August 11 - Jeremiah 14-16
This passage has a very personal flavor. We can see into the heart and mind of Jeremiah, while at the same time hearing the message of the Lord for Judah. As a pastor, I can relate to many of the things Jeremiah was experiencing, and I hope you can see his heart, too.
In chapter 14 Jeremiah shows the real problem in Judah. He captures it in the form of a question to God in verse 8. "Why should You be like a stranger in the land...? This was God's land that He had given to His people, but now if He were to walk through it, so to speak, no one would recognize Him. Not only do the people not know Him intimately, they don't even know Him casually. He is a stranger to them. Therefore, God tells Jeremiah not to pray for them. (v.11) That must have been a blow to Jeremiah. He loved his people. He wanted them to repent and be delivered, but God said that there was no longer any hope for deliverance. God was tired of relenting. (15:6b) Then, when it was too late, the people began to pray. (14:19-22) What a picture of God and humanity. The patient God extends His mercy over and over until He must punish the people, and then at the last moment, the people pray for deliverance. They call on God to not break His covenant with them after they have broken their covenant with Him a hundred times. (14:21) How this must frustrate God! It was very frustrating to Jeremiah, too.
We see Jeremiah's situation in chapters 15 and 16. Everyone was cursing him for delivering God's message of doom and gloom. (15:10b) Evidently, he was constantly rebuked by people (v.15b), even though his delight was in the word of God. (v.16) Therefore, he asks God why He was allowing things like this to overwhelm him. (15:18) God answers Him directly. He tells Jeremiah to return to Him, which implies that his heart was tending to stray a little at least. Then, He promises to deliver him from the enemies. (15:20,21) I am sure that these words were a great comfort to Jeremiah, and they should be a comfort to us when we face similar opposition. God does not keep us from trouble, but He is always there for us, and He will deliver us in the end.
Finally, in chapter 16 we see even more of Jeremiah's life. God commanded him not to have a wife or children because of the terrible conditions. He even forbid him from going to feasts and acting happy. The picture is one of Jeremiah being alone to deliver God's message to a people who were rebuking him. This must have been a lonely life in many ways, but remember that Jeremiah had the Lord and His word. That is what really counts. I know years ago I had to come to understand that my life is not tied up in how people treat me, but in my relationship with God. People may let me down, but God is always there, and He is always faithful. Don't get me wrong. God has always given me good godly friends to walk with me, and He has given me a wonderful wife and family to support me. However, He has also shown me that my focus can't be on people or I will take my focus off of Him. Perhaps, that is another reason God called Jeremiah to such a lifestyle.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 17-19.
In chapter 14 Jeremiah shows the real problem in Judah. He captures it in the form of a question to God in verse 8. "Why should You be like a stranger in the land...? This was God's land that He had given to His people, but now if He were to walk through it, so to speak, no one would recognize Him. Not only do the people not know Him intimately, they don't even know Him casually. He is a stranger to them. Therefore, God tells Jeremiah not to pray for them. (v.11) That must have been a blow to Jeremiah. He loved his people. He wanted them to repent and be delivered, but God said that there was no longer any hope for deliverance. God was tired of relenting. (15:6b) Then, when it was too late, the people began to pray. (14:19-22) What a picture of God and humanity. The patient God extends His mercy over and over until He must punish the people, and then at the last moment, the people pray for deliverance. They call on God to not break His covenant with them after they have broken their covenant with Him a hundred times. (14:21) How this must frustrate God! It was very frustrating to Jeremiah, too.
We see Jeremiah's situation in chapters 15 and 16. Everyone was cursing him for delivering God's message of doom and gloom. (15:10b) Evidently, he was constantly rebuked by people (v.15b), even though his delight was in the word of God. (v.16) Therefore, he asks God why He was allowing things like this to overwhelm him. (15:18) God answers Him directly. He tells Jeremiah to return to Him, which implies that his heart was tending to stray a little at least. Then, He promises to deliver him from the enemies. (15:20,21) I am sure that these words were a great comfort to Jeremiah, and they should be a comfort to us when we face similar opposition. God does not keep us from trouble, but He is always there for us, and He will deliver us in the end.
Finally, in chapter 16 we see even more of Jeremiah's life. God commanded him not to have a wife or children because of the terrible conditions. He even forbid him from going to feasts and acting happy. The picture is one of Jeremiah being alone to deliver God's message to a people who were rebuking him. This must have been a lonely life in many ways, but remember that Jeremiah had the Lord and His word. That is what really counts. I know years ago I had to come to understand that my life is not tied up in how people treat me, but in my relationship with God. People may let me down, but God is always there, and He is always faithful. Don't get me wrong. God has always given me good godly friends to walk with me, and He has given me a wonderful wife and family to support me. However, He has also shown me that my focus can't be on people or I will take my focus off of Him. Perhaps, that is another reason God called Jeremiah to such a lifestyle.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 17-19.