Popular sayings often tell us that “the storm will surely pass soon”. It is a metaphor that captures our very human longing for all our problems to pass from our lives as quickly as possible. Just like the people of Judah, who suffered defeat and were exiled to Babylon. That difficult period of exile was a rugged and winding path which the people wished to traverse as quickly as possible. However, we must be careful that our longing to be freed from tragedy and hardship does not cause us to become complacent and fall into temptation – that is, to choose something that is entirely contrary to His will. 

This is precisely what happened to the people of Judah. They were all too easily tempted by those who claimed that this suffering would soon come to an end. Our passage today tells of Shemaiah, who took offence at what Jeremiah had written in his letter. He then presented himself as though he possessed divine authority. This manipulative act was intended to destroy Jeremiah, whom he accused of undermining the spirits of the people in exile. Shemaiah accused Jeremiah of wrongdoing for prophesying that the exile in Babylon would be prolonged and for telling the people to ‘build houses’ and ‘plant gardens’. Perhaps, in Shemaiah’s logic, if Jeremiah truly came from the Lord, he should have prophesied the people’s immediate return to Jerusalem, as had been proclaimed by other prophets who turned out to be false prophets.

In the end, Shemaiah’s scheme failed. This proves that if we walk in the way of the Lord’s truth, He Himself will protect us. Whilst Shemaiah plotted to bring worldly punishment upon Jeremiah, what befell Shemaiah was punishment that came directly from God. 

Often, the trials and tribulations that occur in human life are God’s way of teaching and maturing us. Therefore, when trials arise, do not be too quick to succumb to the desire to escape it all. Instead, walk through reality step by step with God. Perhaps it is from there that wisdom and an understanding of the reality of what is happening will come. Semaya was likely annoyed that Jeremiah did not prophesy the return of Judah, so he resorted to various schemes. Yet note that he overlooked the most crucial aspect of the exile: God’s sovereignty, even behind every problem, and the lessons for His people.