Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet

When God Has Had Enough

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2015-12-13

Synopsis: John Weaver preaches from Jeremiah 15 that God's patience has limits, and there comes a time when He says 'enough'—individually, societally, and nationally. Using Judah as the primary example, he warns that even the greatest intercessors cannot avert judgment once God's mind is set. The sermon applies this to modern America, urging holy living and repentance.

[John Weaver] Thank you. It's been a joy to be here this week. I just hope the Lord will help me get through this day. My voice is changing. I'm a teenager. I was thinking I had the Oklahoma crud, but then folks explained to me that the wind blew up from Texas, so it's probably the Texas crud. So I don't know, but I'll just be thankful when it's over with, I can assure you. You know, I was just thinking as Brother Sam was reading scripture and praying, You know, God does not really have to smite someone down with this mighty arm of power. Just a little grain of pollen or a teeny little germ will take care of it. Isn't that amazing?

[John Weaver] Doesn't matter how strong you are. Just something so minor can bring you down. I was so out of it yesterday. I went home right after the noon meal and took an hour nap and Got up and did a few things and by 715, I was in bed and I stayed in bed till six this morning. So obviously it was eating me alive, that's for sure. But I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, today to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, Jeremiah, chapter 15.

[John Weaver] And I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled When God Has Had Enough. Jeremiah, chapter 15, and let's read the first eight verses. Jeremiah 15 verse 1, Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Then shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? Then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such is for death to death, such is for the sword to the sword, and such is for the famine to the famine, and such is for the captivity to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

[John Weaver] And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside and ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward Therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, I am weary with repenting.

[John Weaver] And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land, and I will bereave them of children. I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways. Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas. I have brought upon them again against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday. I have caused them to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city, when God is had Each of us at one time in our lives have said something like this, enough, that's it, I'm not going to take it anymore. We reached a breaking point in our lives and we were absolutely, totally, thoroughly fed up with the situation or the circumstances that were happening to us. We just put our foot down and said that's it, this is not going to happen anymore, in fact, We viewed ourselves as justified in our attitudes and our actions because we had patiently endured whatever it was that led up to the point where we put our foot down.

[John Weaver] Do you understand that we often take to ourselves and allow to ourselves that which we do not want God to possess? We may get fed up and we may get upset and we may get ready to fight. But we don't allow God to be like that at all. I remember years ago. My oldest grandson, who will be 28 this coming year, he was about four or five years old, and he was really into this karate thing, and so he had a little karate outfit and I went down to visit him and I would teach him a few little things.

[John Weaver] And then I was playing with him and I laid down on the floor and he would come up to me and he would stand right by my side. and jump straight up in the air and bring both feet right down on my stomach. Well, it didn't bother me because, you know, he only weighed 40 pounds, something like that. And each time he did that, I'd just tighten my stomach muscles and it'd be just kind of like bouncing off.

[John Weaver] And he did that three or four times and I allowed it. Finally, about the fifth time, he jumped up in the air to jump on my stomach. And when he did, I rolled over on my side and time his feet at the floor. I rolled back and pinned his feet to the floor and I came back with a back fist right in front of his face and of course stopped. I didn't hit him, but I stopped right in front of his nose. He pulled his feet out from under me and he looked at me and said, Oh, Papa, we don't play like that.

[John Weaver] Well, you know, that's the way it goes. It's all right for us to play like that, but it's not all right for God to play like that. You see, we oftentimes speak about God's love, God's grace, God's mercy, God's patience, God's long suffering. But yet we're negligent and we hesitate to speak about God's anger and God's wrath and God's judgment. We tend to think oftentimes in unbiblical terms when it comes to our heavenly father.

[John Weaver] We want him to be as we wish him to be and not as he is revealed in scripture. And I usually say that most professing Christians Really do not worship the God of the Bible. They worship a God of their own imagination. They'll say, well, God cannot possibly be like he is revealed in the scripture, but yet he is the only God that is is the God that has revealed himself in Holy Scripture.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15 and turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter two, because it is indeed true that God is loving. God is patient. God is kind. God is long suffering. And the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 2 about these attributes of God. In Romans chapter 2, beginning there with verse 3, the Apostle Paul says, And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Now watch carefully verse 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.

[John Weaver] Now, interestingly, men despise God's goodness on a daily basis. We fail to praise Him and thank Him for everything that He's done for us. And interestingly, when men despise God's goodness on a daily basis, God does not just instantly smite them and knock them down. Well, what happens when men despise the goodness and the mercy of God? Well, the Bible tells us then that his forbearance comes into play, that he just simply forbears with them a little longer. The forbearance of God is an aspect of God's patience that manifests his self-control. And so instead of God smiting us or smiting any sinner, he just forbears with them. Well, what happens when God's forbearance runs out? Well, according to verse four, that is when his longsuffering comes into play. God just suffers even longer their impudence and their rebellion.

[John Weaver] I get tickled oftentimes when I think of some of these words. Actually, the word longsuffering has a connotation of being long nostrils. We can say that God is long nostrils. You say, what in the world is that? I know that God is spirit. I understand that. But have you ever noticed that when you get angry, when you get upset, you start breathing hard in your nostrils flare?

[John Weaver] And the interesting thing is the longer or the bigger your nose, the more difficult it is to see the flare and the more difficult it is for you to discern that that individual is really getting ticked off. Well, God, when you despise his goodness, his forbearance comes into play when you despise his forbearance. And then, of course, his long suffering comes into play. And that just enables him then to endure the insolence, the arrogance and rebellion of wicked people who hate him and despise him.

[John Weaver] The Bible says in Romans nine in verse 22, listen carefully. What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction? You see, fallen man always misinterprets the patience, the goodness, the forbearance, and the longsuffering of God. Many imagine, because God does not smite them instantly, that either they're innocent or that God is not going to judge them for their sins. They think somehow that God is not going to fulfill his word. Well, according to Paul in Romans chapter two and verse four, God's end in his goodness and forbearance and long suffering was not to testify to their innocence as they imagined, but lead them to repentance for which they were absolutely ignorant. Do you understand? that if God instantly broke the vessels of wrath into pieces, his power of control would not so eminently appear.

[John Weaver] I've often said, I'm so thankful that I'm not God, because if I was, I'd have killed me and a whole lot more a whole lot sooner and a long time ago. Stephen Charnock, the Puritan, said this concerning God's patience. It is a part of the divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. God, being the greatest goodness, hath the greatest mildness. Mildness is always the companion of true goodness, and the greater the goodness, the greater the mildness.

[John Weaver] Who is so holy is Christ, and who is so meek? God's slowness to anger is a branch of his mercy. The Lord is full of compassion, slow to anger. It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the subject. Now listen carefully. Mercy respects the creature as miserable. Patience respects the creature as criminal. Mercy pities him in his misery. Patience bears with the sin which engenders the misery and giveth birth to more.

[John Weaver] So God then is both merciful and patient as well. I've often asked people this question. Do you know why you did not die in your sleep last night? Do you know why you were allowed to live under this service? Let me quote the verse for you. Lamentations, chapter three, verses 22 and 23. It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. So when you wake up every morning, you need to thank God for his compassions and for his mercies and for his loving kindnesses, which are new to you and allowed you to live through the night. Now, we know that God is love. We know that God is kind. We know that God is patient. We know that God is forbearing. We know that God is long suffering.

[John Weaver] But let me point something out. In light of all those blessed attributes. There is still a time. When God will say, I've had enough. I've had enough. That's it. No more now. Before we look in Jeremiah chapter 15 in detail. I want to give you several historical examples of when God has had enough. And by the way, when God has had enough, he is not only talking about individuals and societies and culture, he is also talking about nations as well. For instance, you remember in Genesis chapter 6, verse 13, the Bible says, And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come near unto me.

