The Burning Word Within! ~ Kay Arthur

Jeremiah, Part 1 (Return To Me)

The Burning Word Within!


Are you hurting, Beloved? Are you worn out? Are you just aching because you are so tired and weary from standing for the Lord, from speaking truth? From having people laugh at you? Jest about you? Get quiet when you walk in a room, walk away and avoid you? Do you have people say, “Can‟t you talk about anything else, but Jesus?” O Beloved, Jeremiah understands, and I do too.

Oh Beloved, the closer that you and I come to the last of the last days, and I believe they are right around the corner, but the closer that you and I come the harder it‟s going to get to stand for the Lord. People are not going to want to hear what you have to say. They are not going to want to hear that there is a day of judgment coming. They are not going to believe that God is righteous, and in His righteousness He has to judge sin. He is a just God. He is a righteous God. He is a holy God. And if you will repent, if you will turn to Him, His arms are open wide.

But there is a day coming when His wrath will be poured out on this earth. It‟s called the seven bowls of wrath. It is called the day of the Lord. It is mentioned throughout the Old Testament in the prophets. It is mentioned in Thessalonians. It is mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is coming. It is mentioned in the gospels. It is a day of wrath that is coming.
Why? Because as our theme for this week is justice and righteousness that‟s why it‟s going to happen.

Now in the midst of all this, Jeremiah has gone to the potter‟s house. He‟s gotten the pot. He‟s gone to the potsherd gate in the valley of Ben-hinnom. And he has taken that pot, and he has smashed that pot into smithereens in such a way that the fragments are such as the pot can never be mended again. And people don‟t like it. Pashhur the priest takes Jeremiah, beats Jeremiah and puts him in stocks, both the feet and the hands in stocks. And then releases him. And Jeremiah turns, and he tells Pashhur what is going to happen to him and his friends. How he is going to be renamed as terror on every side. How he is going to be taken into Babylon as a captive, and how he and his friends are going to die there.

Let me pick up in these last verses in Jeremiah chapter 20, in verse 5. He says, “„“I will also give over all the wealth of this city, all its produce…all its costly things; even all the treasures of the king of Judah I will give [them] over to the hands of their enemies, and they will plunder them, [and] take them away and bring them to Babylon. And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and…,”‟” he says, “„“…[And] you will enter Babylon, and there you will die….”‟” I put a black tombstone over “die.” And he says, “„“…And there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you…,”‟” now listen. Catch this, “„“…have falsely prophesied.”‟” (Jeremiah 20:5-6)

Do you realize that there are many, many false prophets in the United States of America today and around the world? Do you know that there are certain Christian channels that have gotten into countries and people wish they had never come because there is a plethora of false prophets. There is a plethora of people who prophesy their dreams, prophesy their imaginations, and do not teach the Word of God. And the people in that country become confused. The church becomes divided, and they wish that they had never shown up.

And yet, do you know that there are not a lot people that really want a true prophet? They really don‟t want to know if judgment is coming. They want to hear about peace. They want good news. When President Obama took office, and we have all of this about the stimulus package and a budget that is just loaded with earmarks, and is just humungous, and is going to some people believe, literally ruin the United States of America.

Listen, if you stood to talk against this, they didn‟t want to hear it. They did not want to sit down at the negotiating table and take time and figure it all out. Well, same thing in the days of Jeremiah. They do not want to hear. They only want peace, peace. What does this do to Jeremiah? I mean, you talk about a shattered pot. Listen, to Jeremiah at this time because I think that you may relate to him.

Now I want you to know that when we give truth we‟re to give it in kindness. We‟re to give it with gracious speech. We are to not gloat over what‟s going to happen. We‟re not to stand up there and be rude and crude to those who disagree with us. We are to respect the office of the president of the United States of America. Let me just show you a verse in Titus that I think is so important for us to know because when I look at the way that they talked about President Bush when he went out of office and that, it just grieved my heart.

