Could we deal with similar suffering as Jeremiah, a man with an unpopular message from God? Let’s look at Jeremiah 15.
Will God say yes to prayers for a nation whose people who refuse to repent?
The Lord said to me: Even if Moses and Samuel were here, praying with you, I wouldn't change my mind. So send the people of Judah away. (Jer 15:1 CEV)
What four ways would the unrepentant people of Judah suffer?
And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence, and those who are for the sword, to the sword; those who are for famine, to famine, and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the Lord: the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem. (Jer 15:2-4 ESV)
Did Judah rebel against the only one who cared enough to protect them?
Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will show sympathy toward you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare? You have left Me. This is the Lord’s declaration. You have turned your back, so I have stretched out My hand against you and destroyed you. I am tired of showing compassion. I scattered them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I made them childless; I destroyed My people. They would not turn from their ways.
I made their widows more numerous than the sand of the seas. I brought a destroyer at noon against the mother of young men. I suddenly released on her agitation and terrors. The mother of seven grew faint; she breathed her last breath. Her sun set while it was still day; she was ashamed and humiliated. The rest of them I will give over to the sword in the presence of their enemies.” This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 15:5-9 HCSB)
Did Jeremiah feel sorry that he was chosen as the bearer of this warning? Do modern preachers who do not avoid the necessity of repentance also have similar experience?
How terrible for me, my mother, that you gave birth to me, a man of strife and contention for the whole land! I’ve neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me. (Jer 15:10 ISV)
Despite being hated for sharing a divine warning, did God promise He would look after Jeremiah?
The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. (Jer 15:11 KJV)
Would the northern armies come with a quality of iron in their weapons particularly valued at that time?
“Can anyone smash iron, Iron from the north, or bronze? Your wealth and your treasures I will give for plunder without cost, Even for all your sins And within all your borders. Then I will cause your enemies to pass it over Into a land you do not know, For a fire has been kindled in My anger; It will burn upon you.” (Jer 15:12-14 LSB)
What did Jeremiah pray to God regarding his willingness to suffer insults for God?
You know, 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. Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, Lord God of armies.
I did not sit in a circle of revelers and celebrate. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, For You filled me with indignation. Why has my pain been endless And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable? (Jer 15:15-18 NASB)
Does God warn His prophet about further persecution, but also promise to deliver Jeremiah?
Therefore this is what the Lord says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you,” declares the Lord. “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.” (Jer 15:19-21 NIV)
How did Jesus deal with persecution as Jeremiah suffered and leave us an example?
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Peter 2:21-23 NKJV)
Could we deal with similar suffering as Jeremiah, a man with an unpopular message from God? You decide!
False Teachers (Jeremiah 14)
Are there still false teachers spreading lies and indulging sin rather than calling for repentance? Let’s look at Jeremiah 14.
What did God have to say about a drought in the land of Judah and the lack of grass for wildlife?
That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah in regard to the drought: “Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They sit on the ground in mourning, And the outcry of Jerusalem has gone up. Their mighty ones have sent their underlings for water; They have come to the trenches and found no water. They have returned with their vessels empty; They have been put to shame and dishonored, And they cover their heads. Because the ground is dismayed, For there has been no rain on the land, The farmers have been put to shame; They have covered their heads. For even the doe in the field has given birth only to forsake her young Because there is no grass. The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; They pant for air like jackals; Their eyes fail For there is no vegetation.” (Jer 14:1-6 LSB)
What was the prophet's prayer to God in the midst of this national calamity?
“Though our wrongdoings testify against us, Lord, act for the sake of Your name! Our apostasies have indeed been many, We have sinned against You. Hope of Israel, Its Savior in time of distress, Why are You like a stranger in the land, Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night? Why are You like a confused person, Like a warrior who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, Lord, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!” (Jer 14:7-9 NASB)
Do religious rituals without a change of heart really impress God in the slightest?
This is what the Lord says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.” Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.” (Jer 14:10-12 NIV)
What did the false preachers teach, and was that deception similar to the flattering lies of health-wealth preaching today?
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ” And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’ (Jer 14:13-16 NKJV)
Did God shed many tears over the nation? Did those who should have been leading the people know what they were doing? Are world leaders today just as clueless?
Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: “Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter—my precious people—has been struck down and lies mortally wounded. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Jer 14:17-18 NLT)
What was Jeremiah’s prayer for the nation? Was repentance and waiting on God part of that prayer?
Have you utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay! We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you. Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things. (Jer 14:19-22 WEB)
Is false prophets teaching lies still a valid concern today?
But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. (2 Peter 2:1 CEB)
Are there still false teachers spreading lies and indulging sin rather than calling for repentance? You decide!
What did God have to say about a drought in the land of Judah and the lack of grass for wildlife?
That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah in regard to the drought: “Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They sit on the ground in mourning, And the outcry of Jerusalem has gone up. Their mighty ones have sent their underlings for water; They have come to the trenches and found no water. They have returned with their vessels empty; They have been put to shame and dishonored, And they cover their heads. Because the ground is dismayed, For there has been no rain on the land, The farmers have been put to shame; They have covered their heads. For even the doe in the field has given birth only to forsake her young Because there is no grass. The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; They pant for air like jackals; Their eyes fail For there is no vegetation.” (Jer 14:1-6 LSB)
What was the prophet's prayer to God in the midst of this national calamity?
“Though our wrongdoings testify against us, Lord, act for the sake of Your name! Our apostasies have indeed been many, We have sinned against You. Hope of Israel, Its Savior in time of distress, Why are You like a stranger in the land, Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night? Why are You like a confused person, Like a warrior who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, Lord, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!” (Jer 14:7-9 NASB)
Do religious rituals without a change of heart really impress God in the slightest?
This is what the Lord says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.” Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.” (Jer 14:10-12 NIV)
What did the false preachers teach, and was that deception similar to the flattering lies of health-wealth preaching today?
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ” And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’ (Jer 14:13-16 NKJV)
Did God shed many tears over the nation? Did those who should have been leading the people know what they were doing? Are world leaders today just as clueless?
Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: “Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter—my precious people—has been struck down and lies mortally wounded. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Jer 14:17-18 NLT)
What was Jeremiah’s prayer for the nation? Was repentance and waiting on God part of that prayer?
Have you utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay! We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you. Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things. (Jer 14:19-22 WEB)
Is false prophets teaching lies still a valid concern today?
But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. (2 Peter 2:1 CEB)
Are there still false teachers spreading lies and indulging sin rather than calling for repentance? You decide!
Cloth & Jars (Jeremiah 13)
Is our righteousness like a rotting cloth and will our nation also be shattered like broken wine jars for our sins? Let’s look at Jeremiah 13.
What did the Lord ask Jeremiah to do with a linen loincloth?
This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.” So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on. Then the Lord gave me another message: “Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.” So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me.
A long time afterward the Lord said to me, “Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.” So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing. (Jer 13:1-7 NLT)
What did the rotting, good for nothing loincloth symbolize?
Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Yahweh says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing. For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says Yahweh; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’ (Jer 13:8-11 WEB)
As with the rotting loincloth, what did the shattering of wine jugs symbolize?
So deliver this word to them: The Lord the God of Israel proclaims: Every wine jug should be filled with wine. And they will answer you, “Don’t we already know that? Obviously every wine jug should be filled with wine!” Then you should say to them: The Lord proclaims: I’m going to fill everyone who lives in this country with wine that makes them drunk, including the kings on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all those living in Jerusalem. And I will shatter every one of them, even parents and children, declares the Lord. I won’t take pity; I won’t have compassion; I will show no mercy when I destroy them. (Jer 13:12-14 CEB)
Are we too proud to listen to what the Lord has said, to confess our sins?
People of Judah, don't be too proud to listen to what the Lord has said. You hope for light, but God is sending darkness. Evening shadows already deepen in the hills. So return to God and confess your sins to him before you trip and fall. If you are too proud to listen, I will weep alone. Tears will stream from my eyes when the Lord's people are taken away as prisoners. (Jer 13:15-17 CEV)
Should those of high society in any age also learn humility, to take a lowly seat? Would Judah follow Israel into national captivity?