[John Weaver] For the earth is filled with violence through them. And behold, I will destroy them with the earth. So the antediluvian civilization was wiped out in the judgment of God. The Bible says in 2 Peter 2 in verse 5, and spared not the old world, but saved no of the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. So there was a time when God looked at those antediluvians and all their sin.

[John Weaver] Then he just said, that's it. I've had enough. I'm going to wipe you out. And that's exactly what he did. The same thing is found in Genesis chapter 19 with Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain. The Bible says in verse 23, the sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered in Zoar. Then the Lord reigned upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities and all the plain and all the inhabitants of those cities. So God said, look, there's a time when I had enough and I'm just simply going to destroy you. And that's exactly what happened to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebulun, the cities of the plain.

[John Weaver] Now, Do you remember when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt? He did something very unique in one sense of the word. When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. He literally put a sword in their hand. And said, I want you to kill all the inhabitants of Canaan. In fact, in Deuteronomy 7 in verse two, listen carefully. And when the Lord, by God, shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them." So God said, smite them, destroy them, make no covenant, show them no mercy. Now, A little bit later, Deuteronomy 20 and verse 17, he said it like this, But thou shalt utterly destroy them, namely the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee. Literally wipe them out.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15, but go in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 13. Everyone knows that Abram and his descendants went into Egypt into captivity for 400 years. But if you ever ask yourself this question, why did the children of Israel have to go into captivity for 400 years? Why? Well, the answer is given us in Genesis chapter 15. And let's begin reading with verse 13, Genesis 15, verse 13. And he said unto Abram, nor of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards they shall come out with great substance.

[John Weaver] And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age." Now watch carefully,"...but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. So God says, look, I'm going to destroy these wicked people in Canaan, but I'm going to give them 400 more years. You talk about patience and long suffering and forbearance. But when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he put a sword in their hand and said, kill every one of them. Because after 400 years, God said, I've had enough.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand something. It is equally true that God oftentimes has enough personal rebellion as well, because the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse one, he did being often reproved and hardened at his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. You can only rebel against God for so long. All you have to do is read through your Bible, you'll read about men like Dathan and Abiram and Korah. You'll read about Ananias and Sapphira and a host of others in the Bible. You'll find that God suddenly ended their lives and oftentimes very tragically. Not only do you have biblical examples, you have examples that you know of personally. For instance, I will give you one.

[John Weaver] I had a fellow before me who had his two children in a Christian school. He was called in and warned about his children.

[John Weaver] Finally, he did not correct them. The children were expelled. I brought the man in. He was in our church. I brought the man in and I said, we are going to exercise church discipline upon your children. And here's why. Now, he stood in front of my desk, he did not sit, and I spent over an hour just going from scripture to scripture to scripture and showing him what the word of God says and the purpose of church discipline.

[John Weaver] After I got through, he looked at me and he said this, Preacher, I know you're right. And I know the Bible's right. But I got to handle this my own way. And so instead of facing church discipline, he took his family and left. Guess what? The young girl turned out to be a prostitute. The young boy turned out to be a drunkard and a dopehead. And that mom and daddy had to sleep with a loaded pistol by their bed to protect themselves from their own son.

[John Weaver] They had to call the law innumerable times and have him locked up because he was still out of control and so threatening them. Finally, the young man got drunk and went to sleep in his car on a railroad track. And after the train got through with him, they identified him only by his teeth. And I'm just simply saying, folks, everyone understands individually, there comes a time when God says he's had enough. But I want to call your attention to the fact that God even has a breaking point with the nations and listen carefully, even with those nations that profess to be his people. Undoubtedly, most people in America believe that since America is a Christian nation, God would never judge us. Well, obviously, we were a Christian nation at one time, but no longer. Now, I want you to turn back to Jeremiah, chapter 15, and I want you to look at just verse one. And then I want to show you what is happening in Jeremiah, chapter 15, because then we're going to read from chapter 14.

[John Weaver] Look, if you would, please, verse one of Jeremiah 15. Then said the Lord unto me, though Moses and Samuel stood before me. Yet my mind could not be toward this people, cast them out of my sight and let them go forth. Now, notice, if you would, then said the Lord unto me. So what you have in Jeremiah 15, verse one is God's answer. To Jeremiah's prayer. So if you look in Jeremiah, chapter 14, beginning there, verse 19, Jeremiah is praying and he asks God this.

[John Weaver] Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem now, the southern kingdom. Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us? We look for peace and there is no good. And for the time of healing and behold, trouble. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee. Do not abhor us. For Thy name's sake do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory. Remember, break not Thy covenant with us.

[John Weaver] Are there any among the vanities or the idols of the Gentiles that can cause rain, or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we wait upon Thee, for Thou hast made all these things."

[John Weaver] Now, look, if you would, please, at verse 19. Jeremiah asked, Has thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? So when you look in Jeremiah 15 in verse 1, God is now answering Jeremiah's petition, and he says, Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, Yet my mind could not be toward this people, cast them out of my sight and let them go forth.

[John Weaver] Now, let me point something out. Everyone knows that Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. But what many people do not know is this, that Jeremiah was not only a weeping prophet, he was also a patriot. He wanted to see his people and his nation spared. He really, genuinely wanted to pray for Judah and Jerusalem. If you look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 14, God informs Jeremiah early not to pray for this people because God is going to destroy them. So notice in Jeremiah chapter 7, beginning there with verse 14, Jeremiah 7, verse 14, Therefore will I do unto this house Which is called by my name, wherein you trust. And by the way, notice this. Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein you trust. It's amazing how many times we trust in things instead of God.

[John Weaver] You remember when Israel was fighting the Philistines and Samuel was there with Eli, and Eli was still in charge, and Hophnius and Phinehas, his sons, were there. And Israel was being defeated by the Philistines. And what did they say? Go bring us the ark that it may save us. And so now they're trusting in the temple. So look what God says. Therefore, will I do unto this house, the temple, which is called by my name, wherein you trust, and unto the place which I gave you, and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.

[John Weaver] And I will cast you out of my sight as I've cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. Look what God says. Therefore, to Jeremiah, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up crying or prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee. Why? God said, Jeremiah, don't even pray for these people. Do not intercede for me. I'm not going to hear you. I'm not. Look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 11. It gets even worse in one sense of the word, Jeremiah 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Jeremiah 11, verse 11, God says, Therefore, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape.

[John Weaver] And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods on whom they offer incense, but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of the cities where thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have you set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

[John Weaver] Look what God says, Therefore pray not thou for this people. neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me for their trouble." Now, God said, Jeremiah, don't you pray, I'm not going to hear you. And now He says, I'm not going to hear you. When they cry to me, I'm not going to hear them. I refuse to hear them. Then if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 14, beginning there with verse 10, Jeremiah 14, verse 10, God says, all right, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, I'm going to let you pray for them, but you have to pray what I'm going to tell you. So in Jeremiah 14, verse 10, the Bible says this, Thus saith the Lord unto this people that have loved to wander.

[John Weaver] They have not refrained their feet. Therefore, the Lord does not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins. Then saith the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. In other words, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, go ahead and pray. But here's what you pray. You pray that I'm going to destroy them, for that's exactly what I'm going to do.

[John Weaver] What God is saying is this, their impieties, their wickedness, their rebellion has reached the highest pitch, and there was certainly no more mercy and no more hope for them. So, Jeremiah, do not pray for this people. With the exception, if you pray, pray that I'm going to destroy them.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand something. It was no slight upon Jeremiah that God would not hear his prayers. Because he said in Jeremiah 15 in verse one, though Moses and Samuel stood before me. Yet my mind could not be toward this people. Now, you have to understand that Moses and Samuel were great intercessors. You remember, there were so many times that God was so provoked by those Hebrews. That God said to Moses, step aside, I'm going to kill every one of them.

