Jeremiah 14:7

JEREMIAH'S PRAYER FOR ISRAEL

"Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name's sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O thou hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time of troubles, why shouldest thou be as a sojourner in the land?, and as a way-faring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night? Why shouldest thou be as thou, O Jehovah, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not."

Some have wondered if the people of Israel themselves or Jeremiah prayed this prayer; but it appears that Jeremiah here prayed on behalf of the people, using some of the phraseology that the people were using.

"Work thou for thy name's sake ..." (Jeremiah 14:7). Note that the prayer is not based upon any merit of Israel, but solely upon the character of God Himself. It was the Jewish conception, first enunciated by Moses, that if God did not bless Israel, it would cause the pagan nations to declare that God was not able to bless them. It would appear that the presumption of Israel in this matter was almost incredible.

"As a sojourner ... as a wayfaring man ..." (Jeremiah 14:8). There is apparently in this the echo of a complaint by the people to the effect that God, instead of dwelling with Israel all the time, was like a traveling man who merely spent a night in their midst now and then. Israel expected God to bless them continually no matter what they did. After all, were not they called "God's Chosen People?" Was not he enthroned among them in that magnificent temple? "Oh, don't forsake us now, Lord; we are in trouble, and we need you!"

Coupled with God's negative answer to this prayer (Jeremiah 14:10f), we have the fact that Israel admitted their sins and backsliding, all right; but they went right on sinning. Why did they call God the hope of Israel and go right on with their wickedness? They never stopped sinning for a minute. "Instead they lay the source of their troubles on God; they call him the hope of Israel, but at the same time charge him with indifference to their needs, and with impotence to help them ... Then they brazenly declare: `We are called by your name. Save us and thus redeem your reputation!' "[12]