Anathoth

Anathoth was important for Jeremiah. Located a short distance from Jerusalem, this was a city assigned to the priests (Joshua 21:18). It also was his birthplace (Jeremiah 1:1).

Ironically, “Anathoth” comes from a root word meaning “answer.” Perhaps its name indicates that it was a place where prayers were answered. However, its people had become spiritually closed-minded, unwilling to listen to God’s Word. Upset about Jeremiah’s message, they demanded that he stop prophesying “in the name of the Lord,” even threatening to kill him.

This had to be a particular concern for Jeremiah. It was the place of his family origins, and it must have bothered him that they would not receive his message. As the “weeping prophet,” he must have felt pain because he foresaw that judgment would be coming on his own people.

Jesus knew what this was like, for He was rejected by the people in Nazareth, his original hometown. He observed, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household” (Mark 6:4).

This kind of rejection can happen to anyone as we seek to obey the Lord. How easily we may be rejected by friends and family members. Yet we need to know that God sees our hearts. We are to remain faithful to Him and devoted to the Gospel, even if we are rejected by those we care about. This does not change the depth of our love for them, but it can increase our sense of frustration and grief.

If you seek to please God, remember that people may not understand or agree with you. You may face ridicule or rejection. But always remember: It is more important to please God than to please people—no matter who they are.