Jeremiah 14 Commentary
The LORD, Jeremiah, them, and us; are often the characters in Jeremiah’s biographical discourses. The LORD gives Jeremiah a word for them, meaning Israel or the men and women of Judah, including the rulers. In this case, the LORD decrees a drought and famine on the land.
This is a very difficult parcel for the messenger. It burns him. Yet he must carry it. He must deliver it.
Then the prophet quickly realizes. There is no them; it is all about us – me and my brothers and sisters. So he prays: “do something, LORD, for the sake of your name.” He confesses.
Of course, we also hear from them; the men and women of Judah. They have no time for confession or repentance. They are happy with the status quo. Other prophets line up and encourage them. It is well, after all.
So Jeremiah goes back to the LORD. What about these good words from the prophets? Are you giving us different messages at the same time? A prophet isn’t false until the LORD says so. Equally, a prophet isn’t right until the LORD says so. It is all about the content. Has the LORD spoken?
Of course, the LORD hasn’t spoken through these prophets. They will be punished for faking the word of the LORD. We cannot be light about God’s word! There are consequences.
The switch from them to us is instructive. Saints may want to ponder this scenario and apply it to their interactions. There are times when the LORD pours His wrath on a community and ‘them’ easily becomes ‘us’. The poor economy tends to affect us and not just them. War is a problem for us; not just for them.
The effects of increased wickedness become a problem for us. We, therefore, cannot afford to keep quiet. It is time to pray.
Of course, the LORD isn’t going to listen to Jeremiah. He tells him so. He is praying for people that don’t care.
But Jeremiah kept on knocking at Heaven’s door. Who says you should stop praying? Even when the LORD seems to say no, keep praying. The last section is yet another petition from the prophet. The LORD remains humanity’s only hope. The LORD commanded that this statement is recorded for us today. Yes, the LORD remains our only hope.
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