When Yahweh Does Not Hear The Prayers Of His
Prophets For His People
7:1The
word that came to Yirmeyahu from Yahweh, saying, 7:2"Stand
in the gate of Yahweh's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 'Hear the
word of Yahweh, all you of Yahudah, who enter in at these gates to worship
Yahweh. 7:3Thus says Yahweh-Tzva'ot,
the Mighty One of Yisra'el, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause
you to dwell in this place. 7:4Don't
you trust in lying words, saying, "The temple of Yahweh, the
7:8"'Behold,
you trust in lying words, that can't profit. 7:9Will
you steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense to
Ba`al, and walk after other mighty ones that you have not known, 7:10and come and stand before me in this house,
which is called by my name, and say, "We are delivered"; that you may
do all these abominations? 7:11Is
this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?
Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says Yahweh. 7:12But
go you now to my place which was in
7:13Now,
because you have done all these works, says Yahweh, and I spoke to you, rising
up early and speaking, but you didn't hear; and I called you, but you didn't
answer: 7:14therefore will I do to
the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place
which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. 7:15I will cast you out of my sight, as I have
cast out all your brothers, even the whole seed of Efrayim.
7:16"Therefore
don't you pray for this people, neither lift up a cry nor prayer for them,
neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear you. 7:17Don't you see what they do in the cities of
Yahudah and in the streets of Yerushalayim? 7:18The
children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the
dough, to make cakes to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink-offerings
to other mighty ones, that they may provoke me to anger. 7:19Do they provoke me to anger? says Yahweh;
do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces? 7:20Therefore thus says the Sovereign Yahweh:
Behold, my anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, on man, and on
animal, and on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it
shall burn, and shall not be quenched."
7:16 shows that there are circumstances when Yahweh does not hear the prayers of his prophets when these pray for his people.
The reason why Yahweh commanded Yirmeyahu not to pray for his people Yahudah was because Yahudah was committing evil and had not listened to his entreaties to repent of the evil committed. And Yahweh had thereby decided to punish Yahudah for the evil it was committing.
In such circumstances, when the people have refused to repent, and Yahweh has decreed his punishment on the people for their refusal to repent, it is not for the prophet to continue praying for the people. For Yahweh will not listen to that prophet, seeing that he has already pronounced judgement on the people, after having given them opportunity to repent.
When Yahweh's Servants Are To Pray For The People
It therefore appears that the time for Yahweh's prophets to pray for his people is prior to Yahweh pronouncing his judgement on his people for their refusal to repent. In other words, if the people are living evil lives, and the period in which they are living in is one when Yahweh is still giving them time to repent, then Yahweh's prophets ought to continue praying for them. But once Yahweh has pronounced his judgement on the people for their works of evil, because they have refused to repent, despite having been given time to do so, then there is no longer any point for Yahweh's prophets to continue praying for such people. Such people have to bear their own sin.
When Yahweh's Servants Are Not To Pray For The
People
11:1The
word that came to Yirmeyahu from Yahweh, saying, 11:2"Hear
you the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Yahudah, and to the
inhabitants of Yerushalayim; 11:3and
say you to them, 'Thus says Yahweh, the Mighty One of Yisra'el: Cursed be the
man who doesn't hear the words of this covenant, 11:4which
I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land
of Mitzrayim, out of the iron furnace, saying, "Obey my voice, and do
them, according to all which I command you: so shall you be my people, and I
will be your Mighty One; 11:5that I
may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land
flowing with milk and honey, as at this day."'" Then answered I, and
said, "Amen, Yahweh."
11:6Yahweh
said to me, "Proclaim all these words in the cities of Yahudah, and in the
streets of Yerushalayim, saying, 'Hear you the words of this covenant, and do
them. 11:7For I earnestly protested
to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Mitzrayim,
even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, "Obey my
voice." 11:8Yet they didn't
obey, nor turn their ear, but walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil
heart: therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I
commanded them to do, but they didn't do them.'"
11:9Yahweh
said to me, "A conspiracy is found among the men of Yahudah, and among the
inhabitants of Yerushalayim. 11:10They
are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my
words; and they are gone after other mighty ones to serve them: the house of
Yisra'el and the house of Yahudah have broken my covenant which I made with
their fathers. 11:11Therefore
thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be
able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them. 11:12Then shall the cities of Yahudah and the inhabitants
of Yerushalayim go and cry to mighty ones to which they offer incense: but they
will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 11:13For according to the number of your cities
are your mighty ones, Yahudah; and according to the number of the streets of
Yerushalayim have you set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn
incense to Ba`al. 11:14Therefore
don't you pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I
will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble."
