Jeremiah was a bold prophet. He went to Judah to announce that God would severely discipline them because of their sin. The nation would be defeated by her enemies and taken away into captivity. He proclaimed this message for decades.
When called to this task, Jeremiah was reluctant. Who would want a job like that? At the beginning of his ministry, Jeremiah could not have known what it would involve. But he would find out.
In Jer 20:1-2, Jeremiah is beaten and put into stocks because of his message of doom and gloom. This was a low point in his ministry. Understandably, he complained to God.
In Jer 20:7-18, he told God that everybody mocked him. For years he had been preaching that destruction was coming, and the people ridiculed him. When was all this going to happen? They accused him of being a false prophet. Jeremiah said that he wished he had never been born. If his parents had known what his life would become, they would have cursed the day of his birth. In despair, Jeremiah said he would no longer proclaim the message the Lord had given him (v 9a).
But that deep despair passed quickly. Jeremiah confessed that God’s Word was in his heart, like a burning fire. He could not hold the message back (v 9b). Even though speaking boldly for the Lord was challenging, he kept doing what the Lord told him.
It is easy to see a parallel with Paul’s experience in the NT. He wrote to the Corinthians, one of the churches he ministered to: “Yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16).
Paul also went through hard times because of his message. He faced opposition in Corinth, just as Jeremiah faced opponents in Judah. His missionary journeys and imprisonments lasted around twenty years. For two decades he encountered trouble in the churches.
While some think the “gospel” he mentions here was the message of eternal life through faith in Christ, I don’t think so. In the context of 1 Corinthians 9, he is talking about smoothing out differences among believers. The believers at Corinth needed to get along and work together. Jews needed to put aside their differences with Gentiles. Gentiles needed to be sensitive to the cultural norms of the Jews. Paul was dealing with profound cultural differences. People, including believers, can struggle to lay aside deeply held traditions. They often did not appreciate the “good news” Paul taught. God had placed both believing Jews and Gentiles into the same body.
With all the opposition Paul faced, it would have been easy for him to be like Jeremiah. He could have said he wouldn’t proclaim the gospel God gave him. After arguing with folks for about ten years, for example, he might have said the trouble was not worth it.
But, like Jeremiah, Paul did not take that attitude. He decided he would be in more trouble if he didn’t continue giving the message many did not want to hear.
That is the way it is with all believers. We may not be called to be a Jeremiah or Paul, but we have a message to give. Many do not welcome the teachings of grace. We will certainly encounter opposition. There will be times when we are tempted to give up. Jeremiah and Paul are good examples to follow when we feel that way.
