To look into the life of Jeremiah is to gain a greater understanding of our Lord’s character. Jesus once asked his disciples who men say that he is. They answered and said, “Some say John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:13-14). What was it about Jeremiah that caused the people of Jesus’ day to say he reminded them of the prophet of God? A study of the book of Jeremiah bears out two glaring characteristics of the prophet that forever associates him with the Christ. Jeremiah was a meek and fearless preacher who faithfully preached God’s message to a lost and dying people. The prophet of God writes, “If I say, I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:9).
Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah (Jeremiah 1:1) and had an uncle named Shallum and cousin named Hanamel (Jeremiah 32:6). Jeremiah came on the scene of history thirteen years after Josiah began his reign as king of Judah (583 BC) (Jeremiah 1:1-2). Josiah reigned as king of Judah from 596 BC to 565 (31 years) (2 Chronicles 34:1). At this date the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria 93 years earlier (Amos 8:8; Habakkuk 1:5ff; Hosea 4:1, 6; 7:11; 8:4). The last dated person in the life of Jeremiah is Gedaliah (governor of Judah) who was placed in office by Nebuchadnezzar at 543 BC (Jeremiah 40:5).
Jeremiah’s time of prophecy was 583 BC to approximately 543 BC (at least 40 years). During different sections of these years, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Ezekiel, and Daniel were prophesying as well. These were years of fearful wars and sinfulness among God’s people. Assyria was conquered by the Medes and Babylonians during the days of Josiah. Egypt was conquered by Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar during the days of Jehoahaz and Eliakim (Jehoikim). Babylon would eventually destroy Judah because of their long standing disobedience (see Jeremiah 7:25-26).
The Lord is not willing, however, that his rebellious people would perish in their sins. The Lord sends Jeremiah to preach to Judah (see Jeremiah 1:5-10; 2:1; 7:1-2; 11:1ff). The prophet’s task is to preach in such a way that Judah would acknowledge their sins (Jeremiah 3:13, 25), amend their ways, and repent (Jeremiah 18:8, 11:25:5; 26:13). Jeremiah is commanded not to hold back one word of condemnation (Jeremiah 26:2). The prophet’s words would be like fire and the people a consumed fuel (Jeremiah 5:14). The book of Jeremiah reveals the prophet’s faithful work as he displayed a spirit fearless of man and driven by God (see Jeremiah 27:9, 12, 16). The convicted spirit against the unjust is portrayed as the prophet writes, “Bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction” (Jeremiah 17:18). Jeremiah was not born with this conviction but rather obtained it by God’s instruction and personal growth. The prophet of God had two hurdles to clear in life before he would come to be the man compared to Jesus. First, Jeremiah had to overcome his tendency to do things by his own personal judgment rather than by God’s divine will. Secondly, Jeremiah had to overcome his fear of the wicked he preached to.
There was a time in Jeremiah’s life that he actually disagreed with God’s violent method of destroying Judah by the hands of Babylon. The Lord’s words of condemnation and destruction against Judah bothered the prophet. Jeremiah questions God’s tactics as to whether they were fair (see Jeremiah 14:19-20). Jeremiah could not see why a nation must perish due to the misguidance of their prophets and priests (Jeremiah 14:13, 18). Jeremiah makes some of the boldest accusations against God found in the Bible. The prophet accuses God of hating his people, disgracing his mighty throne in heaven, deceiving the people, breaking his divine covenant, and setting a poor example to the nations around (Jeremiah 4:10; 14:9, 21). Over and over God told Jeremiah not to pray for Judah because they were destined to the sword, pestilence, and famine yet the prophet ignores his divine command (see Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:7, 11-12, 20-21). Jeremiah was bent on solving Judah’s problem of sin differently than what God had planned. The prophet of God needed to learn the same message that he delivered to the people of Judah. The prophet wrote, “I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walks to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Rather than questioning why God was condemning Judah he needed to open his eyes and see that God actually loved his people. Jeremiah needed to see that God’s methods of bringing Judah to repentance were not as a man’s thoughts (see Isaiah 55:8-9).
