When Those Who Claim to Work for God Do Evil

Paul, the Apostle, informs Timothy that all who wish to walk with Jesus will be persecuted. 

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Jeremiah was of course, no exception. 

Jeremiah 20:1–2 (ESV) Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2 Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD.

For telling God's people what God wanted them to know, Jeremiah was beaten and imprisoned by the very people who claimed to work for God. Notice it was "Passhur the priest" who instigated this attack on Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah responds by changing Pashur's name. 

Jeremiah 20:3–4 (ESV) The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call your name Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side. 4 For thus says the LORD: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall strike them down with the sword.

The name "Pashhur" means "liberty, prosperity roundabout." But Jeremiah tells him he's not living up to his name. His name will be "Terror on Every Side." God often renames people into positive things. Jacob, the deceiver becomes Israel, God commands. Simon, "hearing" becomes Peter, "rock." These names indicate future destinies. Here, a priest that should bring God's people peace will now become an object of terror. Jeremiah tells him that exile and death await this false priest.

Unfortunately, in many generations, those who claim to represent God are often the ones doing the most damage to the world. This was the case in Jeremiah's day. 

That sort of experience can cause great distress upon the people. Jeremiah felt it and vented his frustration about it. 

Jeremiah 20:7 (ESV) O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me.

Again and again, we are confronted with the honesty and sincere wrestling of the prophet. Thank God for that! He was human and he cried out to God. 

But the prophet is captured by his calling. 

Jeremiah 20:9 (ESV) If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

You know you're called when you don't give up in the face of trouble. And sometimes the greatest test of faith is to see the people who should represent God do the opposite things of God. But remember this - in the end, it's not what they do that shapes your life, it's what God said. And if He called you, there's no other way to live but to answer.