Imprecatory Prayer

Bible Example #1- Jeremiah 11

Men in government did not like Jeremiah's message
and they plotted to kill Jeremiah.

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Jeremiah 11:18 - 12:4

Comments
18: And the LORD hath given me knowledge [of it], and I know [it]: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19: But I [was] like a lamb [or] an ox [that] is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

(Several translations place 20-23 after 12:1-4)		 18. In chapter 11, verse 1 Jeremiah has been commanded by God to teach the covenant as found in Deuteronomy; i.e. The Ten Commandments along with the blessings and coursings. The Powers-that-be did not like Jeremiah's message. Men in government conspired to kill Jeremiah. (Verse 9) God told Jeremiah about the ambush. (Like a lamb led to the slaughter.)
(19) A lamb or ox that is led to the slaughterhouse is silent because it is ignorant of its destiny. Likewise Jeremiah did not know that the government was plotting against him.
Jeremiah 12:1-3 Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of [thy] judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? [wherefore] are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
(2) Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they bring forth fruit: thou [art] near in their mouth, and far from their reins.


(3) But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

 

 

 

 


(4) How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.

 (1) This begins Jeremiah's imprecatory prayer for justice.


(2) Like many modern day politicians, they thought of themselves as good, God fearing people (thou art near in their mouth) while rejecting God's Law. (and far from their reins.)

(3) Jeremiah prayed that the wicked would meet the same fate as they had prepared for him.Compare verse 19 with verse 3.In the book of Esther, the wicked Hayman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordicai. This is in line with God's Law, for example; the law of the false witness, Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. Deuteronomy 19:19
In 2 Samuel 3:39 David said, And I [am] this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [be] too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.

(4) They, the  wicked do not come to repentance or give up easily as reflected in the last words of verse 4, because they said, "you haven't seen the last of us."
Jeremiah 11:20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

(21) Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:
(22) Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
(23) And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, [even] the year of their visitation.		 Here is how another version reads:
(20) But, O LORD Almighty, you who Judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. (NIV)

(21) The authorities said, "Shut up or we will kill you."

Here is how another version reads:
(1) You are always righteous, O LORD, when I bring up a case before you. Yet I speak with you about your justice: (NIV)
(1) Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You;  Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: (NAS)

   If someone tries to kill you, what do you do? You can't take the law into your own hands? You are expected to go to the authorities for protection and to bring charges. But what do you do when it is the authorities who are the criminals?

    What would you do if you are a preacher and the authorities do not like what you have to say and are persecuting you? What do you do when the evil doer's are the authorities, or the rich and powerful?

    What did Jeremiah do? Jeremiah committed the cause unto The Lord. Jeremiah took his complaint to God. A court of divine justice. "I bring my case before You."

Public Imprecatory Worship Services

    The government is to close houses of prostitution, close places selling drugs, close abortion clinics. If the government refuses to close an abortion clinic, but instead protecting the doctor and building, would a Jeremiah shoot the doctor? Would Jeremiah burn the building to the ground?

    Absolutely not! That would be taking the law into your own hands. That would put Jeremiah into Florus hands. And Florus would love that. Florus would even have an undercover agent give Jeremiah the gun and matches. To find out about Florus, read the article titled, Why Worldly Rulers Love Vigilantes And Trouble-Makers.

   So what is a Christian to do? Would Jeremiah, in imprecatory prayer, ask God to kill the abortionist and strike the building with lightning? What do you think? Would Jeremiah organize a public worship service on the sidewalk where he and the others would pray publicly, and in the hearing of the doctor and staff, calling God's curses down upon the criminals? What is the 'curse of the law' for murder?

   Deuteronomy 11:29 A Bible Example of Public Imprecatory Prayer

   "And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.  ( Look in the Bible for the rest of this ceremony.)

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