Jeremiah 11:1-6
A Man In the Crosshairs
I. \\#Jer 1:1-19\\ Jeremiah’s Calling
II. \\#2:1-37\\ God’s Case Against Judah
III. \\#3:1-25\\ Israel’s Three Time Zones
IV. \\#4:1-6:30\\ Sins and Judgments
V. \\#7:1-\\ Some Specific Messages
A. \\#Jer 7:1-34\\ A Message to the Religious
B. \\#Jer 8:1-22\\ A Message to the Continuous Backslider
C. \\#Jer 9:1-10:25\\ A Message to the Believer
1. \\#9:1,10\\ We will weep.
2. \\#9:24\\ We will glory in the Lord.
3. \\#9:25-26\\ We will wait for the rest of the
judgment of God.
4. \\#10:2\\ We will keep our ways clean.
5. \\#10:19-21\\ We will take care of the house of God.
D. \\#Jer 11:1-12:6\\ A Message About Jeremiah
The book of Jeremiah is about a man speaking to a nation about sin.
We have seen much about the nation—all of it bad; but we have not
as yet seen much about the man. Tonight, that changes somewhat as
we get more of a personal glimpse of the prophet.
Let’s notice five thoughts:
I. Judgment is still coming.
A. The written records by the prophets are mostly writings of
coming judgments. Jeremiah most certainly is.
B. Notice that God is still determined to judge the nation.
1. \\#2\\ Israel had entered into a binding covenant with
God.
2. \\#7\\ God made certain that they did so with their
eyes wide open as to the ramifications of that
covenant.
3. \\#8\\ Israel had not obeyed the covenant.
4. \\#5\\ But God would!
5. \\#9-10\\ Israel’s disobedience had grown to the place
that God called it a conspiracy.
a. A conspiracy is a collaboration of people together
to disobey and rebel against God.
b. That is when people, probably of means and
influence, meet to openly discuss and devise
plans to move a nation away from God.
c. Sadly, there are groups like that meeting in
America and throughout the world today.
6. \\#11\\ So judgment, called evil, will come upon
Israel.
7. \\#12\\ And nothing will save them.
C. With that emphasis clearly stated, let’s consider
Jeremiah.
II. Jeremiah was a man broken.
A. These was some of the first personal information revealed
about Jeremiah back in chapter 8. However, a good single
verse is:
Jer 9:1 Oh 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!
B. Jeremiah was broken and why not?
1. Sin is a destroyer.
a. Sin grieves and hurts God’s heart from its
inception.
b. However, given enough time and every sin will hurt
man as well.
c. It matters not whether it is sin manifest within
the heart (i.e. bitterness, jealousy, anger) or
sin manifested within the body (immorality,
thief, violence). It will all inflict pain and
suffering sooner or later.
d. A bumped into a lady the other day that I have
known for 20 years.
(1) She has probably been through this church a
half a dozen times in those years, each time
staying a short time before going back to
the world.
(2) I have seen her go through the cycle of
adultery, marriage, divorce, and adultery
again.
(3) I have seen her conceive, bear, bring up,
and lose her children. Today, one is in
prison.
(4) Why wouldn’t one be broken over that?
(5) We should not be aggravated or discourage
with such a person, just filled with pity
and compassion.
(6) Sin is a terrible task master.
2. But not only should we broken over what sin does but
we should also be broken over what God is about to
do.
a. Jeremiah was.
Jer 11:18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge
of it, and I know it….
b. What a terrible thing it may be to know too much
of the mind of God.
(1) Jeremiah understood in great detail what was
to happen to his nation and the people.
(2) It was that brokenness that drove him.
III. Jeremiah was a man forbidden to pray.
Jer 11:14 Therefore pray not thou for this
people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for
them: for I will not hear them in the time
that they cry unto me for their trouble.
A. This must have ached the heart of Jeremiah perhaps even
more than knowing what was going to happen.
B. To us, this may be an all most inconceivable command.
1. There were wicked all around but Jeremiah was not to
pray for their repentance.
2. A fierce judgment was coming but Jeremiah was not to
pray for mercy.
C. But then we remember that prayers must always be according
to the will of God.
1John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according
to his will, he heareth us:
1. Jeremiah had such unique access to the mind of God
that he knew exactly what God’s will was concerning
the nation of Israel.
a. There was no guessing.
b. God was going to judge Israel and nothing could
stop it.
c. Praying any other prayer was praying against God.
2. Most of the time, we do not have such clarity.
3. In cases when I don’t know the will of God, I try to
err on the side of mercy and compassion.
a. It is not always easy.
b. Since I don’t see the big picture, I often don’t
know what the side of mercy and compassion are!
D. But let there be no mistake.
1. God is only obligated to hear and answer prayers
according to His will.
2. If we pray any thing other than the will of God, our
prayers wrong at best and maybe even sinful.
IV. \\#Jer 11:18-23\\ Jeremiah was a man hated by his own.
A. Jeremiah’s life overlaps his message.
B. Sadly, no prophet, preacher, or Christian is ever loved or
appreciated by a pagan nation.
1. In fact, a measurement to determine whether a nation
is pagan or not is to ask, "How to they treat God’s
servants?"
2. Israel was now a pagan nation.
C. \\#21\\ Anathoth was Jeremiah’s hometown \\#Jer 1:1\\.
1. Some there openly sought Jeremiah’s life.
2. \\#Jer 12:6\\ Some may have secretly sought it.
Jer 12:6 For even thy brethren, and the house of
thy father, even they have dealt treacherously
with thee; yea, they have called a multitude
after thee: believe them not, though they speak
fair words unto thee.
3. \\#Jer 11:21-22\\ God will make certain that the
coming judgment includes the city of Anathoth.
4. But in the meantime, they will continue to harass and
try to hurt Jeremiah.
a. It is strange how we think God is supposed to
intervene and vindicate us.
(1) We all know the story of Paul and Silas being
freed from prison by an earthquake and Peter
being delivered from prison by an angel and
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being
protected in the fiery furnace by God
Himself.
(2) But the truth is most of the time, God does
not deliver and He does not vindicate.
(3) Men and women die everyday for Christ and
have done so for thousands of years.
(4) It is called martyrdom.
b. Jeremiah was not going to be delivered from his
enemies.
V. \\#Jer 12:1-6\\ Jeremiah was a man who was curious.
A. He asks two questions in these verses.
1. \\#1\\ Why do the wicked prosper?
2. \\#4\\ How long will you let things go on?
B. His questions related specifically to those who were
enemies of God and himself.
1. Jeremiah probably figured like I have on numerous
occasions that a well placed lightning blot would
take care of this mess and fix most everything.
2. Jeremiah wanted to know why God wasn’t doing
something.
3. Jeremiah was not the only one. King David did too.
Psalm 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost
gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw
the prosperity of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death: but
their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither
are they plagued like other men.
6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a
chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have
more than heart could wish.
8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly
concerning oppression: they speak loftily.
9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
and their tongue walketh through the earth.
10 Therefore his people return hither: and
waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
11 And they say, How doth God know? and is
there knowledge in the most High?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper
in the world; they increase in riches.
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,
and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued,
and chastened every morning.
4. I know I have wondered. Maybe you have too.
C. The Bible never gives us an answer. I guess that means it
is none of our business.
D. But I do have two theories.
1. Maybe God lets the wicked prosper because He does not
want followers who are coerced into following Him.
2. Maybe God lets the wicked prosper because this are the
only good times they will ever know.
E. One thing I know, their good times will come abruptly to an
end.
1. The wicked in Jeremiah’s day came to a sudden end.
2. So will the wicked of today.
Our goal is to not be apart of them.
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