[John Weaver] And I will raise up a greater nation of you. And Moses would fall on his face and say, Oh, God, you can't do that. Remember your great name. The heathen would say that you brought him out, but you were not able to bring him in. Lord, have mercy. In fact, there was one instance next is 32 in verse 32. Moses prayed, Yet now I will forgive their sin, if not block me out of the book which that was written. And he interceded, by the way, there were also times When Moses got so provoked, he'd look to God and say, kill them all. I've often said, if God and Moses never got together, there wouldn't have been an Israelite left. But Moses interceded and God listened to him. Samuel also interceded. In 1 Samuel 7 verse 9, the Bible said, and Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a sacrifice, a holy, holy unto the Lord. And Samuel cried unto the Lord And the Lord heard him. Many times Samuel interceded in 1st Samuel 12 and verse 23.

[John Weaver] He said this small verse for me. God forbid that I should sin against the Lord and ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good in the right way. So God is saying, look, here are two great intercessors, Moses. And Samuel, and yet if they were standing here, I would not hear them either. I would listen to them. Let me show you. It even gets worse. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel 14 and go ahead and mark this passage.

[John Weaver] We will come back here just momentarily. But look, if you would, please, in Ezekiel, chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 12.

[John Weaver] Now, we're still talking about the southern kingdom. So Ezekiel, chapter 14, verse 12. Look what God says. Then the word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it." Watch. If the land sins against me, I'll send the famine. Verse fourteen, Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls. by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I cause no one some beast to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beast, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon the land, and say, Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off man and beast from Though these three men, that is, Daniel, Noah, Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be

[John Weaver] delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence unto the land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall neither deliver son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." I want you to take notice of. In Ezekiel 14. And in Jeremiah 15. God is saying there comes a time. When he's had enough.

[John Weaver] And that if the godliest men that have ever lived prayed to him. He would not hear them. He wouldn't listen to them. Their righteousness may deliver themselves, but he's not even their sons and their daughters. I don't know about you, but when I read these passages and I saw this truth. It hit me. Do you realize there comes a time When it's useless to pray for a nation. Judah was a nation, the southern kingdom.

[John Weaver] And God said, I'm not going to spare it. The godliest men that have ever lived. Cannot intercede for this nation, that's it. Everywhere I travel in this country, I see signs in yards. Pray for America. Pray 2 Chronicles 7 14. And one that I see quite frequently, prayer, our only hope. Let me ask you a question. Has it ever dawned upon you? That prayer will not save America. When you stop and think about prayer, prayer is not our hope. Jesus Christ is our hope. If I were starving.

[John Weaver] Dying of starvation and you handed me a big bowl of cereal. And a spoon. And I took that spoon and dipped into that big bowl of cereal and ate that cereal and I was revived and I was spared. Would it not be absolutely stupid of me to say the spoon saved my life? The spoon didn't save my life. The spoon was just the instrument that I used to get to what saved my life. Prayer was just an instrument to get to God. And when you start thinking about 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, It's not just prayer.

[John Weaver] If my people, which are called by my name, shall what? You remember that passage, if my people, which are called by my name, shall what? Humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways and and seek my face. Then said God, will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land? So there must be Not just prayer, but humility and prayer and seeking God's face and repentance.

[John Weaver] But listen to me carefully. Even when you see signs that say praise Second Chronicles 714, by the way, the people of Judah certainly knew Second Chronicles 714. But it didn't save them. It did not save them at all. Has it ever really dawned upon you? That there comes a time when God has had enough and no amount of prayer from no amount of individuals will save. I want you to go back to Ezekiel, chapter 22, whole chapter 14, but look in Ezekiel 22. It is true that God seeks for intercessors. I want you to see what he said in Ezekiel, chapter 22, and look in verse 30. Ezekiel 22 and verse 30. Interestingly. God says this, Ezekiel 22, verse 30, and I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it, but I found none. So God said there was a time when I sought for intercessors and I couldn't find one. Couldn't find one man that would stand in the gap and make a pledge that I should not destroy the land.

[John Weaver] Now, God says in Jeremiah 15, Ezekiel chapter 14, though you have the greatest intercessors in the land praying. It won't matter. I'm not going to listen. So go back to Jeremiah 15, look in verse one, we're going to come back to Ezekiel in just a moment. But look in Jeremiah 15 verse one, then said the Lord unto me, though Moses and Samuel stood before me. Yet my mind could not be toward this people.

[John Weaver] Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth. So Jeremiah 15 verse one teaches us there comes a time when there are some that are willing to stand in the gap. It'll be too late. And what God is saying to Jeremiah in chapter 15 in verse one is this, I am implacably enraged. I'm unchangeably resolved against them and no one and nothing is going to change my mind. And so God says the only resolution is cast them out of my sight and let them go forth.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. Have you ever reached a decision in your life or come to a point concerning an individual or concerning a group that you positively no longer wanted to be around. You did not want to see them. You did not want to hear them. You did not even want to think about them. You simply wanted them gone and out of your life forever. It's the same here.

[John Weaver] God says, I'm not going to change my mind. I want them gone. He abandons them because he abhors them. God says my mind cannot be toward them. How can it be thought that the holy God. Could have any complacency toward a people. That hated him and despised him. And refused to worship him. They turned from him because they hated him. And now he abandons them because he abhors them.

[John Weaver] It's the lex talionis of scripture. They abandon God, God abandons them. They refuse to hear God, God refuses to hear them. So God says, cast them out of my sight. Cast them out of my sight because they are the highest degree odious and offensive toward me. I don't want to be around them anymore. Let them go.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. When you look in verse one, God says, cast them out of my sight. Let them go forth. Would God cast someone out of his sight? And God says, let them go forth. Where are they going? Well, God says, To Jeremiah, if somebody asks you, where are we going to go? Let me give you the answer. Here it is. Look in verse two. And it shall come to pass that they say to thee, whither shall we go forth?

[John Weaver] Then thou shalt tell them, thus saith the Lord, such as for death to death, such as for the sword to the sword, such as for the famine to the famine, such as for the captivity of the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." God said there will be different kinds of punishment inflicted upon them according to the very nature of their transgressions.

[John Weaver] Some will be punished one way, some another way. If you'd go back now to Ezekiel chapter 14, look if you would please at verse 21. Because this is the passage again where God said, oh, Noah, Job and Daniel was before me. I would not hear them. So God says in verse twenty one. For thus said the Lord God, how much more when I send my four sword judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword and the famine and the anointing beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man. And beast. So here's what God is saying, Jeremiah, I want them gone.

[John Weaver] And if they turn around and ask you, where are we to go? Here's what I want you to say. Such as for the sword to the sword, such as to the dogs to the dogs, such as to the famine to the famine, such as to captivity to captivity. It really doesn't matter to me where they go. They're all going to judgment. Just get them out of my sight. Wow. That's what he said. Just so they're gone. That's all that counts.

[John Weaver] One of the reasons God was so incensed with these people. Was because of their King Manasseh. And what he did in Jerusalem, look in verse four, this will surprise you. And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. Now, whoa, back up. Did you hear that? God said, I will cause them, that is the people, to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did. Now, why are the people going to go into captivity and be judged for that which Manasseh did?

[John Weaver] I wish I had about eight hours to deal with Romans 13. and the Christian civil government. But you know, there are principles in the Bible. And here it is. Here's one of them. When a civil ruler sins privately and individually, he alone is judged for his private and individual sin. But when a civil ruler sins openly and publicly, and the people do not stop him, then they're always judged with his sin and with him.