Once Yahweh has pronounced his judgement upon those who refuse to hear his voice, despite having given them sufficient opportunity for them to repent of their evil ways and to hear his voice, Yahweh's prophets are not to pray for such people. For once Yahweh has passed his judgement after due time accorded for repentance, Yahweh's judgement stands. And human prayer does not change or alter Yahweh's judgement in such circumstances.
It therefore appears that the time Yahweh's prophets are to pray for errant people is prior to Yahweh's judgement being pronounced upon them after they have been accorded due time to repent of their evil ways.
Once Yahweh's Judgement Is Pronounced
14:1The
word of Yahweh that came to Yirmeyahu concerning the drought. 14:2Yahudah mourns, and the gates of it
languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Yerushalayim is gone
up. 14:3Their nobles send their
little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they
return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and
cover their heads. 14:4Because of
the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen
are put to shame, they cover their heads. 14:5Yes,
the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no
grass. 14:6The wild donkeys stand on
the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because
there is no herbage.
14:7Though
our iniquities testify against us, work you for your name's sake, Yahweh; for
our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. 14:8You hope of Yisra'el, the Savior of it in
the time of trouble, why should you be as a sojourner in the land, and as a
wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night? 14:9Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who
can't save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your
name; don't leave us.
14:10Thus
says Yahweh to this people, "Even so have they loved to wander; they have not
refrained their feet: therefore Yahweh does not accept them; now will he
remember their iniquity, and visit their sins."
14:11Yahweh
said to me, "Don't pray for this people for their good. 14:12When they fast, I will not hear their cry;
and when they offer burnt offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them;
but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence."
14:13Then said I, "Ah,
Sovereign Yahweh! Behold, the prophets tell them, 'You shall not see the sword,
neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured shalom in this
place.'"
14:14Then
Yahweh said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn't send
them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to
you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of
their own heart. 14:15Therefore thus
says Yahweh concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn't send
them, yet they say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land.' By sword and
famine shall those prophets be consumed. 14:16The
people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Yerushalayim
because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them -
them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their
wickedness on them."
It is again evident that once Yahweh has pronounced his judgement upon a people he has given due time to repent of their errant ways, that judgement of his stands. At that stage his prophets should not pray for such people, for Yahweh will not listen to such prayers. Also, even if the errant people then decide to pray and fast, after the determination of their fate, that prayer and fasting is worthless. Yahweh will not hear it, nor will he take action to revoke his judgement upon them.
It therefore appears that the time for taking due action to repent is prior to Yahweh pronouncing judgement on one. Prior to this time one's repentance, prayers and fasts count. But after the allotted time for repentance one's repentance, prayers, and fasts do not count. After such due time Yahweh's prophets should not pray for such people that he may show due mercy upon them. For he already gave the people an opportunity for being shown mercy, an opportunity they rejected!
Yirmeyahu's Letter To The Captives Of Yahudah At
Bavel
29:1Now
these are the words of the letter that Yirmeyahu the prophet sent from
Yerushalayim to the residue of the Zakenim of the captivity, and to the
Kohanim, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nevukhadnetztzar had
carried away captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel, 29:2(after
that Yekhonyah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, and the princes
of Yahudah and Yerushalayim, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed
from Yerushalayim,) 29:3by the hand
of El`asah the son of Shafan, and Gemaryah the son of Chilkiyah, (whom
Tzidkiyahu king of Yahudah sent to Bavel to Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel,)
saying, 29:4"Thus says
Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty One of Yisra'el, to all the captivity, whom I have
caused to be carried away captive from Yerushalayim to Bavel: 29:5Build you houses, and dwell in them; and
plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 29:6Take
you wives, and father sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and
give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and
multiply you there, and don't be diminished. 29:7Seek
the shalom of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and
pray to Yahweh for it; for in the shalom of it shall you have shalom. 29:8For thus says Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty
One of Yisra'el: 'Don't let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your
diviners, deceive you; neither listen you to your dreams which you cause to be
dreamed. 29:9For they prophesy
falsely to you in my name: I have not sent them, says Yahweh. 29:10For thus says Yahweh, After seventy years
are accomplished for Bavel, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward
you, in causing you to return to this place. 29:11For
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of shalom,
and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. 29:12You shall call on me, and you shall go
and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 29:13You
shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. 29:14I will be found of you, says Yahweh, and I
will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and
from all the places wither I have driven you, says Yahweh; and I will bring you
again to the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.'"
