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Re: Jeremiah
Well, it's a nice sunny afternoon here in Ohio and I figured I would see if I couldn't get a few verses in before heading back out. We have this drought, and it was likely a literal drought in the land. But there's going to be a spiritual drought and famine that comes as well. That is very likely going to happen in our lifetime, and again, you might say it's already started or is about to. So this is an important chapter to be sure. Let's continue on.
Jeremiah 14:7 "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."
This is a plea and sort of admitting that they have sinned, which is good. But there is going to be a problem here.
Jeremiah 14:8 "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?"
Here they are asking God why He's such a stranger to them in their time of trouble. Well, if you look at it and if you've been paying attention in this book of Jeremiah and know the bible even a little, it hopefully isn't that hard to figure out. God didn't leave them and wasn't a stranger to them, they were a stranger to Him! They went after other gods and other religions, rolling their little cakes to the "queen of heaven" and basically ignoring God's instruction and wisdom. Then when they ran into trouble, they want to know where God is and want Him to come save them. Well, I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way. He will ALWAYS forgive sin when one has a true change of heart and sincerely repents. But if one or a group of people want Him to help them so they can go right back to their wicked ways, I'm sorry, but it won't happen.
Jeremiah 14:9 "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."
Well, this is true except of course God can and does save whomsoever will believe, truly believe upon Him. While it is true they were called by His name, it's also true that in this same book back in Chapter 3 of Jeremiah God divorced all of Israel. Sadly, this is I don't want to say a common theme, but not an isolated case or example. It's as Christ will tell some after He returns and even on Judgment Day who claim to be Christian and have done all sorts of things in His name, "I never knew you, get out of my sight". There are many today who call themselves Christian, or they claim to be called by His name, and they're really not. I'm not judging, I'm just saying claiming to be of God or doing work in His name does not always make it so, and does not mean that He's going to aid you because you claim to be a Christian. It takes sincerity of heart to where you might never be perfect, but you try, and you love Him and don't want to let Him down. More than anything, you read His Word and seek to do His will and please Him. So, being"called" a certain thing doesn't necessarily mean all it's cracked up to be. Still, this is a plea and next time I'm here we'll see God's reaction to it.
Jason
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