Jeremiah 20:9
If I say, "I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.
If I say
This phrase introduces a hypothetical scenario, reflecting Jeremiah's internal struggle. The Hebrew root here is "אָמַר" (amar), which means to say or declare. It indicates a conscious decision or thought process. Jeremiah is contemplating the possibility of silence, a significant consideration given his role as a prophet. This reflects the human tendency to retreat from difficult tasks, especially when faced with persecution or hardship.

I will not mention Him
The word "mention" comes from the Hebrew "זָכַר" (zakar), meaning to remember or call to mind. Jeremiah is considering not bringing God to mind publicly, a drastic step for a prophet whose life is dedicated to proclaiming God's word. This highlights the intense pressure and opposition Jeremiah faced, making him consider withholding his prophetic duties.

or speak any more in His name
To "speak" in Hebrew is "דָּבַר" (dabar), which means to declare or converse. Speaking "in His name" signifies acting with God's authority. Jeremiah is contemplating ceasing to act as God's spokesperson. This phrase underscores the weight of prophetic responsibility and the personal cost of delivering God's messages, especially when they are unwelcome.

His message becomes a fire
The imagery of "fire" is powerful, symbolizing passion, purification, and divine presence. The Hebrew word "אֵשׁ" (esh) is often associated with God's holiness and judgment. Jeremiah experiences God's word as an uncontainable force within him, illustrating the compelling nature of divine truth that cannot be suppressed.

burning in my heart
The "heart" in Hebrew, "לֵב" (lev), represents the inner being, including mind, will, and emotions. The burning signifies an intense, consuming passion that affects Jeremiah's entire being. This reflects the transformative power of God's word, which deeply impacts those who receive it.

shut up in my bones
"Bones" in Hebrew, "עֶצֶם" (etsem), often symbolize strength and essence. The phrase suggests an internalized, inescapable presence of God's word. It conveys the idea that the divine message is integral to Jeremiah's very structure, emphasizing the prophet's inability to separate himself from his calling.

I become weary of holding it in
The word "weary" comes from the Hebrew "לָאָה" (la'ah), meaning to be exhausted or tired. Jeremiah's struggle to contain God's word leads to fatigue, highlighting the unsustainable nature of resisting divine compulsion. This weariness underscores the relentless drive of God's message to be proclaimed.

and I cannot prevail
The phrase "cannot prevail" indicates an inability to succeed in suppressing the message. The Hebrew "יָכֹל" (yakol) means to be able or to prevail. Jeremiah acknowledges his defeat in trying to resist God's call, illustrating the overpowering nature of divine purpose. This surrender to God's will is a testament to the irresistible force of His word, which ultimately triumphs over human reluctance.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his lamentations and struggles with the burden of his prophetic mission.

2. Pashhur
A priest and chief officer in the temple who persecuted Jeremiah, leading to the prophet's lament in this chapter.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, to whom Jeremiah was sent to prophesy. The people were often resistant to his messages.

4. The Temple
The central place of worship in Jerusalem, where Jeremiah often delivered his prophecies.

5. God's Word
The divine message that Jeremiah was compelled to deliver, despite opposition and personal suffering.
Teaching Points
The Irresistible Call of God
God's calling can be overwhelming and inescapable. Like Jeremiah, believers may feel a deep, burning desire to share God's truth, even when faced with opposition.

The Cost of Discipleship
Following God's call may lead to personal suffering and persecution. Jeremiah's experience reminds us that being faithful to God's message can be challenging.

The Power of God's Word
God's word is described as a fire, indicating its power to purify, illuminate, and consume. Believers are encouraged to let this fire burn brightly in their lives.

Perseverance in Ministry
Despite weariness and resistance, Jeremiah's example teaches us the importance of perseverance in sharing God's message.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to speak boldly and persistently, even when they feel inadequate or afraid.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jeremiah's experience of feeling God's word as a "fire" relate to your own experiences of sharing your faith?

2. In what ways can you identify with Jeremiah's struggle to remain silent about God's message? How do you overcome such challenges?

3. How does the concept of God's word being a "fire" influence your understanding of its role in your life and the lives of others?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to persevere in sharing God's message, even when faced with opposition or discouragement?

5. How can the examples of Jeremiah, Paul, and the apostles inspire you to be more bold and committed in your own ministry or witness?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Corinthians 9:16
Paul expresses a similar compulsion to preach the Gospel, indicating that the call to speak God's word is a powerful and irresistible force.

Acts 4:20
Peter and John declare that they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard, showing the unstoppable nature of God's message.

Psalm 39:3
David describes his heart burning within him, similar to Jeremiah's experience, when he tried to remain silent.
A Burning Fire WithinJ. Waite Jeremiah 20:9
A Heart on FireF. B. Meyer, B. A.Jeremiah 20:9
Jeremiah DiscouragedW. H. Cooper.Jeremiah 20:9
Ministers, Their Discouragements and SupportsJ. RedfordJeremiah 20:9
Pulpit ExperienceHomilistJeremiah 20:9
The Burning FireF. B. Meyer, B. A.Jeremiah 20:9
The Soul Under DiscouragementC. Simeon, M. A.Jeremiah 20:9
Why God's Servants Labor onS. Conway Jeremiah 20:9
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
Able, Anymore, Becomes, Bones, Burning, Can't, Contain, Containing, Endure, Fire, Forbearing, Heart, Hold, Holding, Indeed, Keeping, Mention, Mind, Myself, Remember, Shut, Speak, Stay, Tired, Wearied, Weary
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 20:9

     1690   word of God
     4826   fire
     5137   bones
     5950   silence
     8426   evangelism, motivation
     8764   forgetting God

Jeremiah 20:7-9

     5821   criticism, among believers
     6233   rejection, experience

Jeremiah 20:7-10

     5945   self-pity

Jeremiah 20:8-9

     7758   preachers, call

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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