Jeremiah 14: A Drought Of Mercy

Can the Lord ever get so fed up with the sins of His people that He stops listening to their prayers?  Jeremiah 14 suggests so.

The first 6 verses of this chapter describe a crippling drought that has affected Judah.  People and animals alike are greatly distressed at the lack of water and vegetation.  The drought is so severe that it has become a national emergency, and the people lift up their confessions and prayers to God for it to stop: "Although our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name's sake; our apostasies indeed are many, and we have sinned against you.  O hope of Israel, its savior in the time of trouble...do not forsake us!" (vs. 7-9)

However, this is a case of too little, too late.  God reveals that He is not going to accept their prayers or answer their pleas.  "Thus says the Lord concerning this people: Truly they have loved to wander, they have not restrained their feet; therefore the Lord does not accept them, now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins" (vs. 10).

Even more, the Lord commands Jeremiah not to intercede for the people.  "The Lord said to me: Do not pray for the welfare of this people.  Although they fast, I do not hear their cry, and although they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I do not accept them; but by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence I consume them" (vs. 11-12).

After reading this, we may wonder what happened to God's famous mercy.  Doesn't He always relent and back down from threatened punishment when people turn to Him?  In this case, it appears that Judah persisted in their sinfulness too long.  They turned to the Lord only when their backs were against a wall because of the drought.  In response, God has a drought of mercy for them.  Whether because of a lack of sincerity or a determination on God's part to finally punish His people, their prayers go unanswered.