Why do the wicked prosper? Jeremiah sets the problem in a wisdom psalm with no answer. With the psalmist we still cry, how long, O Lord, how long. With faith we proceed. Jeremiah realizes the stark reality of his situation- he races with men and against horses, he traverses not only open country be jungles, he cannot turn to anyone for help least of all his family. What will he do? He conquers his fears and continues in his vocation. The promise now is that not only Judah will be restored but also every other nation which learns Yahwism from the Jews. It seems that the Jews never fail to include all people in salvation. Jeremiah now recognizes the likelihood that Judah will eventually provoke the Chaldeans and be driven into exile. He dramatizes the threat of exile with the image of Judah clinging to Yahweh like a waistcloth to a man. However, in her estrangement from Yahweh she becomes spoiled and good for nothing. Chapter 14 begins with Jeremiah’s best imagery- confused servants, dumbfounded farmers, wretched hind forsaking her fawn, the wild asses, panting as they wait for death to come. The chapter ends with a corporate lament that contains a description of the disaster and an appeal to Yahweh for help. That She can help is shown by the fact that in the past He
Why do the wicked prosper? Jeremiah sets the problem in a wisdom psalm with no answer. With the psalmist we still cry, how long, O Lord, how long. With faith we proceed. Jeremiah realizes the stark reality of his situation- he races with men and against horses, he traverses not only open country be jungles, he cannot turn to anyone for help least of all his family. What will he do? He conquers his fears and continues in his vocation. The promise now is that not only Judah will be restored but also every other nation which learns Yahwism from the Jews. It seems that the Jews never fail to include all people in salvation. Jeremiah now recognizes the likelihood that Judah will eventually provoke the Chaldeans and be driven into exile. He dramatizes the threat of exile with the image of Judah clinging to Yahweh like a waistcloth to a man. However, in her estrangement from Yahweh she becomes spoiled and good for nothing. Chapter 14 begins with Jeremiah’s best imagery- confused servants, dumbfounded farmers, wretched hind forsaking her fawn, the wild asses, panting as they wait for death to come. The chapter ends with a corporate lament that contains a description of the disaster and an appeal to Yahweh for help. That She can help is shown by the fact that in the past He
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