Jeremiah and the Lord have a discussion. The Lord has come to the end of His patience with His people.
In chapter 14, Jeremiah intercedes for Judah and the Lord tells him that He will not listen. The Jeremiah intercedes for them anyway. This chapter starts with the Lord telling Jeremiah that even if Moses and Samuel came before him, He would not listen, regarding Judah. The Lord encourages Jeremiah to let them go.
When they ask where they should go, the lord offers the choices of death, sword, famine, and captivity. He goes on to describe the horror they will face and the reason for it- the choices of Manasseh. (Manasseh's gross sin were described as worse than those who had inhabited the Promise Lad ahead of Israel. Not the category you want to be accomplished in.
No nation will pity or mourn for them because they have forsaken the Lord. He then further describes the losses and horror they will face. He promises them anguish and dismay.
Jeremiah hears all of this and rues the day he was born. He doesn't borrow or lend, but everyone curses him. He was under the impression God would use him for good against the enemy
I sympathize with Jeremiah. We all have in our head what we want God to use us for. He wanted to come against the enemy; but instead has to bring this terrifying news to his own people.
The Lord replies without any further mercy for Judah. No one will come against the enemy from the north- and it will cost them all of their treasures because they have kindled His anger against them.
In the next paragraph Jeremiah asks God to take notice of his persecution. He actually even asks for vengeance. Jeremiah reflects on his prophesies and how much joy he got from the words of the Lord. But then he has ended up alone, set apart from his people, wounded, and in pain. He wonders if the Lord is a dry stream-leaving him without what he needs to live.
Verse 19-21 are amazing. The Lord comes to Jeremiah in his sad and wounded state and answers him.
- He woos Jeremiah back with an agreement to restore Jeremiah
- "...if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become my spokesman."
- The people may turn to Jeremiah, but he must not turn to them
- He will make Jeremiah like a bronze fortified wall- unable to be hurt by the people.
- The Lord is with him and will save him.
- He will deliver Jeremiah from the hand of the wicked and redeem him from the violent.
I wonder if this is considered a covenant?
I also wonder what it means to "extract the precious from the worthless"? Maybe finding the remnant in Judah? Maybe making the best of a bad situation?
And I wonder about the line where the Lord tells him that some may turn to him, but he is not to turn to them. The footnote says this mean he isn't to sink to their level; but it also sounds like it may mean that they may try and befriend him to get him to change his message.
It loos like in the next chapter the Lord goes into more detail about Jeremiah as God's spokesman and what it will entail.