Read Jeremiah
14-16 & 1
Timothy 5
To discover:
As you read consider why
God refuses to turn from what he is doing.
To ponder:
As God speaks to Jeremiah about a drought, the implication
is that it had come because of the people’s sins. Judah mourns for the land and
city, with servants weeping as they can’t find water for their masters, farmers
dismayed because of cracked land, and animals impacted too (14v1-6). Jeremiah
acknowledges the people’s sins, but prays God would act for the sake of his
name, glorifying himself as the one who saves those in distress. He
acknowledges God is amongst the people who bear his name, yet asks why he is
like those who lack the desire, disposition or power to act (14v7-9). God
responds that he will not accept the people because of their sinful wandering,
commanding Jeremiah not to pray for their well-being, and stating that he will
not respond to their fasts or offerings, but destroy them with sword, famine
and plague (14v10-12). Here Jeremiah says that other prophets are nevertheless saying
that this will not happen and the people will have peace. God is clear: He has
not sent them, and so they are prophesying lies, whether through false visions,
divination practices, or simply the delusions of their own minds. They will
therefore perish by sword or famine themselves, as will the people of Jerusalem ,
who will end up with none to bury them (14v13-6). It’s a strong indictment of
any who claim to speak in God’s name but who speak their own ideas. We should
also ask whether drawing conclusions from circumstances or coincidences that
are then boldly claimed to be God’s word is rather like the process of
divination.
The
description of the people as “my virgin daughter” suggests 14v17-18 may
describe God expressing his own mourning over the destruction that he is
bringing, resulting in Judah ’s
spiritual leaders being in exile. However, in context it is most likely
Jeremiah weeping as he witnesses the destruction, probably in a vision. So the
people are as precious to him as a young woman under the protection of her
father. He asks God whether he has totally rejected Judah ,
as they hoped for peace only to receive terror. Again, he acknowledges the
people’s sin and asks God to act for the sake of his name – ie. to show he is
king and not dishonour his throne, and to remember his covenant and so display
his faithfulness. He acknowledges the people’s hope can only be in the LORD as
he, not the idols, is the creator who brings rain (14v19-22). So there is
no-where else for any of us to turn when in need, but to God. And we too can
pray he would act for the sake of his glory.
Once again,
the irreversible nature of this judgement is stressed, as God responds to
Jeremiah’s request by saying that even Moses or Samuel would not be able to
move him to compassion. He therefore commands the people be sent away from him
to whatever he has destined for them, whether death, sword, starvation or
captivity (15v1-2). His four destroyers (15v3) stress the absolute destruction
and humiliation of the bodies, who will be abhorrent to the nations in the
sense that they will look down on them in their ruin or captivity. Here we see
this is due to the sin they were led into by Manasseh (15v4, see 2 Kgs
21v9-16). What follows implies none will pity Jerusalem .
And God reiterates the destruction God he bring, bringing the sword not just
against the men (as in war) but their mothers too (15v5-9).
This seems to move Jeremiah to
think of his mother, despairing of his birth, because, although he acts
righteously, the whole land contends with and curses him. God responds by
promising to deliver him and cause his enemies to plead with him in the end. He
then promises that no strength that is present in Judah
will break that coming in this army from the north. He adds that his anger will
cause the people to be plundered and enslaved. To this Jeremiah states how God
understands him – presumably his grief in 15v10. He prays God would remember,
care for and avenge him in his patience, because Jeremiah is suffering for his
sake. Indeed, he finds God’s word palatable, rejoicing in it; and he
experiences the loneliness of being apart from revellers, because God
constantly fills him with his anger at the people. And so Jeremiah expresses
the unending pain of being God’s prophet, asking whether God will refresh him
or fail him like a brook that dries up (15v10-18). All this displays the cost
that can be felt by those who stand against the compromises of the church.
God’s love for the likes of
Jeremiah doesn’t keep him from confrontation where it is necessary. So (as with
Elijah) he calls Jeremiah to repent – presumably of his despair and reluctance
with respect to his calling. He promises to restore him to service if he will
speak worthy rather than worthless words. Here the role of the prophet or
preacher is put so succinctly: God’s spokesperson must not turn to the people,
by saying what they want to hear or following their ways. Rather, he must be
unmoveable in declaring the truth, so the people turn to him, accepting his
words and ways. In this, God promises to save and rescue Jeremiah, making him
like a fortified wall so the people will not overcome him (15v19-21).
Next God tells Jeremiah not to
marry and have children because of the horrors that will come on families. Nor
should he attend funerals, because God has withdrawn his pity for the people,
and in what is coming no-one will be buried or mourned – no doubt because there
will be so much death. Jeremiah is also not to join any feast because during
his lifetime God will bring an end to the sort of joy found in wedding
celebrations. The point is that Jeremiah’s actions are to symbolically preach
what is coming. And when the people ask why God is bringing such a disaster, he
is to point out that in their idolatry and breach of God’s law they have acted
even more wickedly than their fathers. Yet he adds that one day people will
speak of God’s reality displayed not in the Exodus but in restoring his people
from exile – a new Exodus. However, God’s present purpose is to bring
“fishermen” and “hunters” to catch and weed out his people - because their sin
is not concealed from him. This is to repay them double (ie. to excess) because
they defiled the land with their idolatry (16v1-18).
At this point, Jeremiah affirms
God as his strength, and how the nations will eventually come to him confessing
the worthlessness of their gods. God responds that he himself will teach the
nations of his power and might so they know that he, the God of Israel, is “the
LORD” - I AM, the one true God (16v19-21, as in 1 Thess 1v9). And so God
teaches the nations through the church as his gospel is preached and the Spirit
brings it home.
Praying it home:
Praise God for
supplying the church with those who like Jeremiah will not flinch from
proclaiming his word. Pray that they would not despair or turn to the ways of
the world.
Thinking
further: The Word of the LORD came
Throughout
we see something of what it means when the Word of the LORD came to a prophet.
It is often visual, but always audible, and of such clarity that it can be
recorded word for word (see 30v2). It is also often in the context of a
dialogue, seen in Jeremiah conversing with God: He hears God speak. He then
responds, sometimes saying things that reflect his human fallibility, as when
he vocalizes his despair, or when he continues to pray for the people despite
being commanded by God not to. We must be careful to recognize that only God’s
words in these oracles are entirely righteous and true. Much that Jeremiah says
is, but God’s own response to him (as with Job) reveals that not all is. So we
need discernment with what we read. And when Jeremiah is showing his sinful
weakness, we can learn about God’s grace in using him nevertheless, and the
traits he displays that we should guard against.
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