It wasn't the easy life, because, like they say: "No news is good news" (and any news is better than the truth).

(1) The Lord deals with a man and tells him what to do.

Jeremiah 18:1-13 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words."

Acts 9:1-6 "Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."

(2) The prophet then warns the people of the future and reminds of the past.

2nd Chronicles 18:16 "Then [Micaiah] said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains. . . ."

Jeremiah 19:11-15 "Even so will I break this people . . . and they shall bury them . . . till there be no place to bury."

Acts 9:22 "But Saul . . . confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ."

13:9-10 "Then Saul . . . said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil. . . ."

vs. 16-32 [a little history lesson]

v. 41 "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish. . . ."

17:22-25 "Then Paul . . . said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious."

(3) Even if they believe what’s told, they don’t believe it applies to them.

(4) The man provides the explanation for the punishment.

Jeremiah 19:15 ". . . I will bring . . . evil . . . because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words."

44:23 "Because ye have burned incense . . . therefore this evil is happened unto you. . . ."

(4) The hearers ignore, reject, hate, accuse, contradict, persecute, conspire against, and kill the man.

2nd Chronicles 18:6-7 ". . . I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil. . . ."

20:1-2 ". . . Pashur . . . heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. . . . Then Pashur smote Jeremiah. . . ."

Acts 23:1-2 "And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth."

9:23 "And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. . . ."

13:45 ". . . the Jews . . . spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming."

v. 50 "But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women . . . and raised persecution against Paul. . . ."

14:19 ". . . [C]ertain Jews . . . who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city. . . ."

16:16-24 "These men . . . do exceedingly trouble our city. . . . And the multitude rose up together against them. . . ."

18:12-13 ". . . [T]he Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat. . . ."

21:30-36 [just another typical day in Paul's life]

23:12-15 ". . . [C]ertain of the Jews . . . [said] they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul."

24:1-9 "For we have found this man a pestilent fellow . . . a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. . . ."

v. 27 ". . . [A]nd Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. (Sure, why not?)

25:1-3 "Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul . . . laying wait in the way to kill him."

v. 7 "And when he was come, the Jews . . . laid many and grievous complaints against Paul. . . ." (Typical!)

26:24 "And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art . . . mad."

("You better watch it. That book will make you crazy!")

27:1 [Here's Paul in the chain gang, going out to sea in irons.]

(5) The man sometimes laments that he has ever been born.

vs. 7-18 "Wherefore came I forth out of the womb . . . that my days should be consumed with shame?"

[Examples]

Jeremiah 22 & 23 (23:36) "And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more. . . ."

32:1-2 ". . . Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison. . . ."