Long-Term Captives Should Pray For The Welfare Of
The Land Of Their Captivity
29:7 shows that once Yahweh has executed his judgement on his people to send them to slavery amongst another nation or group of nations, and determined that they remain there for an extended period of time, his people should simply accept their fate in the land of their captivity, and pray for the welfare of the land of their captivity. For the welfare of his people is then tied to the welfare of the land of their captivity, as they will still be dwelling there for an extended period of time.
Yahweh's Command To Yisrael Applicable In The
Present Time
29:11-14 is applicable for the period just prior to the return of Yah'shuah the Messiah, just prior to the remnant of Yisrael then living being restored to their own land, the period of time we are currently living in.
Yahweh is currently thinking of Yisrael thoughts of shalom, to give Yisrael hope.
What Yisraelites Should Now Do
It is now time for Yisraelites, wherever they are scattered amongst the nations of the world, to call on Yahweh. It is now time to pray to Yahweh. And Yahweh will indeed hear the prayer of Yisrael, the prayers of Yisraelites scattered throughout the world among the nations that Yahweh has scattered them in. And Yahweh has already promised that he will indeed hear this prayer of Yisrael, these prayers that these latter day Yisraelites scattered amongst the nations of the world pray to him.
It is now time for Yisraelites scattered throughout the entire world to seek Yahweh. It is time for them to find Yahweh. And they will indeed find Yahweh, when they seek him with all their heart - faithfully and wholeheartedly.
What Yahweh Is About To Do For Yisrael
And once found by them, Yahweh will indeed turn again their captivity, and will gather them from all the nations, from all the places where he has driven them. And Yahweh will bring them back to the place from which he had caused them to be carried captive - their own land of Yisrael, the land of Promise.
Yisraelites currently living, scattered amongst all the nations of the world, should now realise that their time of restoration is come. It is now time to return to Yahweh, seeking him wholeheartedly, in order to find him, and reap appropriate blessings from him!
Prophecy Shortly To Be Fulfilled
32:6Yirmeyahu
said, "The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 32:7'Behold, Chanam'el the son of Shallum your uncle shall
come to you, saying, "Buy you my field that is in `Anatot; for the right
of redemption is yours to buy it."'" 32:8So
Chanam'el my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to the
word of Yahweh, and said to me, "Please buy my field that is in `Anatot,
which is in the land of Binyamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and
the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was
the word of Yahweh. 32:9I bought the
field that was in `Anatot of Chanam'el my uncle's son, and weighed him the
money, even seventeen shekels of silver. 32:10I
subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the
money in the balances. 32:11So I took
the deed of the purchase, both that which was sealed, according to the law and
custom, and that which was open: 32:12and
I delivered the deed of the purchase to Barukh the son of Neriyah, the son of
Mechaseyah, in the presence of Chanam'el my uncle's son, and in the presence of
the witnesses who subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Yahudim
who sat in the court of the guard.
32:13I
charged Barukh before them, saying, 32:14"Thus
says Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty One of Yisra'el: 'Take these deeds, this deed
of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in
an earthen vessel; that they may continue many days.' 32:15For thus says Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty
One of Yisra'el: Houses and fields and vineyards shall yet again be bought in
this land."
32:16Now
after I had delivered the deed of the purchase to Barukh the son of Neriyah, I
prayed to Yahweh, saying, 32:17"Ah
Sovereign Yahweh! Behold, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great
power and by your outstretched arm; there is nothing too hard for you, 32:18who show lovingkindness to thousands, and
recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after
them; the great, the powerful Mighty One, Yahweh-Tzva'ot is his name; 32:19great in counsel, and mighty in work;
whose eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone
according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: 32:20who did set signs and wonders in the land
of Mitzrayim, even to this day, both in Yisra'el and among other men; and made
you a name, as at this day; 32:21and
did bring forth your people Yisra'el out of the land of Mitzrayim with signs,
and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, and
with great terror; 32:22and gave
them this land, which you did swear to their fathers to give them, a land
flowing with milk and honey; 32:23and
they came in, and possessed it, but they didn't obey your voice, neither walked
in your law; they have done nothing of all that you commanded them to do:
therefore you have caused all this evil to come on them. 32:24Behold, the mounds, they are come to the
city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Kasdim who fight
against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence; and
what you have spoken is happened; and, behold, you see it. 32:25You have said to me, Sovereign Yahweh,
'Buy you the field for money, and call witnesses; whereas the city is given
into the hand of the Kasdim.'"
