Jeremiah
26:10–15 (RSV)
10 When
the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to
the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the
house of the Lord. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the
princes and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death,
because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own
ears.”
12 Then
Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me
to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.
13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of
the Lord your God, and the Lord will repent of the evil which he has pronounced
against you. 14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as
seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me
to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and
its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words
in your ears.”
NOTE: We classically
refer to this as "shoot the messenger." And yet, this was the
ministry that God call Jeremiah to do his whole life. He was to tell his people
that another nation was going to attack them and destroy them for their sin. If
they wanted to save their life, they needed to repent of their sins and
surrender. They were long past the point of "repent and God would call off the
attack." God had already spoken and given them warning. They now needed to
accept the consequences of their actions.
Father, we are all
so foolish. We don't respond to your warnings or your commands as we should. We
rely on your mercy and patience indefinitely. And we are wrong. We know what is
right to do and we fail to do it. Forgive us for our sin. Forgive us for abusing
your mercy. Give us power to battle our flesh and to turn from sin. I suppose
we will always rely on your mercy, but I pray instead we would live in a way
that would bring you glory.
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