Jeremiah 11:19: The Lamb Led to Slaughter and the Call to Turn Back

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 11:19 “But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, ‘Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.’”


Today we stand before a powerful and sobering verse from the prophet Jeremiah, a man who knew what it meant to be faithful in the face of fierce opposition. Jeremiah 11:19 paints a vivid picture of a gentle lamb, unaware of the schemes against it, led to slaughter. This is not just Jeremiah’s story—it’s a shadow of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and a mirror for our own lives when we stray from God’s path. Drawing from the fiery preaching of Billy Sunday, particularly his 1915 Syracuse sermon on backsliding, let’s explore what this verse means for us today: the danger of drifting from God, the plots of the enemy, and the urgent call to return to the Lord’s way.

The Lamb’s Innocence and the Enemy’s Plot 

Jeremiah compares himself to a gentle lamb, trusting and unaware of the danger closing in. The people he served, those he called to repentance, turned against him, plotting to silence his voice and erase his legacy. “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit,” they said, “that his name be remembered no more.” This wasn’t just a personal attack; it was an assault on God’s truth, which Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed.

In 1915, Billy Sunday stood before crowds in Syracuse, New York, and thundered about backsliding—when God’s people drift from the faith they once held dear. He described it vividly: “Many start the voyage of the Christian life under sending skies and upon smooth waters, but as they sail out of the harbor the sky becomes dark and the craft of their religion crashes upon the rocks.” Like Jeremiah, Sunday saw a world plotting against God’s truth—not always with swords or schemes, but with indifference, compromise, and sin. The enemy, then and now, wants to cut us off from the land of the living, to snuff out the light of Christ in our hearts.

Think about it: how often do we, like that gentle lamb, wander unaware into the traps of this world? We start strong, full of zeal, but then the cares of life—work, pleasure, pride—lure us away. Sunday warned that backsliding begins subtly: neglecting prayer, skipping worship, letting small sins pile up until our faith shipwrecks. The enemy’s plot hasn’t changed: he wants your name—your witness for Christ—forgotten.

The Cost of Backsliding 

Jeremiah’s plight reminds us of the cost of standing for God in a world that rejects Him. But it also points to the cost of backsliding, of turning away from the One who calls us. Sunday didn’t mince words in Syracuse. He said, “At first they are careful to obey the command of God, but after the revival they neglect their duties and finally come to wreck.” That wreck isn’t just a moment; it’s a slow drift—missing a Sunday here, ignoring a conviction there, until we’re far from the harbor of God’s grace.

In Jeremiah’s day, the people of Judah had backslidden. They’d turned to idols, ignored God’s covenant, and plotted against His prophet. God’s response? He revealed the plot to Jeremiah and promised justice (Jeremiah 11:20). But the warning was clear: stay faithful, or face the consequences of straying. Sunday echoed this, railing against the sins of his time—booze, gambling, and “amusements” that pulled people from God. He shocked Syracuse audiences, calling out the “raw” and “disgusting” ways people justified their drift from holiness.

Today, the temptations are different but no less dangerous. Social media, busyness, or the pressure to conform can lead us astray. Are we, like Judah, plotting against God’s call by choosing our own way? Are we silencing the Holy Spirit’s voice in our hearts? Sunday’s challenge rings true: “You cannot pray ‘Thy kingdom come’ and then go and do the things that make the devil laugh.” Backsliding isn’t just falling into sin; it’s failing to fight for righteousness.

The Call to Return 

But here’s the good news: God doesn’t leave us in our backsliding. Jeremiah 11:19 points forward to Jesus, the true Lamb led to the slaughter, who bore our sins to bring us back to God. Through His sacrifice, we have a way home. Sunday’s sermons always ended with an invitation to “hit the sawdust trail,” to come forward and recommit to Christ. In Syracuse, he called the backslidden to turn back, to set their hearts on God’s highway, just as Jeremiah called Judah to repentance.

