Physical Spiritual Drought and Famine

Related Articles

Wine Cup of Fury and the Prophecy of Seventy Years

May 26, 2017

The Root of Corruption

May 26, 2017

Balance Between Justice and Mercy

May 24, 2017

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

JEREMIAH 14
Lesson #15
PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DROUGHT AND FAMINE

• Memory Verse: Ezekiel 22:30
• Jeremiah is now prophesying under King Jehoiakim.
  • After the death of King Josiah, the short reformation and revival quickly came to an end.
  • The people quickly returned to idolatry, and the nation fell further away from God.
  • The people were even more indifferent to Jeremiah’s messages.
• Read Jer 14:1-6 God’s Warning: Drought and Famine
  • We have seen the drought mentioned before in Jeremiah, but in this chapter it has reached its peak.
    • The earth is so parched it is cracked. (“chapt” vs. 4) The animals are leaving their young to search for water.
    • The prophet is dressed in black to call attention to mourning. (2)
  • In the Old Testament God used drought various times as a warning of coming judgment. For example:
    • During the reign of evil King Ahab, there was a drought sent by God as a warning.
    • The message at that time was given by the prophet Elijah.
  • The people mourn not for sin but for the drought.
    • There are thirteen famines mentioned in scripture and they are all stated as God’s judgments on the land.
    • From drought comes famine.
      • We have already seen in Jeremiah that God said He would withdraw the blessings as a warning.
        • Rain is a blessing from God
        • Read Psa 65:10-11
      • God considered the Promised Land and the people as one. The land was God’s way of providing for His people. The condition of the land affected the people and the spiritual condition of the people affected the land.
        • What significance does water have spiritually speaking?
        • Water in the Bible is a symbol of eternal life by the Holy Spirit of God and the cleansing of the church by the Word of God in believers’ hearts.

Read Joh 4:14

Read Eph 5:26-27

The parched earth was something they could physically see.

What was happening to the land was equally what was happening to them spiritually.

The people of Judah did not have a personal relationship with God so they did not have the spiritual water of eternal life.

Therefore, their physical condition of drought and famine reflected their spiritually dry condition without the presence of the Holy Spirit.

• • • • The people of Judah were supposed to make that connection between what happens to them physically and their spiritual condition.
        • The New Testament believer should make the same connection between what actually happens in his life and his spiritual relationship with God.
        • Does that mean when you are going through very difficult situations that God is judging you?

No, not necessarily, unless you are walking in a sinful lifestyle without repentance.

It means that God wants you to learn something through it to make you a stronger believer.

• • Read Jer 14:7-12 Prayer: Jeremiah’s prayer for his people.
    • The unique characteristic about all the Old Testament saints, of which Jeremiah was one, is his personal identification with the people so as to lift them in prayer to God.
      • “O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us….” (7)
      • Jeremiah does not declare that he is righteous among a nation of sinners. That is the natural thing to do. But that kind of self-righteousness does not please God.
        • Why is this important?
        • When we identify ourselves with the people, we must get down on their level to lift them up to God.

This attitude of humility is exactly the same attitude that Jesus had when he came to earth to minister to sinful man.

This attitude of humility is exactly the same attitude that Jesus had when he identified himself with our sins to bear them on the cross in our place.

• • • The prophet is taking the sins of the people on himself as he identifies himself with a sinful people.
    • Jeremiah is told again not to pray blessings for these people. (11) (Jer 7:16 Jer 11:14)
      • Why? God is telling Jeremiah not to interfere in what God is doing to bring His people to accountability to God.
        • Notice verse 7 says, “…do thou it for thy name’s sake…”
        • Jeremiah is telling God to continue the warnings and punishment because they deserve it.
      • When a nation or a person is under the judgment of God, you pray for what is spiritually best for them.
        • That which is spiritually best is not the temporal blessings.
        • Instead you pray for the eternal good. The eternal good may be an increase in problems as a punishment for sin to bring that person or that nation to repentance.
    • When the people fast and pray or offer burnt offerings for sin, God will not hear them, nor answer. (12) Why?
      • Fasting and prayer that is not done in repentance and faith is an empty exercise.
      • Animal sacrifice for sin that is not done in repentance and faith is worthless.
      • Read Heb 11:6
  • Read Jer 14:13-16 One alone among many false prophets
    • Jeremiah indicates to God that the false prophets, the religious leaders, and the secular leaders are to blame for their situation.
      • God will bring judgment on the leaders of a nation. (Mat 23:13-29)
        • =1= For what they have done to shut the kingdom of heaven to those who seek truth. (Mat 23:13)
        • =2= For personal gain at the expense of the poor. (Mat 23:14)
        • =3= For leading people into more sin and ungodliness. (Mat 23:15)
        • =4= For promoting an empty religion (Mat 23:16)
        • =5= For being hypocrites in their own lives. (Mat 23:23)
        • =6= For extortion and corruption in their lives. (Mat 23:24)
        • =7= For their failure to have a personal relationship with God. (Mat 23:27)
        • =8= For not maintaining the Godly foundation and history of the nation and passing it on to the next generation. (Mat 23:29)
      • God will bring judgment on the people for following the deceptions of ungodly leaders.
        • God gives people over to what they truly want by raising up leaders that people want.
        • These leaders are not necessarily good, but placed in authority by God because that is what culture and nations desire.
    • The False Prophets’ Message
      • There will always be false prophets until Christ comes the second time to this planet.
      • Satan’s message through the false prophets is always the same attempt to twist God’s words to deceive God’s people. (14)
    • Now that King Josiah is dead, Jeremiah is alone in his stand for truth.
      • When other prophets were predicting good things, blessings, and peace, Jeremiah was probably wondering if was hearing from God correctly.
      • Standing for God when you are the only one is not easy.
        • How does one stand for truth like Jeremiah when you are the only one?

