08 Jeremiah 20:7-18 Why is life so hard?

by Krisan Marotta | Nov 16, 2016 | 01 Podcasts, Jeremiah

We all come to a place at one time or another where we ask the question, “Why is my life so hard? Why do I have to endure this particular problem or experience this pain or go through this situation?” In Jeremiah 20:7-19, we see Jeremiah reach that place. He hits rock bottom and cries out asking, why his life was so hard.

Historical Setting

Jeremiah began his ministry as the dominant world power, the Assyrians, descended into civil war. As the Assyrians began to lose their power, Babylon and Egypt sought to occupy the power vacuum that the Assyrians would leave. In the midst of this political turmoil the Lord calls Jeremiah. His job is to predict and warn of the coming Babylonian invasion and the restoration that would follow the exile.

Complain

7O LORD, You have deceived me and I was deceived; You have overcome me and prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me. 8For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the LORD has resulted In reproach and derision all day long. 9But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it. 10For I have heard the whispering of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!” All my trusted friends, Watching for my fall, say: “Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him And take our revenge on him.” – Jeremiah 20:6-10

From chapter 19 we learn that Jeremiah has been preaching the about the coming destruction of Jerusalem
From 20:1-6, we learn that the chief officer of the temple beat Jeremiah and put him in prison for preaching this message.
Key word: prevail
His words are not polite complaint; they are strong, bitter, accusations.
Jeremiah says the calling the Lord gave him caused him great personal suffering.
He cannot stop preaching and preaching results in persecution.

Rest

11But the LORD is with me like a dread champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be utterly ashamed, because they have failed, With an everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten. 12Yet, O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous, Who see the mind and the heart; Let me see Your vengeance on them; For to You I have set forth my cause. 13Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD! For He has delivered the soul of the needy one From the hand of evildoers. – Jeremiah 20:11-13

This stanza is “expression of trust.” It’s a common form of Hebrew poetry, and it is often found in the Psalms and in the writings of the prophets.
Expressions of trust frequently begin “But the Lord….”
Key word is prevail.
The change of tone results from “For to You I have set forth my cause” (vs 12).
Having fully expressed his woes to the Lord, Jeremiah is free to rest in the knowledge that the matter is in the Lord’s hands.

Complain

14Cursed be the day when I was born; Let the day not be blessed when my mother bore me! 15Cursed be the man who brought the news To my father, saying, “A baby boy has been born to you!” And made him very happy. 16But let that man be like the cities Which the LORD overthrew without relenting, And let him hear an outcry in the morning And a shout of alarm at noon; 17Because he did not kill me before birth, So that my mother would have been my grave, And her womb ever pregnant. 18Why did I ever come forth from the womb To look on trouble and sorrow, So that my days have been spent in shame? – Jeremiah 20:14-18

If the first complaint was a bad day, this complaint is the “1:00 am melt down.”
Jeremiah curses the day of his birth and the messenger who brought the news of his birth.
Essentially, Jeremiah asks the Lord, “why would you ask anyone to endure this?”

Application

Doing the right thing does not guarantee an easy life. (See also 1 Peter 4:12-14.)
Jeremiah gives us the freedom to complain to God.
After expressing our pain to the Lord, we then trust Him for the outcome.
Problems arise when those two (complain and rest) get out of balance.
We learn from Jeremiah we all fall apart sometimes. But when we do, we should turn to the Lord.

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