Jeremiah 20

Jeremiah 20 God is Our Strength

Who was Jeremiah?

Jeremiah 1:4–10 “Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Before I formed you in the innermost parts I knew you, And before you came out from the womb I set you apart; I have given you as a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I do not know how to speak Because I am a youth.” But Yahweh said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak. “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares Yahweh. Then Yahweh sent forth His hand and touched my mouth, and Yahweh said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To uproot and to tear down, To cause to perish and to pull down, To build and to plant.””

What was the message?

Jeremiah 19:4–5 ““Because they have forsaken Me and have made this a foreign place and have burned incense in it to other gods, that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah had ever known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent and have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor did it ever come upon My heart,”

Jeremiah 19:10–11 ““Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial.”

To vindicate us and uphold His justice

Jeremiah 20:1–6 LSB

Then Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was ruling overseer in the house of Yahweh, heard Jeremiah prophesying these words; and Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet struck and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of Yahweh. Now it happened that on the next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks. And Jeremiah said to him, “Pashhur is not the name Yahweh has called you, but rather Magor-missabib. “For thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies. So I will give over all Judah to the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take them away into exile to Babylon and will strike them down with the sword. ‘I will also give over all the wealth of this city, all the fruit of its labor, and all its precious things; even all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give over to the hand of their enemies, and they will plunder them, take them away, and bring them to Babylon. ‘And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die, and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.’”

When we face doubts

Jeremiah 20:7 “O Yahweh, You have enticed me, and I was enticed; You were stronger than I, and You prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me.”

Doubt - whatever that is preventing us from fully believing God.

Settled unbelief vs struggling to believe?

Mark 9:24 “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and was saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.””

When others attack us

Jeremiah 20:8 “For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I call out violence and devastation Because for me the word of Yahweh has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.”

Jeremiah 20:10 “For I have heard the bad report of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Keeping watch for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.””

When we struggle against our flesh

Jeremiah 20:9 “But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot prevail.”

Who never leaves us

Jeremiah 20:11–13 “But Yahweh is with me like a ruthless mighty one; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have not prospered, With an everlasting dishonor that will not be forgotten. Yet, O Yahweh of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You I have revealed my cause. Sing to Yahweh, praise Yahweh! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers.”

Who will restore us when we fall/fail

Jeremiah 20:14–18 “Cursed be the day when I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! Cursed be the man who brought the good news To my father, saying, “A baby boy has been born to you!” And made him very glad. But let that man be like the cities Which Yahweh overthrew without relenting, And let him hear an outcry in the morning And a shout of war at noon, Because he did not put me to death from the womb, So that my mother would have been my grave, And her womb ever pregnant. Why did I ever come forth from the womb To look on trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame?”

Lamentations 3:20–24 “Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. This I will return to my heart; Therefore I will wait in hope. The lovingkindnesses of Yahweh indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “Yahweh is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I wait for Him.””

Lamentations 3:31–32 “For the Lord will not reject forever, For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness.”