Read Jeremiah 11.
"Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them." (v.11b)
"Therefore, do not pray for this people." (v.14)
The nation had become so spiritually corrupt that they had reached a point
where prayer to God would not delay the judgment against them. Their root
sin was turning to other things for life-guidance and hope instead of solely
depending on the LORD. God gave them plenty of warning, "Yet they
did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of
his evil heart." (v.8)
Not only did they reject the message, they wanted to kill the messenger (v.21).
This is the first mention of the increasing personal threat against
Jeremiah for faithfully delivering the word of God. The LORD's response
was to bring death to the conspirators (vv.22-23).
Such a sinful condition should strike terror in disobedient hearts.
Hebrews 10:31 is a reminder to all, "It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God." Sin is nothing with which to
play. The Apostle John wrote: "There is a sin that leads to death; I
do not say that one should pray for that." (1 John 5:16b)
The prime example in the New Testament where a line was crossed with God and
His judgment came quickly upon them is Ananias and Sapphira. They lied to
the church in Acts 5 and the LORD killed both of them. In his first
letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul wrote of Hymenaeus and Alexander, two men
in the church who were committed to false doctrine. "I have handed
them over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme." (1 Timothy 1:20)
We should all be warned to keep soft hearts for God and to be immediately
responsive to His prompting. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)
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