Jeremiah The
Prophet --
A Man That Suffered
For Righteousness Sake
Jeremiah, a prophet of God was one
of the great men of the Bible. He prophesied during the tragic period of
Jeremiah was notably a prophet that
spoke of the destruction of the Jewish nation. However, he emphasized the
temporary nature of the destruction and looked to the return of the Jews to
their land. Jeremiah suffered much for the cause of righteousness. Because of
his unpopular message he was put in a dungeon and "...in the dungeon
there was no water, but mire: So Jeremiah sunk in the mire." (Jeremiah
38:6) How can a man endure being despised, rejected, hated and persecuted?
Notice four qualities found in the life of Jeremiah which made it possible for
him to endure these adverse circumstances.
Jeremiah
was a very sensitive man. He was a gentle man. He stood like a solid
rock outwardly but inwardly his heart was breaking for God's people. God's
word was burning within him. He said, "For since I spake,
I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made
a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said,
I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word
was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay." (Jeremiah 20:8-9) He became the victor
not the victim of these circumstances!
Jeremiah
was a man of sympathy. His heart was heavy and his eyes filled with
tears as he preached the message of doom for his beloved people and his land.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah
was a man of courage. He could face life with confidence that God was
with him. God said, "Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and
speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I
confound thee before them. For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar, and brasen
walls against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes
thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the land. And
they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I
am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee."
(Jeremiah 1:17-19) He did not give in even at the threat of his own life
because he stood courageously with God.
Jeremiah had overwhelming and unshakable
faith and conviction in God. He had been called of God and spoke God's word. (Jeremiah
1:4-5) His message was a message of doom but he was also a man of hope. When
May God help us to the end that we
can have more (1) sensitivity, (2) sympathy, (3) courage, and (4) more faith
and conviction.
Will
you accept God's wonderful good news that Jesus died for your sins? Will you be
baptized into Christ to put on Christ so that your sins can be forgiven by His
blood? "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians
3:26-27) Believers contact Christ's saving blood by being baptized into His
death. Those that become children of God have reason to rejoice. (Acts
By Charles Box,