The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
Introduction
Jeremiah continues his eighth sermon. It began in chapter 18:1; Jeremiah introduced the parable
of the potter’s house; at the potter’s house Jeremiah sees the Potter remolding a pot because of
the clay’s imperfections. Then Jeremiah hears the Word of the Lord; Jeremiah is told by God
that the Lord will soon remold His sinfully marred vessel, Israel. The sermon moves from
parable to plot (v.18) to Jeremiah’s prayers (vv.19-23). In chapter 19 Jeremiah continues his
sermon with a series of judgments. The sermon is a picture of grace and judgment. Since God is
the potter he must be a person. Clay cannot mold itself; only God has the power to guide our
lives. Since God has a both power and a plan he can with patience the plan for our lives.
The vessel that is hard can no longer be molded. Like Sampson in the Old Testament, when a
vessel refuses to yield sometimes God will smash that vessel. God wants us to be useful vessels.
A vessel does not manufacture anything; it only receives, contains and shares. We receive God’s
blessings and share it with others. All God asks is that we be available, clean, empty (Wiersbe’s
Outlines see p. 528).
Breaking the vessel became a type and a picture of judgment. Now the Sermon moves on the
people’s reaction to Jeremiah’s sermon; the High Priest arrests and imprisons the prophet (vv.
1-6). We also see Jeremiah’s response to persecution; he seeks refuge, a hiding place in the Lord
God Almighty (vv.7-18).
We now move to the section we might call “the prophet and the priest”.
The High Priest’s Confrontation With The Prophet (vv.1-6)
Jeremiah 20:1 Now Pashhur the son of Immer, the priest who was also chief governor in the
house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.
Jeremiah 20:2 Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in
the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.
Jeremiah is whipped and beaten. They put him in stocks at a major gate; this serves as a public
warning!
Jeremiah 20:3 And it happened on the next day that Pashhur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks.
Then Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord has not called your name Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib.
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The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
The beating and imprisonment does not cause Jeremiah to be silent. Jeremiah continues to
preach about the coming judgment.
Now Jeremiah gives the High Priest (or High Official) a new name.
Magor-Missabib which means “terror on every side”.
The idea is that one day--in the not too distant future--the family of Pashur would experience
terror from every direction!
Jeremiah 20:4 For thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all
your friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes shall see it. I will
give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive to Babylon
and slay them with the sword.
God will use Babylon to execute judgment; the enemy would conquer the people of Judah and
Jerusalem and they would be exiled. The Lord would allow the enemy to plunder all the wealth
of the nation, its valuable resources and treasures.
Jeremiah 20:5 Moreover I will deliver all the wealth of this city, all its produce, and all its
precious things; all the treasures of the kings of Judah I will give into the hand of their enemies,
who will plunder them, seize them, and carry them to Babylon.
Jeremiah 20:6 And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. You
shall go to Babylon, and there you shall die, and be buried there, you and all your friends, to
whom you have prophesied lies.’ ”
The prophet proclaims that Pashur and his family would be marked out for special treatment;
Those who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
The Bible does not teach that if you say what’s right and do what’s right you will experience a
life-time of care-free problem free existence.
The Lord invites us to obey Him and walk in holiness and righteousness.
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The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
Most people do not want to walk in holiness or righteousness.
The Prophet’s Complaints (vv.7-8; 14-18)
Jeremiah 20:7 O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have
prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.
The Old King James translates this, “O Lord, You deceived me”.
Why did you call me Lord? Why am I subjected to constant ridicule and abuse?
Was Jeremiah deceived about his call from the Lord? Did God really call me to this ministry?
When Jeremiah was called; God answered Jeremiah’s objections. The Lord thoroughly
convinced him he was in fact called to the ministry. Yet Jeremiah’s preaching seemed to bear no
fruit. No one seemed to listen. No seemed changed. No one responded. Just the opposite
seemed to happen, Jeremiah is mocked, ridiculed, humiliated on a daily basis. Although
Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed the message of the coming judgment he was only met with a
daily dose of persecution!
Jeremiah needed what so many men and women often need; a reconfirmation of God’s call; a
recommitment to both God’s message and mission.
Jeremiah 20:8 For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the
word of the Lord was made to me A reproach and a derision daily.
Ok lets revisit the message. Jeremiah faithfully warns and proclaims a message of judgment.
Check. Jeremiah is oppressed and ridiculed and mocked all day long for carrying out God’s will
and God’s message. Check.
Jeremiah reminds the Lord that his messages have made Jeremiah a household name and a
household joke. In the ancient world of late-night humor Jeremiah is the butt of every joke.
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The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
A Word of Constraint (v.9)
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.”
But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it
back, And I could not.
Jeremiah desperately wants to quit the ministry but he cannot. God’s Word burns inside of him
like fire! He can’t hide the Word of God in his heart. He could not keep it only for himself. He
knew he could never stop sharing God’s Word with others!
God’s Word was like a burning fire!
Jeremiah 20:10 For I heard many mocking: “Fear on every side!” “Report,” they say, “and we
will report it!” All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying, “Perhaps he can be
induced; Then we will prevail against him, And we will take our revenge on him.”
A Word of Consolation (vv.11-13)
Jeremiah 20:11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors
will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their
everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.
Jeremiah reminds himself the Lord really is with him. Jeremiah knew the Lord was still
supernaturally protecting him. Jeremiah knew that both his message and cause was just; that the
enemies of both Jeremiah and God would stumble and fall. That God would one day punish
them with eternal shame and dishonor.
Jeremiah 20:12 But, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, Let
me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You.
Jeremiah prays for vindication. Why? Because God knows the heart of people. God tests the
hearts of people.
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The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
Jeremiah 20:13 Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of the poor From
the hand of evildoers.
Jeremiah praises the Lord for His deliverance. Jeremiah praises the Lord because He delivers
“the poor in spirit”--that is true believers from the wicked.
Jeremiah 20:14 Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be blessed in which my
mother bore me!
Jeremiah is gripped by deep despair. He curses the day he was born.
Jeremiah 20:15 Let the man be cursed Who brought news to my father, saying, “A male child has
been born to you!” Making him very glad.
Jeremiah curses the one who brought the news to his father that a male child was born.
Jeremiah 20:16 And let that man be like the cities Which the Lord— overthrew, and did not
relent; Let him hear the cry in the morning And the shouting at noon,
Jeremiah asks God to judge the man as did Sodom and Gomorrah (probably one of Jeremiah’s
abusive friends).
Jeremiah 20:17 Because he did not kill me from the womb, That my mother might have been my
grave, And her womb always enlarged with me.
Jeremiah expresses the wish he had never been born; still-born in his mother’s womb.
Jeremiah 20:18 Why did I come forth from the womb to see labor and sorrow, That my days
should be consumed with shame?
Why is Jeremiah so filled with despair? Because he us unable to prevent the coming judgment.
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The Prophet And The Priest
Jeremiah 20:1-18
Conclusion
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