Say to the king and the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head.” The cities of the Negeb are shut up, with none to open them; all Judah is taken into exile, wholly taken into exile. Lift up your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock? (Jer 13:18-20 ESV)
Can Judah repent after they have been punished for a lifetime training in evil?
What will you say when He appoints close friends as leaders over you, ones you yourself trained? Won’t labor pains seize you, as they do a woman in labor? And when you ask yourself, “Why have these things happened to me?” It is because of your great guilt that your skirts have been stripped off, your body exposed. Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil. (Jer 13:21-23 HCSB)
What would God do to a nation that commits sexual sins, engages in detestable behavior and worships false gods?
I’ll scatter them like chaff blown away by a desert wind. “This is your fate, the portion I’ve measured out for you,” declares the Lord, “because you have forgotten me and have trusted in false gods. I’ll also pull your skirt up over your face, so your shame will be seen, I’ve seen your detestable behavior: your adulteries, your passionate neighing, your lewd immorality on the hills in the field. How terrible it will be for you, Jerusalem! You are unclean. How much longer will this go on?” (Jer 13:24-27 ISV)
Are we really any better than ancient Israel and Judah? Do we too need to repent?
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Rom 3:9-23 KJV)
Is our righteousness like a rotting cloth and will our nation also be shattered like broken wine jars for our sins? You decide!
What did the Lord ask Jeremiah to do with a linen loincloth?
This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.” So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on. Then the Lord gave me another message: “Take the linen loincloth you are wearing, and go to the Euphrates River. Hide it there in a hole in the rocks.” So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as the Lord had instructed me.
A long time afterward the Lord said to me, “Go back to the Euphrates and get the loincloth I told you to hide there.” So I went to the Euphrates and dug it out of the hole where I had hidden it. But now it was rotting and falling apart. The loincloth was good for nothing. (Jer 13:1-7 NLT)
What did the rotting, good for nothing loincloth symbolize?
Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, “Yahweh says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing. For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says Yahweh; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’ (Jer 13:8-11 WEB)
As with the rotting loincloth, what did the shattering of wine jugs symbolize?
So deliver this word to them: The Lord the God of Israel proclaims: Every wine jug should be filled with wine. And they will answer you, “Don’t we already know that? Obviously every wine jug should be filled with wine!” Then you should say to them: The Lord proclaims: I’m going to fill everyone who lives in this country with wine that makes them drunk, including the kings on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all those living in Jerusalem. And I will shatter every one of them, even parents and children, declares the Lord. I won’t take pity; I won’t have compassion; I will show no mercy when I destroy them. (Jer 13:12-14 CEB)
Are we too proud to listen to what the Lord has said, to confess our sins?
People of Judah, don't be too proud to listen to what the Lord has said. You hope for light, but God is sending darkness. Evening shadows already deepen in the hills. So return to God and confess your sins to him before you trip and fall. If you are too proud to listen, I will weep alone. Tears will stream from my eyes when the Lord's people are taken away as prisoners. (Jer 13:15-17 CEV)
Should those of high society in any age also learn humility, to take a lowly seat? Would Judah follow Israel into national captivity?
Say to the king and the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head.” The cities of the Negeb are shut up, with none to open them; all Judah is taken into exile, wholly taken into exile. Lift up your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock? (Jer 13:18-20 ESV)
Can Judah repent after they have been punished for a lifetime training in evil?
What will you say when He appoints close friends as leaders over you, ones you yourself trained? Won’t labor pains seize you, as they do a woman in labor? And when you ask yourself, “Why have these things happened to me?” It is because of your great guilt that your skirts have been stripped off, your body exposed. Can the Cushite change his skin, or a leopard his spots? If so, you might be able to do what is good, you who are instructed in evil. (Jer 13:21-23 HCSB)
What would God do to a nation that commits sexual sins, engages in detestable behavior and worships false gods?
I’ll scatter them like chaff blown away by a desert wind. “This is your fate, the portion I’ve measured out for you,” declares the Lord, “because you have forgotten me and have trusted in false gods. I’ll also pull your skirt up over your face, so your shame will be seen, I’ve seen your detestable behavior: your adulteries, your passionate neighing, your lewd immorality on the hills in the field. How terrible it will be for you, Jerusalem! You are unclean. How much longer will this go on?” (Jer 13:24-27 ISV)
Are we really any better than ancient Israel and Judah? Do we too need to repent?
