by Pastor Malcolm Harrison
Calvary Baptist Church
Palestine, TX
For our study let me challenge you with Jeremiah 14:1-22 where the “children of Israel” have, with their constant rebellion and disobedience to God’s words, finally provoked Him to anger. As a result, He brings them under the rod of discipline; and that discipline took the form of a terrible ‘derth’ [famine caused by drought]. It had been ongoing for so long that even the cattle were abandoning their newborn calves [14:5]. So, Jeremiah {the weeping prophet} went before God in prayer and begged Him to be merciful to the people and bless them with rain and food. In vs 7 Jeremiah confessed to God that the people had sinned but despite that sin, he pleaded that God would be merciful “for thy name’s sake”. God’s answer must have been completely shocking to Jeremiah! Let’s read it in Jeremiah 14:11-12, “Pray not for this people for their good” 12 “When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burn offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.” You wouldn’t sell many Christian t-shirts or coffee mugs with that scripture verse printed on them! In fact, if you read vs 13-17 God’s rolling anger is clear and makes us want to turn away from the page in fear.
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But Jeremiah pleaded still for them vs 20-22. That sets the context for our text in Ch 15:1-2 which I want to bring to your attention. “Then said the Lord unto me, though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight and let them go forth.” Oh My! The implications are massive! Moses and Samuel are faithful men! Not perfect men, but to the best of their ability they were faithful. Here we have God himself endorsing them. If, in this case, Moses and Samuel could not have changed God’s mind, then it stands to reason that perhaps in other circumstances they might have!
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If they could prayerfully turn God’s mind and hand, then so might you! YOU might stand in the spirit before His throne of grace by faith and plead with him on behalf of those who otherwise HAVE NO MOSES, no Samuel, No Job, No Jeremiah to plead for them! Maybe you’re thinking “well preacher, I am no Moses and no Samuel”. No, but for the sake of those in your family who have no one else will you be faithful to the cross and intercede for those who have no one else? Daniel prayed [Dan 9:18] that God would bless and help the Jews; not because they deserved it – but because God is overflowing with great mercies. Someone you love needs a Moses, a Samuel, a Jeremiah to step in before God in their stead because of their failures. Will you intercede for them? Will you be the Moses who pleads for your friends? Your family? Your church? You church family? Someone must sanctify themselves and try to maintain their close walk with the Lord. Will it be you? I urge you this week to be by God’s grace a ready vessel fit for His use in the lives of those who have no Moses! I urge you this week to pray for our America like never before.
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