[John Weaver] For instance, you remember when David committed adultery with Bathsheba? Had her husband Uriah the Ittite killed with the sword of the children of Laman? Only David was judged. Only David. But when David began to number the children of Israel, and he knew, and everyone else knew, The children of Israel were not to be numbered except in a time of war. And then the half shekel of the sanctuary had to be taken. And even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew better.

[John Weaver] Then he said, the Lord make his people so many times more, but do not do this thing. And David's word prevailed. And guess what? 70,000 men died for David's sin. Everybody knew what David was doing wrong. Nobody stopped him. Same thing when Saul, in his zeal to the children of Israel, sought to kill the Gibeonites. Everyone knew the Gibeonites were not to be killed. And consequently, God sent a famine for three years in a row because nobody stopped him.

[John Weaver] You see, our attitude is this. Well, it doesn't matter to me what Obama does and what those folks in Washington, D.C. do. It's no skin off my nose. That's not true, folks. And when you say it doesn't matter to me what they do, And my state capital, that's not true. Because when we allow our rulers to send publicly. We suffer with them because God judges the people as well as the rulers.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to Second Kings 21. I'm not going to be able today to show you the intense wickedness of Manasseh, but he was The most wicked king in Judah. Second Kings 21. The most wicked king in the northern kingdom was Ahab. And the southern kingdom Manasseh. Notice Second Kings chapter 21 verse 1. You will not believe some of the things this man did. Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 55 years in Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah's father had destroyed. And he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove. By the way, let me explain something to you. Every time you see the word grove in the Bible with one exception, and I forget the exact passage in Genesis. But when it says that Abraham planted a grove, it was a grove of trees. When we hear the word grove, we think of a pecan orchard or a peach orchard. We think of a grove of trees. Well, with the exception of Abraham planting the trees, every time you see the word grove in the Old Testament, there's a Asherah, which is a sex goddess. It has nothing to do with trees. When he made a grove, he made an image of the sex goddess that went along with Baal.

[John Weaver] She was a consort of Baal. So watch what he did. Verse 3, For he built again the high places which Esachiah's father destroyed, and he reared up altars of Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the hosts of heaven, and served them. Now watch. And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said in Jerusalem, will I put my name? And he built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

[John Weaver] So he's got all these false images in the temple. Watch verse six. And he made his son pass through the fire, that is to Moloch. and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards. He wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. And he set a graven image of the grove, that is, the Yeshiva, which he had made, and the house of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever." So he took one of these images, not only Baal, but of the Yeshiva, and put them in the temple. 8 Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. 9 But they hearken not, and Manasseh seduce them, that is the people, he seduce them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

[John Weaver] And the Lord spake by a service of prophets, saying, Because Manasseh, king of Judah, hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all the Amorites did which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols, therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth it, his ears shall tingle. This same wicked man also made runes In the temple and by the temple for the sodomites.

[John Weaver] And the Bible says he seduced the people. Have you ever asked yourself this question, how do you seduce the people into idolatry? I've got a whole message on that, but let me tell you the easy way to do it. All the civil rulers have to do is to pass laws that favor their idolatry and pass laws that condemn truth. For instance, look how much is going on today for political correctness.

[John Weaver] You know, we'll praise the transgender, we'll praise the sodomite, we'll praise the lesbian, we'll praise this, but here's somebody over here kneeling in prayer. That's offensive. And so we'll persecute this individual, but we'll subsidize these other individuals. Yeah, that's exactly what he did. He made it difficult to stand for truth and the Lord and made it easy to go along with him. Now watch. So it was Manasseh now that seduced the people into idolatry and fornication and sodomy and sacrificing their children to Moloch and a host of other infamous sins.

[John Weaver] So look in Second Kings 24. Beginning there with verse two, God sent warnings, but they would not listen. Second Chronicles, chapter 24, look, if you would, beginning with verse two. And the Lord sent against them bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by service to the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, for also for the innocent blood, that is, all those children that he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon." Wow, and look at the millions that we have sacrificed. To the God of convenience. And the Bible says God would not pardon it.

[John Weaver] So many people think that America is exceptional. In fact, you will hear our civil rulers talk about American exceptionalism. Let me tell you something, folks. God is not mocked. We think that we are immune from God's judgments, but we're not. Let me be a little uncouth and blunt, but you'll get the point. When God has had enough of our snotty rebellion and arrogant, haughty, indifference and rejection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and trampling His law under our feet? Hold on, because God will deal with us just like He dealt with Jerusalem and Judah. Because God is immutable. He does not change. His judgments are true and righteous. There comes a time when God says.

[John Weaver] I've had enough, not only individually, societally, culturally, ecclesiastically. And nationally, now, I want you to go back to Jeremiah 15. Because I want to make some applications, I want you to think with me, please. Jeremiah 15, notice verse six. Here it is. When God is weary. With our sins. And when God reaches his breaking point with us. He'll stretch out his hand against us exactly the way he did Judah in verse six. God says to Judah, Thou has forsaken me, said the Lord. Thou art gone backward. Therefore, will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee? I'm weary with the repenting. Do you hear that? God said, you've forsaken me. You've gone backward. I'll stretch out my hand against you and I will destroy you.

[John Weaver] We bring the judgments of God upon ourselves by forsaking God and refusing to repent. That's not all. Look at verse five. Oh, God asks, for who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall be to moan thee? Or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? Who shall have pity upon thee? Who shall be to moan thee? Who will cry for you? Or who will even go aside to ask how you're doing?

[John Weaver] When we've been sick or when we're feeling poorly. It does kind of lift our spirits when someone says, well, how are you today? Hope you're better. The indication is they're at least concerned about our physical welfare. But God says, when I judge you, when I cast you out of my sight, neither our enemies nor our friends will have any compassion upon us. You know, there's a wonderful truth and we rejoice in it.

[John Weaver] Found in Romans chapter eight in verse thirty one. Most of you can quote it. Listen to me. If God be for us. Who can be against us? Isn't that wonderful? If God be for us, it really doesn't matter who's against us. Because God's a majority in and of himself. But let's turn it around. If God's against us, Who possibly could be for us? And what good would it do us if they were for us? God says, when I judge you, nobody's going to ask how you're doing. No one will bemoan you. No one will be sorry for you. You'll just be loser. You'll be the loser. You'll be just like Judinger. You'll be judged. You'll be destroyed.

[John Weaver] Let me point this out. We know that God's judgment is true. If you understand what I've been preaching this morning. And if you understand about Moses and Samuel. And Daniel. And Noah. And Job. When it comes to severe judgment, When God judges us, I don't know about you, but I'd kind of want to be like Daniel, and Noah, and Job, and Moses, and Samuel. I want to be spared. You know what's interesting?

[John Weaver] Even old Balaam, as wicked as that reprobate was, said, let me die the death of the righteous. But he didn't want to live the life of the righteous. You can't die the death of the righteous unless you live the life of the righteous. And God says these men would have just merely spared their own lives by their own righteousness. Now, listen carefully. You say, oh, that's Old Testament. Yeah. The Old Testament is just as much the word of God as the New Testament. When Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3.16, he had in mind primarily the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been completed at that time. But just to correct it, let me just quote 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 17 and 18. Are you listening? For the time has come that judgment must begin in the house of God.

[John Weaver] And if it first began at us, what shall be the end of them be? That obey not the gospel.

[John Weaver] Now, listen, if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Where's God going to start his judgment? The house of God. The house of God. Wow. So that means this, folks. If you really believe there comes a time when God has had enough. Just like you did in Judah and Jerusalem, just like you did with the northern kingdom. Do you really believe that?

