Jer 26:7-9 | KingComments | STEP | The company of listeners who are in the court of the temple hear Jeremiah speak ( ). We would think that such a company of worshipers would be open to the word of the LORD. However, the opposite is the case. They are deeply offended. They let Jeremiah speak, but then they seize him, shouting that he must die ( ). Even before the trial has taken place, the condemnation is already in place. The priests and the prophets are at the forefront of this. Those who should be leading the people in serving the LORD are leading the people in rejecting His prophet. To all of them Jeremiah is a false prophet and they want to try him as such (cf. ). This is also how it went with the Lord Jesus. The charge is made directly by the priests and the prophets. They find it intolerable that Jeremiah announced the demise of the temple and the city, their national pride ( ). He even dared to do this in the Name of the LORD. Such a thing can never be from the LORD, they claim. They do not say a word about Jeremiah’s call to repentance. Then we read for the first, but not the last time, that Jeremiah’s life is threatened. The whole furious crowd gather about him, which must be a terrifying experience for him. Paul and Stephen, and above all the Lord Jesus, also stood in the midst of enraged crowds who wanted to kill them in their religious fanaticism. In the case of Stephen, his words about the temple were decisive for the leaders of the people in deciding to put him to death ( ). The political leaders of the people hear the uproar and come up from the king’s house to the temple ( ; cf. ). They take their seats in the New Gate of the temple to administer justice (cf. ; ). The priests and prophets address the judges and all the people and demand that Jeremiah be put to death, for he has offended their national pride ( ). Surely this does not require further explanation, for surely the princes heard it for themselves, didn’t they?

‏ Jeremiah 26:7-9

Arrest and Condemnation of Jeremiah

The company of listeners who are in the court of the temple hear Jeremiah speak (Jer 26:7). We would think that such a company of worshipers would be open to the word of the LORD. However, the opposite is the case. They are deeply offended. They let Jeremiah speak, but then they seize him, shouting that he must die (Jer 26:8). Even before the trial has taken place, the condemnation is already in place. The priests and the prophets are at the forefront of this. Those who should be leading the people in serving the LORD are leading the people in rejecting His prophet. To all of them Jeremiah is a false prophet and they want to try him as such (cf. Deu 18:20). This is also how it went with the Lord Jesus.

The charge is made directly by the priests and the prophets. They find it intolerable that Jeremiah announced the demise of the temple and the city, their national pride (Jer 26:9). He even dared to do this in the Name of the LORD. Such a thing can never be from the LORD, they claim. They do not say a word about Jeremiah’s call to repentance.

Then we read for the first, but not the last time, that Jeremiah’s life is threatened. The whole furious crowd gather about him, which must be a terrifying experience for him. Paul and Stephen, and above all the Lord Jesus, also stood in the midst of enraged crowds who wanted to kill them in their religious fanaticism. In the case of Stephen, his words about the temple were decisive for the leaders of the people in deciding to put him to death (Acts 6:13).

The political leaders of the people hear the uproar and come up from the king’s house to the temple (Jer 26:10; cf. Acts 21:31-32). They take their seats in the New Gate of the temple to administer justice (cf. Deu 21:18-19; Rth 4:1-11). The priests and prophets address the judges and all the people and demand that Jeremiah be put to death, for he has offended their national pride (Jer 26:11). Surely this does not require further explanation, for surely the princes heard it for themselves, didn’t they?