Hopefully you are hanging in there with the reading of Jeremiah. If you have gotten off track, today is a good day to get back on schedule. Remember that Jeremiah prophesied during the last years of the nation of Judah before they were destroyed and taken into captivity by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Jeremiah 26 takes place around 608 BC.
But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, “You must die!Why do you prophesy in the LORD’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD. (26:8-9)
As I read this passage this morning, my first thought was, “Whoa, that is the kind of altar call that you don’t want as a preacher!” The preacher’s hope is that after a message people take the word of God seriously and come forward to get right with God. In this case, after Jeremiah’s message in the temple, the prophets and priests rush forward to kill Jeremiah. It reminds me of the response that the religious leaders had to Jesus’ message as well.
What is interesting is that when others outside the temple hear the commotion and come in, they have a different take on the situation. Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God” (26:16).
It reminds me again of the danger of religion. Those inside the temple want to kill Jeremiah, while those outside of it recognize that he is speaking the words of the LORD. The same scenario takes place in Jesus’ ministry. The religious leaders want to kill Jesus while many people outside the religious community embrace Him. Why is that? I think the exercise of religion without an abiding sense of humility (we are all sinners) and grace (we all need a Savior) leads to a vehement, and sometimes violent, form of self-righteousness. The only thing scarier than a prideful, obstinate man is a prideful, obstinate religious man who thinks he is representing the cause of God.
Jeremiah 26 reminded me of two things: 1) Preaching/communicating God’s Word to others is risky at times. I may be verbally or physically attacked. 2) Becoming religious without a humble heart growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ is even more risky. I may lose my soul without even realizing it.
Lord, deliver me from self-righteousness and keep my heart tender and soft to Your Word.