This droughts on you
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
There is a serious drought in Judah, it is brought on by their spiritual barrenness. They are suffering because of their refusal to repent and to return to the Lord. Any repentance they have offered has been insincere. They have been mislead by false prophets who have promised them peace when there is no peace. True intercession must be rooted in truth, not sentiment.
The people are crying out , the land is parched, animals are suffering, the people cry out to God for relief. Yet in this chapter it reveals this drought is not merely a natural disaster, but a judgment from Go for Judah’s persistent sin and rebellion. Jeremiah intercedes for the people, but God’s response shows that judgment will not be avoided. This chapter highlights the themes of sin and false prophesy. God’s justice, and the limits of intercession.
Big Idea/Take away tonight is for us to know in our times of desperation, turn our hearts to praying knowing God hears and responds to the cries of His people. I will give some other applications at the end when we have read and given the outline a few other things too.
Our Chapter
Our Chapter
1 That which came as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah in regard to the drought: 2 “Judah mourns And her gates languish; They sit on the ground in mourning, And the cry of Jerusalem has ascended.
3 “Their nobles have sent their servants for water; They have come to the cisterns and found no water. They have returned with their vessels empty; They have been put to shame and humiliated, And they cover their heads. 4 “Because the ground is cracked, For there has been no rain on the land; The farmers have been put to shame, They have covered their heads.
5 “For even the doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young, Because there is no grass. 6 “The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; They pant for air like jackals, Their eyes fail For there is no vegetation.
7 “Although our iniquities testify against us, O Lord, act for Your name’s sake! Truly our apostasies have been many, We have sinned against You. 8 “O Hope of Israel, Its Savior in time of distress, Why are You like a stranger in the land Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night?
9 “Why are You like a man dismayed, Like a mighty man who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, O Lord, And we are called by Your name; Do not forsake us!” 10 Thus says the Lord to this people, “Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account.”
11 So the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. 12 “When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence.”
13 But, “Ah, Lord God!” I said, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword nor will you have famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.
15 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, although it was not I who sent them—yet they keep saying, ‘There will be no sword or famine in this land’—by sword and famine those prophets shall meet their end! 16 “The people also to whom they are prophesying will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and there will be no one to bury them—neither them, nor their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters—for I will pour out their own wickedness on them.
17 “You will say this word to them, ‘Let my eyes flow down with tears night and day, And let them not cease; For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow, With a sorely infected wound. 18 ‘If I go out to the country, Behold, those slain with the sword! Or if I enter the city, Behold, diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest Have gone roving about in the land that they do not know.’ ”
19 Have You completely rejected Judah? Or have You loathed Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We waited for peace, but nothing good came; And for a time of healing, but behold, terror! 20 We know our wickedness, O Lord, The iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against You.
21 Do not despise us, for Your own name’s sake; Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory; Remember and do not annul Your covenant with us. 22 Are there any among the idols of the nations who give rain? Or can the heavens grant showers? Is it not You, O Lord our God? Therefore we hope in You, For You are the one who has done all these things.
Anything stick out to you in this passage?
Would you like a few questions tonight before the outline, or maybe answer them as we do the outline.
What does the description of the drought in (vv.1-6) teach us about the seriousness of God’s judgment?
How does Jeremiah’s prayer (vv.7-9) model intercession for a sinful people?
Why does God reject Judah’s fasting and offerings in (vv.10-12)? What does this teach us about empty religion?
What role did the false prophets play in worsening Judah’s situation (vv.13-16)?
How do Jeremiah’s tears in (vv.17-18) reflect the heart of a true shepherd or leader?
In (vv.19-22) Jeremiah appeals to God’s name and covenant—what can we learn from this about prayer today?
Outline
Outline
Description of the drought (Jer14:1-6)
This section displays the symbolism of physical drought as spiritual dryness
Impact on all creation —- humans, animals and land
The people refused to seek God earnestly earnestly. All of this leading to their dire situation. May this encourage us to note our own spiritual condition and needs and to turn to God genuinely; knowing that He lives to intercede for us when we cry for relief and restoration from a truthful heart.
Here is that first questions again: What does the description of the drought in (vv.1-6) teach us about the seriousness of God’s judgment?
Jeremiah’s First Prayer (Jer14:7-9)
Jeremiah confesses the peoples, and his sins and appeals to God’s covenant mercy.
Repentance required, not remorse
God’s response (Jer14:10-12)
God declares the people’s wandering unacceptable, recalls their sins, and prohibits Jeremiah from interceding, promising destruction instead of relief, despite their religious rituals
God commands not to pray for the people (v.11) like He had done before (Jer7:16), think about that, what does this indicate about the limits of intercession?
God rejects empty rituals
God declares judgment
Jeremiah’s complaint about false prophets (Jer14:13)
Jeremiah protests that the false prophets are is leading the people with promises of no sword or famine but lasting peace
Question for you, how does Jeremiah address God as “Sovereign Lord” (here in v.13), and why might this “Title” be significant in the context of deception?
One more, What dangers do false assurances of peace pose, and how can we identify similar issues in modern spiritual teaching? maybe consider (2Tim4:3-4)
2 Timothy 4:3–4 “3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
God’s judgement on false Prophets (Jer14:14-16)
God exposes the prophets as liars who speak from their own delusions, not His authority, and foretells their demise along with the people they deceive.
In (v.16), the unburied bodies symbolize total shame.
How does this section warn against self-appointed leaders, and what criteria should we use to test so called prophets and teachers today, may I suggest we look at 1 John 4:1 “1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
The lament and second prayer (Jer14:17-22)
I found this interesting in describing these verses “A poetic dirge over the destruction transitions into a communal confession of sin, plea for healing, and affirmation of God’s unique power to bring rain.”
Look at (vv.17-18) can you see the emotional depth of the lament, why Jeremiah has the nickname the weeping prophet?
In (vv.19-21) the prayer acknowledges ancestral guilt and appeals to God’s covenant, what does this teach about corporate repentance and God’s faithfulness?
Applications for today
Applications for today
(insert the PowerPoint slide here)
Embrace Honest Confession and Repentance
Like Jeremiah’s prayers, acknowledge sin personally and communally without excuses. In times of personal drought (spiritual dryness), turn to God for the sake of His name, not your own merit. Application: Practice regular confession in prayer and in journaling, asking God to reveal hidden rebellions (as you read in v.7).
Discern False Messages in a Noisy World: Beware of ‘so called prophets’ or influencers who promise easy peace without addressing sin, whether in churches or media, or self-help culture. Test teachings against scripture. Application: When facing decisions, cross-check advice with Biblical truth (vv.13-14) perhaps by discussing with a trusted friend, a trusted group.
Trust God’s Sovereignty Amid Suffering: The drought reminds us that God controls creation and uses trials for discipline. Even when prayers seem unanswered, affirm He alone brings rain (blessings). Application: In hardships like illness, or loss, pray (vv.19-22), focusing on God’s covenant promises rather than demanding immediate relief.
Avoid Superficial rituals: God rejects empty fasting or offerings without heart change (v.12). Prioritize obedience over religious routines. Application: Evaluate your spiritual practices — are they genuine? Replace rote habits with actions like serving others or studying scripture deeply.
Intercede with Humility: Jeremiah’s forbidden prayers show that intercession has boundaries when judgment is due, but we can still lament and hope. Application: Pray for your community, your nation, confessing shared sins, but subit to God’s will (as in v.11, 20-21).
(Prayer) (Exit)
