Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall become like Shiloh and this city shall become desolate without inhabitant? And all the people had assembled against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. (10) And hearing these things, the princes of Judah went up from the house of the king to the house of the LORD and sat down at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD.

COMMENTS

Jeremiah was a soldier on a holy crusade, carrying out the instructions of his heavenly Superior. Acting under a divine directive (Jeremiah 26:1-3), Jeremiah preaches a stirring message (Jeremiah 26:4-6) which arouses the anger of those who heard him (Jeremiah 26:7-10) and nearly costs him his life.