In 16:1-9 we see Jehovah's restrictions to Jeremiah for His further commission. Jehovah said to him, "You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place. For thus says Jehovah concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place and concerning their mothers who bear them and concerning their fathers who beget them in this land: They will die grievous deaths and will not be mourned nor buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and will be consumed by sword and by famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth" (vv. 2-4). Because this was to be the future and destiny of the land, Jeremiah was not to take a wife or have children. If he had had a wife and children, they certainly would have suffered.
Jehovah's word to Jeremiah about not having wife or children surely was a restriction to him. This indicates that if we would be a mouthpiece of God and speak for Him, we must be restricted. Others may have the freedom to do certain things, but we will not have such freedom.
Verses 5 through 9 tell us of the further restrictions placed upon Jeremiah by God. He was to be restricted from both mourning and feasting. Jehovah charged him not to enter the house of mourning and not to mourn or lament for the people of Israel, for He has taken away His peace, lovingkindness, and compassions from them (v. 5). Both the great and the small would die in this land. They would not be buried, and they would not be mourned (v. 6). The people would not break bread in mourning to comfort anyone for the dead, and they would not give them a cup of consolation to drink for mother or father (v. 7). Concerning feasting, Jehovah said to Jeremiah, "You shall not enter the house of feasting to sit with them and eat and drink. For thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of gladness and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (vv. 8-9). This reveals that instead of joy there would be suffering.
In these verses Jehovah was indicating to Jeremiah that, as God's mouthpiece, he would suffer. Throughout the generations, those who have been used by God to speak for Him have always suffered. This was the situation with Brother Nee. I was with him for many years, and I can testify that he suffered greatly. There was hardly a day of peace, a day without misunderstanding, criticism, and opposition. Because he was one who spoke for God, he was one who suffered many things from many people.
If we do not speak for God, we may not encounter problems. But speaking for God will bring problems. The more we speak for Him, the more problems we will have. However, our speaking for God should not depend on our choice. On the contrary, our speaking for God should always depend on God's revelation.