Jeremiah 12:4-6

The Voice

⁴    How long must the land cry out in mourning,
        the grasses of the field wither and bake in the sun?
    The birds and wild animals have simply vanished,
        all because of the wicked living here—
    Because they say, “God does not see what will become of us.”

Jeremiah’s complaint is a common one; it is as old as civilization itself: Why do the wicked prosper? Why do good people have to wait for God’s justice? God doesn’t shrink back from such questions, and He does not punish those who dare ask them. In fact, Scripture invites us to ask God the hard questions through Jeremiah’s example. The answers to hard questions are never easy. In fact, as Jeremiah will soon discover, his troubles are only beginning. God calls him again to endure.

⁵Eternal One: If you are worn out after only running with a few men,
        how will you one day compete against horses?
    If you stumble on the easy terrain,
        how will you manage in the thick brush near the Jordan?
⁶    Jeremiah, even your brothers and the rest of your family
        are ready to betray you.
    Even they cry out for your death; don’t trust any of them,
        no matter how nicely they speak to your face.