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Jeremiah 26 “Those Who Killed the Prophets”

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4–7 minutes

Jeremiah 26 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:                                                            

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

Chapter 26 should be read together with the temple sermon that appears in Jeremiah 7:1–8:3 (v.1). The Lord tells Jeremiah to proclaim to all the people of Judah the message that was delivered in the temple. God promises that if they listen and repent, He will withdraw the judgment that has already been set (vv.2–6). However, after hearing Jeremiah’s prophecy, “the priests, the prophets, and all the people” (v.7) do not repent. Instead, they seize Jeremiah and attempt to kill him (v.8). While Jeremiah is still in the temple and people are gathering to strike him (v.9), the officials come and place him under formal trial (v.10). When the trial begins, the priests and the prophets accuse Jeremiah of prophesying disaster against Judah, Jerusalem, and the temple (v.11).

Jeremiah uses the trial itself as the platform to proclaim the word of God. He affirms that the accusation is true—that he did indeed announce God’s judgment (v.12). However, he also declares that if they repent and obey the word of the Lord, God may turn back the disaster (v.13). He says that they may do with him as they please, even kill him (v.14), but warns that if they kill him, they will bring innocent blood and corresponding judgment upon themselves (v.15).

Then the officials pronounce that Jeremiah does not deserve death, because he has spoken in the name of the Lord (v.16). It seems that they hesitate in response to Jeremiah’s solemn warning. At that moment, some of the elders of the land recount a story from the past: During the time of King Hezekiah, the prophet Micah (the same Micah of the Book of Micah) warned of God’s judgment, but Hezekiah and the people repented, and were therefore spared (vv.17–19).

Verses 20–23 are an explanatory addition from a later time. They tell the story of another prophet, Uriah, who also prophesied judgment against Judah during Jeremiah’s time. When King Jehoiakim sought to kill him, Uriah fled to Egypt. The king sent agents to seize him, brought him back, killed him, and threw his body into a common grave.

This episode is included to show how severe the threat to Jeremiah’s life really was. Jeremiah could easily have met the same fate as Uriah, but he was protected by Ahikam son of Shaphan (v.24). Shaphan was the royal scribe who helped enable King Josiah’s religious reforms. Ahikam, like his father, was a man who lived by God’s word and therefore defended Jeremiah.

Meditation:

The ones who led the charge to execute Jeremiah after hearing his prophecy were the priests and the prophets. For the priests, the temple was their place of life, and temple worship had become a tool of power and vested interest. They could not stand by and watch Jeremiah disturb the hearts of those who came to worship with his ominous prophecies. Nor could they bear to imagine the temple lying in ruins.

The prophets who brought charges against Jeremiah were false prophets. Though they had never received God’s word, they preached “peace,” “safety,” and “no problem.” To them, Jeremiah must have been a thorn in the eye — because his message forced them to face the fact that they were frauds. For this reason, Jeremiah had to suffer for proclaiming the Lord’s word. Another prophet, Uriah, in fact suffered martyrdom.

Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, who prided themselves on their righteousness, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ In this way you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.” (Matt. 23:29–31)

They acted exactly like the people of Judah in Jeremiah’s days, yet they were trapped in the vain self-deception that they were different from them. Because Jesus exposed their falseness and hypocrisy with these words, they led the movement to kill him.

As you read this today, ask yourself honestly whether you are inwardly thinking, “I am different from those who killed the prophets.” If you close your ears to words that make you uncomfortable and try to live by your own will, then you are no different from those who killed the prophets.

Prayer:

We humbly acknowledge that we are no different from the people of Judah. We admit that we, too, only want to hear messages of comfort, peace, and blessing, and that we dislike warnings, rebukes, and words of judgment. We confess that it is we who have silenced the mouths of prophets and shed their blood. O Lord, have mercy on us. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Sometimes God’s message doesn’t feel easy to hear. But God speaks to us because He loves us and wants to help us grow.

  • For Preschool-Elementary:
    • Has someone ever told you something you needed to hear, even if it didn’t feel good (like “clean your room” or “say sorry”)? How did it feel?
    • Why do you think God sometimes gives warnings or correction in the Bible?
    • What is one way you can listen to God better this week? (Prayer, being kind, sharing, obeying parents, etc.)
  • Youth:
    • When you hear something from the Bible that challenges your behavior or thinking, what is your natural reaction—do you ignore it, think about it, or feel defensive?
    • Why do you think people rejected Jeremiah and later Jesus, even when they were telling the truth?
    • What is one area of your life that God may be inviting you to rethink or surrender to Him right now?

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