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Rom 3:9-23 KJV)
Is our righteousness like a rotting cloth and will our nation also be shattered like broken wine jars for our sins? You decide!
Justice When (Jeremiah 12)
Why do the wicked often seem to prosper in the short term? Do we believe that God’s justice will come in His perfect time? Let’s look at Jeremiah 12.
What question did Jeremiah put to God regarding the wicked?
You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease? You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their conscience. (Jer 12:1-2 HCSB)
Did Jeremiah ask how long God would wait before giving justice to the wicked?
You know me, Lord. You see me and test my thoughts toward you. Pull the wicked out like sheep for slaughter; set them apart for the day of butchering. How long will the land mourn and the vegetation of every field dry up? Because of the wickedness of those who live in it, animals and birds are swept away. For they say, “He does not see our future.” (Jer 12:3-4 ISV)
Did God tell Jeremiah that his trials were only beginning, that he would soon run against horses, suffering worse persecution?
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee. (Jer 12:5-6 KJV)
Is God like a husband delivering his beloved but unfaithful wife to her punishment?
“I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance; I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies. My inheritance has become to Me Like a lion in the forest; She has given forth its voice against Me; Therefore I have come to hate her. Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me? Are the birds of prey against her on every side? Go, gather all the beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!” (Jer 12:7-9 LSB)
How have the country’s shepherds or leaders contributed to its downfall?
Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard, They have trampled down My field; They have made My pleasant field A desolate wilderness. It has been made a desolation; Desolate, it mourns before Me; The whole land has been made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart.
On all the bare heights in the wilderness Destroyers have come, For the sword of the Lord is devouring From one end of the land even to the other; There is no peace for anyone. They have sown wheat but have harvested thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. So be ashamed of your produce Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.” (Jer 12:10-13 NASB)
What does God plan for His nation and those nations willing to obey Him?
This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord. (Jer 12:14-17 NIV)
Will Christians suffer hardship at times? Are Christians persecuted in some countries?
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Tim 2:3-4 NKJV)
Why do the wicked often seem to prosper in the short term? Do we believe that God’s justice will come in His perfect time? You decide!
What question did Jeremiah put to God regarding the wicked?
You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease? You planted them, and they have taken root. They have grown and produced fruit. You are ever on their lips, but far from their conscience. (Jer 12:1-2 HCSB)
Did Jeremiah ask how long God would wait before giving justice to the wicked?
You know me, Lord. You see me and test my thoughts toward you. Pull the wicked out like sheep for slaughter; set them apart for the day of butchering. How long will the land mourn and the vegetation of every field dry up? Because of the wickedness of those who live in it, animals and birds are swept away. For they say, “He does not see our future.” (Jer 12:3-4 ISV)
Did God tell Jeremiah that his trials were only beginning, that he would soon run against horses, suffering worse persecution?
If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee. (Jer 12:5-6 KJV)
Is God like a husband delivering his beloved but unfaithful wife to her punishment?
“I have forsaken My house; I have abandoned My inheritance; I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies. My inheritance has become to Me Like a lion in the forest; She has given forth its voice against Me; Therefore I have come to hate her. Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me? Are the birds of prey against her on every side? Go, gather all the beasts of the field, Bring them to devour!” (Jer 12:7-9 LSB)
How have the country’s shepherds or leaders contributed to its downfall?
Many shepherds have ruined My vineyard, They have trampled down My field; They have made My pleasant field A desolate wilderness. It has been made a desolation; Desolate, it mourns before Me; The whole land has been made desolate, Because no one takes it to heart.
On all the bare heights in the wilderness Destroyers have come, For the sword of the Lord is devouring From one end of the land even to the other; There is no peace for anyone. They have sown wheat but have harvested thorns, They have strained themselves to no profit. So be ashamed of your produce Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.” (Jer 12:10-13 NASB)
What does God plan for His nation and those nations willing to obey Him?
This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord. (Jer 12:14-17 NIV)
Will Christians suffer hardship at times? Are Christians persecuted in some countries?
