Risking Your Life for the Message

Jeremiah 26:19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

1. We are not to take away from the Word of God

2. It is God that gave His Word Jeremiah 26:1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the Lord, saying,

3. We must establish that we know where the Word of God comes from

4. The Word has all authority because it is God’s Word

5. We are not to question the Word as if it were from another man

6. God wanted His message preached in His house, to His people Jeremiah 26:2 Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house,

7. It wasn’t Jeremiah’s decision about preaching

8. He didn’t choose what, where, or when

9. God’s man wasn’t to pick and choose which words Jeremiah 26:2 all the words that I command thee to speak unto them;

10. He definitely wasn’t to reduce, shave off, trim, deduct, or take away from God’s Word Jeremiah 26:2 diminish not a word:

11. What words have been in danger of being diminished among God’s people today

12. The Creation being exactly what God said it was

13. The creation and other things are diminished by making them figurative or symbolic

14. They say that how God created isn’t important that He just gave some ideas

15. They turn a day into millions of years

16. People are more concerned about appearing scientifically smart than spiritually submissive

17. They reduce the creation to a non essential doctrine

18. Is there even a God

19. The exclusivity of Christ

20. The return of Christ to the earth to set up His kingdom and judge all the inhabitants of the earth

21. God’s directive about leadership in the church, women, pastors, etc

22. Human sexuality

23. Christians are more concerned about social conditions than God’s will and Word

1. It was a message of warning with promise

2. God called on the people to hear His Word and turn from their evil ways Jeremiah 26:3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way,

3. God wanted to stop His plan to punish their sin if they would just repent Jeremiah 26:3 that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

4. Just go tell them that if they will not listen then they will suffer the consequences Jeremiah 26:4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, 5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them,

5. God knows that they never listen but rather do as they choose Jeremiah 26:5 but ye have not hearkened;

6. If they do not obey then God will bring horrible punishment on them Jeremiah 26:6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7. No place is safe from God’s judgement

8. Shiloh had been the home of the Ark of the Covenant, God’s house, God’s place

9. What we know, is something happened and God destroyed the place, so letting them know that even His holy city could be destroyed

10. What does God say about us as He brings His Word to us

11. He commands us to honor and serve Him

12. We know what it says. The question is, do we listen?

13. Do we have any idea what it might mean when He disciplines us?

14. The message angered the people

15. God’s people were in God’s house listening to God’s Word from God’s man Jeremiah 26:7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

16. The message so angered God’s people that they wanted Jeremiah dead Jeremiah 26:8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

17. They wanted to know why Jeremiah had preached such a message Jeremiah 26:9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

18. They were angry because Jeremiah indicated that God would judge them and their city

19. The judgement would be destruction

20. The city would be left without any inhabitants

21. God’s purpose in His Word is to tell us what He wants. Not make us comfortable

22. Any true man of God will preach what the Bible says. Not what the people want to hear

23. The princes defended Jeremiah

24. When the people decided to harm Jeremiah, the political leaders stepped in to defend him Jeremiah 26:10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the Lord’s house. 11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

25. The princes realized that the message was from God and not Jeremiah Jeremiah 26:16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.

26. He is not the first and his message isn’t the first we have heard of this

27. Micah had preached in the days of Hezekiah saying that God would destroy the city Jeremiah 26:17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, And Jerusalem shall become heaps, And the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

28. The city would be like a plowed field

29. The destruction would be stacked up

30. Jerusalem would appear as hills of ruins in the forest

31. When Hezekiah heard the truth, he had responded correctly Jeremiah 26:19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

32. Hezekiah realized that God was speaking

33. He humbled himself and sought God

34. He realized that he had to get right or suffer the consequences

35. Another man, Urijah, prophesied against the city when Jehoiakim was king just like Jeremiah is saying now Jeremiah 26:20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

36. The king instead of repenting, decided to put Urijah to death Jeremiah 26:21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

37. Urijah ran away Jeremiah 26:22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

38. They chased him down and killed him Jeremiah 26:23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword,

39. They showed no respect to the cowardly preacher even after killing him Jeremiah 26:23 and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

40. One man stood and turned the mob Jeremiah 26:24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

41. Jeremiah reiterates his message

42. Jeremiah was clear that this was no personal agenda Jeremiah 26:12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

43. So get right with God Jeremiah 26:13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

44. It doesn’t matter what you do, I am set Jeremiah 26:14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

45. You will be punished, an innocent man that is only obeying God Jeremiah 26:15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

46. The need today is for men of God who will stand and not run

47. Consider the following practical steps modeled in this passage

48. Know that what you are holding is the Word of God no matter what the public opinion is

49. Stand for truth in the face of opposition

50. Know that actions have consequences

51. Realize that God would have given them another chance if they had responded correctly

52. There are men who stand and can turn a crowd

53. Know men of God respond differently when they are threatened

1. How can a man of God stand?

2. Be sure you are saying what God says

3. Be sure God sent you

4. Believe what you are doing is so important that it is worth the price

5. Trust God to care for you