Forsaken - Jeremiah 15

Jeremiah 15:6 "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting."

I don't know why I thought of this but maybe it has some bearing. An old preacher told the story: "A young man who had been raised by loving parents was in rebellion against them. He even became abusive. Still wishing to enjoy the benefits of food on the table and a warm place to sleep with a roof over his head. He stayed home but disrupted the household and disregarded the wishes of his parents. One day the dad stood in the sons way at the door as he was about to go on another of his nightly 'adventures'. He would come staggering in sometime in the night. The dad said you are not leaving this house tonight. "I'm a man, I can do as I please!" He cried. The son pushed, shoved and struck out at his dad. The dad responded with a fist to the young man's chin and the son went down. The son looked up and said "But you are my daddy and I'm just a child." The dad replied: "You were a man a minute ago."

Israel was rebellious and disrespectful to God but they still wanted a protecting hand and blessings without having to follow any rules. Now is judgment day and payday is tough sometimes.

v1 "Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth."

Years of loving them, caring for them and blessing them have passed. The LORD is repaid with the sad word "FORSAKEN".

v4 "And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem."

Jeremiah pleads but to no avail. It is as if Jeremiah were given to Israel as a defense attorney but the guilt is undeniable. The sentence sure unless there is repentance.

The plea: v18 "Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?"

The answer: v19 "Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them."

Do you have the picture? Israel wants the blessings but not will not stop worshipping idols. Guidelines have been set down and conditions for blessings. They were agreed to by Israel. God has not changed, they did. So, we go on. It would be good to jump back to the Kings and Chronicles to review how it was while Jeremiah represented the LORD in the land.