Jeremiah 8:1-22
Q.1. What shame will the leaders of Judah suffer? For what response was God looking? What was the root problem? What was wrong with their brand of peace? – (Jer.8:1-12)
God graphically predicted a shameful end for all the kings, leaders, priests, and false prophets – They will not be gathered or buried; they will be as dung on the face of the ground (Jer.8:2). Worse would come – death will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the places to which I have driven them, declares the Lord of hosts (Jer.8:3). Why? Even common sense would suggest that a person who falls would not repeat the same mistake. However, the repentance God was looking for was not part of Judah’s thinking (Jer.8:4-5). God stated that even the animals follow their inbuilt instincts in their seasons. However, Judah ignored God’s precepts (Jer.8:7). God added, – they have rejected the Word of the Lord, so how could they claim to be wise? (Jer.8:8-9). These people opposed Jeremiah and hid behind their human interpretations of God’s Law. They ignored God’s warnings, and – They heal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace (Jer.8:11). The Lord was appalled by their blatant refusal to show any shame for their abominations (Jer.8:12).
Q.2. What picture did the prophet paint of Judah’s future? What would happen to the land? Why did the prophet weep? Did he see any hope for his people? – (Jer.8:13-22)
Judah’s destruction was upon her, and there would be no harvest (Jer.8:13). The prophet described the coming of an invading army from Dan in the north – because the Lord our God has doomed us … for we have sinned against the Lord (Jer.8:14 c.f. Jer.8:15-17). It gave Jeremiah no pleasure to prophecy doom. It broke his heart. He has been called the weeping prophet, not because he suffered so much (which he did c.f. Jer.20:1-2; 32:1-2; 38:1-6), but because he was broken-hearted over the refusal of God’s people to repent. He summed up his distress, – 18 My sorrow is beyond healing, my heart is faint within me … 20 “Harvest is past, summer is ended, and we are not saved.” 21 For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me (Jer.8:20-21). He had lost all hope of the healing of the sinful nation, and asked – Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? (Jer.8:22).