Jeremiah 20 (click it)

In the last chapter, Jeremiah prophesies in the gateway, with priests and leaders he has brought with him, that Judah would be crushed by the enemy.

Imagine that in our country, with our presently predominant ideology: that we are a Christian Nation, with the blessing of God on us. Imagine a dude taking his state representative, and some prominent church leaders to the steps of a gov't building and proclaiming that our nation would become a Muslim theocracy within 2 generations.

What would happen to that guy? How far would freedom of speech rights stretch, in our country? how much of that could he do without being considered a traitor?

Well, here we are in Judah, with Jeremiah, and the "chief governor in the house of the LORD" has heard what Jeremiah was prophesying.

This is where Jeremiah gets put in the stocks overnight.

Does Jeremiah apologize? Is he shaken? Look at v.3. He names the guy "Magor-Missabib", which means "Fear on every side". by verse 5, Jeremiah has renewed his prophecy that the city and the land would be taken and subdued by the enemy.

v.6
Look how specific Jeremiah is (I hope you have a Bible open and a notebook out).

And now a shift in v.7
Jeremiah pours out a prayer in disappointment. he has been put in stocks for obedience to the Lord, and now he is feeling the heat.
literally, the word of the Lord is in him, like a fire.

v.10
People are mocking him saying "fear on every side"--the name he prophesied over Passhur the chief leader priest... they are daring him to prophecy more, and are threatening to turn him in: "report!" they say, "and we will report it!"

v.11
but he knows that the Lord is with him. And he proclaims the downfall of his enemies... harsh? bitter? Imagine living in a generation that has forsaken the living god for false idols and mammon! Oh. you do! And harshness and bittterness are on the horizon for every leader and every church that won't return to the Lord with tenderness of heart and fullness of repentance from the mess we've made...

v.12
Look how Jeremiah actually desires to see his vindication. Is that wrong? In what way is that right? Where else do we see this kind of prayer in scripture?

v.13
Here we see that Jeremiah's full-on engagement of God, in his disappointment, has given way to praise!

v.14-18
yet he still carries the sorrow of lamentation over his own life. For those of us who have read this book already ((you should finish it today)) we know that things're going to get more and more difficult around Jeremiah.

Consider the prophet's bitteness, and that of the Lord, Himself, in view of the terrible situation. Remember the days of Noah? That was God who was filled with grief. That was God who regretted even making man. Do you believe that? Yes? Then you believe in a God in whose image we are made--a God whose heart can break, who can be incensed in jealousy over his people's rejection, who will "start over" with a "clean slate" by destroying the falsehood and leaving a faithful remnant.

Consider God's hope: that his people would just LOVE Him back, obeying his commands in trusting faith. Believing tha tHe is Good, we walk obediently.

Throw out the garbage. Get our lives holy. He is coming soon.
Then we'll be fit for the works of the kingdom.
cast down the idols of our hearts, purify our minds of evil and doubt.
then we'll be safe with the power of God.
Then we'll be in the Way.