[John Weaver] It should make you live as holy and as godly and as obediently as you possibly can. You know, God was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah If there were just 10 righteous people in those cities, and there's far more than 10 in this room. It does matter how you live. And it does matter whether or not you are godly. So you need to make up your mind by the grace of God. You're going to be as obedient and as godly and as holy and as righteous as you can be by His grace.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Give us, Lord, Your mercy. Help us to live for Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray, Amen.

When God Has Had Enough

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1213152159300
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 078: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 1 — Chapter 12
Source Timed Segments	84

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Thank you. It's been a joy to be here this week. I just hope the Lord will help me get through this day. My voice is changing. I'm a teenager. I was thinking I had the Oklahoma crud, but then folks explained to me that the wind blew up from Texas, so it's probably the Texas crud. So I don't know, but I'll just be thankful when it's over with, I can assure you. You know, I was just thinking as Brother Sam was reading scripture and praying, you know, God does not really have to smite someone down with this mighty arm of power. Just a little grain of pollen or a teeny little germ will take care of it. Isn't that amazing?

Doesn't matter how strong you are. Just something so minor can bring you down. I was so out of it yesterday. I went home right after the noon meal and took an hour nap and got up and did a few things and by 7:15, I was in bed and I stayed in bed till six this morning. So obviously it was eating me alive, that's for sure. But I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, today to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, Jeremiah, chapter 15. And I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled When God Has Had Enough. Jeremiah, chapter 15, and let's read the first eight verses. Jeremiah 15 verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:1-8

"Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Then shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? Then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are for death to death, such as are for the sword to the sword, and such as are for the famine to the famine, and such as are for the captivity to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." "And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside and ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward. Therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, I am weary with repenting."

Introduction: Human vs. Divine 'Enough'

We often reach a breaking point and justify our anger, but we resist the idea that God can also say 'enough.'

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:1-8

"And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land, and I will bereave them of children. I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways. Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas. I have brought upon them again against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday. I have caused them to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city."

When God has had enough. Each of us at one time in our lives have said something like this, "Enough, that's it, I'm not going to take it anymore." We reached a breaking point in our lives and we were absolutely, totally, thoroughly fed up with the situation or the circumstances that were happening to us. We just put our foot down and said, "That's it, this is not going to happen anymore." In fact, we viewed ourselves as justified in our attitudes and our actions because we had patiently endured whatever it was that led up to the point where we put our foot down.

Do you understand that we often take to ourselves and allow to ourselves that which we do not want God to possess? We may get fed up and we may get upset and we may get ready to fight. But we don't allow God to be like that at all. I remember years ago, my oldest grandson, who will be 28 this coming year, he was about four or five years old, and he was really into this karate thing, and so he had a little karate outfit and I went down to visit him and I would teach him a few little things. And then I was playing with him and I laid down on the floor and he would come up to me and he would stand right by my side and jump straight up in the air and bring both feet right down on my stomach. Well, it didn't bother me because, you know, he only weighed 40 pounds, something like that. And each time he did that, I'd just tighten my stomach muscles and it'd be just kind of like bouncing off.

And he did that three or four times and I allowed it. Finally, about the fifth time, he jumped up in the air to jump on my stomach. And when he did, I rolled over on my side and timed his feet at the floor. I rolled back and pinned his feet to the floor and I came back with a back fist right in front of his face and of course stopped. I didn't hit him, but I stopped right in front of his nose. He pulled his feet out from under me and he looked at me and said, "Oh, Papa, we don't play like that." Well, you know, that's the way it goes. It's all right for us to play like that, but it's not all right for God to play like that. You see, we oftentimes speak about God's love, God's grace, God's mercy, God's patience, God's longsuffering. But yet we're negligent and we hesitate to speak about God's anger and God's wrath and God's judgment. We tend to think oftentimes in unbiblical terms when it comes to our heavenly Father.

God's Patience and Its Misinterpretation

God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are meant to lead to repentance, but sinners misinterpret His delay as approval.

Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15 and turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 2, because it is indeed true that God is loving. God is patient. God is kind. God is longsuffering. And the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 2 about these attributes of God. In Romans chapter 2, beginning there with verse 3, the Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:3-4

"And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?"

Now watch carefully verse 4.

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:3-4

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

Now, interestingly, men despise God's goodness on a daily basis. We fail to praise Him and thank Him for everything that He's done for us. And interestingly, when men despise God's goodness on a daily basis, God does not just instantly smite them and knock them down. Well, what happens when men despise the goodness and the mercy of God? Well, the Bible tells us then that His forbearance comes into play, that He just simply forbears with them a little longer. The forbearance of God is an aspect of God's patience that manifests His self-control. And so instead of God smiting us or smiting any sinner, He just forbears with them. Well, what happens when God's forbearance runs out? Well, according to verse 4, that is when His longsuffering comes into play. God just suffers even longer their impudence and their rebellion.

I get tickled oftentimes when I think of some of these words. Actually, the word longsuffering has a connotation of being long nostrils. We can say that God is long nostrils. You say, "What in the world is that?" I know that God is spirit. I understand that. But have you ever noticed that when you get angry, when you get upset, you start breathing hard and your nostrils flare? And the interesting thing is the longer or the bigger your nose, the more difficult it is to see the flare and the more difficult it is for you to discern that that individual is really getting ticked off. Well, God, when you despise His goodness, His forbearance comes into play. When you despise His forbearance, then, of course, His longsuffering comes into play. And that just enables Him then to endure the insolence, the arrogance and rebellion of wicked people who hate Him and despise Him.

The Bible says in Romans 9 in verse 22, listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Romans 9:22

"What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction?"

You see, fallen man always misinterprets the patience, the goodness, the forbearance, and the longsuffering of God. Many imagine, because God does not smite them instantly, that either they're innocent or that God is not going to judge them for their sins. They think somehow that God is not going to fulfill His word. Well, according to Paul in Romans chapter 2 and verse 4, God's end in His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering was not to testify to their innocence as they imagined, but lead them to repentance for which they were absolutely ignorant. Do you understand that if God instantly broke the vessels of wrath into pieces, His power of control would not so eminently appear?

I've often said, I'm so thankful that I'm not God, because if I was, I'd have killed me and a whole lot more a whole lot sooner and a long time ago. Stephen Charnock, the Puritan, said this concerning God's patience: "It is a part of the divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. God, being the greatest goodness, hath the greatest mildness. Mildness is always the companion of true goodness, and the greater the goodness, the greater the mildness."

Historical Examples of God's 'Enough'

The flood, Sodom, and the conquest of Canaan demonstrate that God judges nations when their iniquity is full.

But let me point something out. In light of all those blessed attributes, there is still a time when God will say, "I've had enough. I've had enough. That's it. No more." Now, before we look in Jeremiah chapter 15 in detail, I want to give you several historical examples of when God has had enough. And by the way, when God has had enough, He is not only talking about individuals and societies and culture, He is also talking about nations as well. For instance, you remember in Genesis chapter 6, verse 13, the Bible says, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come near unto me."

"For the earth is filled with violence through them. And behold, I will destroy them with the earth." So the antediluvian civilization was wiped out in the judgment of God. The Bible says in 2 Peter 2 in verse 5,

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:5

"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly."

So there was a time when God looked at those antediluvians and all their sin. Then He just said, "That's it. I've had enough. I'm going to wipe you out." And that's exactly what He did. The same thing is found in Genesis chapter 19 with Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain. The Bible says in verse 23, "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities and all the plain and all the inhabitants of those cities." So God said, "Look, there's a time when I had enough and I'm just simply going to destroy you." And that's exactly what happened to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, the cities of the plain.

