The Weeping Prophet

Jeremiah’s emphasis on politics surpassed that of other prophets, even Isaiah. Because of the revelations God gave him, Jeremiah offered numerous political counsels to the kings of Israel, urging them not to resist, but to negotiate terms and surrender directly to Babylon. Of course, Israel’s last few kings considered this an act of treason. Consequently, he was branded a traitor. He was rejected by other prophets because they were false prophets, and by the priests because he did not endorse their duties or the rituals and sacrifices in the Temple. He was also rejected by the king for being a political traitor, and by the people, who repeatedly tried to secretly assassinate him. Yet, no one succeeded; he miraculously escaped death more than once.

Later, when the Babylonian king arrived, he even greatly commended Jeremiah. This situation led to Jeremiah being scorned and retaliated against by his own countrymen. When he first prophesied in his hometown of Anathoth, his own relatives there tried to kill him because he was tarnishing the family’s reputation, forcing him to move away. But God told him: this is to train you to face even worse situations.

For all these reasons, Jeremiah is known as the “Weeping Prophet.” He wasn’t a happy man; we constantly see his suffering, his loneliness, and his rejection. Furthermore, God gave him another great trial: God said, “You must not marry; if you do, when the Babylonians come, you will see your children starve.” God wanted Jeremiah to convey his message through his celibacy: “I am not married, I don’t want children, I don’t want children to be born in this era to suffer the pain of national ruin and family destruction.” God wanted the prophet to convey the message with his own life. Jeremiah had to personally experience those messages to understand God’s feelings and convey them accurately. He diligently fulfilled his prophetic office for forty years during Judah’s darkest period.