Jeremiah preached the Word of God to a stubborn and uncooperative people ( Jer 16:12). They often expressed their displeasure with him and his preaching. Yet he continued to preach God's wrath against their vices and idolatry. Jeremiah also pronounced the Lord's doom upon Jerusalem, foretelling the Babylonian captivity. But like all the Old Testament prophets he faithfully proclaimed the coming Messiah and the salvation that he would bring to the remnant at the end of the Old Testament.

 

Like all faithful preachers, Jeremiah experienced rejection by his own people, even though he was being completely faithful to the Word of the Lord that had been given to him. Sometimes preachers expect always to be lauded and thanked because they are preaching the Word of God. In a perfect world that would be the case, but as Jeremiah knew very well, we don't live in a perfect world. There would be no need for the messianic hope if perfection would be attainable in this life. Nothing comes out perfectly until the Perfect comes. In the intervening time, there remains nothing but the proclamation of the messianic salvation upon which we wait in faith and hope. During that interval the preachers will face opposition and stubborn-heartedness. Those who most need the proclamation of God's mercy in Christ will often hate them most vehemently. We should not count ourselves above this suffering, for so the prophets were persecuted before us ( Mt 5:11-12) displaying the type of our Lord Jesus, who suffered for us.

 

Great wickedness, idolatry, and hatred of the preached Word of God will characterize the last days ( 2Ti 4:3-4), as they characterized Jeremiah's day. So the triumph of the Word of God will always be hidden, sometimes under a mist of God's humility during mission expansion, and sometimes under the billowing clouds of fire and smoke set ablaze by human hatred at times of persecution. All we know, like Jeremiah, is that we are called by God to preach the Word of God, letting God take care of the increase.