Thoughts on Open-Air Preaching Part 2...

As I continue to ponder the Biblical concept of open-air preaching, I was reminded of the one of the most vivid examples of a continual and persistent open-air preacher:

Jeremiah.

Jeremiah's story is rather simple and straightforward: God gave Jeremiah a message and told him to proclaim it to the general public (Jer 2:1-2; Jer 7:1-2) and to those in leadership (Jer 17:19-20; Jer 22:1-2).

Jeremiah's preaching was PUBLIC. He went into the streets and stood at the "gates," which was the center of activity in the city.

And the LORD said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the words of this covenant and do them.
(Jer 11:6 ESV)

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD.
(Jer 7:1-2 ESV)

Thus said the LORD to me: "Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, and say: 'Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates.
(Jer 17:19-20 ESV)

Thus says the LORD: "Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak there this word, and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.
(Jer 22:1-2 ESV)

Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD's house.
(Jer 36:10 ESV)

Jeremiah's preaching was CONTROVERSIAL. He was commanded by God to publicly call out the sins of the people and those in leadership. His message was POINTED and it was SPECIFIC (Jer 2:13). Needless to say, people don't react very well to light that exposes their dark deeds (John 3:20).

What thanks did Jeremiah get for all of his pleading? What did he receive for all of the tears he shed for the sins of his people (Jer 9:1)?

Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD.
(Jer 20:1-2 ESV)

And since that didn't seem to silence Jeremiah or his intense preaching, the people upped the ante...

And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die!
(Jer 26:8 ESV)

Thankfully, the Lord protected Jeremiah's life from the hands of those who were offended by his preaching. But the persecution didn't end there...

And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.
(Jer 37:15 ESV)

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.
(Jer 38:6 ESV)

What can we learn from Jeremiah's preaching ministry?

He took God's message to the streets where it could be heard by all.

His preaching definitely wasn't received well by all. In fact, throughout the entire book of Jeremiah, there are only two instances in which his message received a positive response.

Like Noah--who never saw a single convert during his 120 years of open-air preaching--Jeremiah saw very little visible fruit from his very public and very controversial street ministry.

And yet, Jeremiah's commitment to delivering God's message and his overall zeal for God's glory will be forever remembered as contained in the eternal word of God (Isa 40:8).

Until next time...don't stop proclaiming.

- Shane