In Titus chapter 3 it says, “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one...,” (Titus 3:1-2) doesn‟t mean you can‟t tell the truth, doesn‟t mean you can‟t say that they are wrong, but it means that you cannot malign them. You cannot degrade them. He says, “…To be peaceable, gentle, [ah] showing every consideration [to] all men.” (Titus 3:2) He says, “For we also once were foolish ourselves, [we were] disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spendin our life in malice and envy…[and] hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us….” (Titus 3:3-5) And He saved us so that we can walk and behave in the proper way.

But that does not mean that we are not going to bring a hard and difficult message. It does not mean that everybody is going to love us. Listen to what Jeremiah says in Jeremiah chapter 20, in verse 7, after he says this to Pashhur, “O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day….” (Jeremiah 20:7)

Now just imagine him in the stocks at the gate of Benjamin near the house of the Lord. Imagine him in that kind of a position of a twisted seat with his feet in stocks, and his head and hands in stocks, and people walking by him and mocking him. He says, “…I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks [at] me. For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction….” (Jeremiah 20:7-8) He says I have to tell the truth. And I have to tell them, “Hey listen, it‟s not going to be „Oh Happy Day.‟ It‟s not going to be “everything continues as it was.” It is not going to be easy; it is going to be difficult because God is a righteous God, and He is going to judge the world in righteousness and in truth.” And we make this proclamation, “…the word of the LORD has resulted in reproach and derision all day long.” (Jeremiah 20:8)

People just don‟t want to hear it. They didn‟t want to hear it in Jeremiah‟s day. And that‟s one of the key words “you did not listen.” He says, “But if I say, „I [am] not [ going to] remember Him… [anymore, I am not going to speak] anymore in His name,‟ then in my heart…becomes like a burning fire….” And I can‟t hold it in. He says, “…[It is] shut up in my bones; and I am weary of holding it in…I cannot endure it.” (Jeremiah 20:9) I have to speak.

And see, you and I should so know the Word of God, the Word of God should dwell in us so richly that whenever we meet anyone we are able to give them a reason for the hope of the Word of God which is in us. (See 1 Peter 3:15)

And listen, even though it‟s hard, even though it‟s difficult, it always ends in hope if you listen to God, if you bow the knee, if you submit to God, if you turn from your wicked ways, if you return to the fountain of living waters, if you relent and repent. He says, “…I have heard the whispering of many, „Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let‟s denounce him!‟ All my trusted friends, [are] watching for my fall….” I mean, that is lonely when your trusted friends are standing there waiting for your fall. And saying, “…„Perhaps [he‟ll] be deceived, [or persuaded] so that we may prevail against…and take our revenge on him.‟” (Jeremiah 20:10) Perhaps we‟ll get him. Perhaps we‟ll catch him. Perhaps we‟ll ensnare him and he will be persuaded, and we can get even with him.

Boy, that‟s rough to live in that kind of environment isn‟t it? You long for justice. You long for righteousness. And we‟re going to see that in just a minute.

Welcome back, Beloved. In this culture and in this time, and you‟re going to see it more and more and more, Christians are going to be despised. Christians are going to be disdained. Christians are going to be rejected. Christians are going to be mocked. And eventually they‟re going to be persecuted. There is persecution now. I mean, we are verbally abused. We are verbally accused of all sorts of things. And all sorts of attitudes which we know in our heart are not right. We know what the Word of God says. We know what God call righteous and what God call unrighteousness. What God calls wickedness; what God calls sin. We know that sin cannot go unpunished. We know that God wrote it in numbers, “„…Be [ye] sure your sin will find you out.‟” (Numbers 32:23)

We know that, and yet you know what? They do not want to hear it. And as we saw, they are going to come against us. They are going to wait for our fall. So there we sit all alone in absolute total despair, beaten down. Oh, no! Listen to what Jeremiah says, “But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; therefore my persecutors will stumble and [they will] not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.” (Jeremiah 20:11)

