Don't Shoot The Messenger

TITLE: DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER

SCRIPTURE: JEREMIAH 26:8-15

There is a saying that is heard frequently, “DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER!” What it means is whatever the messenger is delivering, it’s not their fault, it’s not their message.

• If you don’t like the message, then go to its source and take it out on that source

That is the way it was with the Prophet Jeremiah found in our text. Countless times he was treated as if he were the author of his message and the reaction was usually Anger – Hostility - And Even Threats On His Life.

• Once he was beaten and put into stocks

• Although in the verses following today’s Old Testament lesson Jeremiah does escape death, at the end of the chapter another prophet of the Lord, carrying the same message, was put to death by the king

• Later the king destroyed Jeremiah’s manuscript of prophecies so that he had to start all over again

• Another time, he was thrown down into a cistern that fortunately was not filled with water, and was left there for some days

It was enough to make Jeremiah want to get out of the business. Even he hated the message that he had to bring because it was one of such terrible destruction.

• In fact, he pleaded with the Lord to release him

• Like JOB, he despised the day that he was born

• He had the message to tell, and he had no other option

• He found himself unable to hold back the Word of the Lord

Yes, my brothers and sisters, when people get upset at someone who has told them something they didn’t like to hear, the person will sometimes respond with “DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER.” Sometimes that means -

• “Look, I’m just a spokesperson. Your quarrel isn’t with me, but with the person who sent me and gave me the message. Take it up with them if you want”

• “I didn’t create this problem. I have merely told you the truth about the problem — and attempting to silence me won’t make that truth go away”

Jeremiah was a major prophet in the Old Testament. He was sent to wake up the people of God. The children of Israel were falling away from the Lord God. They began to worship false gods, so the Lord sent Jeremiah to preach a message of repentance and to preach a message of the law. It was so bad, in fact, that he had only one word from the message he had to proclaim. He came and proclaimed that they were certainly going to face doom and destruction.

In our text for examination, we have a case in which people very literally wanted to kill the messenger. This text before us this morning begins to unfold sometime into the ministry of the Prophet Jeremiah. Pious King Josiah has died, and after the very brief reign of Jehoahaz, wicked Jehoiakim is now king. As is often the case, as the leader went, so did the followers.

King Jehoiakim was wicked, and so the people of Israel became wicked. God saw this and sent Jeremiah to go into the temple courts -- into a high traffic area, so many people would hear him and speak a message to the people. Jeremiah is told to speak for God and to say, "IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO ME AND FOLLOW MY LAW, WHICH I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU, AND IF YOU DO NOT LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF MY SERVANTS THE PROPHETS, WHOM I HAVE SENT TO YOU AGAIN AND AGAIN (THOUGH YOU HAVE NOT LISTENED), THEN I WILL MAKE THIS HOUSE LIKE SHILOH AND THIS CITY AN OBJECT OF CURSING AMONG ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH."

• Isn’t this the reason that people sometimes want to kill the messenger because they bring such miserably harsh, confrontational messages?

• Jeremiah’s message was one of confrontation and accusation charging the Israelites with repeatedly failing to obey God's law and repeatedly refusing to listen to His words when spoken through the prophets

These words had to sting and I doubt very much Jeremiah smiled when he said them. Jeremiah’s message was a very different message than the “you’re all ok with God, because you’re his chosen people—and it’s no wonder that god chose you, since you’re such good people anyway” which was the message coming from the false prophets. As you might imagine, this wasn’t well-received by the people—and especially by the chief priests and the false prophets. They decided to literally kill the messenger, saying, “YOU MUST DIE!”

But listen to the reason they give for this - "THIS MAN SHOULD BE SENTENCED TO DEATH BECAUSE HE HAS PROPHESIED AGAINST THIS CITY." An interesting charge, don’t you think?