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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 300

"Urijah the son of Shemaiah"

Text: Jeremiah 26:20

SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR JEREMIAH III

A preacher arose and he cited the prophetic words of Jeremiah. Urijah meant well, but he lacked the courage and fortitude of Jeremiah.

“Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD,
Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim,
who prophesied against this city and against this land
according to all the words of Jeremiah.
And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes,
heard his words, the king sought to put him to death;
but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt.
Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt:
Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt.
And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king,
who killed him with the sword
and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah,
so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.”
Jeremiah 26:20-24

1. “Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD,
Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim,
who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah”

a) Urijah stood up to give support to Jeremiah.

b) He cited the words of Jeremiah.

c) He was said to have:

i) Prophesied in the name of the LORD.

ii) Prophesied against the city of Jerusalem.

iii) Prophesied against the land of Judah.

iv) He cited Jeremiah’s word.

2. “And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes,
heard his words, the king sought to put him to death;
but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt”

a) King Jehoiakim and his supporters became angry with him.

b) The king wanted to execute him.

c) Urijah fled to Egypt out of fear.

3. “Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt:
Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt.
And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king,
who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people”

a) Jehoiakim was a king appointed by the Pharaoh of Egypt.

b) He sent men to arrest Urijah in Egypt.

c) He was brought back to Judah.

d) He was summarily executed.

e) He was buried among the common people (as one of no significance).

4. “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death”

a) God was there to protect Jeremiah.

b) Shaphan was a significant scribe in the days of King Josiah (2 Kings 22:8).

c) Ahikam, the son of Shaphan was sent as part of a delegation to the prophetess Huldah (2 Kings 22:14).

d) Ahikam stood by Jeremiah and managed to rescue the prophet from suffering the same fate as Urijah.