Jeremiah and Jesus
a December series on how the Old Testament points us to Christ
Scripture:
"I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim violence and destruction; for the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long."
—Jeremiah 20:7b-8 (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah’s life was marked by deep sorrow and suffering. He was known as the "weeping prophet" because of the anguish he experienced over the fate of Israel and his rejection by his people. God had called him to deliver a difficult message—one of judgment and repentance—and as a result, he faced mockery, abuse, and physical danger.
Jeremiah’s pain is not unlike the suffering Christ would endure centuries later. Jesus, too, was mocked and rejected by those He came to save. As He walked toward the cross, He wept over Jerusalem, lamenting that they had not recognized the time of their visitation. In Gethsemane, He felt the weight of the world’s sin pressing upon Him, His anguish so great that it caused Him to sweat drops of blood.
Both Jeremiah and Jesus were men of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Yet, their suffering was not in vain. Jeremiah’s tears were a sign of his obedience to God’s call, even when the message was difficult to deliver. Similarly, Jesus' suffering was the ultimate act of obedience to the Father, and through His pain, He would bring salvation to the world.
As we read the Book of Jeremiah, we are not merely to feel sadness for his sufferings, but we are to be reminded of the even greater suffering of Jesus, the suffering of the pain of rejection and the deep anguish he felt in watching His people turn away from Him and, thus, their salvation – a sorrow He continues to feel today toward every unbelieving sinner.
Understanding this sorrow helps us to also understand why there is such great rejoicing in Heaven over one sinner who repents and believes.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the example of Jeremiah’s faithful suffering and how it points us toward the suffering and ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us. Amen
