Jeremias 15

Jeremias 15:16

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, and Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I have been called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts. I ate: Ezek 3:1-3 Rev 10:9 Thy Word: Job 23:12 Ps 19:10 119:72,97,101-103,111 called: Jer 14:9 GOD'S WORDS DISCOVERED AND DIGESTED PRODUCE DELIGHT Here is the Greek (Septuagint - Lxx) for Jeremiah 15:16 - hupo ton athetounton (atheteo = to regard as nothing) tous logous sou sunteleson (sunteleo) = bring to an end, a command in aorist imperative) autous kai estai o logos sou emoi eis euphrosunen (euphrosune = joy, mirth, merriment) kai charan (chara) kardias mou hoti (that) epikekletai (epikaleomai: call upon as an appeal for aid) to onoma sou ep emoi kurie pantokrator. This gives us an interesting translation in English Consume them (continuation from last phrase of Jer 15:15 in the Greek = "those who set at naught Thy words… consume them" = an imprecatory prayer!); and Thy Word shall be to me for the joy and gladness of my heart: for Thy Name has been called upon me, O Lord Almighty. The context of Jeremiah's declaration helps us interpret this great passage. In Jeremiah 15:1-9 we see Jehovah's decree of judgment of untold horror promised to the people of Judah for not repenting. This is the message of judgment that Jeremiah is to declare - one of doom and gloom! And so Jeremiah cries "Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me as a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me, yet everyone curses me." Clearly Jeremiah is in anguish and distress at the gravity of the message and at the negative reception it receives. Nevertheless even in this difficult situation Jeremiah chooses to cry out in Jer 15:16, expressing his declaration of dependence on the Lord. Jeremiah loved God's Word, but the people of Judah to whom he was prophesying judgment considered His Word a reproach which gave them no delight. And so earlier we read Jeremiah's question… To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are closed, and they cannot listen. Behold, the Word of the LORD has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it. (Jer 6:10) (To which Jehovah answers) "Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jer 6:16) Beloved, is this not a picture of all of us when we have unconfessed, presumptive sin? What do we do? We avoid time in the Word and fellowship with saints who speak the Word! The last thing we want to hear is God's Word which always profitable for "teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness" (2Ti 3:16-note)! We don't want to be reproved. The last person we want to listen to (so we skip church) is a preacher who proclaims God's truth to "reprove, rebuke, exhort" (2Ti 4:2-note)! Charles Haddon Spurgeon also helps set the context writing "There is no line in the whole of Jeremiah's prophecy more characteristic of him than that exclamation, "O that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people." (Jer 9:1) (Hidden Manna) Jeremiah is in real difficulty. His hometown rejected him and got rid of him. His own family rejected him. His life is in danger! As an aside, I have often taught that Jeremiah proclaimed God's Word and never had a convert. While the response to God's Word was sadly minimal, there is a passage in Jeremiah 39 which suggest that there was at least one convert (although we cannot discern for certain that he came to faith under Jeremiah's preaching -- it is certainly very possible). And so God instructs Jeremiah to "Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city (Jerusalem) for disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day. But I will deliver you on that day," declares the LORD, "and you shall not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread. "For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me," declares the LORD.'" (Jeremiah 39:16-18) So let's unpack this great verse, which has been my "life verse" for that past 30+ years. Thy Words (Hebrew dabar) Which Words? First of course Jeremiah refers to God's words, not words of men. This is a good reminder that when we are in distress or discouraged, the BEST place (Person) to turn is to the living word of the Living God! And while this is supposition, I think Jeremiah may have specifically remembered Jer 1:5, 8,10,17,18,19, and similar truths much like he did in Jer 20:11 when he recalled "the LORD is with me like a dread champion (reminiscent of the last words of Paul in 2Ti 4:17-18-note); Therefore (term of conclusion) my persecutors will stumble and not prevail." (Cp the extent of God's provision to us = 2Pe 1:3-note, Ro 8:35-note,Ro 8:37-note, etc The root of the Hebrew word dabar is that which lies behind and so dabar is regarded as an extension of the Speaker's personality, in this case God! Stated another way dabar speaks of the very revelation of that Individual! How precious that Jesus is the Living Word (Jn 1:1-note, Rev 19:13, Phil 2:16-note, 2Ti 2:15-note, Titus 1:9-note) the flesh and blood revelation of the personality of God (Jn 1:14-note, Jn 1:18-note). Thus the Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is the written revelation of the Person and Personality of the Lord God Almighty. How precious is this Living Word! Warren