Disobedience Brings Drought

Transcript

GR 464
6/3/1984
Disobedience Brings Drought
Jeremiah 14:1-22
Gil Rugh

Jeremiah was a prophet well acquainted with sorrow and hardship. As we come to this section of the Book of Jeremiah, we see his ministry continuing on even though he is overwhelmed with tears and sorrow because of the situation in which he finds himself and the condition of the people to whom he is ministering.

It is always easier to look back on the trials we have come through and see the hand of God at work than it is to see God’s hand in the midst of the trials. We can look back on Jeremiah’s life and see how God was using him even though Jeremiah experienced great discouragement during the time of his ministry. It can be tremendously encouraging to us to be reminded that God can use us in ways we do not conceive of even though we are going through the most difficult times or the most trying experiences. Here we are studying the Book of Jeremiah thousands of years after the event occurred and being encouraged by the hardships and difficulties he experienced. The impact of his ministry continues on today even though at the time of his ministry, he was experiencing tremendous trials.

Chapter 14 focuses on a drought that God brought on the nation because of its disobedience. In His covenant with Israel, God had promised great blessings and prosperity if they would walk in humble obedience and submission to Him and allow Him to accomplish His purposes in their lives. But He also promised great hardship and difficulty if they would not walk in obedience to Him.

The land of Palestine was subject to recurring droughts. The Jews saw in these droughts the hand of God chastening them for disobedience. When He brought them into the land, He promised them judgment in this way if they failed to obey Him.

In Deuteronomy chapter 28 He again contrasted the results of obedience and disobedience. Notice the results of disobedience in verses 23 and 24: “And the heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron. The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.” If the people are disobedient, all they can expect is dust and sand—no rain. The heavens are pictured as bronze, withholding the rain so that the ground turns to iron, baked hard by the hot sun and dry winds. Those warnings are clearly stated in the covenant God gave to Israel as they entered into the land after their Egyptian slavery and forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

As is consistently true, people who wander from God want to remember the good things and hold God to His promises of blessing, but they desire to forget the promises of judgment. But the promises of judgment are just as much a part of the covenant as the promises of blessing. Yet the nation did not want to hear why the drought had come. They did not want to consider that this was a plague from God chastening them for rebellion and disobedience.

Many religious people today speak about the love of God. They are familiar enough with the Scriptures to know about God’s blessings, but they totally ignore what the Scripture says about the necessity of living submissively to God and the judgment for failing to submit to Him.

As Jeremiah pens the words of this chapter, the people are suffering greatly because of the drought. Death is all around. By means of television news, we sometimes see the impact of this as various parts of the world undergo the effects of devastating droughts. We sometimes see people starving because the land no longer produces food. The animals cannot survive and the people are dying.

Israel is in the midst of such conditions. This is the third drought recorded by Jeremiah. The first one is recorded in Jeremiah 3:3: “Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no spring rain. Yet you had a harlot’s forehead; you refused to be ashamed.” The second one is recorded in chapter 12 as the vegetation, the land and the animals are drying up: “How long is the land to mourn and the vegetation of the countryside to wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it, animals and birds have been snatched away, because men have said, ‘He will not see our latter ending’” (v. 4). The third drought pictured in Jeremiah 14 is a much more extensive drought than the previous two. This drought of rain portrays in a graphic way the desperate, desolate spiritual condition of the people.

Jeremiah begins by describing the mourning and the humiliation of the people as they searched in vain for water. “That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah in regard to the drought: ‘Judah mourns, and her gates languish. They sit on the ground in mourning, and the cry of Jerusalem has ascended. And their nobles have sent their servants for water; they have come to the cisterns and found no water. They have returned with their vessels empty; they have been put to shame and humiliated, and they cover their heads. Because the ground is cracked, for there has been no rain on the land; the farmers have been put to shame, they have covered their heads’” (Jeremiah 14:1-4).

Even the normal care of animals in providing for their young was disrupted as a result of the drought. “‘For even the doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young, because there is no grass. And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; they pant for air like jackals, their eyes fail for there is no vegetation’” (vv. 5,6). Jeremiah is picturing the eyes of the animals becoming glazed as they stand in a transfixed state awaiting death. What a clear description of the severity of the situation!

