Approaching studies within Jeremiah, instead of trying to follow chronologically, which is difficult with this book, for roughly the first half of the book, the first 29 chapters, we will instead only produce studies within their appropriate chapters, theming them as follows:

• Jeremiah’s Calling                     Ch.1
• Jeremiah’s Main Message        Ch.2,3,5,7,21,22
• Jeremiah’s Action Parables      Ch.13,18,19,27
• Jeremiah’s Opposition              Ch.11,12,14,18,20,26,28
• Jeremiah’s Message of Hope   Ch.3,23,24,25,29

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, and the particular theme, as with studies elsewhere, each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read on the main Bible page.

Jeremiah’s Opposition: 3. Competition for Jeremiah

Jer 14:11-16

¹¹ Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. ¹² Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.”

¹³ But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. ¹⁵ Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. ¹⁶ And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.

A. Find Out :

1. What did the Lord tell Jeremiah NOT to do? v.11
2. Why? v.12
3. What had other prophets been saying? v.13
4. What did the Lord say they were doing? v.14
5. What did He say would happen to them? v.15
6. What will happen to their listeners? v.16

B. Think:

1. What does the Lord’s instruction and explanation show about His purposes at this time?
2. Why was Jeremiah having a crisis of confidence?
3. How would you summarise your description of these other prophets?

C. Comment:

As the Lord continues to share His heart with Jeremiah He instructs him not to pray for the good of the people.  He says that it doesn’t matter if they fast or sacrifice, He is going to bring destruction.  The only thing that would perhaps have held back the Lord’s hand would have been wholehearted repentance by the nation, and that was not forthcoming. The Lord knew it wouldn’t be coming so He was going to proceed with the destruction of the nation. Prayer was, therefore, pointless and a waste of time.

Jeremiah’s concern is a loss of confidence in what he thinks he is hearing from the Lord.  After all, all the other prophets are prophesying good things for the land. Can he trust what he thinks he is hearing?  It is very difficult to stand out and be a lone voice when everyone else is speaking “good”. The Lord’s answer is a clear ‘Yes, you can trust what you think you are hearing!’. These other prophets are either making up prophecies from their own hopes or they are deluded by demonic lies from the occult or from idol demons. They and their hearers will all suffer the same fate!

D. Application?

1. Do we sometimes question what we hear from the Lord?
2. Purpose to seek the Lord with all your heart that you may ensure that YOU are not misled.