The Lord replies to Jeremiah in clear terms so that the prophet, and all Judah, would know that he is serious about man following his laws (Jeremiah 16:21). Judah would perish in their sins and it mattered not if Moses or Samuel were to plead their cause (Jeremiah 15:1). The Lord calls upon his prophet to repent of his spirit of rebellion and get back to the work he has been ordained to do (Jeremiah 15:19). Jeremiah is not to lament the grievous deaths of Judah because they are sinful and rebellious (Jeremiah 16:4-8). When Jeremiah hears the words of God he bows low in repentance. The prophet said, “Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise” (see Jeremiah 17:14-18). Jeremiah now understands what God is doing and the prophet and his God are back on the same page. Jeremiah gets back to the work of condemning Judah and calling for their repentance (Jeremiah 18:11, 19-23).
Jeremiah’s personal struggles were not limited to fleshly reasoning against God’s divine will. The prophet also experienced great fear though the Lord told him not to fear (see Jeremiah 1:8). He knew that his message would be the catalyst that would bring great persecution to his life (Jeremiah 26:12-15). As Jeremiah delivered God’s violent words of condemnation he was plotted against by his own family (Jeremiah 12:6), home town (Jeremiah 11:18ff), and the people of Judah as a whole (Jeremiah 18:18). He was beaten by the elders and chief priests (Jeremiah 20:1-2; 35:15), laughed at (Jeremiah 17:15; 20:7-9), thrown in prison (Jeremiah 32:1-5; 37:15), cast into a miry pit and left to die (Jeremiah 38:1-6), and sentenced to death due to his depressing words (Jeremiah 26:8ff). Jeremiah considered his life cursed and was at times ready to give up (Jeremiah 15:10; 20:14-18). Jehovah replies to his prophet by telling him to man up. The Lord said, “If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?” (Jeremiah 12:5). Solomon wrote, “If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small” (Proverbs 24:10). The lesson Jeremiah needed to learn was that his work saving souls was larger than his personal life. Persecution comes with the territory of exposing men’s sins and saving souls (see John 7:7; 2 Timothy 3:12). The preacher of God’s word cannot afford to permit fear to govern his actions (see Matthew 10:28; Acts 27:24; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6; 1 Peter 3:14).
Jesus was once asked by a lawyer what the greatest commandment was. The Lord replies that man is to love God and love his neighbor as his own self (see Matthew 22:34-36). Love manifests itself best when we hear what we need rather than what we want. The duty of the prophets and apostles of old was to identify sin in men’s lives and call for their repentance. Salvation comes to people of all generations by gospel preaching (see Romans 10:17). Unfortunately, as the gospel is being presented many are offended (Matthew 15:12ff) and make the lives of the righteous miserable (see 1 Corinthians 4:9-13; 2 Corinthians 11:23-30). People of every generation are given a choice in life when introduced to the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). The preacher cannot be concerned about the pain he brings to his own life. He must remember that he has a duty to perform (Romans 1:14-16). No one said this duty was easy. The Apostle Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Paul, however, needed the prayers of the saints so that he would not cower down when he needed to be bold and say the necessary things to people (see Ephesians 6:19-20). Jeremiah, through time, came to not only accept his lot in life but he embraced it (Jeremiah 20:7-9, 10-11). Jeremiah came to be somewhat of a type of Christ in that he learned to be meek. Jesus once said, “Not my will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). When we evacuate thoughts of personal opinions, convictions, and preconceived ideas and lean wholly on God’s word for guidance we become meek. Fearless meek preachers will save souls. Jesus reminded the people of Jeremiah because they both were fearless and meek. We may never know the results of our teaching yet the Holy Spirit records the success of Jeremiah’s fiery preaching in the book of Lamentations. Some repented of their sin and were restored to the Lord (Lamentations 1:18, 20; 3:42; 5:16).