This scene causes Jeremiah to intervene in intercession on behalf of Israel. He is beseeching God to forgive their iniquities, to cleanse them and to have mercy on them. Notice how he identifies himself with the people. Jeremiah is a child of God, but he does not stand there in arrogance and pride looking down on the people. He is not rejoicing in their calamity or their suffering. Rather, he identifies himself with them as one who is a wretched sinner and undeserving of God’s mercy. Yet he has such a driving compassion for these people that he intercedes for them and pleads with God to have mercy on them and to forgive them.

It is easy to become hardened in our dealings with unbelievers. We can become proud and arrogant that we are not living like them. We lose sight of the fact that, but for the grace of God, we are all hopeless sinners.

As Jeremiah begins his prayer in verse 7, he cries out for the grace of God: “Although our iniquities testify against us, O Lord, act for Thy name’s sake!” Jeremiah acknowledges that the people are worthy of judgment, yet he asks God to act in mercy, not because the people deserve it, but for His name’s sake. Jeremiah is referring to the fact that God had committed Himself to Israel in a covenant relationship. The honor and reputation of God is what Jeremiah is referring to. How will it look to other nations if the nation Israel perishes? Jeremiah is saying that it will look as though the God of Israel did not have the ability or power to save them. Jeremiah calls out for mercy and, in effect, asks God to honor His name by saving the nation.

The prophets of the Old Testament continually use this as the basis for exhorting God to act on behalf of Israel, not because Israel is worthy, but because God has staked His honor on Israel. He had declared Himself to be the God of Israel. Whatever happened to Israel was a testimony to the might and power of God. Yet this fact does not keep God from bringing difficult and trying times upon His people. There were times when his justice demanded judgment on them. During some of those times, the other nations did look with scorn on Israel’s God, viewing Him as a weak God with no power, unable to spare His people from difficulties. Even in our day people look at Israel and wonder what kind of God Israel has. Yet God promises to eventually vindicate His honor.

The people of Israel have not confronted the reality of their sinfulness. As Jeremiah prays, he confronts the overwhelming reality of the sin of the people, yet he cries out for God to be merciful for His name’s sake and to maintain His reputation and His honor. Isaiah prays in the same way in Isaiah 48:9-11: “For the sake of My name I delay My wrath and for My praise I restrain it for you, in order not to cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; for how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.” God promises Isaiah that He is going to act, but not because the people deserve it. God is going to act in order to guard the honor of His name as the God who preserves the nation Israel.

God also spoke of the rebellion of the nation in Ezekiel 20:8: “But they rebelled against Me and were not willing to listen to Me; they did not cast away the detestable things of their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.” But then in subsequent verses, He spoke of guarding the honor of His name by not allowing the people to continue to profane His name. “But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt” verse 9. He continued in verse 14, “But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, before whose sight I had brought them out.” We see the same idea in verse 22: “But I withdrew My hand and acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight I had brought them out.” Verse 44 says, “‘Then you will know that I am the Lord when I have dealt with you for My name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel,’ declares the Lord God.”

God is going to act on behalf of His people for His own glory and honor because He had committed Himself in a covenant relationship to Israel. That covenant continues even down to today. Ultimately God will vindicate His honor with the nation Israel when He restores the nation. Jesus Christ will ultimately rule and reign over Israel. Not because Israel deserves it, but because God has staked His reputation on it as the God who would bring salvation, deliverance and a kingdom to Israel. Their worthiness and faithfulness is not the prime issue. Their unfaithfulness brings chastening and hardship, but it cannot frustrate or short-circuit the plan of God, because God must honor His name and vindicate Himself before the people.

Notice again Jeremiah’s prayer, “Although our iniquities testify against us, O Lord, act for Thy name’s sake! Truly our apostasies have been many, we have sinned against Thee” Jeremiah 14:7. In this verse Jeremiah uses three expressions to describe sin: “our iniquities,” “our apostasies” and “we have sinned against Thee.” Jeremiah realizes that he is a sinner living among sinful people, so he includes himself.

Jeremiah continues in verse 8, “Thou Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of distress.” Several times Jeremiah refers to the “Hope of Israel.” This expression centers on God as their Savior in time of distress. He is the One who will bring deliverance and salvation to the nation, and Jeremiah acknowledges that.

