Jeremiah, chapter 26
interpretation - meaning - commentary - explanation
This chapter shows the despicable nature of human beings. People usually think of themselves as good, and when someone says something so sincere as to be hurtful in their direction, we can often see such a person explode with anger. We often have such a high opinion of ourselves that words of truth spoken in our direction do not reach us at all. This was also the case with the Judeans when Jeremiah preached doom to them. Instead of coming to their senses, they preferred to kill the prophet.
(1) In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying, (2) Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: (3) If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
How many times has God tried to save a nation from annihilation? In the same way He saves us, but we don't always see it or don't want to listen. At the Last Judgment, God will show us all the attempts to save our souls, and we won't be able to say that He didn't do everything to save us. Here we see the terrible hypocrisy of the inhabitants - they come to the temple of the Lord, and yet do not listen to the words of Jeremiah, instead preferring deceptive priests and false prophets. God's word is rejected by them in favor of lies. So many years have passed and nothing has changed in this matter. Why go to church if you don't even want to read the Scriptures on which faith should be based.
(4) And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, (5) To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; (6) Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
One could say: we are admonished to the point of boredom, except that God's admonitions should never bore us. Sylo is believed to have been destroyed by the Philistines (1 Samuel chapter 4).
(7) So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. (8) Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. (9) Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. (10) When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house. (11) Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.
How does a person behave when power and money are taken away? Most often very aggressively, and so it was in this case. Jeremiah preached something different from the fallen priests and false prophets, it threatened their position, they could lose ground because of it, and thus their income would decrease. Did the priests not realize that they were in danger? It's hard to say, perhaps they were so blinded by evil that they saw nothing but their miserable lives. A man for the sake of saving his position or fortune is capable of risking his life, and that may have been the case here as well. Perhaps they were aware that the moral decline of society would lead to the Babylonian invasion. More likely, however, is that the people did not believe that the temple of the Lord could be demolished, faith in the "immortality" of the temple was great.
One of the passengers on the Costa Concordia (the passenger ship that sank) helped the children put on life jackets, and went to get his violin himself. Although he showed a good heart, this return ended in his death. Was it worth it in the face of danger to retreat for a material thing? No, and yet he did. In the same way, we, if we do not abandon materialism and go to God, will lose eternal life. I'm not saying that the person who retreated for the violin lost eternal life, I don't know him, it's quite possible that he received salvation, but it's undeniable that materialism contributed to his death.
(12) Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. (13) Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. (14) As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. (15) But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
Jeremiah once again calls for restraint. How monstrous he must have felt in those moments - you go to save people, and they want to kill you for it. Let's respectfully approach any person who goes around houses and tries to evangelize people, most often such people are Jehovah's Witnesses. Not everyone is necessarily fond of this denomination, but let's remember that they do it in good faith.
Priests and pseudo-prophets worse than people
(16) Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God. (17) Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying, (18) Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. (19) Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
The priests and prophets were more demoralized than the people or the princes. It is foolish to say you are a Christian and at the same time go to fortune tellers, spirit callers, use other magical advice, which Scripture firmly forbids and says outright that demons are behind it. It is also frivolous to blindly believe what the pope, priest, pastor or any other person says - compare what they say with the Bible. The people, despite their temporary positive behavior, did not change their behavior anyway, and Jerusalem fell with it.
(20) And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. (21) And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt; (22) And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt. (23) And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people. (24) Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
The stubbornness of evil people has no limits. Anyone who has authority uses it because others follow his orders; he wouldn't have it if no one listened to him. Never agree to act against God's will because someone tells you to. Even when you lose your job because you disobey an order that leads to evil, God will see it. Pray to Him, and He will surely answer and help.
During wars, you often hear that someone murdered others because that's what he was ordered to do and if he didn't follow the order he would have been killed. Remember that you have the right to defend your country against the enemy, but you do not have the right to murder the innocent and if you are ordered to kill a civilian then choose your death than you would have to lose eternal life because of it. A true Christian should not fear death, according to Paul death is gain. Philippians 1.21-24 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you."
In verse 24 we read that Ahikam saved Jeremiah from death. How do you think the prophet's defense went smoothly and seamlessly? He certainly risked his own health or life with his stance. The enraged king had moments earlier ordered the killing of another prophet who had prophesied the same thing as Jeremiah. In verse 11, the priests called for the killing of Jeremiah. With his heroism, Ahikam showed that he was willing to risk his own life just to save the life of the true prophet.
