◄ Jeremiah 20:7 ►
You have deceived me, O LORD, and I was deceived. You have overcome me and prevailed. I am a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.
Study Bible
You have deceived me, O LORD
The Hebrew word for "deceived" here is "פָּתָה" (pathah), which can also mean to entice or persuade. Jeremiah is expressing a deep sense of betrayal, feeling that God has led him into a difficult path without fully revealing the hardships he would face. This reflects the prophet's human struggle with his divine calling, a theme that resonates with the trials faced by many believers who feel led by God into challenging circumstances. Historically, prophets often faced persecution and misunderstanding, and Jeremiah's lament is a raw, honest expression of his emotional turmoil.

and I was deceived
This repetition emphasizes Jeremiah's feeling of being misled. The phrase underscores the depth of his anguish and the intensity of his relationship with God. In the Hebrew context, repetition is a literary device used to convey emphasis and emotional intensity. Jeremiah's lament is not just a complaint but a profound expression of his struggle to reconcile his faith with his experiences.

You have overcome me and prevailed
The Hebrew words "חָזַק" (chazaq) for "overcome" and "יָכֹל" (yakol) for "prevailed" suggest a sense of being overpowered or subdued. Jeremiah acknowledges God's sovereignty and power, even in his distress. This reflects the biblical theme of God's omnipotence and the believer's submission to His will, even when it leads to personal suffering. Historically, this struggle is seen in the lives of many biblical figures who were called to difficult tasks, illustrating the cost of discipleship.

I am a laughingstock all day long
The term "laughingstock" translates from the Hebrew "שְׂחוֹק" (sechoq), meaning mockery or derision. Jeremiah's prophetic messages were often met with scorn and ridicule, highlighting the prophet's isolation and the societal rejection of God's message. This phrase captures the loneliness and alienation that can accompany a life dedicated to proclaiming God's truth, a reality faced by many prophets and, by extension, believers who stand firm in their faith amidst a skeptical world.

everyone mocks me
The Hebrew root "לָעַג" (laag) for "mocks" conveys contempt and ridicule. Jeremiah's experience is a poignant reminder of the cost of prophetic ministry and the rejection that often accompanies speaking God's truth. This phrase reflects the broader biblical narrative of the prophet's role as a voice crying out in the wilderness, often unheeded and scorned by those who refuse to listen. It serves as an encouragement to believers to remain steadfast in their faith, even when faced with derision and opposition.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
The prophet who is speaking in this verse. He is known for his messages of warning and judgment to the people of Judah.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who called Jeremiah to be a prophet. Jeremiah is addressing Him directly in this verse.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, where Jeremiah prophesied. The people of Judah often rejected Jeremiah's messages.

4. Pashhur
A priest and chief officer in the temple who had just persecuted Jeremiah, leading to this lament (context from earlier in the chapter).

5. Jerusalem
The city where Jeremiah delivered many of his prophecies and faced opposition.
Teaching Points
Understanding God's Call
God's call can lead to difficult and challenging situations. Like Jeremiah, believers may feel overwhelmed or deceived, but God's purposes are higher than our understanding.

Perseverance in Faith
Despite feeling mocked or ridiculed, believers are encouraged to persevere in their faith and calling, trusting that God is with them.

Honesty in Prayer
Jeremiah's candidness with God shows that we can bring our true feelings and struggles to Him in prayer, trusting that He hears and understands.

The Cost of Discipleship
Following God's call may lead to persecution or mockery, but it is part of the cost of discipleship that Jesus spoke about.

God's Strength in Our Weakness
When we feel overpowered, it is an opportunity to rely on God's strength, knowing that His power is made perfect in our weakness.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jeremiah's experience of feeling deceived by God challenge or affirm your understanding of God's call in your life?

2. In what ways can you relate to Jeremiah's feeling of being a "laughingstock"? How does this affect your faith journey?

3. How can the example of Jeremiah encourage you to be honest with God about your struggles and doubts?

4. What other biblical figures faced mockery or persecution for their faith, and how did they respond?

5. How can you apply the principle of finding strength in weakness to a current challenge you are facing?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 3-4
Jeremiah's calling is reminiscent of Moses' calling, where both express reluctance and feel inadequate for the task.

Lamentations 3
Jeremiah's lamentations echo his feelings of being overwhelmed and mocked, similar to his expressions in this verse.

Matthew 5:11-12
Jesus speaks about being blessed when persecuted for righteousness, which connects to Jeremiah's experience of mockery.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Paul's discussion of strength in weakness parallels Jeremiah's experience of being overpowered yet continuing in his mission.