But there is a problem. “Why are Thou like a stranger in the land or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night? Why art Thou like a man dismayed, like a mighty man who cannot save?” verses 8-9. Jeremiah does not say that God cannot save, he says it merely looks like God cannot. He says God looks like a disinterested visitor, someone who is traveling through and has pitched his tent for the night. As Jeremiah looks at all the difficulties Israel is going through, he is overwhelmed. He does not understand why God fails to intervene. “Yet Thou art in our midst, O Lord, and we are called by Thy name; do not forsake us!” verse 9.

Jeremiah is reminding God that the people of Israel belong to Him and His name is on them. They are God’s possession. In effect, Jeremiah is calling on God to take care of His responsibility. Even though the people are guilty of sin before God, Jeremiah sees them as God’s people, and he sees God as being responsible for them.

Jeremiah is right. That does not mean that God is obligated to intervene and spare Israel. Since God is responsible for them, He is determined that they must come through a time of judgment, a period of trial and suffering for their disobedience.

In verses 10 through 12, God answers Jeremiah with reasons why He is not going to deliver them even though they are His people.

God’s first response to Jeremiah is recorded in verse 10: “Thus says the Lord to this people, ‘Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account.’” These people are called by His name, but that does not allow them to indulge in sin. It does not give them freedom for a life of license. God will call them to give an account for their deeds.

Notice God’s awful command to Jeremiah in verse 11: “So the Lord said to me, ‘Do not pray for the welfare of this people.’” This is the third time Jeremiah has been forbidden to pray for Israel. This tells us something about the awfulness of Israel’s deteriorated spiritual condition. Similar instructions are given in 7:16 and 11:14. God is letting Jeremiah know that He has made up His mind and has determined judgment. That judgment is a settled issue.

As believers we are to be praying in the context of the will of God. God’s will on this occasion was to bring judgment on the nation Israel. For God to tell Jeremiah not to pray any longer for these people was just another way of God saying He would not change His mind about their judgment. Jeremiah knows that there is now no hope that Israel will be spared from the judgment God has determined.

God concluded His comment to Jeremiah in 14:12: “When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence.” These three things—sword, famine and pestilence—occurred seven times in the Book of Jeremiah. God says He is going to make an end of Israel by sword, famine and pestilence. That obviously does not mean that there will be no more nation Israel, but God is going to bring complete desolation upon them. By the time this desolation is accomplished, the Southern Kingdom will be carried off as a defeated and destroyed kingdom.

Jeremiah intercedes again in verse 13: “But, ‘Ah, Lord God!’ I said, ‘Look, the prophets are telling them, “You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.”’” He was telling God that the plague the people were experiencing was because false prophets who claimed to be from God had misled the people by consistently painting an optimistic picture. That is one of the characteristics of false prophets—they always tell you the good.

Let me summarize this for you in a popular phrase of one of the leading false prophets of our day: “Something good is going to happen to you.” The one who uses that line today did not originate it. He may have gotten it from the message of the false prophets of Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah was hammering away saying, “You are sinners, you deserve condemnation; God is going to judge you.” But here comes the false prophet with his grin, “Something good is going to happen to you.”

Who did the people like? Obviously, the one who was saying what they wanted to hear. People do not like to hear someone tell them that they are sinners worthy of condemnation and judgment. But if someone tells them that something good is going to happen to them, that warms their hearts.

After hearing the good news of the false prophets, the people followed after them. God said His judgment would fall on them because of their disobedience. But Jeremiah cried out, “Look, it is not the people’s fault. Their deceptive false prophets have led them astray and caused them to believe a lie.”

Amazingly twenty-five hundred years later the message of Satan is still the same. He is telling people, “Do not be afraid of judgment or condemnation. God wants to do good things for you. He loves you and wants to bring peace into your lives. He does not want you to be unhappy. He does not want you to have sorrow, difficulty or any trials. You do not have to worry. God only intends for you to have peace and prosperity.”

This is a recurring theme with false prophets. Jeremiah 5:13 reads, “And the prophets are as wind, and the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!” In other words, the prophets are just wind; they have no substance to their message because it is not from God.

