Have you ever felt as if you were the only one walking with the Lord? Perhaps you work in an environment filled with unbelievers and you feel alone. There are moments and situations in life when you may feel like it’s just you and God. You are the only one that is faithful. Everyone else has gone astray and is following after the world. You are the only one living in obedience to God’s Word. This was Jeremiah’s experience. The whole house of Israel and Judah turned away from God. They have all embraced idol worship and Jeremiah stands alone. He is the lone prophet that is actually preaching the truth and he is persecuted for it.

                Warren Wiersbe provides some background for this section of the book of Jeremiah: “King Josiah was excited when the workmen repairing the temple found the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22), and this discovery led to a movement that temporarily cleansed the kingdom of idolatry (2 Kings 23). This event is commonly called “Josiah’s revival,” but “reformation” might be a more accurate word. Why? Because the people obeyed the Law only outwardly; in their hearts they still held onto their idols. Because Jeremiah understood this and knew the shallowness of the unrepentant human heart, he wasn’t too vocal during Josiah’s reformation. He knew what the people were doing in secret and that they would return to their sins at the first opportunity. In this section of his prophecy, Jeremiah recorded the sins of the nation and pleaded with the people to return to the Lord while there was yet time.”^[1]

                In chapters 11-13 we see three things that God’s people did that left Jeremiah feeling like he was walking with God alone.

                A broken covenant (11:1-8). Deuteronomy chapter 28 records the covenant that God made with His people as they came into the promised land. The covenant contained two basic principles that are also principles we see throughout the Bible. The first principle is that obedience brings blessing. The children of Israel were promised by God that if they simply obey and do all that He commands of them, they will be blessed beyond measure. Obedience to the Lord invites God’s favor. It opens the door for blessings to be poured out. Good things come to those who live in obedience. The second principle is that disobedience brings cursing. The children of Israel were also told that if they disobeyed God and if they follow after false gods, they will be cursed. God’s hand of favor would be removed and judgement would fall upon them. Nothing good ever comes from disobedience. When we disobey God’s Word, we lose out on God’s best for us. His favor is removed. Though we do not live under the old covenant, the principles of the covenant remain true. When we obey and follow God’s Word, good things will happen. His hand of favor will be upon us. However, when we disobey, we may find ourselves wandering in the wilderness away from God.

                A plot against God’s man (11:9-12:6). Jeremiah 11:18-19 says, “Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings. But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”^[2] Jeremiah was obedient to the Lord and preached exactly what God told him to preach. The people did not like it. They did not like the truth that Jeremiah preached. They did not like the warnings that Jeremiah gave concerning the impending judgement of God. Therefore, they attacked Jeremiah personally. They came after him and sought, not just to discredit him, but to destroy him. It is never a good thing when God’s man is attacked. 1 Samuel 24:6 says, “And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.”^[3] King Saul was a wicked man who did some really bad things. However, he was the king that God anointed. Though the kingdom was destined to be taken away from him, he was still the king. As Saul sought to take the life of David, an opportunity came for David to kill Saul and become king sooner rather than later. However, David refused. He said that he would not lay a hand against Saul, who was the Lord’s anointed. Unlike Saul, Jeremiah walk with God. He was a faithful preacher. He was anointed by God to proclaim the truth to the children of Israel. Yet, they rejected him. They opposed him. They engaged in unwarranted attacks against him. Jeremiah did nothing wrong. All he did was preach what God told him to preach. All he did was serve as a faithful prophet. But the people hated him. Therefore, God promised Jeremiah that He would deal with it. He would take the life of those who rose against Jeremiah. I believe this serves as a warning to us today. It is a dangerous thing to attack God’s man. If someone has an accusation against a man of God, they should proceed very carefully with honesty and integrity. God will not bless those who take a stand through ungodly means. I remember years ago my dad pastored a church where he invited a young black lady to sing one Sunday. After the service, the deacons of the church called a meeting and told my dad that black people were not allowed in their church. My dad stood firm on the Word of God and made it clear that all people are invited and welcomed to come to the church. One day, a prominent man in the church was on the phone with another man in the church. He was attempting to convince the other man that they needed to withhold their giving in order to starve the pastor out. While in the middle of that conversation, the man fell over dead. He was otherwise a healthy man, but in that exact moment, he died. Was that just a coincidence or was it an act of God? Could it be that when we behave in such a way that is detrimental to the cause of Christ that God may choose to take us out of this world sooner than our appointed time? I share that story not as a threat or even a warning, but to show that it is a serious thing to attack God’s man. It is not something to take lightly. God told Jeremiah He would handle those who have risen against him and threatened his life. Plots against God’s man is never a good thing.

                A deaf ear to God’s Word (12:7-13:27). “Comfortable in their false confidence and encouraged by the false prophets, the leaders and people of Judah were living in a fool’s paradise, certain that nothing terrible could happen to either the holy city or the temple.”^[4] The people continued to ignore God’s Word through His prophet Jeremiah. They thought all was well. They were deceived by false prophets and leaders and they continued in their idol worship. They turned a deaf ear to God’s Word. As a result, God’s judgement would fall upon them. They would soon be overtaken by the Babylonians and led into captivity. Nothing good ever comes from ignoring God’s Word. Just like the principles of the covenant, you cannot expect God’s best when you live in disobedience.

                We live in a world where it seems as if very few Christians actually walk with the Lord. They have their own way of living and their own agendas with very little regard for the Word of God. Many tend to pick and choose what they want to follow. Such behavior does not go unnoticed by the Lord. His hand of favor will not be on those who live in such disobedience and rebellion. We should all examine our lives and make sure we are living in obedience so we may be blessed with God’s favor and avoid the consequences of disobedience.

^[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (pp. 53–55). Victor Books.

^[2] The New King James Version (Je 11:18–19). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[3] The New King James Version (1 Sa 24:6). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

^[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Decisive (p. 63). Victor Books.