What does Jeremiah say in his own defence?

Jeremiah now speaks in his own defence. There are three crucial elements to his defence.

First, he answers to the accusation that he has spoken falsely in the Lord’s name. Jeremiah says, The Lord sent me to prophesy all the words you have heard. The right response to his words would be for them to obey the voice of the Lord your God. Jeremiah is using the covenant language of Deuteronomy 18:15–22 where the Lord speaks of the prophets he will raise up and send to his people. These prophets are to speak the words the Lord has given them. Jeremiah is placing himself firmly in the line of those whom the Lord has sent.¹

Secondly, Jeremiah gives a summary of the message he has been accused of preaching, only he does not leave out his words against the temple that his accusers ignored when they presented their evidence. Jeremiah makes it clear that the temple is included in the Lord’s judgment, not just the city. The judgment against the city that Jeremiah has spoken of is coming precisely because of what has happened in the temple. This totally contradicts the conviction of his accusers that the Lord would never speak against the city because of the temple. They have chosen to totally ignore Jeremiah’s warning that Judah’s worship has been corrupted. They continue in their belief that the mere presence of the temple and the rituals that take place there are sufficient to guarantee the Lord’s protection of Jerusalem.

Thirdly, Jeremiah includes his call to repent, which his accusers had also left out when they presented their evidence. He calls on his accusers, and those sitting in judgment of him, to mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God. If they did this then the Lord will relent of the disaster he has pronounced against you. Jeremiah turns the whole case around. It is not he who is standing trial before the court and his accusers, but they are standing trial before the Lord. Indeed, they have heard all the evidence with their own ears, but the evidence is not against Jeremiah; it is the Lord’s evidence against them! Jeremiah’s main concern even as he faces possible death is not what they say about him, but what they will do in response to the Lord’s word.