Jeremiah 18:18

THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST JEREMIAH

"Then said they, Come, let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. Give heed to me, O Jehovah, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them."

In this first part of Jeremiah's Fourth Lament, the plot against him is, revealed in Jeremiah 18:18; and Jeremiah pleaded with God not to allow the good which Jeremiah has been doing for the people by his preaching God's Word to them to be recompensed with evil.

"The law shall not perish from the priest ... the wise ... the prophet ..." (Jeremiah 18:18). "These words imply that the people were quite satisfied with the depraved leadership given by their false priests, wise men, and prophets."[19] This trust in false leaders enabled them to accuse Jeremiah of treason, despite the truth that they themselves were the traitors.

Payne Smith's comment on this passage is:

"They said, What need have we of this Jeremiah? Have we not priests with the Torah, the Law of Moses, wise statesmen to give us counsel, and prophets to declare to us "the word?" Not indeed the word of Jehovah, which was too disagreeable for them to wish to have more of it, but that pleasant word the smooth things of Isaiah 30:10, which false teachers knew so well how to flavor to suit human appetites ... The people had the false impression that since the Torah was imperishable, so also were the Levitical custodians of it; and thus they concluded that Jeremiah's prophecy of national ruin was blasphemous."[20]

Thus Jeremiah was a victim of the same satanic charges that were later directed against the Christ himself, and by the same satanic instruments, namely the false Jewish leaders. In fact, it was upon a false charge of blasphemy that Christ finally was sentenced to the Cross (John 19:7).

Cheyne thought that, "They were satisfied with their false prophets, but that they were still afraid of Jeremiah, as Balak was afraid of Balaam (Numbers 23:25), and that therefore they would smite him with the tongue,' that is, with slanderous accusations."[21]

This first paragraph of Jeremiah's Fourth Lament is a plea of innocence and of the truth that his good should not be rewarded with evil, but the next paragraph (Jeremiah 18:21-23) appears to pour out God's wrath upon his enemies.