1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.
2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.
3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.
4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.
5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass.
6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no grass.
7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.
8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.
10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.
11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good.
12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.
14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
17 Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.
18 If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.
19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!
20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.
21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
The fourteenth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible unfolds as a vivid portrayal of a nation engulfed in suffering and despair. The chapter primarily focuses on the themes of drought, famine, and subsequent pleas for mercy from the people of Judah. This chapter is a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God’s commandments and the importance of repentance.
In Jeremiah 14, the prophet Jeremiah is shown lamenting the condition of his people, who are suffering due to a severe drought. The drought serves as a metaphor for spiritual dryness, reflecting the spiritual condition of the people of Judah. They had turned away from God, and their disobedience had led to a spiritual drought, with the physical drought being a manifestation of this spiritual barrenness.
The opening verses of this chapter paint a bleak picture of the effects of the drought. The people are in despair, the nobles send their servants for water, the farmers are dismayed, and the land mourns. The drought and famine are not merely physical calamities but are symbolic of the spiritual condition of the people – a famine of hearing the words of the Lord (Amos 8:11).
In their desperation, the people of Judah turn to God for mercy. They acknowledge their wickedness and the iniquity of their ancestors. They plead for God’s intervention, not for their sake, but for the sake of God’s name. This plea, however, is not rooted in genuine repentance. It is a desperate cry for relief from their physical suffering rather than a heartfelt desire for spiritual transformation.
God's response to their plea is firm. He declares that He will not accept their offerings and will not show them favor. Instead, He will consume them by sword, famine, and pestilence. The severity of God's judgment underscores the gravity of their sin and the consequences of their disobedience.
The chapter also addresses the issue of false prophets who had misled the people of Judah. These prophets were proclaiming peace when there was no peace. They were offering false hope and leading the people further away from God. Jeremiah pleads with God on their behalf, but God declares that the false prophets will meet the same fate as the people they have misled. This serves as a warning against false teachings and the importance of discerning truth from falsehood.
Jeremiah, in his grief, pleads with God once again, asking Him to remember His covenant with His people and not to abandon them. However, God firmly asserts that He will punish the people for their sins. He gives Jeremiah a further message to deliver to the people: they are to humble themselves and mourn for the devastation that is to come.
The implications of Jeremiah Chapter 14 are profound. The chapter serves as a stern reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of genuine repentance. The drought and famine experienced by the people of Judah are metaphoric of the spiritual dryness that results from disobedience to God's commandments.
The chapter underscores the importance of discerning truth from falsehood. The false prophets, who offer false hope and lead the people astray, are condemned by God. This serves as a warning to all believers to guard against false teachings and to seek truth in God's word.
Furthermore, the chapter emphasizes the importance of genuine repentance. The people of Judah's pleas for mercy were not rooted in genuine repentance but were desperate cries for relief from their physical suffering. God's rejection of their pleas underscores the importance of sincere repentance and a heartfelt desire for spiritual transformation.
In conclusion, Jeremiah Chapter 14 serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of genuine repentance. It underscores the importance of seeking truth in God's word and guarding against false teachings. It also highlights the profound impact of spiritual dryness, manifested in the physical drought and famine experienced by the people of Judah. The chapter serves as a call to all believers to stay faithful to God's commandments, to seek genuine repentance, and to seek spiritual nourishment from God's word.
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