Did you see that? Everlasting is everlasting. And their fall, their stumbling, that everlasting disgrace will never be forgotten. And I will tell you why, because each one of us is going to live forever. We‟re either going to live forever in the presence of God, or we‟re going to live forever in the lake of fire where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched. (See Isaiah 66:24)

Jesus talked about that lake of fire more than He talked about heaven. Why? Because He did not want people to perish, because He wanted people to listen to Him, because He wanted them to believe. Now Jesus left, and when Jesus left to go back to heaven to prepare a place for us, He commissioned us to go into all the world. He commissioned us to preach the gospel to all creatures. He commissioned us to make disciples, followers of all men. (See Matthew 28:19-20)

And that‟s what you do when you preach the gospel. He commissioned us to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He commissioned us to teach ‟em to observe all things. Whatsoever He commanded us. And then at the end after the commission what does he say? He says, “„…and, lo, I am with you always, even [unto] the [very] end of the age….‟” (Matthew 28:20)

Even until God pours out His wrath on all the inhabitants of the earth, He is with us. As He was with Jeremiah as a dread champion, Jesus promises His disciples and His followers that He will be with them.

It all reminds me of what happens to Paul in his final epistle in 2 Timothy chapter 4. He is writing to his son in the Lord. And he is telling his son in the Lord to endure suffering with him as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. He tells Timothy in verse 7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith….” (2 timothy 4:7) And he says, and “in the future there is…[a] crown of righteousness, [laid up for me]…and not [for me only], but…[for] all those who…love His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) And then he talks about how all have forsaken him. And only Luke is with him.

And he‟s saying to Timothy come and bring the cloak and bring the parchment. And then he talks about Alexander the coppersmith who did him much harm. And he warns him to be on his guard against him. (See 2 Timothy 4:10-15) And then he says in verse 16, “At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion‟s mouth. [And] the Lord will rescue me from every…deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever….” (2 Timothy 4:16-18)

As Jeremiah said, “He was with me like a dread champion.” And he could make it. Now listen to what he says. Go back to Jeremiah chapter 20, and it says, “…The LORD [was] with me like a dread champion; therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, with an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, who see the mind and the heart; let me see Your vengeance on them; for to You I have set forth my cause.” (Jeremiah 20:11-12) What is he asking for? Is he being mean? Is he being vindictive? No. He‟s asking God to be just. He‟s asking God to be righteous. And for men to get away with injustice, for men to get away with unrighteous, for it never to be punished, Precious One, is to go against the character of God.

And so he says, “Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one from the hand of evildoers. Cursed be the day when I was born; Let [not that] day…be blessed when my mother bore me! Cursed [is] the man who brought the news to my father, saying, „A baby boy has been born to you!‟ And [he] made him [my father] very happy. But let that man [that brought that news] be like the cities which the LORD overthrew without relenting…let him hear an outcry in the morning and a shout of alarm at noon; because he did not kill me before [my] birth, so that my mother would have been my grave and her womb ever pregnant.” (Jeremiah 20:13-17)

Unfortunately today a lot of children‟s graves are their mother‟s wombs because of abortion. He says, “Why did I ever come forth from the womb to look on trouble and sorrow, so that my days have been spent in shame?” (Jeremiah 20:17-18) He‟s up, now he‟s down. Why? It‟s because of the justice of God. It is because a holy God is going to take Israel like a pot and shatter them in a million little pieces that cannot be repaired. It‟s because a righteous God has to deal with sin and Jeremiah has been chosen by God when he was a youth to bring this message. Jeremiah was told, [Don‟t be dismayed by their faces] (PARAPHRASE, Jeremiah 1:17) And all Jeremiah is saying, „Oh, I wish I‟d never been born. I wish I‟d never had to see this day.”

And, Precious One, if that‟s where you‟re at it‟s understood. But you don‟t quit. You don‟t give up, the Lord is with you like a dread champion. He is strengthening you. You are to run. You will prevail because justice and righteousness will be had on this earth. So yes, sometime you think, and I know! I‟ve been there and you just wish that you hadn‟t been born. But you were born because God has a mission for you. Don‟t forget that.!