Do Not Hold Back a Word

Rev. David Vandercook, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in North Little Rock, AR and Shepherd of Peace Lutheran Church in Maumelle, AR, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jeremiah 26:1-24.

Only three months after the reign of the faithful King Josiah, the evil King Jehoiakim ascended the throne of Judah. In that context, Jeremiah was sent by the LORD to preach against Jerusalem in the temple. No matter how unpalatable the LORD’s Word might seem, Jeremiah was not to hold any of it back, in order that the people might repent and the LORD show mercy. Jeremiah preached faithfully, and he was met by the threat of death from the priests and prophets, the very people who should have known better. They brought Jeremiah to trial before the officials of Judah, who listened to the case for Jeremiah’s death and the prophet’s defense. Citing the previous example of King Hezekiah’s treatment of the prophet Micah, Jeremiah’s life was spared, an example of the Word of the LORD doing His work. Yet the tragic case of the martyrdom of the faithful prophet Uriah is a reminder that apostasy still held sway in Judah, and the LORD’s judgment would come.

“A Time to Destroy and a Time to Build” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Jeremiah. The prophet calls the people of Judah and Jerusalem to repent of their faithless idolatry and warns them of the destruction that is coming in the Babylonian exile. Yet Jeremiah does not leave us without hope in the midst of such dark days. Jeremiah and all who believe the Word of God he preached survive because of hope that is found in the righteous Branch from the line of David, Jesus Christ.