Jeremiah 12:1-17
Q.1. What was the theme of Jeremiah’s prayer? How had he been treated by his family? Will those plotting against him prosper? Of what was he confident? – (Jer.12:1-6)
There had been a serious plot on Jeremiah’s life (Jer.11:18-23). Even more painful was the lack of support from his own family – For even your brothers and the household of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you, even they have cried aloud after you (Jer.12:6). God had already told the prophet that his persecutors would be punished. He prayed – You know me, O Lord; You see me; and You examine my heart’s attitude toward You (Jer.12:3). He accepted that God was righteous, but expressed what troubled him: Why have the wicked prospered? (Jer.12:1). Jeremiah seemed to have lost patience and asked that God would no longer withhold His judgment on the nation (Jer.12:2, 4-5).
Q.2. What did the Lord tell His prophet? How had Judah treated God? What was He about to do to His people? Is there any future for the people of Israel? – (Jer.12:7-17)
God told Jeremiah that He had forsaken His house and handed His inheritance over to the hands of the enemy for destruction (Jer.12:7). He described Judah as the prey of a lion, and defenceless birds and beasts of the field (Jer.12:8-12). He told the prophet – they have sown wheat and have reaped thorns; they have strained themselves to no profit (Jer.12:13). He declared – … Behold I am about to uproot them from their land and will uproot the house of Judah from among them (Jer.12:14). Yet amid His wrath, God unveiled His mercy – 15 And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will again have compassion on them; and I will bring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then if they will really learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught My people to swear by Baal, they will be built up in the midst of My people (Jer.12:15-16). Though God would uproot Jeremiah’s generation, He still had plans to restore a future remnant.