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Jeremiah was an overcomer speaking for God—vv. 9-10; 2:1-2:
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In the age of typology, the overcomers were the prophets; all the genuine prophets were overcomers.
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When the majority of God’s people were desolate, there was the need for some to rise up to be God’s overcomers to maintain the testimony established by God.
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The prophets took care of God’s oracle first, and based upon the oracle, they exercised, to some extent, God’s authority, as seen with David the king and Nathan the prophet—2 Sam. 7:1-17; 12:1-15.
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The overcomers in Revelation 2 and 3 are the fulfillment of the typology of the prophets.
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As an overcomer, Jeremiah was an anti-testimony:
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The children of Israel had become desolate, and Jeremiah was called by God to be an anti-testimony—Jer. 27:1-15.
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God’s people did not realize that they were deep in sin before God and that God had already ordained that Babylon would be used to punish them, causing them to be captured to Babylon—15:12-14.
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Because Israel had fallen into such a befuddled situation, Jeremiah, an overcomer, was an anti-testimony, speaking the word given to him by Jehovah and being contrary to the false prophets—27:16—28:17.
Morning Nourishment
Jer. 1:9-10 Then Jehovah stretched out His hand and touched my mouth; and Jehovah said to me, Now I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to tear down, to build up and to plant.The church of God is desolate, and the majority of God’s people have failed, have lost their position, and are unable to meet God’s need. However, throughout the past two thousand years a small number of overcomers have always been raised up to be God’s faithful witnesses to maintain His testimony….Throughout the ages the line of the overcomers has never ceased. (CWWL, 1954, vol. 1, p. 437)
Today’s Reading
When the people said that all was peaceful and well and that they could resist Babylon, Jeremiah rose up and said that all was not peaceful and that they would not be able to resist (Jer. 27:1-15)….Elijah was a condemning anti-testimony; Jeremiah was a weeping anti-testimony….Elijah told the Israelites that they were serving Baal, not Jehovah; this matter needs condemnation….However, the anti-testimony of Jeremiah was different….He told them that…they would be handed over to the enemy, but they believed that God would save them. Therefore, Jeremiah wept for them and did not condemn.When God’s people are desolate, we need to rise up to be an anti-testimony. On the one hand, we should rebuke and condemn them to show that they are not serving God with a pure heart but are caring for the flesh and following the world for the sake of their own name, taking Baal as their center. On the other hand, we should mourn for their condition of not knowing God, for they have clearly lost God’s presence although they say that God is with them, and they have lost God’s grace although they think that God is being gracious to them.
Today we need such overcomers among God’s people….Martin Luther rose up to condemn the Catholic Church as idolatrous; this is the aspect of the condemning anti-testimony represented by Elijah. There are also those who weep before God for the desolate church and the ignorant Christians, telling them that they have already lost God’s presence and do not have God’s grace, although these Christians have no feeling and still think that they are graced by God. This is the aspect of the weeping anti-testimony represented by Jeremiah. (CWWL, 1954, vol. 1, pp. 432-433)
Jeremiah was contrary to the prophets who spoke false prophecies: …Only Jeremiah said that God would discipline them and cause them to be captured. He was a weeping prophet (Jer. 14:17; Lam. 1:16), who wept over Israel’s stupor, weeping because they thought they had peace when great calamity was about to come upon them. While weeping, he prophesied so that they might detest sin and return to the true God in order to have true peace. However, the children of Israel did not listen to his words; instead, they abhorred and persecuted him (Jer. 15:15; 11:19; 18:18-23; 20:1-2, 7-10) and even imprisoned him (32:1-5). During his imprisonment the Israelites were taken captive.
Elijah’s testimony was against idols, whereas Jeremiah’s testimony was against false peace. Elijah was a strong person (cf. 2 Kings 1:10, 12), whereas Jeremiah was a soft person. We should not think that a soft person cannot be an anti-testimony….At the time of Elijah one had to be strong in order to be an anti-testimony against false gods. At the time of Jeremiah, however, the Israelites were pitiful; they were about to be led to slaughter, yet they still said that all was well. At such a time, there was the need for a soft person to weep for them. Jeremiah could not cause the heavens to rain, but “rain” came from his eyes. He shed many tears and prophesied in tears. Such a person is able to soften others. (CWWL, 1954, vol. 4, p. 551)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1954, vol. 1, pp. 428-437; CWWL, 1954, vol. 4, pp. 550-551; Life-study of Revelation, msg. 12; CWWL, 1975-1976, vol. 3, pp. 21-24