Now, do you remember when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt? He did something very unique in one sense of the word. When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He literally put a sword in their hand and said, "I want you to kill all the inhabitants of Canaan." In fact, in Deuteronomy 7 in verse 2, listen carefully. "And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them." So God said, "Smite them, destroy them, make no covenant, show them no mercy." Now, a little bit later, Deuteronomy 20 and verse 17, He said it like this, "But thou shalt utterly destroy them, namely the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee." Literally wipe them out.

Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15, but go in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 15. Everyone knows that Abram and his descendants went into Egypt into captivity for 400 years. But if you ever ask yourself this question, why did the children of Israel have to go into captivity for 400 years? Why? Well, the answer is given us in Genesis chapter 15. And let's begin reading with verse 13, Genesis 15, verse 13. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards they shall come out with great substance."

"And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age." Now watch carefully, "...but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." So God says, "Look, I'm going to destroy these wicked people in Canaan, but I'm going to give them 400 more years." You talk about patience and longsuffering and forbearance. But when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He put a sword in their hand and said, "Kill every one of them." Because after 400 years, God said, "I've had enough." Now, I want you to understand something. It is equally true that God oftentimes has enough of personal rebellion as well, because the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:1

"He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy."

You can only rebel against God for so long. All you have to do is read through your Bible, you'll read about men like Dathan and Abiram and Korah. You'll read about Ananias and Sapphira and a host of others in the Bible. You'll find that God suddenly ended their lives and oftentimes very tragically. Not only do you have biblical examples, you have examples that you know of personally. For instance, I will give you one.

God's Answer to Jeremiah's Prayer

Jeremiah 15:1 is God's response to Jeremiah's intercession in chapter 14, declaring that even Moses and Samuel could not change His mind.

Look, if you would, please, verse 1 of Jeremiah 15. "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth." Now, notice, if you would, "Then said the Lord unto me." So what you have in Jeremiah 15, verse 1 is God's answer to Jeremiah's prayer. So if you look in Jeremiah, chapter 14, beginning there verse 19, Jeremiah is praying and he asks God this.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah?"

So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem now, the southern kingdom.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us? We look for peace and there is no good. And for the time of healing and behold, trouble. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee. Do not abhor us. For Thy name's sake do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory. Remember, break not Thy covenant with us." "Are there any among the vanities or the idols of the Gentiles that can cause rain, or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we wait upon Thee, for Thou hast made all these things."

Now, look, if you would, please, at verse 19. Jeremiah asked,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us?"

So when you look in Jeremiah 15 in verse 1, God is now answering Jeremiah's petition, and He says, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people, cast them out of my sight and let them go forth."

Now, let me point something out. Everyone knows that Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. But what many people do not know is this, that Jeremiah was not only a weeping prophet, he was also a patriot. He wanted to see his people and his nation spared. He really, genuinely wanted to pray for Judah and Jerusalem. If you look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 14, God informs Jeremiah early not to pray for this people because God is going to destroy them. So notice in Jeremiah chapter 7, beginning there with verse 14, Jeremiah 7, verse 14, "Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein you trust." And by the way, notice this. "Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein you trust." It's amazing how many times we trust in things instead of God.

The Futility of Prayer for a Doomed Nation

God repeatedly told Jeremiah not to pray for Judah; Ezekiel 14 reinforces that even Noah, Daniel, and Job could only save themselves.

You remember when Israel was fighting the Philistines and Samuel was there with Eli, and Eli was still in charge, and Hophni and Phinehas, his sons, were there. And Israel was being defeated by the Philistines. And what did they say? "Go bring us the ark that it may save us." And so now they're trusting in the temple. So look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"Therefore, will I do unto this house,"

the temple,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"which is called by my name, wherein you trust, and unto the place which I gave you, and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh." "And I will cast you out of my sight as I've cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim."

Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"Therefore, to Jeremiah, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up crying or prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee."

Why? God said, "Jeremiah, don't even pray for these people. Do not intercede for me. I'm not going to hear you. I'm not." Look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 11. It gets even worse in one sense of the word, Jeremiah 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Jeremiah 11, verse 11, God says, "Therefore, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods on whom they offer incense, but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of the cities where thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have you set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal."

Look what God says,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me for their trouble."

Now, God said, "Jeremiah, don't you pray, I'm not going to hear you." And now He says, "I'm not going to hear you. When they cry to me, I'm not going to hear them. I refuse to hear them." Then if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 14, beginning there with verse 10, Jeremiah 14, verse 10, God says, "All right, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, I'm going to let you pray for them, but you have to pray what I'm going to tell you." So in Jeremiah 14, verse 10, the Bible says this,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"Thus saith the Lord unto this people that have loved to wander."

"They have not refrained their feet. Therefore, the Lord does not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins. Then saith the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good." In other words, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, go ahead and pray. But here's what you pray. You pray that I'm going to destroy them, for that's exactly what I'm going to do. What God is saying is this, their impieties, their wickedness, their rebellion has reached the highest pitch, and there was certainly no more mercy and no more hope for them. So, Jeremiah, do not pray for this people. With the exception, if you pray, pray that I'm going to destroy them.

Now, I want you to understand something. It was no slight upon Jeremiah that God would not hear his prayers. Because He said in Jeremiah 15 in verse 1, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people." Now, you have to understand that Moses and Samuel were great intercessors. You remember, there were so many times that God was so provoked by those Hebrews that God said to Moses, "Step aside, I'm going to kill every one of them." "And I will raise up a greater nation of you." And Moses would fall on his face and say, "Oh, God, you can't do that. Remember your great name. The heathen would say that you brought him out, but you were not able to bring him in. Lord, have mercy." In fact, there was one instance, Exodus 32 in verse 32. Moses prayed,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 32:32

"Yet now I will forgive their sin, if not, blot me out of the book which thou hast written."

And he interceded. By the way, there were also times when Moses got so provoked, he'd look to God and say, "Kill them all." I've often said, if God and Moses never got together, there wouldn't have been an Israelite left. But Moses interceded and God listened to him. Samuel also interceded. In 1 Samuel 7 verse 9, the Bible said, "And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a sacrifice, a holy, holy unto the Lord. And Samuel cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him." Many times Samuel interceded in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 23.

He said this small verse for me. "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way." So God is saying, "Look, here are two great intercessors, Moses and Samuel, and yet if they were standing here, I would not hear them either. I would not listen to them." Let me show you. It even gets worse. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel 14 and go ahead and mark this passage. We will come back here just momentarily. But look, if you would, please, in Ezekiel, chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 12.

Now, we're still talking about the southern kingdom. So Ezekiel, chapter 14, verse 12. Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 14:12-20

"Then the word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it."

Watch. "If the land sins against me, I'll send the famine." Verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 14:12-20

"Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beast, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon the land, and say, Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off man and beast from it, though these three men, that is, Daniel, Noah, Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be

delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence unto the land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall neither deliver son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." I want you to take notice of. In Ezekiel 14 and in Jeremiah 15, God is saying there comes a time when He's had enough.

The Sins of Manasseh and National Judgment

Judah's judgment is traced to King Manasseh's public idolatry and seduction of the people, illustrating corporate responsibility.

One of the reasons God was so incensed with these people was because of their King Manasseh and what he did in Jerusalem. Look in verse 4, this will surprise you. "And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem." Now, whoa, back up. Did you hear that? God said, "I will cause them," that is the people, "to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did." Now, why are the people going to go into captivity and be judged for that which Manasseh did? I wish I had about eight hours to deal with Romans 13 and the Christian civil government. But you know, there are principles in the Bible. And here it is. Here's one of them. When a civil ruler sins privately and individually, he alone is judged for his private and individual sin. But when a civil ruler sins openly and publicly, and the people do not stop him, then they're always judged with his sin and with him.