Psalm 22
David's lament of feeling forsaken and mocked by others resonates with Jeremiah's complaint.
Sermons
The Arduous Character of God's Service ForgottenFausset.Jeremiah 20:7
The Ideal and the Real; Or, Does God Deceive?T. R. Williams.Jeremiah 20:7
A Conflict not to be AvoidedD. Young Jeremiah 20:7-9
The Sorrow and Joy of God's ServantA.F. Muir Jeremiah 20:7-18
People
Benjamin, Immer, Jeremiah, Magormissabib, Pashur
Places
Babylon, Benjamin Gate, Topheth
Topics
FALSE, Deceived, Derision, Enticed, Hardened, Hast, Hold, Laid, Laughed, Laughingstock, Laughing-stock, Laughter, Makes, Mocketh, Mocking, Mocks, O, Overcome, Overpowered, Persuaded, Prevail, Prevailed, Ridiculed, Sport, Stronger, Tricked
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 20:7

     5436   pain
     5775   abuse
     5818   contempt
     5824   cruelty, examples
     8782   mockery
     8817   ridicule, objects of

Jeremiah 20:7-8

     5265   complaints
     5893   insults

Jeremiah 20:7-9

     5821   criticism, among believers
     6233   rejection, experience
     8615   prayer, doubts

Jeremiah 20:7-10

     5945   self-pity

Library
The Revelation to which the Scripture of the Old Testament Owes Its Existence.
"O Lord, . . . Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed."--Jer. xx. 7. The understanding of the Holy Spirit's work in Scripture requires us to distinguish the preparation, and the formation that was the outcome of the preparation. We will discuss these two separately. The Holy Spirit prepared for Scripture by the operations which from Paradise to Patmos supernaturally apprehended the sinful life of this world, and thus raised up believing men who formed the developing Church. This will seem very …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Revelation of the Old Testament in Writing.
"Then I said, I will not speak any more in His Name. But His word was in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones: and I was weary with forbearing, but I could not."--Jer. xx. 9. Altho the miracles performed for and in the midst of Israel created a glorious life-center in the midst of the heathen world, yet they did not constitute a Holy Scripture; for this can not be created except God speak to man, even to His people Israel. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

One Thing is Needful;
or, SERIOUS MEDITATIONS UPON THE FOUR LAST THINGS: DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN, AND HELL UNTO WHICH IS ADDED EBAL AND GERIZZIM, OR THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE, by John Bunyan. London: Printed for Nath. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688.[1] ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. According to Charles Doe, in that curious sheet called The Struggler for the Preservation of Mr. John Bunyan's Labours, these poems were published about the year 1664, while the author was suffering imprisonment for conscience …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XI. 2-30; ^C Luke VII. 18-35. ^c 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. ^a 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent by his disciples ^c 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them unto the Lord [John had been cast into prison about December, a.d. 27, and it was now after the Passover, possibly in May or June, a.d. 28. Herod Antipas had cast John into prison because John had reproved him for taking his brother's wife. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hindrances to Mourning
What shall we do to get our heart into this mourning frame? Do two things. Take heed of those things which will stop these channels of mourning; put yourselves upon the use of all means that will help forward holy mourning. Take heed of those things which will stop the current of tears. There are nine hindrances of mourning. 1 The love of sin. The love of sin is like a stone in the pipe which hinders the current of water. The love of sin makes sin taste sweet and this sweetness in sin bewitches the …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Jeremiah, a Lesson for the Disappointed.
"Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord."--Jeremiah i. 8. The Prophets were ever ungratefully treated by the Israelites, they were resisted, their warnings neglected, their good services forgotten. But there was this difference between the earlier and the later Prophets; the earlier lived and died in honour among their people,--in outward honour; though hated and thwarted by the wicked, they were exalted to high places, and ruled in the congregation. …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Meditations for the Morning.
1. Almighty God can, in the resurrection, as easily raise up thy body out of the grave, from the sleep of death, as he hath this morning wakened thee in thy bed, out of the sleep of nature. At the dawning of which resurrection day, Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints; and every one of the bodies of the thousands of his saints, being fashioned like unto his glorious body, shall shine as bright as the sun (2 Thess. i. 10; Jude, ver. 14; Phil. iii. 21; Luke ix. 31;) all the angels shining …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Ninth Commandment
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.' Exod 20: 16. THE tongue which at first was made to be an organ of God's praise, is now become an instrument of unrighteousness. This commandment binds the tongue to its good behaviour. God has set two natural fences to keep in the tongue, the teeth and lips; and this commandment is a third fence set about it, that it should not break forth into evil. It has a prohibitory and a mandatory part: the first is set down in plain words, the other …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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