Jeremiah - A Man
Who Suffered
For Righteousness
Sake
Jeremiah, a prophet of God and one of the
great men of the Bible, 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.
(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 4:19.) He repeatedly
displayed his sympathy by praying for his people. (Jeremiah 8:21-22.) Being
sympathetic to the hard times of others helps us in hard times.
Jeremiah was a man of courage.
He could face life with confidence that God was with him. (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) faith and
conviction.
To become a Christian you must hear,
(Romans 10:17), believe in Christ (John 8:24), repent (II Peter 3:9), confess
Christ (Matthew 16:16), and be baptized to put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-27.)
By Charles Box,