How do we return? Sunday’s preaching, rooted in the spirit of Jeremiah, offers a roadmap:

  1. Repentance: Recognize your sin and its depth. As Sunday put it, “Realize the folly of struggling against God"
  2. ”Turn to God’s Way: Set your heart on His path—prayer, Scripture, worship, fellowship. Sunday urged, “Put up waymarks and landmarks to guide you back: Bible reading, prayer, meditation.
  3. ”Act Now: Don’t wait. Sunday’s urgency in Syracuse was palpable: “Do a thorough work of repentance immediately. Not vacillating or looking for shortcuts.”

God’s love, as Jeremiah 31:21 reminds us, yearns for His people. Even when we backslide, He calls us back with mercy. Sunday’s revival meetings were filled with music—hymns like “Onward, Christian Soldiers”—to stir the soul and match the message of perseverance. Let’s answer that call today, stepping forward in faith, not to a sawdust trail, but to the cross of Christ.

Conclusion 

Jeremiah 11:19 shows us a lamb led to slaughter, a prophet betrayed, and a God who sees. Billy Sunday, in his 1915 Syracuse sermon, showed us the danger of backsliding and the hope of returning to God. Let’s heed their warnings. Examine your heart: have you drifted from the harbor of faith? The enemy plots to cut you off, but Jesus, the Lamb of God, has overcome. Come back to Him today—repent, seek His way, and walk in holiness. As Sunday would say, “Live so that when the final summons comes, you will leave something more behind you than an epitaph on a tombstone.

Heavenly Father, forgive us when we stray. Like Jeremiah, help us trust You in the face of opposition. Like Sunday’s converts, stir our hearts to hit the trail back to You. May we live boldly for Your glory, anchored in Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


DMMc 6-11-2025

Location: Peru, IN 46970, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Dialysis Day with Dave

Image
Just wanted to run you through an average dialysis day for me and so many others. ----------------------------------------- The alarm shrieks, cutting through the dawn quiet at 7:30 AM, sharp and insistent. Dave groans, rolling over to silence it. His body feels heavy, like it’s still tethered to the bed, but he knows he can’t linger. Dialysis days start early, and the clinic waits for no one. He swings his legs over the side of the bed, pausing to catch his breath. The familiar ache in his lower back is there, a dull throb---a reminder of the fluid his kidneys can’t clear anymore. He shuffles to the bathroom, splashes cold water on his face, and stares at his reflection. His eyes are a little puffy today, but he forces a half-smile. “You got this,” he mutters, a mantra he’s leaned into since his diagnosis. He knows that it's only the strength from God that is getting him through each day. Breakfast is light—oatmeal with a few blueberries, no salt, no bananas. He’s memorized the re...
Read more

Meta is a Menace. The Tyranny of AI

Image
 The use of AI in content moderation on Meta’s platforms—Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads—has sparked intense debate about its impact on free expression, fairness, and platform governance. The term “tyranny of AI” suggests an overreach of automated systems that could suppress voices or misjudge content, often with little recourse for users. Below, I’ll break down the key issues, benefits, and concerns surrounding Meta’s AI-driven moderation, drawing on recent trends and critiques while examining the broader implications. The Role of AI in Meta’s Content Moderation Meta has increasingly leaned on AI to handle the massive volume of content across its platforms, with automated systems now responsible for a significant portion of content removals. For instance, in early 2025, Meta reported that 97.4% of content removed for hate speech on Instagram was handled by AI, though this dropped slightly for bullying and harassment on Facebook. The company has also moved toward automat...
Read more

Mr. Obama Continues to Ignore Reality

President Obama Continues to Ignore Reality … and so do his followers. In his State of the Union, the president barely touched on the issue that galvanized the nation against his Administration — illegal immigration. And when he did mention it, he got it all wrong. The President: “Now, I strongly believe that we should take on, once and for all, the issue of illegal immigration. I am prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, enforce our laws and address the millions of undocumented workers who are now living in the shadows.” That was it. That’s all he had to offer. He’s going to “take on… the issue of illegal immigration“. Obama chooses his words carefully. He didn’t say he was going to stop illegal immigration, did he? Then he said he was ”prepared to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders.” That’s a far cry from sealing our borders to terrorists, drug smugglers and illegal aliens, isn’t it? Then he said he would “address the m...
Read more