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. (2 Tim 2:3-4 NKJV)
Why do the wicked often seem to prosper in the short term? Do we believe that God’s justice will come in His perfect time? You decide!
Broken Covenant (Jeremiah 11)
Who broke the old covenant with God? Are we thankful for the new covenant? Let’s look at Jeremiah 11.
What did God say to Jeremiah about His covenant with Israel?
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: “Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,’ in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I replied, “Amen, Lord.” (Jer 11:1-5 NASB)
Did the people listen to God or follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts? How lonely was the life of a true prophet?
The Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.’” (Jer 11:6-8 NIV)
What conspiracy was there among the people of Judah? What sin had they returned to?
And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”
Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. (Jer 11:9-13 NKJV)
Will God listen to the prayers of idolaters, to people who refuse to repent?
Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress. What right do my beloved people have to come to my Temple, when they have done so many immoral things? Can their vows and sacrifices prevent their destruction? They actually rejoice in doing evil!
I, the Lord, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit. But now I have sent the fury of their enemies to burn them with fire, leaving them charred and broken. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who planted this olive tree, have ordered it destroyed. For the people of Israel and Judah have done evil, arousing my anger by burning incense to Baal. (Jer 11:14-17 NLT)
What did Jeremiah pray when he found out about a plot against him? Did being like a lamb led to the slaughter echo Jesus’ suffering?
Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings. But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plans against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.” But, Yahweh of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause. (Jer 11:18-20 WEB)
Did God promise to punish those men, from Anathoth near Jerusalem, who plotted to kill Jeremiah?
This is what the Lord says concerning the men from Anathoth who seek your life and say, “Don’t prophesy in the Lord’s name or else you will die at our hands.” Therefore, the Lord of heavenly forces proclaims, I’m going to punish them. Their young men will die in war, and their sons and daughters will die by famine. No one will be left because I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth when their time comes. (Jer 11:21-23 CEB)
Who was at fault that the old covenant was broken? Did this pave the way for a new covenant?
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. (Heb 8:7-9 ESV)
Who broke the old covenant with God? Are we thankful for the new covenant? You decide!
What did God say to Jeremiah about His covenant with Israel?
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: “Cursed is the one who does not obey the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,’ in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I replied, “Amen, Lord.” (Jer 11:1-5 NASB)
Did the people listen to God or follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts? How lonely was the life of a true prophet?
The Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again, saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.’” (Jer 11:6-8 NIV)
What conspiracy was there among the people of Judah? What sin had they returned to?
And the Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”
Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. (Jer 11:9-13 NKJV)
Will God listen to the prayers of idolaters, to people who refuse to repent?
Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, for I will not listen to them when they cry out to me in distress. What right do my beloved people have to come to my Temple, when they have done so many immoral things? Can their vows and sacrifices prevent their destruction? They actually rejoice in doing evil!
I, the Lord, once called them a thriving olive tree, beautiful to see and full of good fruit. But now I have sent the fury of their enemies to burn them with fire, leaving them charred and broken. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who planted this olive tree, have ordered it destroyed. For the people of Israel and Judah have done evil, arousing my anger by burning incense to Baal. (Jer 11:14-17 NLT)
What did Jeremiah pray when he found out about a plot against him? Did being like a lamb led to the slaughter echo Jesus’ suffering?
Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings. But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plans against me, saying, “Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit, and let’s cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.” But, Yahweh of Armies, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them; for to you I have revealed my cause. (Jer 11:18-20 WEB)
Did God promise to punish those men, from Anathoth near Jerusalem, who plotted to kill Jeremiah?
This is what the Lord says concerning the men from Anathoth who seek your life and say, “Don’t prophesy in the Lord’s name or else you will die at our hands.” Therefore, the Lord of heavenly forces proclaims, I’m going to punish them. Their young men will die in war, and their sons and daughters will die by famine. No one will be left because I will bring disaster upon the men of Anathoth when their time comes. (Jer 11:21-23 CEB)
Who was at fault that the old covenant was broken? Did this pave the way for a new covenant?
For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord. (Heb 8:7-9 ESV)
Who broke the old covenant with God? Are we thankful for the new covenant? You decide!
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