God Fights for Us!! - Jeremiah 7-11

God Fights for Us!!

Jeremiah 11:18-23 (ESV)
18 The LORD made it known to me and I knew;
then you showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
I did not know it was against me
they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name be remembered no more.”
20 But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you have I committed my cause.

21 Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand”— 22 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: “Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine, 23 and none of them shall be left. For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.”

In the above passage, we read about a plot to kill Jeremiah by the priest of Anathoth.   Jeremiah actually comes from the town of Anathoth:

Jeremiah 1:1 (ESV)
1 The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

Jeremiah’s message to the nation of Israel and to their political and spiritual leadership was one of doom and gloom.  Jeremiah was communicating God’s displeasure, especially with the priest:

Jeremiah 7:1-3 (ESV)
Evil in the Land
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place.

God is warning the priest to repent and He will allow them to continue to serve in their capacity.  If not, He will remove them.  Their response?   The above passage tells us their response.   They plotted evil against Jeremiah.  An evil, that according to verse 19, would, “.. cut him off from the land of the living.”  

God, instead, cuts them off.  Note in verse 23 that God states, “For I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth ... !”    God sees those who plot against His messengers and makes sure we are aware of it.  God avenges us.   We are not take matters into our own hands.  Note:

Romans 12:17-19 (ESV)
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

We don’t have to worry about these dangers in life if we are walking in God’s plan and God’s promises. It is He who fights for us:

Exodus 14:14 (ESV)
14 The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”