Badmouthing God's Man!

“To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, “The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have charge in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and neck irons. Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’

“Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ‘Send to all the exiles, saying, “Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.”’” [1]

If everyone loves the preacher, he may have a serious problem. If the preacher delivers messages that are always praised by the parishioners, he is likely failing at the task God assigned. Every preacher who ever made a mark for the Master will have had the experience of those who are seated in the pew becoming upset at what was said. Second-guessing from the pew and upset parishioners go with the territory.

I recall one man so upset with my messages that he threatened to leave the church and begin attending another church. When I told him he could leave with my blessing, he lost it, saying he would take the hand dryer from the bathroom. My assurance that no one would stop him only fueled his rage. Another woman rushed to the pulpit each Sunday to say that I couldn’t televise the sermon she had just listened to as it would offend people she knew. When I assured her that my purpose was not to offend anyone, her irrational irritation grew greater still. Because I wouldn’t yield veto power over the messages to her, she eventually left the congregation. Upset parishioners go with the territory. Don’t misunderstand, I don’t enjoy knowing that what I have said has generated hostility in members of the congregation. Nevertheless, I prepare and deliver messages with the goal of glorifying Christ, not in an effort to make parishioners feel good about themselves.

Jeremiah is known as “The Weeping Prophet” for good reason. When the Lord appointed Jeremiah to his position as a prophet, He commanded the young man, “Dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you” [JEREMIAH 1:17-19].

While all who speak on behalf of the Risen Saviour will know times that try the soul, few prophets openly struggled with the appointment they received as did Jeremiah. It is not without reason that Jeremiah is identified as “The Weeping Prophet.” His heart was broken with the grief he felt for His people, and especially as he was compelled by his office to deliver the dark prophecies of pending judgement. Early in the writings ascribed to this faithful, conflicted man of God, we see him complaining to the LORD,

“O LORD, you have deceived me,

and I was deceived;

you are stronger than I,

and you have prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all the day;

everyone mocks me.

For whenever I speak, I cry out,

I shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’

For the word of the LORD has become for me

a reproach and derision all day long.”

[JEREMIAH 20:7-8]

And soon after this voicing this woeful plaint, Jeremiah cries out in anguish,

“Cursed be the day

on which I was born!

The day when my mother bore me,

let it not be blessed!

Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father,

‘A son is born to you,’

making him very glad.

Let that man be like the cities

that the LORD overthrew without pity;

let him hear a cry in the morning