seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Jeremiah 14:1 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2 “Judah mourns,
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 The nobles send their servants for water;
they go to the cisterns
but find no water.
They return with their jars unfilled;
dismayed and despairing,
they cover their heads.
4 The ground is cracked
because there is no rain in the land;
the farmers are dismayed
and cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field
deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights
and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
for lack of food.”
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3 The nobles send their servants for water;
they go to the cisterns
but find no water.
They return with their jars unfilled;
dismayed and despairing,
they cover their heads.
4 The ground is cracked
because there is no rain in the land;
the farmers are dismayed
and cover their heads.
5 Even the doe in the field
deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights
and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
for lack of food.”
7 Although our sins testify against us,
do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.
For we have often rebelled;
we have sinned against you.
8 You who are the hope of Israel,
its Savior in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays only a night?
do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.
For we have often rebelled;
we have sinned against you.
8 You who are the hope of Israel,
its Savior in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays only a night?
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a warrior powerless to save?
You are among us, Lord,
and we bear your name;
do not forsake us!
10 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.”
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.”
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. 12 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.”
13 But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries[a] and the delusions of their own minds. 15 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. 16 And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.
17 “Speak this word to them:
“‘Let my eyes overflow with tears
night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin Daughter, my people,
has suffered a grievous wound,
a crushing blow.
18 If I go into the country,
I see those slain by the sword;
if I go into the city,
I see the ravages of famine.
Both prophet and priest
have gone to a land they know not.’”
night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin Daughter, my people,
has suffered a grievous wound,
a crushing blow.
18 If I go into the country,
I see those slain by the sword;
if I go into the city,
I see the ravages of famine.
Both prophet and priest
have gone to a land they know not.’”
19 Have you rejected Judah completely?
Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us
so that we cannot be healed?
We hoped for peace
but no good has come,
for a time of healing
but there is only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
and the guilt of our ancestors;
we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us;
do not dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us
and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this.
Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us
so that we cannot be healed?
We hoped for peace
but no good has come,
for a time of healing
but there is only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
and the guilt of our ancestors;
we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us;
do not dishonor your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us
and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this.
a. Jeremiah 14:14 Or visions, worthless divination
In a lush green community.... it's hard to comprehend drought. Sure.... the weatherman may get up and say something like "we are in the ____ week without substantial rain" but the beautiful green trees [though wilting some] outside skew the message.
Visiting our local grocery stores..... it's hard to comprehend famine. Sure..... the produce is not quite as bountiful or pretty as it use to be..... but there is so much food, canned, bottled, frozen, dried, pickled and fresh..... people can toss an apple if it has a blemish.
Swords mean nothing to us..... we have rifles we can bump up to automatic..... no one would bring a sword to a gunfight.
This is from bible-studys.org.
Drought and famine were two of the judgments Moses had warned would come if the people did not obey the Lord’s commands (Lev. Chapter 26; Deut. Chapter 28). Famine and war usually go together. Revelation chapter 6 warns that in the Tribulation period will come the Antichrist, followed by war and worldwide famine.
Jeremiah had been advised not to intercede for his people; yet he cannot help pleading for them despite their wronging of him. He prays for God’s mercy on the basis of their being “called by thy name”. However, God rejects Jeremiah’s request, reminding him that it is useless to pray for this unyielding sinful people.
The people’s sin was so great that the Lord had said He would not listen to the prayers of Jeremiah. Still the prophet felt compelled to intercede for them, as Moses had.
The excuse was not valid. These were deceits spawned from the prophets’ lying hearts. The prophets would suffer for their own sins, but so would the people for their “wickedness”.
The Lord also rejected the people’s confession of sin. Ironically, they petitioned Him to not “break” His covenant with them, when in fact they had broken the covenant.
The words drought and famine, not to mention the carnage caused by swords, don't mean a thing to American citizens. We are spoiled with beauty.... we are fat and lazy..... and the majority of us only know war through the boob tube. These warnings of Jeremiah.... seem ancient and benign.I hear that Solomon's Island, MD was under water recently..... I wonder..... can flood drown crops???? Can flood cause famine.... shush... I didn't see a rainbow.
Then there are the fake preachers..... stubbed your toe... let us pray.....toe is better.... hallelujah...... have a cold.... let us pray..... cold is gone in 10 days.... hallelujah..... got cancer.... let us pray.... some people are meant to suffer..... crazed killer with guns.... let us pray.... pass me my gun.... I'll protect the church.... gunman ran out of bullets.... hallelujah. Oh.... them.... it was their time.... let us pray. Hungry.... let us pray.... time to go home dinner's waiting for us..... we're sure they will have a turn of fortune soon..... when it does.... don't forget to say hallelujah.....
One of these days.... there is going to be a second coming..... and those of us who are now so spoiled.... will be in for a very rude awakening. It seems that Americans have a really short memory. We, like the descendants of Jacob [Israel], vow to "never forget"..... shake our fists....and then go about life..... and over time.... we put up a monument and go on with life.... no change in attitude..... a small blurb in a history book.... lesson absorbed but not learned. When the earth starts to shake with that final quake before Christ returns..... people will flock to churches, chapels, and synagogues..... they will beg for God to protect them "like He said He would"..... but God has left the room.... Christ... the one humans beat to a bloody pulp and hung naked on a Cross..... is in charge.... and He knows who is family and who is not..... His sword will destroy guns.... His horse is faster than anything on the NASCAR track......
Hallelujah....
