Jeremiah is the ultimate prophet of doom. If you haven’t picked that up by now, then you will by the end of the book. You may, by this point in the book, find yourself beginning to tire of what seems to be doom and gloom. Try to avoid this response. These are the words of God to his people. These words were never really heeded at the time and God knew they wouldn’t be. They were recorded not so much for these people but for subsequent generations, including us. God wanted Jeremiah to record these gloomy oracles so that subsequent generations would know why these things happened. We share the same wayward tendencies as these people and exposure to oracles like these will help to expose, and make us wary of, these tendencies. You may be in a good place now or you may not be. Either way you will find that being steeped in these oracles will give you a greater measure of sober-mindedness. You should notice here that, with the promise of discipline comes the promise of restoration, even before the time of discipline has begun. It is clear that God always wants his people to know that, though he may have to treat them harshly for a time, yet he will never forsake them ultimately. Where there is correction there is always comfort in its wake. Use these readings as an exercise for your soul. Your mind may tire of the repetition but let these things rest deeply in your soul for they will shape you to be able to hear God with greater clarity when you need to hear him.
Prayerfully consider this passage and ask God to bring greater clarity to your heart.
Read Jeremiah 16