From this we need to keep two things in mind about false prophets. First, they do not have a message from God. Secondly, they promise peace and something good.

Notice also verses 30 and 31 of Jeremiah 5: “An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so!” The prophets are prophesying falsely, but the people love it that way. Therefore, the people are just as responsible as the prophets.

The prophets and the people are joined together as God indicts both. “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. And they have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” Jeremiah 6:13-14. The same indictment continues in chapter 8: “Therefore I will give their wives to others, their fields to new owners; because from the least even to the greatest everyone is greedy for gain; from the prophet even to the priest everyone practices deceit. And they heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace” verses 10-11.

b. The Message of False Prophets

Chapter 23 contains an extensive consideration of false prophets and their work. The Lord said in verse 13, “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.” That description continues in verses 16 and 17: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, “The Lord has said, ‘You will have peace’”; and as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, “Calamity will not come upon you.’” The prophets want to have a message that is positive because that is what people want to hear. But that is not the message from God. His message to sinful people is that they are under condemnation and unless they believe in Him, they are doomed for destruction.

Ezekiel had the same experience that Jeremiah had. Ezekiel 13 describes the activities of the false prophets of his day. God commanded Ezekiel in verses 2 and 3, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God, “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.”’” God continued His charges in verse 6, “They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, ‘The Lord declares,’ when the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word.”

People sometimes ask me if I think false teachers and false religious leaders are intentionally leading people astray in this way. I believe they are self-deluded by their own sin just like these prophets were in the Old Testament. They really hope that what they are prophesying is going to happen. Their approach has not changed at all since the time of the false prophets of earlier days. I believe they are sincere in their sinful, deluded conduct; they are really hoping that what they are telling people about God is going to be true. But their sincerity has not changed God’s mind in the least. If you read all of Ezekiel 13, you will see that God’s intention is still judgment on these prophets.

God reveals the source of these false prophets’ messages in Jeremiah 14:14: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.’” God told Jeremiah not to be taken in by these arguments and not to be afraid in this situation. He is telling Jeremiah that the prophets have made up the message themselves. They may have talked themselves into believing it, but what they say is not the way it will be.

In the next verse God gives the outcome for these false prophets: “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying, ‘There shall be no sword or famine in this land’—by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end!” verse 15. They will die by the judgment they say will never come. The same is true of false prophets today. They are going to spend eternity in the hell they never speak about.

There is no doubt that the prophets will be judged because they are accountable before God for their sin, but what about the people who follow them? The answer is given in verse 16: “The people also to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—for I shall pour out their own wickedness on them.” The people who follow the false prophets are also guilty and accountable before God. Earlier we saw the reason for their guilt in Jeremiah 5:31: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; and My people love it so!”

This is what Paul wrote to his young son in the faith in 2 Timothy 4:3 and 4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate [pile up] for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.” These teachers will say what the people want to hear and as a result, will be popular. People will listen to that type of teacher because they get their ears tickled. It makes them feel good when they are told what they want to hear.

God says that false prophets and false teachers are going to come under the condemnation of His judgment. He also says that every person who follows them will also come under His judgment. That they listened to false teachers whom they thought were telling the truth will be no excuse. The prophets are clever, but they are lying. God is going to judge them, and He is going to judge the people who listen to them.

We must be careful that we do not develop a soft heart where God is not soft. “Well, they are not accountable,” someone says. “How do they know it is error?” They do not know that it is error because they have not believed in the Savior of the Bible and have not submitted themselves to His Word. There is no way to recognize error if you fail to submit yourself to the truth. God has no soft spot in His heart for false teachers or for people who follow false teachers. We must be careful that we do not develop such a soft spot either, because we want to manifest the character of God in every way. We are to reveal His attitude in our attitudes. There is too much tolerance of all the rubbish that is being pushed over the radio and television today, because we do not want to say anything about it. But God says those teachers and leaders are going to come under judgment along with all the people who follow them. God does not have one good word to say about them.

Why did the people follow the false prophets rather than Jeremiah? It is because they liked what the false prophets were saying and they did not like what Jeremiah was saying. For that reason they are accountable and will be brought into judgment by God.

