[Faithwalker012]

Well it's kind of almost bitterly ironic that this chapter talks about a drought and that's what we have right now in Ohio. It got up to 98 degrees today and the last rain we got was a very tiny amount on Sunday. Before that, it had been several days if not a week or more. Yards and gardens aren't fairing so well in places, and neither are the cornfields. You take a look around and you'll notice the ground is chapt or cracked here. I don't think we can read too much into that biblically or spiritually, although certainly our nation has drifted pretty far from God and His ways. But at least it will cool down a bit in a couple days if nothing else. My AC is running pretty much nonstop, which probably won't be good for my electric bill.

Anyway, we do have this drought in this chapter and we had the people or the prophet's prayer and plea to God. In this post we're going to look at God's response. Quite honestly it will probably come off as harsh to many. But one must remember that not only does God have feelings, but He also knows if repentance is sincere or if it's just done as ritual to try to get help. God doesn't want ritual. He wants, as it says in Hosea 6:6, our grace or our love. You know, this won't be a perfect analogy, but it is a situation that is probably common to almost everyone. Let's say you have a friend who is in financial trouble. So, let's say they ask you for, we'll make it small and say $20. They say they'll pay you back within a week. So, you loan them $20 and a week goes by and they don't pay you back. A few days later they ask for another $20. You being a friend and knowing their trouble, loan it to them again but remind them they still owe you $20. Another week goes by and they don't pay you back any of the $40 they owe you. A couple of days later they ask for another $20. At some point along the way you're probably going to come to the conclusion that your "friend" is coming to you whenever they need help but isn't too worried about paying you back if you're going to keep giving out money to him freely. So at some point, you're probably going to stop giving money to them.

Now, again that's not a perfect analogy but again it should be common to all. The point here being here we had these children of Judah who were running off constantly to other gods and religions, and then when things got tough, then and only then did they run to their one true Father saying, "God, we're sorry, help us!" Well, God is very loving and patient and He does forgive sin. But you're not going to con Him and He's not there as just a supernatural get out of jail free card or some sort of wish genie. But even with that said, He will forgive sin upon sincere heartfelt repentance, and He will not stay angry forever if one does sincerely repent. With that said, let's get into it.

Jeremiah 14:10 "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."

Just like that wild donkey in heat running to any "god" or religion that will take them. God here is basically saying, these people did not stay true to me or my ways. He's kind of even saying that they don't stay with one false religion... they just constantly wander about running to and fro spiritually speaking, looking for any shot of "spirituality" that they can find. I don't know, do you think we have people like that today? I'd say we definitely have people like that today. You know, it's actually kind of sad and if someone is honestly seeking the truth, they will find out, even if in some cases it takes a strong man or woman of God to point them in the right direction. But what's really sad here is that they had everything they really could want and all the blessings imaginable if they would have just stayed true to God and not wandered. But at the same time, even today when you've got so called pastors teaching and feeding not from the Word of God but their own traditions and man made doctrine, then the sheep or flock will wander and scatter. That's why judgment starts at the pulpit. We'll get into some of these so called "prophets" in a few verses here.

Jeremiah 14:11 "Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good."

Whoa! That sounds kind of rough doesn't it? God telling Jeremiah not to pray for these people for their good. Well, one has to understand two things. Again, God knows if someone, even a bunch of someones, are truly sorry and repentant or if they're just playing sorry to be helped. But the other part of this is here again we have these people, part of God's chosen people who have been blessed, who have seen miracles, who have had the stories of God's help and guiding hand passed down to them, the great victories against overwhelming odds and the promises and covenant made to them, and they still went running off to false gods who couldn't do a thing to help them. Wouldn't you be just a little bit disappointed in them and maybe even angry if you were in God's position? Well, naturally He was.

Jeremiah 14:12 "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."

Some people unfortunately never really understand that playing religion just doesn't quite cut it. You know, there are some churches, some people, and I'm not judging here, but they look good and proper. I mean they seem to have it down pat. But it's all ritual, it's all even almost rehearsed. Friends, again God was never interested in the ritual of burnt offerings, oblations, or fasting. One can even get down and shave their head and rent their clothing and mourn and put on quite a show. But guess what? Putting on a show is still putting on a show. He wants you to honor and respect and love Him in your heart. He wants to hear from you as His child who when you mess up you come to Him and say, "Father, I'm sorry. I messed up. I let you down Father and I want to do better. When one says that and actually means it, then He can't help but take you in His arms spiritually speaking and say, "Oh my child, I forgive you." But you're not going to play church and go running to Him when things get bad and yell for help and expect Him to come running. In the next post we'll start to get into some false prophets who certainly had a lot to do with this mess. They're still out there today, so be careful.

Jason