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"Do not pray for this people, for their good"

Text: Jeremiah 14:11

A REMINDER TO JEREMIAH

God had already instructed Jeremiah not to pray for the children of Judah (Jeremiah 7:16). He repeats this word of instruction!

“Thus says the LORD to this people:
‘Thus they have loved to wander;
They have not restrained their feet.
Therefore the LORD does not accept them;
He will remember their iniquity now,
And punish their sins.’
Then the LORD said to me,
‘Do not pray for this people, for their good.
When they fast, I will not hear their cry;
and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering,
I will not accept them.
But I will consume them by the sword,
by the famine, and by the pestilence.'”
Jeremiah 14:10-12

1. “Thus says the LORD to this people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander;
they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them;
He will remember their iniquity now, and punish their sins.'”

a) Jeremiah is reminded of the grave spiritual state of Judah.

i) They loved wandering away from God.

ii) They have not restrained their feet.

b) No acceptance from God.

i) There was no repentance.

ii) They clung to their sinful ways.

c) Sins and iniquities:

i) They would be remembered.

ii) They would be punished according to Divine justice.

2. “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not pray for this people, for their good.'”

a) This is a reference to intercessory prayer.

b) Praying for the people’s good was not proper.

c) The people must repent and be restored to God first!

3. “When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”

a) Fasting and praying:

i) These would not be accepted.

ii) Many saw this as a religious ritual, nothing more.

b) Giving burnt offering and grain offering:

i) These offerings would not be accepted.

ii) Their worship would be in vain.

c) Divine punishment would be meted out:

i) By the sword.

ii) By the famine.

iii) By the pestilence.

The plight of the children of Judah was truly dire!