When Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him, the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
The characteristics of a true prophet
I. The true prophet has a stern message to deliver (4-7). If they ally themselves with Egypt, the Temple will be made desolate, as Shiloh had been destroyed by the Assyrians at the deportation of Israel after the fall of Samaria, 710 b.c. Jerusalem will become a curse to all nations (will be recognised by all nations as having fallen by the curse of God). To prophesy smooth things in a sinful world is to be false to God. How often does even our blessed Lord denounce sin, and remind men of the wrath of God for it! (Matthew 11:21-24; Matthew 12:41-42; Matthew 23:31-38, &c.)
II. The true prophet may not “diminish a word” of God’s message, however unpopular, or unpleasant, or personal.
1. This message referred to the public policy of the nation. The morality of a nation as imperative as that of an individual
2. Other messages assail the sins of classes, from the king to the humblest citizen.
III. The true prophet will speak fearlessly.
IV. The true prophet is promised the support of God.
V. The true prophet never was and never can be popular, but must raise up enemies against himself.
IV. The true prophet will speak peace as well as wrath if men repent. (J. Cunningham Geikie, D. D.)
Prophetic virtues
“The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house.” In this apology of the prophet thus answering for himself with a heroic spirit, five noble virtues, fit for a martyr, are by an expositor observed.
1. His prudence in alleging his Divine mission.
2. His charity in exhorting his enemies to repent.
3. His humility in saying, “Behold I am in your hand.”
4. His magnanimity and freedom of speech in telling them that God would revenge his death.
5. His spiritual security and fearlessness of death in so good a cause and with so good a conscience. (John Trapp.)
A Saint’s resignation, meekness, and cheerfulness in persecution
One thousand eight hundred years ago an aged saint was being led into Rome by ten rough Roman soldiers, to be thrown to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre. Can you imagine anything more dreary and deplorable? Was he unhappy? Did he count cruelty and martyrdom as evil? No. In one of the seven letters that he wrote on his way, he says: “Come fire and iron, come rattling of wild beasts, cutting and mangling and wrenching of my bones, come hacking of my limbs, come crushing of my whole body, come cruel tortures of the devil to assail me! Only be it mine to attain to Jesus Christ! What are those words of St. Ignatius but an echo of the apostle’s, “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss that I may win Christ”? How well the early Christians understood these things by which we opportunists, cringing cowards, effeminate time-servers, as most of us are in this soft, sensuous, hypocritical age, have so utterly forgotten! (Dean Farrar.).