In the face of opposition the spirit of many a man has been shattered. And yet, in the case of Jeremiah, he was not to allow this to happen. Why? If he allowed his spirit to be shattered to the point of not fulfilling his mission, God would shatter him before the people. Note the words spoken to Jeremiah by Jehovah: “Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them” (Jeremiah 1:17). The words “dismayed” and “confound,” as best I can tell, are from the same word meaning “to shatter, dismay, or break.” Indeed, Jeremiah labored beneath a potential curse. He must do his best to fulfill his mission or be held accountable by God.

For what was Jeremiah going to be held accountable by God? There are two things that are quite evident in verse 17. First, he was to speak all that God commanded him. He was not at liberty to leave out the hard parts. He was not excused from his duty just because his words might offend someone. In a very similar way, Paul felt compelled to preach. To the church at Corinth he wrote: “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). His task was not just to preach. He was to preach the Gospel. He unashamedly spoke all of it for he said to the elders of the church at Ephesus, “For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, cf. v. 24). He dared not preach any other gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).  Like these two great men of God, those of us who preach must preach God’s truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

In addition to being held accountable by God for speaking all He had commanded him, please not also to whom it was to be spoken. God said “speak unto them.” Jeremiah’s audience was determined and specified by God. His hearers were to be those who needed God’s words even though they might not want to receive them. In other words, Jeremiah was not free to just stand in a corner and quietly utter the words God said speak. He had to deliver the message to God’s intended audience.

Today God has specified His audience as well. Jesus commanded, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Our audience is not limited to those who look like us or have a similar lifestyle to our own. It is not limited to those we like or those who already “think like us.” Our mission is to preach the Gospel to every person on earth! And not only that, we are bound to lovingly “preach the word” “in season” and “out of season” even to those who do would prefer to have their ears tickled (2 Timothy 4:2-3).

Like Jeremiah, those of us who preach labor under a potential curse. We must examine ourselves to be sure we are speaking all that God commanded to all to whom He directed it!