Jeremiah was told by the Lord to stand in the court of the temple to prophesy to the people from the different cities of Judah who would go to worship there (Jeremiah 26:2). He was told not to skip or omit a word that he was instructed to tell the people.
When did this happen? According to Jeremiah 26:1, this took place at
the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign who was made the king of Judah in the place
of his brother Jehoahaz by Pharoah Neco of Egypt. Second Kings 23:34 tells us
that Pharoah Neco also changed his name from Eliakim to Jehoiakim. As a puppet
king, he was made to pay tribute to Egypt which he did so by taxing the people. According
to Jeremiah 22:13-14, Jehoiakim also exploited the people by using the people to
build his luxurious palace without paying for the services they rendered.
What was God’s purpose for doing this? Verse 3-6 showed that He
wanted the people to turn from their evil ways, repent, and walk upright.
He wanted them to obey the law as well as to pay attention to the things He was
telling them through Jeremiah, His true prophet. God’s intention was clear, He was
warning them of the severity of the impending calamity. But it could still be averted
if they repent and change. But if they refused, the temple would be destroyed
like what was done to Shiloh. Besides, Jerusalem the city become a symbol of
God’s curse to all the nations of the earth.
Though the subject of Jeremiah’s message in these verses was the
impending judgment of God and what could be done to avoid it, we cannot get
away from the importance of hearing and
obeying God’s Word. Leaders who share His Word must not omit or skip what they
are told to share. People who listen must take heed of the Word and obey. Both those
who share God’s Word and those who listen have responsibility. The former must accurately
and completely share the truth and the other must attentively listen, faithfully
obey and carefully live out the Word.
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