Plea to Repent - Jeremiah 4

Jeremiah 4:1 "If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove."

Israel is in more danger than they know. They are still steeped in sin but apparently think they are not in danger. Perhaps they remember the days of David and Solomon when the enemy always fall before Israel. The thing about that time was that the kings looked to God for help.

v3 "For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns."

He is talking about their hearts here. They have hardened their hearts against God.

v14 "O Jerusalem, wash tine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?"

The armies are on the way to destroy them and Israel, Judah and Jerusalem are unaware of the danger because they will not listen to the cries of the prophets, in this case Jeremiah.

v7 "The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant."

The watchman sleeps.

The situation is this. Israel is in the midst of worshipping idols. Destruction is coming because of their sin, not because God wants to destroy them. The enemy is coming and yet there is warning given to Israel and another opportunity to repent and turn from the idol worship.

v22 "For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."

He is not saying that doing evil is wise. He is saying they are quick to go after idols, they understand how to do that, but they are not quick to seek the Lord and do not seek understanding as to how to do that because they will not hear.

v27 "For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end."