Jeremiah 12

Feeling the Heat

Jeremiah complains to the Lord how the wicked prosper, yet he suffers for obeying God. The Lord answers him with less than encouraging words:

“If you have raced with men on foot
    and they have worn you out,
    how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,
    how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?
Your relatives, members of your own family—
    even they have betrayed you;
    they have raised a loud cry against you.
Do not trust them,
    though they speak well of you.

Jeremiah 12:5-6

If Jeremiah thought life had been hard so far, it was only going to get harder for him. God had given the prophet a difficult task, but he had also equipped him for it. He wasn’t alone.

The Hebrew word translated “compete” is a rare form of a common word. It’s תְּתַֽחֲרֶ֖ה (te’ta’chareh). The root charah (חרה) means to be or become hot or angry. Think of the idea of burning with anger and you get the connection between heat and anger.

The reflexive form of the word is translated “fret” three times in Psalm 37 as a command to not fret. For instance in verse 1: “Do not fret because of those who are evil”. It may be more literally translated, “Do not heat yourself up because…” More naturally, I imagine saying, “Don’t get all worked up about…” or “Keep your cool when…”.

Meanwhile, back in our verses today is this rare form of this word, only appearing elsewhere in Jeremiah 22:15. The idea is trying to outdo others. I picture athletes “warming up” before competition. “I’ll show them!” someone shouts before entering the “heat” of battle.

Jeremiah’s troubles and the troubles of the people were merely warming up. The worst was yet to come. Jeremiah could do little to change his circumstances, but he could control his response to them.

To Ponder…

  • What are common causes of “heat” in your life?
  • When trouble comes, are you more likely to stay calm or get worked up?
  • What should your response be when bad things happen?
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