JEREMIAH LESSON 15

     We will begin this lesson in Jeremiah 14:1 "The word of the LORD
that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth."

     "Dearth" means drougth. We see then, they will not only have
problems with invaders, but with drougth, as well. We know the
invasion came during the reign of Jehoiachin, and possibly, this
drougth came during the reign of Jehoiachim.

     Jeremiah 14:2 "Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish;
they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up."

     This drougth is so bad, and for so long, everything looks like it
has been in a fire. The plants have dried up and turned black. The cry
of Jerusalem goes up, because famine goes right along with a drougth.

     Jeremiah 14:3 "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."

     This drougth has spread to the point that not even the nobles
have water to drink. It appears they had sent to the pool, for water
to be brought into the castle, but there was no water found for
anyone. The covering of their heads indicates they were mourning about
the drougth. They would be ashamed to admit that their God had
withheld water from them, because of their wickedness.

     Jeremiah 14:4 "Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain
in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads."

     It was of no use at all to plow the ground. The water needed for
the crop to grow was withheld from them. It is time for them to mourn.

     Jeremiah 14:5 "Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and
forsook [it], because there was no grass."

     This is an unnatural thing for a mother hind to do. She
ordinarily would keep her calf, until the bitter end. She abandoned
it because there was no grass or water to keep the animal alive.

     Jeremiah 14:6 "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."

     This is just another example of how far the lack of grass had
gone. The blindness was because they were looking so hard for grass,
and there was no grass. They eventually would die from starvation.

     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."

     We see Jeremiah trying to repent for these people. We remember
back to an earlier lesson, when God told Jeremiah not to pray for
them.  God will not answer this prayer, because the drougth is like
the captivity. It is to cause the people to return to the worship of
the One true God. The only way to stop the drougth, would be for all
the people themselves to repent and return to God. Jeremiah even tries
to get God to stop the drougth by reminding Him this is His people.

     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?"

     God is the only hope there is for them, or us. In time, God would
send His Son as Saviour of all mankind. A stranger is just passing
through. They are not permanent dwellers. This is what Israel is
compared to. They were God's people, but they have wandered from God.

     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."

     Once more, we see an urgent plea from Jeremiah. Jeremiah reminds
God that these are His people, called by His name. Then he begs God
not to abandon them.

     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."

     Now, we see God reply to Jeremiah's request. They have wandered
away from Him to worship false gods. They do not like to stay with
God. They are always looking for something and someone else. They are
dissatisfied with what they have. They, of their own free will, have
walked away from God. God cannot, and will not, look the other way.
They must be punished for their unfaithfulness. God did not bring the
problems on them, their own sins brought the problems.

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

     Again we see God telling Jeremiah not to pray for these people.
God would not answer Jeremiah's prayer for them, because He is a just
God and must meet out justice to all. God does not want Jeremiah
praying for these people, so Jeremiah must stop.

     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."

     God had given them a time to repent, and they did not. They have
gone too far now. Even if they fast, God will not listen to their
prayers. They have been judged of God, and found guilty. He will not
accept any offering, or sacrifice, from them.

     Jeremiah 14:13  "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."

     Their leaders are telling them all is well. The prophets had
promised peace, but there will be no peace. Jeremiah is telling God
that their teachers and leaders had taught them a lie. Really, they
are responsible for their own actions. We must look carefully at this
ourselves. God will hold the leaders responsible for the lies they
teach, but He, also, holds the individuals responsible for what they
learn. I John 4:1 "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the
spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone
out into the world."  It is our responsibility to decide who is
telling the truth.

     Jeremiah 14:14 "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."

     The main thing this is saying, is that not all teachers tell the
truth. Many say they are from God, when in fact, they are in the
ministry for self-gain. It is our responsibility to make sure what we
are being taught is the truth. If the Bible verifies what they teach,
it is truth. If the Bible does not verify what they teach, do not
believe it.

     Jeremiah 14:15 "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."

     We see the judgement God makes on these false prophets fits their
false prophecies. Whatever they have said, will be their punishment.
God fits the punishment to the crime.

     Jeremiah 14:16 "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."

     We see from this, that those who listen, and believe the lies,
are responsible for their own sins, as well. They, also, will be
punished according to the sin they have committed. We cannot blame our
sin on anyone else.

     Jeremiah 14:17  "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."

     Jeremiah is terribly grieved. These are his people. This is a
comparison of a virgin daughter being killed before her time. Jeremiah
speaks of this Hebrew nation as the virgin daughter. They will be
utterly destroyed, but they are not virgins. They have committed
spiritual adultery with the worship of false gods.

     Jeremiah 14:18 "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."

     This just speaks of the judgement being so great that there is
death and suffering everywhere. Wherever they go, there is famine, and
war, and the results of both. The priest can do nothing to stop it.

     Jeremiah 14:19 "Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul
loathed 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!"

     The false prophets promised peace. They are asking if God has
totally turned against His people. I might add, they had totally
turned against Him to other gods. God does not hate them. He loves
them, but they brought this on themselves. This is a time of great
trouble.

     Jeremiah 14:20 "We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, [and] the
iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee."

     It is a little late to acknowledge their sins, and the sins they
learned from their fathers. Jeremiah mourns and repents, as if these
are his own personal sins. Jeremiah had warned them, but they had not
received his warnings.

     Jeremiah 14:21 "Do not abhor [us], for thy name's sake, do not
disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant
with us."

     "Abhor" means to scorn. It, also, means to contemn. The presence
of God was in the temple, in the holy of holies. His presence was over
the mercy seat. This, perhaps, is saying do not let the temple be
destroyed. They are remembering God's covenant with Abraham, but they
forget they had to remain faithful to God to receive the blessings.
There were curses, if they did not obey God. It is not God that had
broken covenant with them, they have broken covenant with God.

     Jeremiah 14:22 "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]."

     None of the false gods could bring rain. They could not do
anything to benefit the people who worshipped them. They will wait for
the return of God's blessings upon them. He is their only help.
                         Jeremiah 15 Questions


1.  What was the Word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning?
2.  What does "dearth" mean?
3.  The invasion came during the reign of ____________.
4.  The drougth came during the reign of _____________.
5.  The drougth has been so bad, it looks like there has been a _____.
6.  Who did the nobles send for water?
7.  What did they do, when they found no water?
8.  What is that symbolic of?
9.  What effect did this have on the plowmen?
10. What was an unnatural thing for the mother hind to do?
11. In verse 7, their _________ testified against them.
12. What was Jeremiah trying to do for these people?
13. Who is their only hope?
14. Why is God remembering their iniquity, and visiting their sins on
    them?
15. They, of their ______ ______ _____, have walked away from God.
16. In verse 11, God told Jeremiah not to _______ for them.
17. Would God listen, if they fast and pray?
18. What lie had their leaders been telling them?
19. Was this a good excuse?
20. Quote 1 John chapter 4 verse 1.
21. How can you determine if a teacher is telling the truth?
22. How does God fit the punishment for their sin?
23. Those who listen and believe the lies are _______ for _____ _____
    ______.
24. In verse 17, we see Jeremiah is terribly __________.
25. Who is Jeremiah calling the virgin daughter?
26. What is verse 18 speaking of?
27. How does the author answer the question of verse 19?
28. Jeremiah repents and mourns, as if these were his ______ ______.
29. What does "abhor" mean?
30. None of the ________ ______ could bring rain.