Wow, talk about a difficult ministry. It is just a good thing that Jeremiah was so sure of what God had called him to do (Jer.1:5). In my quiet times for the last week I’ve been going through the book of Jeremiah, and I really feel sorry for the guy. His message is basically a message of warning and judgment, and he usually has bad news to deliver people from the Lord, and they repeatedly reject his message and punish him for delivering it.

So I am up to the early 40’s, and by the time of chapter 42, much of Israel has been taken into captivity in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar is being used by God to exact justice upon Israel for their wickedness and idolatry. Much of the remnant of Israel has the idea of fleeing back down to Egypt. Things didn’t go so well for them last time down there, but they think it will be different this time. They ask Jeremiah if this is a good idea, and in 42:5-6, they promise to obey anything God through Jeremiah tells them to do, whether pleasant or unpleasant. Sounds great, right??

Well, Jeremiah returns to them with God’s word. He tells them clearly that God will have compassion on them if they stay in the Promised Land, and God will care for them and deliver them from Babylon. They have nothing to fear. But if they go against the word of the Lord, then God will turn against them, and the sword and famine and pestilence will devour them and none will survive, for God’s anger and wrath will be unleashed upon this rebellious group. OK, so now is the time for them to remember their commitment to Jeremiah and the Lord from v.5-6, right?

Wrong. Chapter 43 opens with the words, “But as soon as Jeremiah, whom the Lord their God had sent, had finished telling all the people all the words of the Lord…” Uh oh, you can feel the badness coming… Some of the leaders rose up and started calling Jeremiah a liar, they reject the word of the Lord, and the whole thing falls apart. The next chapters tell of the impending doom for all those who go down to Egypt, as well as many other nations. God is sick and tired of these obstinate, rebellious, proud, sinful people. In fact in 44:27 God says, “Behold, I am watching over them for harm and not for good…” Wow, that is just the opposite of what we normally think of God doing. But He has reached His limit. 

So let’s bring it to us today. It is easy for us to make a commitment to honor and obey God when we think He will tell us to do what we want to do. But just like the Israelites, sometimes He tells us the opposite of what we want to hear, and then our obedience and commitment to Him is tested. Perhaps there is some area of your life where God is sending you in a different direction than you would like, or even than you think is best. If you are certain of His leading (through His Word, His Spirit, His “prophets,” etc.), then choose wisely to follow Him and enjoy His pleasure instead of His judgment. The story of Jeremiah documents God’s faithful love and care for His people who obey Him, even through much difficulty. Likewise He will care for us as we follow and obey Him.

Pressing on, by His grace. Eric