Verses 17 and 18 in Jeremiah 14 describe Judah. The picture is of a young woman who has suffered a shattering blow and has been mortally wounded. “And you will say this word to them, ‘Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow, with a sorely infected wound. If I go out to the country, behold, those slain with the sword! Or if I enter the city, behold, diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest have gone roving about in the land that they do not know.’”

The eyes flowing down with tears night and day show that Jeremiah is consumed with the tragedy of the sinfulness of Israel and its resultant destruction and condemnation. This reminds us of the Apostle Paul’s burden for the salvation of Israel. When we talk about not being soft or tolerant toward false teachers, that does not mean that we are not to be filled with overwhelming compassion for them. We are to desire that they would come to the knowledge of the truth and experience the salvation that only God can provide. It is overwhelmingly tragic that they are on their way to hell. We need to be careful that we never sit back and gloat that they are getting what they deserve. That is surely not Jeremiah’s attitude.

In the last section of the chapter, Jeremiah intercedes again with God on behalf of the people. “Hast Thou completely rejected Judah? Or hast Thou loathed Zion? Why hast Thou stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We waited for peace, but nothing good came; and for a time of healing, but behold, terror! We know our wickedness, O Lord, the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee” verses 19-20. Jeremiah does not lose sight of his people’s deserving judgment. He acknowledges that both they and their fathers have been sinful, but he cries out for mercy and grace.

“Do not despise us, for Thine own name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory; remember and do not annul Thy covenant with us” verse 21. His request for mercy is solely on the basis of God’s character. He recognizes that the people deserve nothing but judgment. He acknowledges their sinfulness and their unworthiness, but he asks God not to despise them for His own name’s sake. Jeremiah asks for mercy for the glory of God’s name, character and honor.

He asks God not to disgrace the throne of His glory. Jerusalem is in view here, particularly the temple, as it is pictured as the throne of the glory of God. Jeremiah asks God not to bring disgrace and destruction on that. But we know that God did bring ruin to the temple. Jeremiah did not understand how serious the sin was which would necessitate such a devastating judgment. He could not perceive of such a thing. Therefore, he asks God not to annul His covenant with them.

We must note that God is honoring His covenant. He promised them judgment if they were disobedient. He said they would experience famine, drought and the sword if they disobeyed. Now that they are experiencing judgment, God is keeping the covenant just as He promised. Jeremiah wants God to send the blessings of the covenant. Those blessings will come, but not until after terrible suffering.

Jeremiah’s comments are concluded in verse 22: “Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not Thou, O Lord our God? Therefore, we hope in Thee, for Thou art the one who hast done all these things.” He sees the hand of God clearly even in the trials and tragedies. No other god can control all of these things. Jeremiah realizes that ultimately God is the One who has brought them about. The only thing the people can do is cast themselves upon God’s mercy and grace.

Jeremiah intercedes on behalf of the people just as Moses and Samuel did. In our next study, we will see that even if Moses and Samuel interceded on their behalf, God would not change His mind, because He has determined that He must bring judgment upon His people. That judgment is ultimately for their good. It will bring the nation to its knees so that God might bring salvation to a remnant. Through trial, tribulation and pressure, that remnant will be brought to salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

This is a tremendous chapter even though it is a hard chapter. It is a chapter of judgment and tragedy in a nation that is spiritually barren and parched. The people are now undergoing the heavy hand of God for their disobedience. The nation was following false teachers who were proclaiming messages to the people just like Jeremiah was.

Jeremiah was announcing to the people that there was no hope but in God. He was crying out to God on behalf of the nation for mercy and grace. That prayer will ultimately be realized when Jesus Christ comes and establishes His kingdom. At that time the nation Israel will be brought through even more trials and perils which will bring them to the point of obedience. At that time God will not only bring the negative aspects of the covenant to pass—judgment—but also the blessings that He promised for obedience as well.

This is a good reminder for us as God’s children. He wants to bless us and meet our needs in every way. But God demands that we be obedient and submissive to Him. It is easy for us to look at Israel and wonder why they would disobey God as they did. They had the privilege of serving a God who wanted to do good for them, but they were rebellious and disobedient. It is easy for us to fall into the same pattern. When we do, we forego much of the blessing that God has for those who obey.