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Jeremiah is threatened with death. My first takeaway from reading this was just how similar it is to Jesus’ encounter with the religious leaders who heard his truth and immediately wanted to kill him. Though both Jeremiah and Jesus were challenged by man, they knew their power came from the Lord. They were confident that no matter what they faced, they would overcome.
We never know who God will rise up to assist us in a time of need. It would have been easy for Jeremiah to cower when faced with this death threat, but he stands firm, even suggesting that they can kill him if they want to. Ahikam son of Shaphan stands up for Jeremiah and persuades them not to kill him. God protected Jeremiah by sending an advocate. Another aspect that is interesting here is the fact that there were some wise men who addressed the crowd and reminded them of their need to repent and turn from their sin.
This is interesting because it seemed from earlier chapters that the people were completely blinded to their own sin. It’s been repeated over and over by Jeremiah and it’s recognized and verbalized by these elders. Seeing the need and actually acting are two very different things, though. In the past, the people of Judah had humbled themselves and turned from their sin. This time they would not. Ultimately, we need to come to grips with the grief that comes from our reluctance to act upon the conviction of God. He gives us every opportunity. He shouts it from the rooftops. In the end, we must follow through with what He’s called of us.