5-7 The Lord said: “Sound the trumpets, my people. Warn the people of Judah ‘Run for your lives! Head for Jerusalem or another walled town!' Tell them I’m sending disaster from the north. An army will come out, like a lion from its den. It will destroy nations and leave your towns empty and in ruins.” 8 Then I said to the people of Israel, “Put on sackcloth! Mourn and cry out, ‘The Lord is still angry with us.’” 9 The Lord said, “When all this happens, the king and his officials, the prophets and the priests will be shocked and terrified.” 10 I said, “You are the Lord God. So why have you fooled everyone, especially the people of Jerusalem? Why did you promise peace, when a knife is at our throats?”

11-12 When disaster comes, the Lord will tell the people of Jerusalem, “I am sending a windstorm from the desert - not a welcome breeze. And it will sweep you away as punishment for your sins. 13 Look! The enemy army swoops down like an eagle; their cavalry and chariots race faster than storm clouds blown by the wind.” Then you will answer, “We are doomed!” 14-15 But Jerusalem, there is still time for you to be saved. Wash the evil from your hearts and stop making sinful plans, before a message of disaster arrives from the hills of Ephraim and the town of Dan.

16-18 The Lord said, “Tell the nations that my people have rebelled against me, and so an army will come from far away to surround Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. I, the  Lord, have spoken. People of Judah, your hearts will be in pain, but it’s your own fault that you will be punished.”

19 I can’t stand the pain! My heart pounds, as I twist and turn in agony. I hear the signal trumpet and the battle cry of the enemy, and I cannot be silent. 20 I see the enemy defeating us time after time, leaving everything in ruins. Even my own home is destroyed in a moment. 21 How long will I see enemy flags and hear their trumpets? Jeremiah 4:5-21 From the 'Contemporary English Version'. (Link to English Standard Version)

The folk singer Bob Dylan once sang a song called 'A hard rain's gonna fall' in which he described a bleak future for the world. The prophet Jeremiah, however, warned of something far more serious that was coming upon Israel in those days. In vs 11 he said that 'God was sending a windstorm which would sweep the people away in punishment for their sins.' What form would that windstorm take? (vs 5-7 & 13)

Verse 9 describes how the King, his officials and even the religious leaders would be helpless and in despair. Verse 10 suggests that Jeremiah was also surprised at what was coming to the nation because, in earlier days, God had promised such good things for Israel. But what do vs 16-18 tell us about why God was sending a storm instead of His blessings?

The coming judgment was entirely their own fault because they had rebelled against God. Vs 14-15 are actually advice on what they needed to do, but also show us how evil they had become. The Hebrew words there imply that they ‘allowed evil thoughts to make themselves at home in their hearts’! They needed to repent. Vs 9 explains that repentance means to grieve over our sinfulness, and vs 14-15 show that repentance involves washing out sins stains. (That can ultimately only be done through the blood Jesus Christ shed for sinners).

Many people are 'turned off' when Christians speak about sin and judgment. But it's a vital part of God's message to the world. There's a huge and dark storm coming when the day of final judgement arrives. How did Jeremiah feel when he told people the terrifying news of judgement? (vs 19-21)

It obviously affected him deeply. He was distressed by the fate of those who would not repent. May God help us to cast all wicked thoughts out of our hearts, and give us real compassion for people who have not realised what awaits them when God's storm arrives.