Bronze Walls

Jeremiah 1

Have you ever stopped to think about the life of a prophet? Consider the lives of just a few prophets: Daniel, a life-term exile, regularly threatened with murder; Elijah, a lonely voice standing against an evil tyrant and an army of demon-worshipping prophets; Jonah, a runaway, ill-tempered, unwilling oracle of doom to a violent death-cult enemy; and Jeremiah, one of the last voices pleading with God’s people to repent, warning them of impending destruction and exile, rejected by everyone, and unheeded by those he was sent to. How did they do it? What kept them going? I am grateful I have not experienced such a life, but there is still much to be learned from their examples.

We may not be called to prophetic ministry like those mentioned here, writing down warnings of doom to whole cities and nations, walking the streets of foreign capitals to tell them of their fiery fate, and barging into capitol buildings to confront corrupt leaders. However, we are all prophets in a way. The simplest definition of prophecy is speaking the words of God. Most of what the prophets proclaimed was not future-focused, but rather reminders of what God had said in the past. They were divinely empowered human voices, representing God by speaking His words. Today, that ministry has been given to all of us. If you have been born again, you have been filled by the Holy Spirit, and charged with representing God and His kingdom by speaking His word, the Gospel, to all who will listen.

So, how do we faithfully fulfill this ministry? Let us be encouraged by the words of God. In Jeremiah chapter 1, God commissioned Jeremiah, telling Him he had been set apart for this before he was born. Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:4 that we have likewise been chosen before the foundation of the world. And again, in Eph 2:10, we have been created for good works which God prepared for us ahead of time. You and I have been set apart for this work, but that is not all. God also promised Jeremiah that He would provide the words (v:9), the authority (v:10), and His very presence with Jeremiah in this work. God told this prophet that if he would only stand up and speak what God had given him, God would make him stronger than bronze walls. What a promise! What a God!

When Jesus commissioned His disciples to continue the work He had started and make disciples of all nations, He made the same promise. In Matt 28:18-20, Jesus told them that He had all authority, and promised that His presence and authority would be with them forever, as they passed on His words and His kingdom work. That promise is passed down to us today. We must continue the prophetic ministry of speaking God’s word to a lost and dying world. We must stand boldly in the face of growing opposition and hatred. We must continue to make disciples. But we are not alone. Like Jeremiah, the apostles, and all the saints who have gone before us, we have God with us. And with His presence, when we boldly stand and speak, we are Bronze Walls.