Greetings everyone and thanks for joining me for this edition of my Sunday School lesson commentary and preview. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Jeremiah: The Suffering Preacher Of Doom” and is found in Jeremiah 38:14-23.
Jeremiah is called one of the major prophets along with Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. He prophesied in Judah in the time leading up to the fall and destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians.
Jeremiah, like most true prophets, was not well received by those he prophesied to. The reason is mostly because they didn’t like what he had to say because it was in conflict with what they were doing and wanted to do. The same is true today.
Those who preach and teach the word of God in truth today tend to be marginalized, ridiculed, scoffed and scorned by society for the same reasons. As a result, God’s true prophets and preachers have suffered and continue to suffer today.
That’s why the “doom” in the lesson title can refer to the prophet as well as those he prophesied to. The word “doom” means destruction or unpleasant ending. In the lesson text, the king asked Jeremiah to tell him the true word of God.
But Jeremiah knew there were those who wanted to kill him, including the king, if they didn’t like what he had to say. Furthermore, Jeremiah told the king that he wouldn’t heed the word even if he told him so what would be the point.
From Jeremiah’s perspective, it would be his “doom” you might say to speak the truth. But the king gave Jeremiah his assurance that no matter what he said he would protect him from those who wanted to kill him including himself.
God’s prophets and preachers don’t always get assurances that they will be safe and protected against those who would, did and will harm them for speaking the truth. However in this case, Jeremiah was given and did get that assurance.
So why did the king want to hear what Jeremiah had to say when he knew it was probably something both he and most of his servants and advisors didn’t want to hear or do? Maybe he wanted to be sure about his choices and hear them again before making his final decision. Jeremiah told him that the Lord would spare his life and the city if he would surrender. Otherwise, total destruction or “doom” would come to him and the city.
The king told Jeremiah not to tell anyone what he told him if and when he was asked. Instead, he told him to tell them their conversation was about a place to stay or else he would die. And that is what Jeremiah said when he was questioned about what he and the king were talking about.
So, the king decided not to heed the word of the Lord. Maybe he thought it would not come to pass. Maybe it thought there was another way out of his situation. Maybe he thought he could escape even if the city fell. Whatever the reason, he didn’t obey the word of the Lord.
People today have that same choice. God’s word is clear on what shall happen to those who choose to disobey His word. Yet for reasons, many similar to that of the king, people refuse.
Well if you read on, everything happened just as Jeremiah said it would. The king tried to escape out the back of the city but was overtaken and caught. All his family and officials that were with him were killed before him. And after they made him watch them die, they put out his eyes and that is the way he lived until he died.
If the king had known this was going to happen to him and those he loved, would he had made the same choice? I don’t know. I think I would have chosen to surrender, rather that face that consequence. The problem is people, like this king, underestimate the cost of disobeying God. Let’s pray and hope we don’t make the same mistake.
Well, I hope you will be able to attend SS this coming Sunday. Invite someone to come and share your thoughts with the class. Sunday School at Flag Branch will begin at 9:00 am and you are invited to join us at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You and others can also join us by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions before then, be sure to place them in the comment section of this preview and I will get back to you. So, as always remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
