Title: Jeremiah's Intercession for Judah / Jeremiah 14
Jeremiah's Intercession for Judas
Jeremiah 14
1. Lamentations due to drought and God's response (1-16)
① Damage caused by drought (1-6)
The drought and the curse were important symbols of the covenant curse. Now, in fact, the scourge of drought began to hear the cry of suffering from Jerusalem. The rain stopped and the stored water dried up. The nobles ordered their servants to draw water from the well, but they had no choice but to return with an empty vessel. The land began to crack because it did not rain, and the farmers had no choice but to watch the crops with.
② God’s answer to the prophet’s prayer (7-12)
Jeremiah prayed earnestly to ask God not to see the sins of the people and save us for the sake of the Lord's name. But God said that God will punish them according to their sins because they do not forbid their feet and love the crooked way. The conclusion of an unrepentant people.
③ The prophecies of false prophets and their consequences (13-16)
False prophets prophesied falsely in the name of God, and prophesied that swords and famine would not come to this land through false revelations, divination, vanity, and deceit of their own hearts. God says false prophets will be destroyed by sword and famine. Not only that, but the people who received their prophecy will also perish by the sword and by famine.
2. Lamentations and petitions (17-22)
① The devastation of judgment in all parts of Judah (17-18)
Jeremiah was deeply grieved as he thought of the judgment of Jerusalem. He wept continually as he cried out of the coming destruction on Jerusalem. In fact, the city of Jerusalem was like a virgin daughter who was stricten with a serious disease and was about to die. Thus the Prophet recognizes Judah's suffering and weeps continually day and night. Everywhere on the outskirts of Jerusalem and its provinces are covered with slaughtered corpses with swords, and they are increasingly eroded by famine.
② While acknowledging Judah's continued iniquity, I hope that God's mercy will be fulfilled through the previous covenant relationship (19-22).
The people begged God to intervene once more, but it was not accompanied by a change of heart. Judas tried to remind God of his duty, but he did not recognize his duty as a covenant people. Therefore, sincere repentance and actions did not bring about change, but only superficial regret. In the end, Judas did not truly trust in God who could bring an end to the drought, and because he ignored God's Word, the judgment could not be reversed.