Jeremiah 26.1-15. Jeremiah’s life was threatened. The Levitical high priest was the chief priest by divine right (Lev.8). Yet, godless high priests were not to be obeyed. Jeremiah and other prophets dissented from the high priests in 26.1-11. The apostles did the same thing, dissenting from Caiaphas (Acts 4.19-20; 5.29). This applies to Bishops and Archbishops when the are awry, amiss, and/or negligent in their counsels and directions.
God sends Jeremiah to warn the people that Jerusalem and its Temple will be destroyed without repentance. If they turn, amend their ways, confess their sins and listen to God’s prophets, God will forgive them. Jeremiah is arrested. Hard hearts always refuse to repent and rebuff overtures of mercy and forgiveness—they need no forgiveness in their own blind eyes. +Lord Jesus Christ, open our eyes and we shall see. Open our hearts and we shall know and feel aright. Open thou our lips and our mouths shall show forth Thy praise. Save and defend us for there is no one who fights and defends us, but Thee alone, through the love and merits of Christ Jesus.+
26.1. In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim. 26.1 is chronologically before 25.1: in the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Also, cf. 2 Kings 23.36-24.6.
26.2. Thus says the LORD. The covenant name of Jehovah is used. The standard prophet word or phrase recurs. Do not hold back a word is God’s direction to Jeremiah.
26.4. listen…walk in my law…listen to the words of my servants the prophets. Notice the plural. Given 26.16-19, Micah and, presumably, Isaiah were in the official court archives as prophets. Uriah and Jeremiah were contemporaries speaking to Judah. We are to heed the written words of the prophets. In the current context, Jeremiah was not speaking new things, but preaching the written Word of God, the Pentateuchal message of Law and Gospel.
26.7-9. A mob demands that Jeremiah be executed for speaking against God’s holy habitation (Dt.18-20).
26.7. The priests and prophets and all the people. There was a corporate response. This is the same response we receive when speaking of TBN, Bob Schuler and others—mainliners—who will not listen. +Minister: From all sedition, privy conspiracy, and rebellion; from all false doctrine, heresy, and schism; from hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word and Commandment, Answer: Good Lord, deliver us.+
26.9. `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’? Behold the bad fruits and desolations arising from Pentecostalism, e.g. the fruits of TBN, Word of Faith, the Assemblies of God, the New Apostolic Reformation and other fissiparous schisms. Behold the bad fruits and desolations of 19th and 20th century liberalism in the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist, and UCC Churches. Behold the increasing desolations in contemporary evangelicalism, e.g. Emerging Church, Church Growth Movement, and cocaine-laced “Praise Band Choruses.” The fruits are evident in the minds and lives of their constituencies.
26.16-19. The judges and leaders did not execute Jeremiah, citing a precedent that had occurred a century earlier with Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah. At that time, Hezekiah did not put Micah to death when he spoke similarly against Zion and Jerusalem.
26.20-23. Jeremiah’s life hung in the balance as another immediate instance shows. Another prophet, a contemporary of Jeremiah’s, by the name of Uriah was put to death by Jehoiakim. The charge against Uriah was treason. He was executed like a common criminal and denied a proper burial.
26.23. Diplomatic relations were favourable between Judah and Egypt. Jehoiakim’s extradition request was granted. Although Uriah had initially fled for sanctuary to Egypt, he was returned and, as noted above, was executed.
26.24. Ahikam. Ahikam’s father, Shaphan, had been a trusted court official in Jehoiakim’s father’s palace (Jehoiakim = son of Josiah, 25.1). He, somehow, was able to shield Jeremiah from an execution experienced by Uriah. +Grant us, O LORD, fidelity and courage to honour Thy Word, irrespective of any adverse social, financial, political, ecclesiastical or familial consequences. Defend us from our adversaries, that we, surely trusting in Thy defense, may never fear their power, opinions or efforts against us. For the sake and love of Thy Son, our Saviour, Amen.+
Appropriately, to confess our faith, to give praise, and to make prayers, we typically sing the "Te Deum Laudamus" for Morning Prayer from the 1662 BCP. The words are below the rendition by the Westminster Abbey.
Te Deum Laudamus.
WE praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubin and Seraphin : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death : thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants : whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.
O Lord, save thy people : and bless thine heritage.
Govern them : and lift them up for ever.
Day by day : we magnify thee;
And we worship thy Name : ever world without end.
Vouchsafe, O Lord : to keep us this day without sin.
O Lord, have mercy upon us : have mercy upon us.
O Lord, let thy mercy lighten upon us : as our trust is in thee.
O Lord, in thee have I trusted : let me never be confounded.
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