November 25, 2020

 Jeremiah 15

New International Version

 Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!  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.’

 “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.  I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

 “Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?

    Who will mourn for you?

    Who will stop to ask how you are?

 You have rejected me,” declares the Lord.

    “You keep on backsliding.

So I will reach out and destroy you;

    I am tired of holding back.

 I will winnow them with a winnowing fork

    at the city gates of the land.

I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people,

    for they have not changed their ways.

 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.

 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.

Jeremiah thoughts:

 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.

 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.

 “Can a man break iron—

    iron from the north—or bronze?

 “Your wealth and your treasures

    I will give as plunder, without charge,

because of all your sins

    throughout your country.

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.”

 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.

 When your words came, I ate them;

    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,

for I bear your name,

    Lord God Almighty.

 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.

Why is my pain unending

    and my wound grievous and incurable?

You are to me like a deceptive brook,

    like a spring that fails.

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.”

God deals with Jeremiah

Jeremiah repents.

As the reader we think the spokesmen is scoring big with God. But here Jeremiah ask for deliverance from the wicked. David prayed for deliverance. They are not immune from being troubled and bothered.

God tells him he can be his spokesman as long as he does not speak worthless words.

He also promises to deliver him if he repents as well.

Jeremiah also has to contend with the land (all the people who are against him because of his commitment to God)

You ever had a city against you?

A land against you?

But God promised him safety. 

The people can turn to him but he is instructed to not turn to them. God has put a wall between them. He tells him they will fight against you but they will not be successful. 

Have a great day!