Text: Jeremiah 15:1-10
For the fourth time, God tells Jeremiah not to intercede for Judah (7:16; 11:14; 14:11). To make the point clear, the Lord says that even if Moses and Samuel, the two important prophets of long ago were employed to pray, He would not relent (v.1). Moses and Samuel had effective prayer life in the ministry to God. Judah’s fate is sealed even when they ask Jeremiah where to go. His answer to them is death, sword, famine and captivity (v.2). All this is a result of
disobedience.
At this reference period, the suffering was especially because of the sins committed by King Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah (v.4). King Manasseh became king at the age of twelve years and reigned in Jerusalem for fifty five years (Chr. 33:1). He was one of the worst (if not the worst) kings of Judah as he was completely idolatrous, closing down temple worship of God and causing priests to scatter and flee to outer lands (some reportedly to Ethiopia, with the Ark of the Covenant!). The people are suffering out of the sins of their leader; yet Manasseh’s father, King Hezekiah, and Manasseh’s grandson, King Josiah, were godly kings.
This is why we need to pray for our leaders to be godly because their sins affect us all (1Tim 2:1-2).
Meditate on verse 1. What is God teaching you in this verse?
Ever loving Father, I acknowledge that all leaders have authority from You; I, therefore, pray that You hear my humble cry that You choose for us wise leaders after Your own heart, like Moses, Samuel and David, who will not lead us out of Your sight; rather to Your forgiveness and to the cleansing of evil from our nation. In Jesus’s name I have prayed. Amen.