Persecution and a Burning Fire

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

JEREMIAH 20
Lesson #21
PERSECUTION AND A BURNING FIRE

• Memory Verse: Rom 8:35
• Historical Perspective:
  • The time of judgment is quickly coming to Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Jeremiah’s prophecies are coming to pass.
  • Now in Jeremiah 20 the last king is on the throne. His name was Zedekiah.
  • Zedekiah was the worst and the weakest king of all the kings of the Southern Kingdom.
    • Read 2Kin 24:1-20
    • Read 2Kin 25:1-11
      • King Jehoiakim paid tribute to Babylon for three years.
      • When King Jehoiakim failed to pay the tribute, Babylon set a siege against Jerusalem.
      • King Jehoiachin reigned 3 months and was taken captive to Babylon.
      • Babylon robbed the temple in Jerusalem of all its treasures.
      • King Zedekiah, Judah’s last king, was another son of King Josiah. He reigned 11 years.
        • King Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon and that brought about the end of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
        • The final siege against Jerusalem by Babylon and the destruction of the temple.
• Read Jer 20:1-6
  • The severe persecution from the religious system:
    • Notice that the persecution comes from the corrupted religious system of Judaism. The priesthood carried out the persecution. (1-2)
    • This opposition to God’s true faith has always come from the established religious system. Why?
      • This persecution has existed down through the centuries in all geographic areas of the world throughout the history of the church.
      • We see it in the time of the Reformation with Martin Luther.
      • We see it in the book of Acts where the initial persecution was from the Orthodox Jews.
      • We see it in the persecution of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
        • It was the religious system led by the priesthood that initiated the move toward crucifixion of Jesus.
        • In this way, we can say that Jeremiah is a prefigure of Jesus Christ under persecution.
        • In this way, also, Jeremiah presents us with the model of a New Testament believer under persecution.
        • Read Joh 15:20
    • Why has persecution always come from the established religious systems?
      • Religious systems are governed by men.
      • Man, being prone to sin, always falls from truth when self-interest and corruption eventually gain control.
      • Religious systems always seek to maintain the established power and personal benefits of those in authority because of man’s greed.
      • Corrupt religious systems eventually promote darkness instead of light. Therefore, when the light is focused on the corruption, the message of light becomes offensive to those who love darkness. And from there comes persecution.
        • Read 1Joh 1:5-7
        • Read 1Joh 2:9-11
        • Read Joh 16:1-4
    • Now we can see why the Bible says that spiritual revival must begin with the household of God.
      • It must begin with the people of God who are listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit on an individual basis.
      • When that happens, the Spirit filled individuals change the religious system from within.
      • As that happens, the Spirit moves through the people of God to change the society in which they live. And there you have a revival.
  • Jeremiah’s words to Pashur, the priest and false prophet: (3-6)
    • Pashur was a priest with a high, governing position in the temple.
      • He heard Jeremiah’s message in the temple in the previous chapter.
      • As governor over the temple, he wanted to stop Jeremiah from preaching in the temple.
      • However, for him to strike Jeremiah was a violation of the Law.
    • The name Pashur means = one who splits or a cleaver.
      • Names in the Bible are significant as they express a person’s whole identity as well as a personal prophecy for life.
      • In other words, as a priest Pashur was supposed to separate the people of God from the ways of the world by teaching them the Word of God and directing them away from foreign idols.
      • He did not do that, so God changes his name.
    • The new name Magor-missabib means = terror on every side.
      • He was fulfilling his new name by persecuting Jeremiah.
      • However, his new name was also to be a self-fulfilling prophecy to him.
        • When the Babylonians came to destroy the temple, the priesthood would experience terror on every side.
        • The destruction of the temple and Jerusalem was the end of the priesthood until the Israelites returned to the Promised Land seventy years later.
• Read Jer 20:7-18 Jeremiah’s Lament: the Pastoral Blues
  • Now that persecution has become a reality to him, he becomes depressed.
    • The priests objected to his message.
    • The priests objected to his manner of preaching.
    • The priests objected to Jeremiah’s reproof of corrupt priests.
  • We see this kind of depression common in the ministry. Why?
    • Remember that Jeremiah is a very tender-hearted man with a difficult and strong message.
    • Jeremiah has the gift of mercy. He feels the pain coming upon his people.
    • The burden of bringing the Word of God under these conditions is a heavy burden for him to carry. Here we see the problems of being in ministry:
      • Sometimes being in ministry is a lonely position. Believers should pray for their pastors and teachers.
      • If someone in the congregation has a problem, he can go and talk to the pastor or the teacher. But often the pastor or teacher has no one that he can consult.
      • This is where Jeremiah is. Yes, he has God he can talk to, but there is something about human contact that is a valuable help.
  • “Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name..” (9)
    • Jeremiah decided he would not talk about God anymore. He decided he would not give the people God’s messages. He decided he is finished.
    • Why could Jeremiah not quit the ministry when persecution became a reality?
      • For those who God called to the ministry, they know that this idea of silence does not solve the problem. Why?
      • Deep in the heart God has placed a burning desire to get the Word of God out to the people. That burning desire does not go away with silence. It is not a light decision that one who is called by God can either take or leave. It is a compelling determination that is built deep into the very being of a person.
      • Notice that Jeremiah says, “…But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones…” (9)
        • In other words, like many called to the ministry, Jeremiah has no choice but to fulfill God’s calling on his life.
        • Remember that complete obedience is required by God to be a disciple.
        • A pastor or teacher of the Word of God should have this same burning determination. If he does not, he may not have the calling of God.
      • Read 1Cor 9:16
  • Jeremiah was not the only one in the Bible to suffer these strong opposing feelings of dismay and that burning determination.
    • Job, Jonah, and Elijah had the same kind of feelings adequately expressed here by Jeremiah.
    • Notice that God sees that the believer comes through these feelings because we are to live by faith and not by sight or feelings.
  • God encourages Jeremiah with His presence and a promised vindication in the end. (11)
    • God is the “mighty, terrible one” of judgment. (11)
    • God will make everything right in the end.
    • God tells Jeremiah to praise Him. (13)
  • “Cursed be the day wherein I was born…”(14)
    • Jeremiah says he wished he had never been born.
    • Elijah said the same thing in 1Kin 19:4.
    • These frivolous wishes and curses from verses 14-18 are nothing more than the weakness of the flesh.
      • They show us the depths of his emotions that focus on the situation around him.
      • However, the believer in the New Testament has a better position and a better hope than the Old Testament believer.
        • The New Testament believer has the Word of God in his own language in his hand.
        • The New Testament believer has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of him.
        • The New Testament believer has better promises of a better covenant. (Heb 8:6)
    • Read Rom 8:35-39

HOMEWORK
Jeremiah 21

• Application of Jer 20
  • If you are a Christian in leadership, do you have that fire burning in your heart?
  • If you are a Christian not in leadership, do you pray daily for your pastor and your leaders?
  • If you are a Christian not in leadership but have that fire burning in your heart, you need to consider seriously God’s call on your life and talk to your pastor.
• Preparation for Jer 21
  • Read Jer 21:1-14
    • What was Jeremiah’s counsel about the way of life and the way of death?
• Memory Verse: Rev 2:10