Lost Favor - Jeremiah 16

Jeremiah 16:13 "Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favor."

I have experienced a little of the strange land feeling while I was in the military. I remember pulling into a harbor and seeing a large Buddha sitting on a hill overlooking the harbor. The image was about as large as the hill it sat upon. Of course, coming from the Bible belt of the USA, I was shocked to see something besides the cross representing religion. It was strange to me but I was in a land accustomed to the image.

So it must have been for Israel when they were carried away into captivity and saw images of strange gods at every turn. But in this chapter they are still being offered hope.

v15 "But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers."

In summary, the generation being addressed here was raised by fathers that did not teach them the ways of the commandments. In some cases their were good teachers but the children rebelled. In general, the people are worshipping idols. The consequence will be much like when the children of Israel failed to believe good after the report from the spies in Exodus and that generation died in the wilderness except for the few who did believe.

v17 "For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is there iniquity hid from mine eyes."

Look at these two verses. At great cost, the people Israel are learning a hard lesson that there is but one LORD.

v20-21 "Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is THE LORD."

Israel has been chosen by God.