Jeremiah 14
Jeremiah 14 sets the scene for a severe drought that has fallen upon the land of Israel. The drought is not merely the result of a natural disaster; it suggests that it is the outcome of a spiritual crisis brought about by Israel’s sin and its relationship with God. Jeremiah portrays how the people, the cities, and even the nobles and the animals suffer intense distress, and he pours out their desperation to God.
1verseThis is the LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2verse“Judah mourns, and its gates languish. They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes up.
3verseTheir nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
4verseBecause of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed. They cover their heads.
5verseYes, the doe in the field also calves and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.
6verseThe wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail, because there is no vegetation.
7verseThough our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many. We have sinned against you.
8verseYou hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?
9verseWhy should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, LORD, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t leave us.
10verseThe LORD says to this people: “Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins.”
11verseThe LORD said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.
12verseWhen they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.”
13verseThen I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”
14verseThen the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
15verseTherefore the LORD says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine.
16verseThe people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness on them.
17verse“You shall say this word to them: “‘Let my 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 wound.
18verseIf I go out into the field, then behold, the slain with the sword! If I enter into the city, then behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.’”
19verseHave you utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!
20verseWe acknowledge, LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.
21verseDo not abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us.
22verseAre there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, the LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.
Structure and Main Flow
- Verses 1-6: describe a nationwide disaster and suffering caused by the drought. Wells run dry, farmers fall into shame, and a bleak situation is depicted in which even the animals have nothing to eat.
- Verses 7-9: Jeremiah offers prayers of repentance and supplication from the people’s perspective. He acknowledges the people’s sins, clings to God’s name and honor, and seeks mercy.
- Verses 10-12: God points out that the people’s repentance is only outward, stating that because of their sins, there will be no forgiveness or good response this time.
- Verses 13-16: False prophets predict peace, but God reveals that they are speaking lies and misleading the people. Neither the false prophets nor the people who follow their words can escape judgment.
- Verses 17-22: Jeremiah intercedes once again before God with a heart of sorrow and lamentation. He confesses his sins on behalf of the people, declares that only God is the hope of salvation, and pleads for His help.
Overall Meaning and Message
Jeremiah 14 shows the anguish of a prophet caught between Israel’s spiritual reality and God’s judgment. It reveals human limitations and boundaries, recurring sin, and the futility of outward religious faith. At the same time, it contains an important message for faith: only sincere repentance and God’s sovereign mercy can mark the beginning of restoration.
Points for Reflection
- We need to check that our hardships and calamities are not just external problems, but have a deep connection to our spiritual condition.
- Through Jeremiah’s intercession, we can reflect on what true repentance is, and what a prayer that genuinely seeks God should look like.
- We should be alert not to be deceived by false messages that misunderstand God or lead people astray, and we should look back on the importance of living a life that listens to God’s Word.
Apply It to Yourself
- In the face of difficult and painful problems, we need to examine my own life and the condition of our community from God’s perspective.
- Let’s ask God about the root cause of the problem and the right direction, and practice a life that moves forward with sincere repentance and humble intercession.
- Even amid difficulties, let’s train ourselves to trust that only God is our salvation and to place our hope in Him.
