Whoever stays in this city will die. (Jeremiah 21:9)Have you ever been the bearer of bad news? This was Jeremiah's lot in life. His was the unpopular job of sounding the death knell for Jerusalem. Once, after sharing a warning from God, he was confined in stocks for 24 hours because of it. That ought to shut him up. Upon his release, he started right in again (20:1-6).
Then Jeremiah prayed a prayer of protest to God. I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long (20:8). It cost Jeremiah dearly to preach God's word.
So how did Jeremiah feel when messengers came to him again asking, on behalf of King Zedekiah, for a good word about the impending Babylonian attack? God has delivered us before. What kind of miracle does he have up his sleeve for us this time? I wonder if Jeremiah felt tempted to soften the blow. What he said must have hit the king like a sledgehammer: This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: . . . I myself will fight against you (21:4,5).
Today, Jeremiah is one of the most respected of all God's prophets. In 590 B.C., not so much. A follower of God cannot measure his success by how much he's liked. Might as well accept it; ministry is not a popularity contest.
When's the last time you spoke an unpopular truth and suffered the consequences?
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