“Don’t Leave out a Word”
One word.
What does God mean when He says, “Don’t leave out a word.”?
Jeremiah was called by God to give a message to the people of God. He wasn’t asked if he wanted to do this. He was chosen by God before he was born, and told this was his mission.
Jeremiah argued with God, at first. He said, “I don’t know how to speak; I am only a boy.” [You can read about this in Jeremiah 1]
God assured Jeremiah that He would go with him everywhere he went, to protect him. He also said, “Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will pull up and tear down, destroy and overthrow, build up and plant.”
One time God wanted to send a message to the people and He told Jeremiah, “Jeremiah, stand in the courtyard of the Temple of the Lord. Give this message to all the people of the towns of Judah who are coming to worship at the Temple of the Lord. Tell them everything I tell you to say; don’t leave out a word. “
“Do not leave out a word.” In other words, “Tell them exactly what I tell you to say. Don’t leave any blank places or change any words. Repeat it just as I gave it to you.”
What God was saying was this: Don’t water down My message. Don’t twist or change what I’ve proclaimed. Don’t leave out one word.
Jeremiah obeyed even though he knew his life would be in danger. It was (in danger). People threatened to kill him because they did not like his message.
I smile because their dislike of the messenger had absolutely nothing to do with him. The problem was the message. They did not like the message, so they got mad at the “message bearer”. Jeremiah was following God’s orders, but they got mad at the prophet.
Jeremiah knew the entire time that the people would be angry at him because of the message from God. Even so, he did not leave out even one word.
Obedience, commitment, faithfulness.
There are several “one word” explanations of who Jeremiah was. These words also explain what he did.
Jeremiah didn’t leave out a word.
That’s obedience. It is commitment. It is faithfulness.
God said, “Don’t leave out a word,” and he didn’t.
That is what it means to be committed to God, and to be faithful.
Who wants to be a Jeremiah?!
