Jeremiah 20:1 says, Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. A priest. Pashur, of one of the order of priests, heard about Jeremiah's prophecy. He should have been protecting Jeremiah, but instead he was persecuting him. Verse two adds, Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the LORD. Pashur struck Jeremiah and put him in stocks. He was trying to both disgrace Jeremiah and to silence him. It is bad enough when the rest of the world attempts to silence God's messengers, but it is even worse when those who profess to be God's people do. Verse three states, And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib. The next day, when Pashur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks, Jeremiah said that God had renamed him. Matthew Henry said the name Magormissabib means terror all about, meaning that he would see terror all about him even if there was none. Verse four adds, For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword. God said that He was going to give Pashur and all of his friends into the hands of the king of Babylon. The priests were still proclaiming that Israel was going to continue to prosper, whereas Jeremiah was prophesying the coming doom. No matter how many people may proclaim that everything is going to be good in life if we follow God, God tells us that we are to take up our cross daily. Verse five continues, Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon. God said that He was going to give all the riches of the people of Judah to the enemy, and that the people were going to be taken away captive. If we do not put our faith in God, then one day everything that we have put our faith in will disappear and we will be taken away from the presence of God because of our captivity to sin. Verse six declares, And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies. God then had a personal message to Pashur, concerning him and all those that he had prophesied lies to. If we are speaking lies concerning God today, it is going to affect not only us individually but also all of those who put their faith in what we say. Verse seven proclaims, O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. Jeremiah began to tell God that He had deceived him, and that he was in derision every day. Even if the whole world laughs at us when we proclaim the gospel. We must never reach the point of feeling that God has somehow deceived us. Verse eight adds, For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Jeremiah said that since he proclaimed violence and spoil to the people of God, who were yet living in prosperity that he was held in derision. The world today may not believe us when we proclaim the coming judgment of God, but even if they hold us in contempt and we do not live to see it in this lifetime, it is still coming. Verse nine continues, Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. Jeremiah said that he had decided to no longer prophesy in God's name, but that the word of God was like a fire making it impossible for him to not do so. God's word should be just as much of a fire in us today as followers of Christ, making it impossible for us to not proclaim His word to the world. Verse ten concludes, For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. Jeremiah said that everyone was talking about him behind his back, if not to his face. We should not be worried about what other people may say about us because of our witnessing for God, but only with what God Himself says.
No comments:
Post a Comment