Sermon Tone Analysis

This chapter should be studied in connection with chapter 7, because they both deal with Jeremiah’s courageous sermon given in the temple.

The sermon is summarized in verses 3–7, and you will note the emphasis on hearing the Word of God.

Jeremiah preached exactly what God commanded him to preach and didn’t alter the message in order to please the people.

The false prophets preached what the people wanted to hear, but Jeremiah preached what the people needed to hear.

I. Summary of the Sermon (26:1–6)

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them.

Do not diminish a word.

3 Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’

4 And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5 to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and ing them (but you have not heeded), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”

’ ”

A. The Lord instructed Jeremiah to go to the “courtyard of the LORD’S house” to speak to the crowds that would be there.

The area was the outer court where the people were allowed to assemble.

It may have been a festival day when great throngs of worshipers would have been at the temple.

It was an appropriate place to denounce the people’s misplaced trust in the temple to protect them from outside threats.

B. Jeremiah was admonished not to omit a word from what God commanded him to speak.

Jeremiah’s messages would result in threats against his life.

Therefore it would have been tempting for him to modify the messages in order to receive a favorable hearing from his audiences or to escape harm to himself.

He did not fall to this temptation and courageously proclaimed God’s word in the midst of conflict.

The same dilemma confronts those today who have been entrusted with a message from the Lord that will not be favorably received but who at the same time want to be popular.

Believers today must follow the example of Jeremiah’s courage and faithfulness.

C.

These verses imply that we are free to accept or reject God’s words, but we will suffer the consequences.

God blesses obedience and punishes disobedience.

God’s attitude toward sin and disobedience does not change, but we can change.

The disobedient can become obedient; the obedient can become disobedient.

Jeremiah was attacking the misplaced belief of the people that God would never allow the temple to be destroyed.

By threatening a curse on the temple, Jeremiah should have anticipated a violent reaction from the people.

His words were blasphemous to them.

An attack on the temple was an attack on their religious system.

II.

Arrest and Trial of Jeremiah (26:7–19)

7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

8 Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that 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 will surely die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant’?”

And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. 10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the LORD and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’s house.

11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die!

For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.” 12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard.

13 Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you.

14 As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you.

15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”16

So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die.

For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

”17 Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: 18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins,And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.”

’ 19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death?

Did he not fear the Lord and seek the LORD’s favor?

And the LORD relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them.

But we are doing great evil against ourselves.”

A. The reaction to Jeremiah’s seemingly blasphemous words was immediate and violent.

Fortunately for Jeremiah some of the officials (or “princes”) heard what was happening and intervened.

Some believe that members of the royal household intervened.

Others believe that they were only court officials, civil rulers, or heads of influential families.

Jeremiah was allowed to speak on his own behalf.

His only defense was that the Lord had sent him; therefore he must speak (20:9; cf.

Amos 3:8).26:13–15

The accused became the accuser as Jeremiah warned the people to reform their ways and actions and obey the Lord.

That was the only way God would relent and not bring about the disaster he had promised.

Jeremiah then cast himself on the mercy of the officials who were serving as judges of the dispute.

B. To their credit the officials, now joined by the people, made the right decision.

Jeremiah’s eloquent defense convinced them, at least for the moment, that his message was not worthy of his death.

They rejected the accusation of the priests and prophets by acquitting Jeremiah of the charges.

For the moment Jeremiah was vindicated as a true prophet in the eyes of the people, but they were not convinced.

Jeremiah’s eloquent defense convinced them, at least for the moment, that his message was not worthy of his death.

They rejected the accusation of the priests and prophets by acquitting Jeremiah of the charges.

For the moment Jeremiah was vindicated as a true prophet in the eyes of the people, but they were not convinced.

The elders reminded the people that Micah of Moresheth had warned of Jerusalem’s coming destruction in words equally as harsh as Jeremiah’s words and that though Micah’s words were as judgmental as Jeremiah’s, he was not put to death.

III.

Arrest and Slaying of Uriah the Prophet (26:20–23)

20 Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt.

22 Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt.

23 And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

A. When Jehoiakim and his officials heard Uriah’s message, the king determined to put him to death.

Uriah fled to Egypt in fear for his life.

His response paralleled that of Elijah, who fled from the threats of Jezebel.

At the time Uriah prophesied, Judah was an Egyptian vassal, so it was easy for Jehoiakim to request the authorities to extradite a man accused of treason.

Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor along with some other men to bring Uriah back from Egypt.

Elnathan was one of those who urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll of Jeremiah that was read to him

B. When Uriah was taken to Jehoiakim, the monarch ordered his immediate execution.

To bring further dishonor on the murdered prophet, Uriah was denied burial in his family tomb.

Jehoiakim ordered his body to be buried in the burial place of the common people, located in the Kidron Valley.

This place was usually reserved for those who were too poor to purchase their own burial plot.

Such people were quickly forgotten, but Uriah has been remembered through Scripture as a prophet of God who lost his life because of his faithful preaching of God’s word.

IV.

The Release of Jeremiah (26:24)

24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

A. Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be executed.

Instead, he was set free under the protection of Ahikam son of Shaphan.

The mention of Ahikam serves as a reminder that Jeremiah had friends in high places, even within the royal court itself.

He was the father of Gedaliah, who was appointed governor of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar.

Baruch read Jeremiah’s scroll in the room of another son of Shaphan.

It was unfortunate for Uriah that he did not have an advocate who could protect him.

B. Believers today can learn much from these prophets.

First, believers should never be afraid to proclaim the word of God.

Also, in the presence of known and unknown enemies, God’s promise to Jeremiah (1:19) is also a promise to those who are faithful to God’s will.

Persecution of such believers can be severe and trying; nevertheless, such faithfulness to God is rewarded by knowing that God is present at all times in the lives of such faithful witnesses.