A fellow brother did this. Not a blood brother but a fellow priest. Perhaps even from his own town.
When Jeremiah prophesied destruction and captivity into Babylon, this fellow priest locked him in stocks for the night at the temple.
This prophesied prophesied peace, not destruction. And he was a liar to do so. This message was what the people wanted. It was culturally acceptable. But it wasn’t the words of God.
When Jeremiah was released, Jeremiah prophesied to this man. He would experience the full terror of the people and be taken into Babylonian captivity along with the others. In fact, he would die in the captive land.
Then Jeremiah issued a complaint to the Lord. Why did the Lord put it in his heart to do this if it only attracted hostility? Even his friends plotted against him.
Whenever Jeremiah tried to shut up, he was miserable. He had fire in his bones and he could not keep silent. It was a burden he did not want.
Yet he saw that the Lord was with him.
11 But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
13 Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
from the hands of the wicked.
Jeremiah’s grief then continues. He curses the day he was born, and curses the one that brought the announcement of a son. He is so distraught from the persecution he says he wish he would’ve never been born.
He had done nothing wrong. He was doing what was right and needed. Yet he was targeted by those he loved.
He was hurting. He was raw. Perhaps broken.
But Jeremiah continued to be faithful.
Let’s remember this.