Here is a teaching of chapters 14 & 15 of the book of Jeremiah. If you want to check out Bible studies of the previous chapters, click here
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Chapter 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.”
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? 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.” 11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of these 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.”
In the verses above, Jeremiah is asking the Lord not to forsake these people and the Lord says that he won't accept them and not to pray for these people. In the previous chapters in the book of Jeremiah that I've gone over here, the Lord gives the people of Judah and Jerusalem chance after chance to acknowledge their guilt, repent, and truly change their ways and they continue to rebel against him time after time. Now, because the Lord has put them drought upon them, Jeremiah is asking to not punish them even though they have sinned. The Lord is not going to accept these people or their offerings because of their wickedness.
13 But I said, “Alas, SovereignLord! 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, 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.’” 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.
Chapter 14 Study Guide:
Why does Judah mourn and cries go up from Jerusalem?
What does Jeremiah want the Lord to do for the people?
Why does the Lord not accept these people?
What does the Lord say will happen to the prophets that are prophesying lies in his name about peace?
Why is their hope in the Lord?
Chapter 15
1 Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to these people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go! 2 And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’ 3 “I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” declares the Lord, “the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds and the wild animals to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them disgusting to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.
5 “Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask how you are? 6 You have rejected me,” declares theLord. “You keep on backsliding. So I will reach out and destroy you; I am tired of holding back. 7 I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the city gates of the land. I will bring destruction on my people, for they have not changed their ways.
So in these verses above, the Lord is saying that his heart will not go out to these people and to send them away to go where they are destined to go. The Lord is sending 4 kinds of destroyers against them and make them disgusting to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh did. So their forefathers before them have sinned, but these people of Judah and Jerusalem are following what their forefathers have done. They have these false Gods and worthless idols, they keep going around doing wicked things, and rebelling against the Lord. So the Lord can't have compassion on them anymore and he's going to put destruction on them because they have not changed their ways.
8 I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. At midday, I will bring a destroyer against the mothers of their young men; suddenly I will bring down on them anguish and terror. 9 The mother of seven will grow faint and breathe her last. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. I will put the survivors to the sword before their enemies,” declares the Lord. 10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth, a man with whom the whole land strives and contends! I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.
Here in the verses above, when the Lord is talking about mothers, Jeremiah thinks about his mother that gave birth to him. And then Jeremiah goes on to say that he hasn't taken anything from anyone, yet everyone is cursing him.
11 The Lord said, “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress. 12 “Can a man break iron— iron from the north—or bronze? 13 “Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without charge, because of all your sins throughout your country. 14 I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”
Okay, so I'm going to address something here.... In Chapter one of Jeremiah, when the Lord comes to Jeremiah and says that he must go to the people say whatever he commands of him, he tells him in verse 18 that today he makes him a fortified city; an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land. So in these verses above, he is referencing what he said in chapter 1 when he says in verse 12 of chapter 15, "Can a man break iron— iron from the north—or bronze?"
15 Lord, you understand; remember me and care for me. Avenge me on my persecutors. You are long-suffering—do not take me away; think of how I suffer reproach for your sake. 16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, Lord God Almighty. 17 I never sat in the company of revelers, never made merry with them; I sat alone because your hand was on me and you had filled me with indignation. 18 Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? You are to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails.
In the verses above Jeremiah says that when the Lord gave him the words to speak, he spoke them. Jeremiah also said that he didn't sit with revelers, he sat alone because he knew the Lord's hand was on him and that he suffered reproach for his sake and he's pleading for him to not take him away, to remember him, care for him, and avenge him on his persecutors. Then Jeremiah has pity on himself and asking why his pain is unending. He also asks if the Lord is going to be a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails him because of what the Lord said to him in the previous verses.
19 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 these people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. 20 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. 21 “I will save you from the hands of the wicked and deliver you from the grasp of the cruel.”
In these verses above, the Lord tells Jeremiah to repent for those thoughts of even thinking that the Lord would fail on him. Jeremiah should know that the Lord is just, righteous, and good on his promises. When the Lord told Jeremiah in chapter one that he is there with him, he's going to rescue him, and not let them overcome him, Jeremiah should never question that. It also seems here in the verses above, that Jeremiah doesn't talk about all the sins that he has committed. The Lord is going to stay true to his promise that he will rescue him and not let them overcome him, but the Lord wants Jeremiah to follow him, speak worthy words, and say whatever he commands of him; just like he told him in chapter one.
Chapter 15:
Where does the Lord tell Jeremiah that the people shall go if they ask?
What kinds of destroyers will the Lord send against them?
At midday, what will the Lord do?
What does the Lord say in verse 12 of chapter 15 in reference to what he tells him in verse 18 of chapter one?
Why does the Lord tell Jeremiah to repent?
What similarities are there at the end of chapter 15 and the beginning of chapter one of Jeremiah?
These chapters are so powerful because so many people, in Judah and Jerusalem at that time, and people in the world today think that they can just do whatever they want, follow their wickedness (which is so normalized in today's society,) but when there is a disaster and they need help, they turn to God. Or they listen to these false prophets that are saying there is going to be peace, nothing is going to happen to them, and everything is going to be okay. But they haven't been listening when the Lord has been saying to acknowledge their guilt, repent, and truly change their ways.
People in this world today are so confused about what to do because there are so many false prophets out here and there are so many wicked things that are being normalized in the world today. The truth is in the scripture and in our spirit when we are saved. When we pray, ask for guidance, and have God in the center of our life in every aspect, he will give us the knowledge and wisdom to know exactly what to do.
I love you guys so much.
Never forget to choose faith over fear.
-Lorena Camille (Faith Fuels My Fire)
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