Jeremiah 14:22

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things. THE VANITIES OF THE GENTILES - idols (Deuteronomy 32:21). RAIN - (Zechariah 10:1, "Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field"). OR CAN THE HEAVENS - namely, of themselves without God (Matthew 5:45; Acts 14:17...

In order to conciliate the favor of God, Jeremiah says here, that with him is the only remedy in extremities; and it is the same as though by avowing despair he wished to turn God to mercy; as if he had said, “What will become of us, except thou shewest thyself propitious? for if thou remainest implacable, the Gentiles have their gods from whom they seek safety; but with us it is a fixed principle to hope for and to seek salvation from thee alone.” Now this argument must have been of great weight; not that God had need of being reminded, but he allows a familiar dealing with himself. For if we wish stoically to dispute, even our prayers are superfluous; for why do we pray God to help us? Does he not himself see what we want? Is he not ready enough to bring us help? But these are delirious things, wholly contrary to the true and genuine feeling of piety. As then we flee to God, whenever n...

17-22 Jeremiah acknowledged his own sins, and those of the people, but pleaded with the Lord to remember his covenant. In their distress none of the idols of the Gentiles could help them, nor could the heavens give rain of themselves. The Lord will always have a people to plead with him at his mercy-seat. He will heal every truly repenting sinner. Should he not see fit to hear our prayers on behalf of our guilty land, he will certainly bless with salvation all who confess their sins and seek his mercy....

Verse Jeremiah 14:22. _ARE THERE_ ANY _AMONG THE VANITIES OF THE GENTILES_] Probably the dearth was now coming, as there had been a long want of rain. It was the prerogative of the true God to give rain and send showers at the prayers of his people. _THEREFORE WE WILL WAIT UPON THEE_] If thou do not undertake for us, we must be utterly ruined....

A second (compare Jeremiah 14:7) earnest intercession, acknowledging the wickedness of the nation, but appealing to the covenant and to God’s Almighty power. LOTHED - More exactly, “hath thrown away as worthless.” Jeremiah 14:20 OUR WICKEDNESS, AND - Omit and. National sin is the sin of the fathers, perpetuated generation after generation by the children. Jeremiah 14:21 This verse is in the original very emphatic, and consists of a series of broken ejaculations: “Abhor not for thy name’s sake! Disgrace - lightly esteem” in...

EXPOSITION This chapter must be read in connection with the following one. They describe chiefly Jeremiah's twofold attempt at intercession (see verses 7-9 and 19-22)—a tender and appealing attempt indeed. The terrible sufferings of the people during a drought went to the prophet's heart. He even ventured, when repelled the first time, to intercede anew, on the ground of the covenant, but in vain. On receiving (Jeremiah 15:2) a revelation of the bitter fate in store for his people, he bursts out into a heartrending complaint that his own destiny should throw him into such a whirlpool of strife. His Lord at once corrects and consoles him (Jeremiah 15:10). There are doubts, however, about the connection of these latter verses—The date of the drought is not stated; but as the punishm

ARE THERE ANY AMONG THE VANITIES OF THE GENTILES THAT CAN CAUSE RAIN?.... The blessing wanted; none of the idols of the Gentiles, called vanities, because it was a vain thing to apply to them, or hope for anything from them, none of these could give a shower of rain; though the name of one of their idols was Jupiter Imbrius u, or Pluvius, the god of rain, yet he could not make nor give a single drop; as Baal, in the times of Ahab, when there was a drought, could not. OR CAN THE HEAVENS GIVE SHOWERS? from whence they descend, and which are the second causes of rain; even these could not of themselves, and much less Heathen deities. ART NOT THOU HE, O LORD OUR GOD? the everlasting and unchangeable He, or I AM, our covenant God and Father, thou, and thou only, canst give rain; this is the peculiar of the great God himself; see Acts 14:17. Ther

In some respects, Jeremiah is one of the greatest of the ancient prophets, for he had most sorrowful task to perform. He had not to deliver a message full of Evangelical comfort, like that of Isaiah; nor had he gorgeous visions of coming kingdoms, as Ezekiel had; but he was the Cassandra of ibis age. Jeremiah spoke the truth, yet few believed him; his life was spent in sighing over a wicked people who rejected and despised him. He bore a heavy burden upon his heart, and tears continually bedewed his Cheeks, so that he was rightly called «the weeping prophet.» This chapter gives us an illustration of the style in which he used to pray. Jeremiah 14:1. _The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth._ There had been no rain, so the crops had failed, and there was a famine in the land. Jeremiah describes that famine in striking poetic imagery....

II. THE PROPHET'S MINISTRY BEFORE THE FALL OF JERUSALEM, THE PROPHECIES OF JUDGMENT AND RESTORATION, THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF JEREMIAH, HIS FAITHFULNESS AND HIS SUFFERING CHAPTER 14 The Great Drought, the Sword, the Famine, and the Pestilence _ 1. The description of the drought (Jeremiah 14:1) _ 2. The prophet's priestly intercession (Jeremiah 14:7) 3. The answer (Jeremiah 14:10) 4. The renewed prayer (Jeremiah 14:19) Jeremiah 14:1. The vivid description of the great drought is gi

JEREMIAH 14:1 TO JEREMIAH 15:9. THE DROUGHT IN JUDAH, AND JEREMIAH'S CONSEQUENT INTERCESSION. The date of this disaster is unknown, but some year in the latter half of Jehoiakim's reign is most probable. The effects of the drought are graphically described in Jeremiah 14:2. The personified gates represent the people who gather at them in mourning attire and attitude (sit in black upon the ground; _cf._ Jeremiah 8:21; Jeremiah 13:18). The empty pits are dried-up storage cisterns (_cf._...