32:26Then
came the word of Yahweh to Yirmeyahu, saying, 32:27"Behold,
I am Yahweh, the Mighty One of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? 32:28Therefore thus says Yahweh: Behold, I will
give this city into the hand of the Kasdim, and into the hand of
Nevukhadretztzar king of Bavel, and he shall take it: 32:29and the Kasdim, who fight against this
city, shall come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, on
whose roofs they have offered incense to Ba`al, and poured out drink-offerings
to other mighty ones, to provoke me to anger. 32:30For
the children of Yisra'el and the children of Yahudah have done only that which
was evil in my sight from their youth; for the children of Yisra'el have only
provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, says Yahweh. 32:31For this city has been to me a provocation
of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day;
that I should remove it from before my face, 32:32because
of all the evil of the children of Yisra'el and of the children of Yahudah, which
they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their
Kohanim, and their prophets, and the men of Yahudah, and the inhabitants of
Yerushalayim. 32:33They have turned
to me the back, and not the face: and though I taught them, rising up early and
teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. 32:34But they set their abominations in the
house that is called by my name, to defile it. 32:35They
built the high places of Ba`al, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom,
to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molekh;
which I didn't command them, neither did it come into my mind, that they should
do this abomination, to cause Yahudah to sin. 32:36Now
therefore thus says Yahweh, the Mighty One of Yisra'el, concerning this city,
whereof you say, 'It is given into the hand of the king of Bavel by the sword,
and by the famine, and by the pestilence': 32:37Behold,
I will gather them out of all the countries, where I have driven them in my anger,
and in my wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them again to this
place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: 32:38and
they shall be my people, and I will be their Mighty One: 32:39and I will give them one heart and one
way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children
after them: 32:40and I will make an
everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them,
to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart
from me. 32:41Yes, I will rejoice
over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my
whole heart and with my whole soul. 32:42For
thus says Yahweh: Like as I have brought all this great evil on this people, so
will I bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 32:43Fields shall be bought in this land,
whereof you say, 'It is desolate, without man or animal; it is given into the
hand of the Kasdim.' 32:44Men shall
buy fields for money, and subscribe the deeds, and seal them, and call
witnesses, in the land of Binyamin, and in the places about Yerushalayim, and
in the cities of Yahudah, and in the cities of the hill-country, and in the
cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South: for I will cause their
captivity to return, says Yahweh."
Just as Yirmeyahu bought a field and took possession of it, so shall the returned remnant of Yisrael buy fields in their own land, after they return from their captivity in the various lands amongst the nations wherein they are scattered. The remnant of Yisrael should therefore realise that this prophecy is about to be fulfilled for them.
The People Sought Yahweh's Guidance Through
Yirmeyahu The Prophet
42:1Then
all the captains of the forces, and Yochanan the son of Kareach, and Yezanyah
the son of Hosha`yah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
came near, 42:2and said to Yirmeyahu
the prophet, "Let, we pray you, our supplication be presented before you,
and pray for us to Yahweh your Mighty One, even for all this remnant; for we
are left but a few of many, as your eyes do see us: 42:3that Yahweh your Mighty One may show us the
way in which we should walk, and the thing that we should do." 42:4Then Yirmeyahu the prophet said to them,
"I have heard you; behold, I will pray to Yahweh your Mighty One according
to your words; and it shall happen that whatever thing Yahweh shall answer you,
I will declare it to you; I will keep nothing back from you." 42:5Then they said to Yirmeyahu, "Yahweh be
a true and faithful witness among us, if we don't do according to all the word
wherewith Yahweh your Mighty One shall send you to us. 42:6Whether it be good, or whether it be evil,
we will obey the voice of Yahweh our Mighty One, to whom we send you; that it
may be well with us, when we obey the voice of Yahweh our Mighty One."
42:7It
happened after ten days, that the word of Yahweh came to Yirmeyahu. 42:8Then called he Yochanan the son of Kareach,
and all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from
the least even to the greatest, 42:9and
said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the Mighty One of Yisra'el, to whom you
sent me to present your supplication before him: 42:10'If
you will still abide in this land, then will I build you, and not pull you
down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I repent me of the evil
that I have done to you. 42:11Don't
be afraid of the king of Bavel, of whom you are afraid; don't be afraid of him,
says Yahweh: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand. 42:12I will grant you mercy, that he may have
mercy on you, and cause you to return to your own land. 42:13But if you say, "We will not dwell in
this land"; so that you don't obey the voice of Yahweh your Mighty One, 42:14saying, "No; but we will go into the
land of Mitzrayim, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the shofar,
nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell": 42:15now therefore hear you the word of Yahweh,
O remnant of Yahudah: Thus says Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty One of Yisra'el, If
you indeed set your faces to enter into Mitzrayim, and go to sojourn there; 42:16then it shall happen, that the sword,
which you fear, shall overtake you there in the land of Mitzrayim; and the
famine, whereof you are afraid, shall follow hard after you there in Mitzrayim;
and there you shall die. 42:17So
shall it be with all the men who set their faces to go into Mitzrayim to
sojourn there: they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence; and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will
bring on them. 42:18For thus says
Yahweh-Tzva'ot, the Mighty One of Yisra'el: As my anger and my wrath has been
poured forth on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, so shall my wrath be poured
forth on you, when you shall enter into Mitzrayim; and you shall be an object
of horror, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see
this place no more.'
