"Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord's flock is carried away captive". (Jeremiah 13:15-17)
The Scattering
Seeped in inquity, the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell in 721 B.C. and was taken captive by Assyrians. One hundred years later the remaining Kingdom of Judah totally abandoning the God of Israel faced extinction at the hands of Babylonians. So total was their rejection of Jehovah that they turned to animal worship "turning a large room in the temple into a chapel for its' services... the sun worship also finding a footing in its' court...in the very holiest spot of the sanctuary, about twenty-five men, presumably representatives of the high priest...stood with their back to the temple-the open sign of apostasy-and worshipped the rising sun, their faces turned to the east...they even offered their children in sacrifice to god Molech (Jeremiah 32:35) (Old Testament Student Manual, 1 Kings-Malachi, p 261). The moral corruption of Judah was astounding and qualified them for utter destruction: "Instead of doing righteous works, the people swore falsely, showed no repentance or compassion, they turned to the houses of prostitution, they coveted their neighbour's wife, had a 'revolting and rebellious heart', laid snares for other men and grew fat with illegal gains (Jeremiah 5:1-31). When the Lord was ready to deal with Sodom and Gomorrah, he promised deliverance of these cities if 10 righteous souls could be found there. For Judah he made the promise that it would be spared if ANY could be found who lived justly or sought the truth (Jeremiah 5:1) but no such person could be found. Judah was filled with corrupt prophets and priests and people seeped in sin who 'loved to have it so' (Jeremiah 5:31). The real national tragedy was Judah's unwillingness to 'give ear' and repent. Over and over they rejected the sound political counsel and a call to repentance until they came to the point of no return.
Jeremiah, like Mormon, was called to cry repentance among a people for whom there was no hope. A people whose hearts had grown so hard they had no inclination or willingness to repent and like in Mormon's day 'the day of grace was passed with them, both temporally and spiritually' (Mormon 2:15). Nevertheless, Jeremiah, ordained to his calling long before he was born (Jeremiah 1:4,5) did not cease striving to save his people begging them in vain, for 40 years, to turn back to God. During that time Jeremiah was in a state of continuous suffering as he was accused of political treason, put in stocks, thrown in prison, persecuted, hunted by men of his home town who sought to kill him and so angered the elders of the Jews because his prophecies came true that they cast him into a dungeon what is often called 'a pit prison'. "The only way in and out of this dungeon was through a hole in the top, through which he was lowered with cords. Since there was no drainage, the bottom was a sea of mud into which Jeremiah sank" (Ted Gibbons, OT Lesson 41).
So dejected and full of despair was Jeremiah that he cried out: "O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke" (Jeremiah 15:15). Even though he was rejected and no one would pay any heed to his words, he could not desist from his calling which burned within him like a fire: "I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay" (Jeremiah 20:7-9). Despite the undeserved treatment he received at their hands, he sorrowed greatly for his people: "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jeremiah 9:1)
Jeremiah was acceptable to the Lord in every way because he did not shrink back from his preaching. I imagine the Lord speaking to him like He spoke to Helaman's son Nephi regarding his service: "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou has not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life but has sought my will and to keep my commandments" (Helaman 10:4). His was indeed, like many other prophets of old, a labour of love, not just for his people but also for Him who issued the call. When Jeremiah was called to serve, the Lord assured him he was equal to the task because He knew him before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5). "The phrase 'I knew thee' means more than a casual acquaintance. The Hebrew word yada, which is translated knew, connotes a very personal, intimate relationship. Indeed, Jeremiah's premortal appointment consisted of being foreordained, sanctified and sent forth" (Old Testament Student Manual, p 235). Jeremiah was clearly loved and beloved by the Saviour before he was even born. Out of this loving relationship was born Jeremiah's dedication and commitment to serve Him at all cost.
The tragic dispersion of the House of Israel is also a message of love. The siege of Jerusalem was savage and lasted 18 months. During that time 'the people of Jerusalem were starved to the point of cannibalism (Lamentations 4:8-10). As the final defenses broke down and the Babylonians became victorious, King Zedekiah and his army fled toward the Jordan River but were captured. He was forced to watch as his family was murdered, had his eyes taken out and was taken captive to Babylon. The city was burned, Solomon's temple was destroyed, and the kingdom of Judah came to an end....the Babylonians took the remnant of the people to Babylon except for some who were left behind under Babylonian rule....to harvest the crops ' (Old Testament Student Manual p. 261). How is this a message of love? The dispersion of the House of Israel stands as a monument of God's infinite mercy towards His children and his undying love for even the vilest sinner who He longs to see return to Him. Even though the Kingdom of Judah got what it deserved, they are not forever abandoned for the Lord made them this promise:
"For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart"
(Jeremiah 29:11-13)
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