The criticism of the nation continues. Towards the end of chapter 4 Jeremiah was agonising at the terror that was about to come. God is revealing to Him just why it is necessary and just. In the same way, people are concerned about the concept of Hell, but the awful truth is not that there is a hell, but that the human race is worthy of hell.
God challenges Jeremiah to find one person who is righteous, and says that if he finds just one such person then He will forgive the city. The people's words may be fine, but their hearts were far from God.
Jeremiah observed that the common people were unresponsive to God's chastisement, refusing to repent. Then he went to the leaders, expecting to find a better response, but they were no better.
God had supplied all the people needed, but the people responded by going after false gods.
The people lied about the Lord when they said "He will do nothing. No harm will come us.." The people scoffed at the prospect of judgement. They despised His prophets. So judgement would come upon them. Our society is putting itself in similar danger.
So Jeremiah's words would be like fire. The judgements he declared would (and did) come to pass. Even so, the nation would not be completely destroyed. A remnant would remain who would learn from the sins of the past.
The prophets prophesy lies and priests rule by their own authority. We need to be very careful how we handle the word of God.
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