42:19"Yahweh
has spoken concerning you, remnant of Yahudah, 'Don't you go into Mitzrayim:
know certainly that I have testified to you this day. 42:20For you have dealt deceitfully against
your own souls; for you sent me to Yahweh your Mighty One, saying, "Pray
for us to Yahweh our Mighty One; and according to all that Yahweh our Mighty
One shall say, so declare to us, and we will do it": 42:21and I have this day declared it to you;
but you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh your Mighty One in anything for
which he has sent me to you. 42:22Now
therefore know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by
the pestilence, in the place where you desire to go to sojourn there.'"
42:1-3 shows that the people asked Yirmeyahu, Yahweh's prophet, to pray for them to Yahweh that Yahweh may guide them in their conduct. The people appeared willing to listen to whatever guidance Yahweh gave them.
Why Yirmeyahu Agreed To The People's Request
42:4 shows that Yirmeyahu agreed to their request, seeing that they appeared willing to follow Yahweh's guidance.
It appears to me that Yirmeyahu made the right decision. For when a people appear willing to hear Yahweh's word, that they may do it, it is imperative that the prophet seek Yahweh in prayer for the guidance that is sought, for it is Yahweh's prophet's duty to so do.
42:5-6 shows that the people reaffirmed to heed Yahweh's words, whether it seemed favourable or unfavourable to them. In other words, despite all that had recently occurred to the people, they now appeared willing to be abandon their rebellion against Yahweh, and finally submit to him.
Yahweh Answers Our Prayers In His Own Time
42:7 shows that Yahweh did not answer the people immediately. He gave his answer after 10 days!
It should therefore be clear to us that when we seek Yahweh's guidance in a matter, we should not impose upon a Yahweh a time limit within which he is to respond to us. He is Yahweh, HaElyon, and we are just his creation. It is for us not to impose any stipulation upon Yahweh, but to accept whatever Yahweh gives us, including the manner he chooses to deal with us based on his own prerogative.
It should also be clear to us that even though we feel that we require an quick answer from Yahweh from a matter in which we are seeking his guidance, it is entirely up to him whether or not he will give us the guidance that we seek from him. And if he decides to give us the guidance that we request of him, it is entirely up to him to choose the timing of delivery of that guidance. We should never pressure Yahweh with any matter. He is Yahweh, HaElyon - the Most High, while we are just merely men!
The People Were Not Sincere In Their Request For
Guidance From Yahweh
42:19-22 shows that it eventually emerged that the people were not sincere in their request for guidance from Yahweh. They had already made up their minds what option they sought for themselves. They just wanted Yahweh to ratify the option that they had already sought for themselves, rather than accept whatever guidance Yahweh gave them, even if contrary to the option they had already sought for themselves!
Yahweh Punishes Those Who Insincerely Seek His
Guidance
Such requests for guidance at Yahweh's hand are not sincere requests. And because they are not sincere requests for guidance, Yahweh inevitably punishes those who engage in such requests for guidance!
In this case Yahweh had told the people, through Yirmeyahu, that they would surely face unpleasant consequences if they would choose not to heed his guidance. When it became clear that they were not going to heed Yahweh's words, but persisted in their past rebellion against Yahweh, Yirmeyahu reaffirmed to them that the evil consequences for rejecting Yahweh's word would surely be visited upon them.
Those Whose Minds Are Set Should Not Seek Yahweh's
Guidance
It should therefore be clear that we should seek Yahweh's guidance in any matter only when we are sufficiently meek and submissive to heed Yahweh's word in the matter. If we have already purposed a course of action in our minds, and are set on pursuing it, then it is pointless to seek Yahweh's guidance in it. For we have already sought to follow our own guidance. If the people approach a prophet of Yahweh to pray for them in such circumstances then the prophet should not pray, for the people have not come sincerely before Yahweh.
Sincerely Seek Yahweh's Guidance
It should also be noted that we should always seek Yahweh's guidance in any matter of significance, and do so in a meek and submissive manner. That Yahweh may guide our steps in all significant matters in our lives.
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