“You who know, O LORD, remember me, take notice of me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that FOR YOUR SAKE I ENDURE REPROACH” (Jer 15:15).
The parallels between Jeremiah and the prophecies about the sufferings of the Messiah are so nearly identical that we might be tempted to identify Jeremiah as the suffering Messiah if we weren’t careful. Let me explain. In verse 15, Jeremiah says, “for Your sake I endure reproach.” The prophet is borrowing a nearly word for word phrase from Psalm 69: “Because for Your sake I have borne reproach” (v. 7). Psalm 69 happens to be one of the most cited psalms in the New Testament and is obviously regarded as Messianic by the NT authors. Psalm 69:9 is cited in John 2:17 (“zeal for your house”). Psalm 69:21 is cited in Matthew 27:34 (“for for my thirst they gave me vinegar”). Add to this the fact that Jeremiah even cites Isaiah 53:7-8 and appears to apply Isaiah’s words about the servant to himself (Jer 11:19).
So what prevents us from saying that Jeremiah fulfilled the prophecies about the suffering Messiah-servant? The answer is obvious. In response to his mistreatment, Jeremiah prays for God’s vengeance to fall upon his persecutors (Jer 11:20; 15:15) and so God obliges. How different, however, is the mission of Israel’s suffering Messiah. Rather than bringing down God’s vengeance upon those who mistreat and reject him, God’s rains down forgiveness:
“By his scourging we are healed” (Isa 53:5).
“The Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him” (Isa 53:6).
“Like a lamb to that is led to the slaughter, … he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people” (Isa 53:7-8).
Rather than bringing down God’s vengeance upon those who mistreat and reject him, God’s rains down forgiveness.
Although Jeremiah identified with the suffering Messiah, he fell far short. Jeremiah longed for God to judge those who cursed him. Yeshua, on the other hand, longed for God to forgive those who cursed him! Jeremiah is a shadow. Yeshua is the real deal. By his stripes, therefore, we are healed!
“When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves” (Luke 23:33-34).