For instance, you remember when David committed adultery with Bathsheba, had her husband Uriah the Hittite killed with the sword of the children of Ammon? Only David was judged. Only David. But when David began to number the children of Israel, and he knew, and everyone else knew, the children of Israel were not to be numbered except in a time of war. And then the half shekel of the sanctuary had to be taken. And even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew better.

Then he said, "The Lord make his people so many times more, but do not do this thing." And David's word prevailed. And guess what? 70,000 men died for David's sin. Everybody knew what David was doing wrong. Nobody stopped him. Same thing when Saul, in his zeal to the children of Israel, sought to kill the Gibeonites. Everyone knew the Gibeonites were not to be killed. And consequently, God sent a famine for three years in a row because nobody stopped him.

You see, our attitude is this. "Well, it doesn't matter to me what Obama does and what those folks in Washington, D.C. do. It's no skin off my nose." That's not true, folks. And when you say, "It doesn't matter to me what they do in my state capital," that's not true. Because when we allow our rulers to sin publicly, we suffer with them because God judges the people as well as the rulers.

Now, I want you to turn to 2 Kings 21. I'm not going to be able today to show you the intense wickedness of Manasseh, but he was the most wicked king in Judah. 2 Kings 21. The most wicked king in the northern kingdom was Ahab. And the southern kingdom Manasseh. Notice 2 Kings chapter 21 verse 1. You will not believe some of the things this man did. Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 55 years in Jerusalem.

And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove. By the way, let me explain something to you. Every time you see the word grove in the Bible with one exception, and I forget the exact passage in Genesis, but when it says that Abraham planted a grove, it was a grove of trees. When we hear the word grove, we think of a pecan orchard or a peach orchard. We think of a grove of trees. Well, with the exception of Abraham planting the trees, every time you see the word grove in the Old Testament, it's an Asherah, which is a sex goddess. It has nothing to do with trees. When he made a grove, he made an image of the sex goddess that went along with Baal.

America's Parallel and the Call to Righteousness

America is not immune; when God is against us, no one can help. Believers must live holy lives to be spared.

So many people think that America is exceptional. In fact, you will hear our civil rulers talk about American exceptionalism. Let me tell you something, folks. God is not mocked. We think that we are immune from God's judgments, but we're not. Let me be a little uncouth and blunt, but you'll get the point. When God has had enough of our snotty rebellion and arrogant, haughty, indifference and rejection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and trampling His law under our feet, hold on, because God will deal with us just like He dealt with Jerusalem and Judah. Because God is immutable. He does not change. His judgments are true and righteous. There comes a time when God says,

"I've had enough," not only individually, societally, culturally, ecclesiastically, and nationally. Now, I want you to go back to Jeremiah 15. Because I want to make some applications, I want you to think with me, please. Jeremiah 15, notice verse 6. Here it is. When God is weary with our sins and when God reaches His breaking point with us, He'll stretch out His hand against us exactly the way He did Judah in verse 6. God says to Judah, "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord. Thou art gone backward. Therefore, will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee? I'm weary with the repenting." Do you hear that? God said, "You've forsaken me. You've gone backward. I'll stretch out my hand against you and I will destroy you."

We bring the judgments of God upon ourselves by forsaking God and refusing to repent. That's not all. Look at verse 5. Oh, God asks, "For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?" Who shall have pity upon thee? Who shall bemoan thee? Who will cry for you? Or who will even go aside to ask how you're doing?

When we've been sick or when we're feeling poorly, it does kind of lift our spirits when someone says, "Well, how are you today? Hope you're better." The indication is they're at least concerned about our physical welfare. But God says, "When I judge you, when I cast you out of my sight, neither our enemies nor our friends will have any compassion upon us." You know, there's a wonderful truth and we rejoice in it. Found in Romans chapter 8 in verse 31. Most of you can quote it. Listen to me. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Isn't that wonderful? If God be for us, it really doesn't matter who's against us. Because God's a majority in and of Himself. But let's turn it around. If God's against us, who possibly could be for us? And what good would it do us if they were for us? God says, "When I judge you, nobody's going to ask how you're doing. No one will bemoan you. No one will be sorry for you. You'll just be loser. You'll be the loser. You'll be just like Judah. You'll be judged. You'll be destroyed."

Let me point this out. We know that God's judgment is true. If you understand what I've been preaching this morning, and if you understand about Moses and Samuel and Daniel and Noah and Job, when it comes to severe judgment, when God judges us, I don't know about you, but I'd kind of want to be like Daniel, and Noah, and Job, and Moses, and Samuel. I want to be spared. You know what's interesting? Even old Balaam, as wicked as that reprobate was, said, "Let me die the death of the righteous." But he didn't want to live the life of the righteous. You can't die the death of the righteous unless you live the life of the righteous. And God says these men would have just merely spared their own lives by their own righteousness. Now, listen carefully. You say, "Oh, that's Old Testament." Yeah. The Old Testament is just as much the Word of God as the New Testament. When Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3:16, he had in mind primarily the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been completed at that time. But just to correct it, let me just quote 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 17 and 18. Are you listening? "For the time has come that judgment must begin in the house of God."

"And if it first began at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel?" Now, listen, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Where's God going to start His judgment? The house of God. The house of God. Wow. So that means this, folks. If you really believe there comes a time when God has had enough, just like He did in Judah and Jerusalem, just like He did with the northern kingdom, do you really believe that?

It should make you live as holy and as godly and as obediently as you possibly can. You know, God was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were just 10 righteous people in those cities, and there's far more than 10 in this room. It does matter how you live. And it does matter whether or not you are godly. So you need to make up your mind by the grace of God you're going to be as obedient and as godly and as holy and as righteous as you can be by His grace.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Limits of Divine Patience

Summary: God's patience, though immense, is not infinite; there is a point when He declares 'enough' and executes judgment.

Evidence: God said, 'I'm weary with repenting' (Jeremiah 15:6) and refused to hear even Moses and Samuel.

The Inefficacy of Intercession After Judgment is Decreed

Summary: Once God determines to destroy a nation, the prayers of the most righteous intercessors cannot change His mind.

Evidence: Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people (Jeremiah 15:1).

Corporate Responsibility for National Sin

Summary: When civil rulers sin publicly and the people do not stop them, the entire nation shares in the judgment.

Evidence: God judged Judah for Manasseh's sins because he seduced the people and they did not resist.

The Necessity of Personal Righteousness

Summary: In times of national judgment, only personal righteousness can deliver an individual, as seen with Noah, Daniel, and Job.

Evidence: Though these three men were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness (Ezekiel 14:14).

God's Immutability in Judgment

Summary: God does not change; His judgments on ancient nations serve as warnings for modern societies, including America.

Evidence: God is immutable. He does not change. His judgments are true and righteous.

Key Arguments

God's patience is often misinterpreted as approval

Summary: Sinners think God's delay in judgment means He will not judge, but His patience is meant to lead to repentance.

Evidence: Romans 2:4 says God's goodness leads to repentance, but men despise it.

There is a point when prayer cannot save a nation

Summary: God commanded Jeremiah not to pray for Judah because their judgment was irrevocable.

Evidence: Jeremiah 7:16, 11:14, and 14:11 all forbid intercession for Judah.

The greatest intercessors cannot avert decreed judgment

Summary: Moses, Samuel, Noah, Daniel, and Job are cited as examples of righteous men whose prayers would be unavailing.

Evidence: Jeremiah 15:1 and Ezekiel 14:14, 20 show that even these men could only save themselves.

National judgment comes through public sin of rulers

Summary: When leaders sin openly and the people acquiesce, God judges the entire nation.

Evidence: Manasseh's public idolatry and seduction of Judah brought judgment on all (2 Kings 21, 24).

