Jeremiah speaks so long because they are not listening. I have heard of preachers who said they would preach the same thing until his people finally listened.
Chapter 14 opens with the mention of drought. Sound familiar? Drought should bring us back to God. We beseech God for rain. Do you ever think to look to see if you have anything to repent of? Was it John (maybe James) who said we ask and we do not receive because our hearts are not right? Our prayers c an be blocked because of our unrighteous behavior.
verse 7: "Although our sins testify against us, O LORD act for your name's sake."
Let us come humbly before God. We got a very small shower yesterday. Today they are predicting a big storm. We need a good half inch of rain. And then we need more next week.
Jeremiah prophesies sword and famine for the people of Israel all the while the other prophets are prophesying eternal peace and rain in abundance (13).
We think in this nation could never be invaded like that. But plenty of other nations have thought the same thing throughout history. Can we be destroyed by sword or famine?
Jeremiah was praying for Judah. But then God says do not pray for them, I will not listen (11).
God would have to clearly speak before I would take that as applicable to me. In fact I believe the whole Bible speaks of God's great mercy. I believe that other examples, such as the story of the book of Jonah, show that God would have relented even now if the people would have repented. Just as God repented from the evil he meant to do to the people of Nineveh he would have now done for Judah if they only repented.
But we should not presume on the grace of God. Rather let us endeavor to praise, love and obey God in all we do.
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