You must know without a doubt what God has called you to do.

Standing alone with God takes a strong faith that you have developed over the years.

You must have courage that one with God is a majority.

You must trust God that He has placed you where He wants you to be.

You must maintain your own close personal contact with God so as to receive God’s guidance and encouragement.

• • • • • When you have done all of that, like Jeremiah, God reassures you that He is with you and giving you the truth.

God gave Jeremiah the truth that he was to speak to the people through tears.

This is why Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. He gives these messages with tears to demonstrate to the people that God is shedding tears over their behavior.

• Read Jer 14:17-22
  • Another famine will come
    • Jeremiah says in his message that another famine will come. (17)
    • This famine occurred when the Babylonians laid siege to the city of Jerusalem and attempted to starve it into submission.
  • The prophet and priest who go into captivity refer to a prophet and a priest of God in contrast to the false prophets not from God. (18)
    • This is a reference to the prophet Daniel who was taken captive to Babylon in 606 BC with the first group taken captive to Babylon. Jeremiah’s message in chapter 14 comes just before this happens.
    • This is a reference to the priest Ezekiel who was taken captive to Babylon in 597 BC with the second group taken captive to Babylon.
  • The final group to be taken to Babylon would occur at the destruction of the temple in 586 BC.
• Application:
  • Spiritual drought and spiritual famine are common in the world today:
    • Spiritual drought means a dry or non-existent relationship with the living God.
    • Spiritual famine means believers who do not read the Word of God daily.
  • God wants believers who are committed and determined prayer warriors that will pray for the nation.
    • How should we pray for our nation? (20-21)
    • What specific things should we include in our prayers for our nation?
      • =1= Acknowledge the sin by indentifying yourself with the sinful people of our nation.
      • =2= Pray for the personal salvation of every leader: the president, our federal and state legislators, or judges, our governors, our mayors, our school board leaders.
      • =3= Pray for wisdom for our leaders to have a Biblical perspective so as to make Godly decisions.
      • =4= Pray that our legislators will make righteous laws that will ensure personal freedoms including the freedom of religion.
      • =5= Pray that our legislators will make laws that ensure peace.
      • =6= Pray that our legislators will make laws that favor the spread of the gospel.
      • =7= Pray that our legislators will make laws that ensure a sound fiscal policy.
      • =8= Pray that revival begin in our churches.
      • =9= Pray that Christians would get involved in politics, schools, public service, Wall Street, etc.
      • =10= Pray that God raise up new righteous leaders.
      • =11= Pray that corruption and deception in government be revealed by the light of righteousness.
      • =12= Pray that our schools begin to teach the Christian foundation on which this nation was founded.
      • =13= Pray that our government would back Israel.
    • As we have seen in Jeremiah 14, God is looking for one like Jeremiah who will stand for truth even if he is the only one.
    • Our founding fathers understood that if our constitution is to survive, it must be supported by a culture and a people who are both moral and Christian.
    • Read Deu 8:11-13, 17, 19-20

HOMEWORK
Jeremiah 15

• Application of Jer 14
  • What in chapter 14 spoke to you the strongest in regards to what God wants you to do?
    • In prayer make a commitment to be obedient to the Holy Spirit in what He has shown you.
• Preparation for Jer 15
  • Read Jer 15:1-21
    • What promises does God make Jeremiah that he will be protected and provided for during the coming Babylonian invasion?
• Memory verse: Jer 15:21