15 Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God before it is too late. 16-17 Acknowledge him before he brings darkness upon you, causing you to stumble and fall on the darkening mountains. For then, when you look for light, you will find only terrible darkness and gloom. And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.

18-19 Say to the king and his mother, “Come down from your thrones and sit in the dust, for your glorious crowns will soon be snatched from your heads.” The towns of the Negev will close their gates, and no one will be able to open them. The people of Judah will be taken away as captives. All will be carried into exile. 20-21 Open up your eyes and see the armies marching down from the north! Where is your flock - your beautiful flock - that He gave you to care for? What will you say when the Lord takes the allies you have cultivated and appoints them as your rulers? Pangs of anguish will grip you, like those of a woman in labour!

22 You may ask yourself, “Why is all this happening to me?” It is because of your many sins! That is why you have been stripped and raped by invading armies. 23 Can an Ethiopian change the colour of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil. 24-25 “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the desert winds. This is your allotment, the portion I have assigned to you,” says the Lord, “for you have forgotten me, putting your trust in false gods. 26-27 I myself will strip you and expose you to shame. I have seen your adultery and lust, and your disgusting idol worship out in the fields and on the hills. What sorrow awaits you, Jerusalem! How long before you are pure?” Jeremiah 13:15-27 New Living Translation paraphrase (English Standard Version link)

I hope you read the words above slowly and didn't race through them. They show how true prophets faithfully spoke the word which God had given to them. Jeremiah called them to pay attention and to listen to what God had to say. (vs 15) We need to do that every time we read the Bible. Why was God's message so important, and what would Jeremiah do if they rejected it? (vs 16-17)

None of us knows how much time we have left in this world. Years later Jesus said to those who hesitated as to whether he spoke from God: “My light will shine for you just a little longer - walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you.” (John 12:35) Jeremiah's tears show that he wasn't preaching from hate, but from overwhelming love. But notice also to whom Jeremiah was willing to faithfully speak God's word. (vs 18-19)

Imagine telling a King they were about to lose their crowns, be betrayed by those they thought were friends, and see their population led into captivity. There are times when it takes great courage to tell God's message to others. Verses 22- 27 are quite graphic. Jeremiah uses strong pictures to describe what was going to happen to the nation. Why do you think he did that?

I think one reason was because a big way the people were sinning was by worshipping idols, and that often included sexual orgies. The people were shameless, so God was going to expose their shame. The other reason is perhaps those words: “Can an Ethiopian change the colour of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil.” Jeremiah wanted them to know that, in themselves, there was absolutely no hope of change. Self reformation was impossible. Only God's grace and power can change hearts and turn people from lies and lusts.

We all need the truth to be told to us bluntly and in full. When people went on rejecting Jesus, He said to them: “Why do you not understand what I say? It's because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.” (John 8:43). We need to know how sinful and helpless we are if we are going to earnestly cry out to God to save us.