Prayer: Father, struggles between religion and the Spirit are nothing new. Even in Jeremiah’s time, religious tradition attempted to quiet the Spirit. May I learn to be obedient to the Spirit above the traditions of man. Amen.
Reading: Jeremiah 20 key: vs. 1-3 “When Pashhur son of Immer the kohen, who was chief officer in the House of Adonai, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Benjamin Gate by the House of Adonai. The following morning, Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “Adonai no longer calls your name Pashhur, but Magormissabib.” TLV
Attention: Notice that Jeremiah does not call Pashhur a priest, but a son of a priest who was the “chief officer.” Pashhur ’s name means “freedom,” but freedom was not what he represented. In the flesh, he sought to bully Jeremiah after overhearing his prophecy. He had Jeremiah beaten and then placed in “stocks,” which means he sought to publicly humiliate Jeremiah. What he did was to bring God’s judgement upon himself, his family, and anyone “he loved.”
Just because Pashhur was born into a priestly family, does not make him a prophet of Adonai. In speaking against Jeremiah, he was speaking against God. Having Jeremiah beaten was a direct attack against God. Upon releasing Jeremiah the next morning, Jeremiah prophesied to Pashhur a message from God. God changed his name from Pashhur to “Magormissabib,” meaning “terror.” His actions would bring the terror of exile to him, his family, and friends. They would all die in Babylon.
If prophets of Adonai are not experiencing abuse and threat’s today, those times are coming. The apostle Luke records the beating of the disciples (emissaries) in Acts 5, “called in the emissaries, flogged them, ordered them not to continue speaking in the name of Yeshua, and let them go. 1So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to be dishonored on account of His name (vs. 40-41).”
I encourage you with the words of the disciples who were beaten. I hope we too will rejoice in being “considered worthy” to suffer for Messiah.
Action: I choose to declare the word of Adonai in obedience to His call.
Yield: I choose to submit to the Lordship of Messiah.
Engage: I choose to engage with Spirit of God in declaring God’s word.
Relationship: I choose to live in obedient, intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I thank You for the example of Jeremiah. His obedient humbleness to You. May I carry Your message with confidence and courage. Without fear of man. Amen.
Memory Verse: Hebrews 2:3-4 “3how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? It was first spoken through the Lord and confirmed to us by those who heard. At the same time, God was testifying by signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, according to His will.” TLV
Music Video: Casting Crowns—Voice of Truth https://youtu.be/0CsiBjc0UIA?si=_l0KEuh8e_VZFl7J
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”