May 20th, 2011
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Terror on Every Side

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Loving Father, Your love and care are beyond my understanding. Open me to receive Your Word today.

Read JEREMIAH 20:1-18

[1] When the priest Pashhur son of Immer, the chief officer in the temple of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, [2] he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the LORD’s temple. [3] The next day, when Pashhur released him from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD’s name for you is not Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib. [4] For this is what the LORD says: ‘I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; with your own eyes you will see them fall by the sword of their enemies. I will hand all Judah over to the king of Babylon, who will carry them away to Babylon or put them to the sword. [5] I will hand over to their enemies all the wealth of this city-all its products, all its valuables and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. They will take it away as plunder and carry it off to Babylon. [6] And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into exile to Babylon. There you will die and be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.'” [7] O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. [8] Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. [9] But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. [10] I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Report him! Let’s report him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” [11] But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten. [12] O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause. [13] Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. [14] Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed! [15] Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, who made him very glad, saying, “A child is born to you-a son!” [16] May that man be like the towns the LORD overthrew without pity. May he hear wailing in the morning, a battle cry at noon. [17] For he did not kill me in the womb, with my mother as my grave, her womb enlarged forever. [18] Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“God is big enough to take our anger, our questions, our doubt as well as our guilt” (J. Bell).

Think Further

In 19:10,11 Jeremiah brings his message of disaster into the very center of Zion, the temple, and in this chapter he meets with Pashhur and his punishment. Look how many times the word “all” occurs in vs. 1-6. Who is responsible for this “Terror on Every Side” (3)? In v. 10 people suggest it is Jeremiah, but Jeremiah proposes that it is Pashhur and the Jerusalem establishment (3), and the lies (6) with which they have deceived themselves. Verse 12 and 11:20 bracket our series of readings in Jeremiah, bringing us full circle. The word “vengeance” is misleading: Jeremiah seeks redress, the righting of wrongs, the implementation of justice.

More flattering biographers might have deleted the rest of ch. 20, but Baruch has recorded the story of Jeremiah’s inner journey. The next 20 chapters show Jeremiah’s outer journey, doggedly continuing his ministry through wind, storm and hurricane. Here we see his inner struggles: the intermittent uncertainty, the pain of ridicule and friendlessness, the burning fire of God’s word which flares out, the outbursts of trust and praise, the struggle with sorrow and shame: “Why did it have to be me?!” A recent book has revealed that the world-famous Mother Teresa struggled with spiritual darkness through a ministry of decades. Holocaust survivors have struggled with survivor guilt. In this world, not all laments end in praise; not all sicknesses are healed; not all prodigals return home; not all cancers find remission; and finally we all die. In our (post)-modern world many people are looking for authenticity, for honesty; they may not find proofs, but they want reality. I pray for strength to continue my journey, like Jeremiah, in hope and love founded on God’s faithfulness.

Apply

It is easy to sink from the height of exaltation (13) to the depths of despair (14-18). What can help you continue on through the ups and downs of your daily life? How are you showing authenticity and honesty as a Christian to non-believers?

Closing prayer

Lord, You are the great hope-giver. In tough times, I need the hope You give. As I live in You, I pray that despair will diminish and hope prevail.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store