“And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.'” (Jeremiah 21:8 ESV)

Jeremiah was given the difficult task of prophesying that Jerusalem would fall to the Chaldeans (Babylonians). They could not win a fight against the besieging army because God Himself had sent them as an instrument of His wrath. If they chose to stay and fight, they would die. But if they chose to surrender to the Chaldeans, they would live. Jeremiah boldly preached, describing the “way of life” and the “way of death” to them. Being called to preach against his own nation was a heavy burden for Jeremiah. Yet, a true prophet, a true preacher, must put God first above all worldly concerns. God calls His ambassadors to declare the “way of life” and to warn of the “way of death” without regard to political correctness and affiliation.