Hidden in Plain Sight: Finding Refuge in God’s Call
"Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be." - Jeremiah 36:19
In Jeremiah 36:19, we find a poignant moment in the life of the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch, who faithfully recorded the words God delivered to Israel. The verse states, “Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.” This gentle command from the princes highlights a significant aspect of their reality: the threat surrounding them, the urgency of the prophet’s message, and the necessity of discerning God’s plan in precarious times.
To understand the depth of this verse, one must consider the context in which it was spoken. The scroll Baruch had written at Jeremiah's dictation contained God’s judgment upon Judah for their sins and call to repentance. When the kings and leaders heard this proclamation, their hearts were hardened, and they sought to silence the message that threatened their authority. The princes’ instruction to hide signifies not just a physical hiding but an understanding of the spiritual warfare that was at play. Here, we observe how fear often motivates our actions when faced with divine truth.
This command echoes through generations. As believers, we are often called to speak truth in a world that is resistant to it. How easy it might have been for Baruch and Jeremiah to be overwhelmed by their circumstances and retreat into silence. Yet, despite being urged to hide, their voices carried the weight of God’s message.
In a world seemingly hostile to the gospel, we too must recognize that our lives can oftentimes feel hidden. Perhaps you feel sidelined or sidelined in your workplace, home, or community for standing firm in your faith. In moments like these, we must remember that hiding does not equate to loss but rather reflects obedience. God often uses periods of seclusion to refine His servants.
Consider the examples set before us in Scripture: Moses was hidden for a season in Midian, David fled from Saul to seek refuge in caves, and even our Lord Jesus spent forty days in the wilderness. Each moment of withdrawal was a preparation for a greater purpose.
Jeremiah and Baruch were ultimately safe, not because they hid, but because they were under God’s protection. The call upon our lives is to discern where God wants us, perhaps in a quiet place where He can speak to our hearts without the noise of the urgent distractions of life. In our solitude, God can recharge our spirits and clarify our mission.
Moreover, this verse reminds us that obedience to God does not always look like popularity or acclaim. There are moments when it seems safest to hide, yet God is drawing us into the secret place with Him. Are we willing to be hidden, to fade into obscurity so we can truly shine for Him? The world around us is clamoring for attention, yet God calls us to a place of stillness and reliance on Him.
As we reflect on Jeremiah 36:19, we must also consider our response to God’s call amidst the chaos. Are we eager to find refuge in His Word, even if it leads to a season of seclusion? When we find ourselves in times of hiding, let us take it not as a sign of fear but as an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God. Like Baruch and Jeremiah, let us emerge from our seasons of hiding, equipped and emboldened to carry forth His truth in a world desperate for His light.
Today, let us pray for courage, knowing that our hiding will not last forever. The Lord promises to use our wilderness experiences for His glory—the perfect venue for refining our character and equipping us for the tasks ahead.
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Jeremiah 36:19 - "Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be."
"Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be." - Jeremiah 36:19
Genesis 19-36
Jeremiah 36:27 - "¶ Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,"
Jeremiah 36:5 - "And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:"
Joshua 19:36 - "And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor,"
Genesis 36:19 - "These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes."
Jeremiah 36:4 - "Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book."
Luke 19:36 - "And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way."
Jeremiah 36:8 - "And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house."
Jeremiah 36:1 - "And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,"
Jeremiah 36:26 - "But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them."
Genesis 19:36 - "Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father."
"And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor," - Joshua 19:36
Jeremiah 36:22 - "Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him."
Job 36:19 - "Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength."
Jeremiah 33:19 - "¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,"
Jeremiah 36:10 - "Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people."
Jeremiah 25:36 - "A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture."
2 Kings 19:36 - "So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh."
John 19:36 - "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken."
Jeremiah 50:36 - "A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed."
Jeremiah 36:11 - "¶ When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,"
Acts 19:36 - "Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly."
Jeremiah 36:15 - "And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears."
Jeremiah 36:17 - "And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?"
"And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way." - Luke 19:36
"These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes." - Genesis 36:19
Jeremiah 36:32 - "¶ Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words."
Exodus 36:19 - "And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that."