America is not exempt from God's judgment

Summary: American exceptionalism is a myth; God will judge the U.S. as He did Judah if it continues in rebellion.

Evidence: God is not mocked... hold on, because God will deal with us just like He dealt with Jerusalem and Judah.

Personal righteousness is the only hope in judgment

Summary: Believers must live holy lives to be spared when God judges a nation.

Evidence: If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:17-18).

Scripture References

Jeremiah 15:1-8

Context: Primary text; God declares He will not relent toward Judah even if Moses and Samuel interceded.

Romans 2:3-4

Context: God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are meant to lead to repentance.

Romans 9:22

Context: God endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Context: God's mercies are new every morning; we are not consumed because of His compassions.

Genesis 6:13

Context: God declared the end of all flesh and the flood judgment.

2 Peter 2:5

Context: God spared not the old world but saved Noah, bringing the flood on the ungodly.

Genesis 19:23-25

Context: God rained fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrowing the cities of the plain.

Deuteronomy 7:2

Context: God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanites and show no mercy.

Genesis 15:13-16

Context: The iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full, so Israel's captivity lasted 400 years.

Proverbs 29:1

Context: He that hardens his neck after reproof shall be suddenly destroyed without remedy.

Jeremiah 14:19-22

Context: Jeremiah's prayer asking if God has utterly rejected Judah.

Jeremiah 7:14-16

Context: God tells Jeremiah not to pray for Judah because He will cast them out as He did Shiloh.

Jeremiah 11:11-14

Context: God will bring evil on Judah and will not hear their cry; Jeremiah is told not to pray.

Jeremiah 14:10-11

Context: God tells Jeremiah to pray not for the good of this people.

Exodus 32:32

Context: Moses interceded for Israel, offering to be blotted out of God's book.

1 Samuel 7:9

Context: Samuel cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him.

Ezekiel 14:12-20

Context: Even Noah, Daniel, and Job could only deliver themselves by their righteousness.

Ezekiel 22:30

Context: God sought for a man to stand in the gap but found none.

2 Kings 21:1-16

Context: Manasseh's extreme wickedness, including idolatry and child sacrifice, provoked God.

1 Peter 4:17-18

Context: Judgment begins at the house of God; if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appear?

Historical References

Antediluvian civilization destroyed by flood

Context: Example of God saying 'enough' to a whole world filled with violence.

Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by fire

Context: God overthrew the cities of the plain for their wickedness.

Conquest of Canaan

Context: God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanite nations after 400 years of patience.

King Manasseh of Judah

Context: Most wicked king of Judah; his public idolatry and seduction of the people brought national judgment.

David's census and the plague

Context: David's public sin in numbering Israel resulted in 70,000 deaths because the people did not stop him.

Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites

Context: Saul's sin brought a three-year famine on Israel because no one restrained him.

Important Quotes

Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

Significance: God's irrevocable decree of judgment on Judah, showing that even the greatest intercessors cannot change His mind.

I am weary with repenting.

Significance: God's patience has reached its limit; He will no longer relent from judgment.

Most professing Christians really do not worship the God of the Bible. They worship a God of their own imagination.

Significance: Highlights the tendency to ignore God's wrath and judgment in favor of a self-made deity.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Significance: Emphasizes that daily survival is due to God's mercy, not human merit.

Prayer is not our hope. Jesus Christ is our hope.

Significance: Corrects the misconception that prayer itself saves, rather than the God to whom we pray.

If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Significance: Sobering New Testament warning that judgment begins with God's own people.

Discussion Questions

How does our tendency to justify our own anger contrast with our reluctance to accept God's righteous wrath?

Context: Introduction comparing human 'enough' with divine 'enough'.

In what ways do people today misinterpret God's patience as approval of sin?

Context: Discussion of Romans 2:4 and the despising of God's goodness.

Why did God forbid Jeremiah to pray for Judah, and what does that teach us about intercession?

Context: God's commands in Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14 not to pray.

What does the example of Manasseh teach about the corporate responsibility of citizens for their leaders' public sins?

Context: Judah judged for Manasseh's idolatry and seduction.

How should the reality that 'judgment begins at the house of God' affect the way we live as Christians?

Context: Application from 1 Peter 4:17-18.

Is America truly a 'Christian nation' today, and what parallels exist between our nation and ancient Judah?

Context: Comparison of American exceptionalism with Judah's false security.

Applications

Live in holy fear of God's judgment

Summary: Recognize that God's patience has limits and that He will judge persistent rebellion, so we must live righteously.

Evidence: God said, 'I'm weary with repenting' and destroyed Judah despite intercessors.

Do not trust in prayer alone without repentance

Summary: Prayer must be accompanied by humility, seeking God's face, and turning from wicked ways, as 2 Chronicles 7:14 requires.

Evidence: Judah knew 2 Chronicles 7:14 but was not saved because they lacked repentance.

Take responsibility for national sins

Summary: When civil rulers sin publicly, citizens who do not oppose them share in the judgment; we must speak truth to power.

Evidence: David's census and Manasseh's idolatry brought judgment on all Israel/Judah.

Seek personal righteousness to be spared in judgment

Summary: Like Noah, Daniel, and Job, we must pursue personal holiness so that we may deliver our own souls.

Evidence: Ezekiel 14:14 says they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:32:10Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:27:59Z

Clean Transcript

When God Has Had Enough

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Thank you. It's been a joy to be here this week. I just hope the Lord will help me get through this day. My voice is changing. I'm a teenager. I was thinking I had the Oklahoma crud, but then folks explained to me that the wind blew up from Texas, so it's probably the Texas crud. So I don't know, but I'll just be thankful when it's over with, I can assure you. You know, I was just thinking as Brother Sam was reading scripture and praying, you know, God does not really have to smite someone down with this mighty arm of power. Just a little grain of pollen or a teeny little germ will take care of it. Isn't that amazing?
#1 | 0:00 to 0:41 | cleaned
Doesn't matter how strong you are. Just something so minor can bring you down. I was so out of it yesterday. I went home right after the noon meal and took an hour nap and got up and did a few things and by 7:15, I was in bed and I stayed in bed till six this morning. So obviously it was eating me alive, that's for sure. But I want you to open your Bibles, if you would, please, today to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 15, Jeremiah, chapter 15.
#2 | 0:42 to 1:18 | cleaned
And I'm going to be bringing a message which I've entitled When God Has Had Enough. Jeremiah, chapter 15, and let's read the first eight verses. Jeremiah 15 verse 1, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Then shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? Then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are for death to death, such as are for the sword to the sword, and such as are for the famine to the famine, and such as are for the captivity to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy."
#3 | 1:18 to 2:05 | cleaned
"And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside and ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward. Therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, I am weary with repenting."
#4 | 2:05 to 2:30 | cleaned
"And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land, and I will bereave them of children. I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways. Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas. I have brought upon them again against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday. I have caused them to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city." When God has had enough. Each of us at one time in our lives have said something like this, "Enough, that's it, I'm not going to take it anymore." We reached a breaking point in our lives and we were absolutely, totally, thoroughly fed up with the situation or the circumstances that were happening to us. We just put our foot down and said, "That's it, this is not going to happen anymore." In fact, we viewed ourselves as justified in our attitudes and our actions because we had patiently endured whatever it was that led up to the point where we put our foot down.
#5 | 2:31 to 3:34 | cleaned
Do you understand that we often take to ourselves and allow to ourselves that which we do not want God to possess? We may get fed up and we may get upset and we may get ready to fight. But we don't allow God to be like that at all. I remember years ago, my oldest grandson, who will be 28 this coming year, he was about four or five years old, and he was really into this karate thing, and so he had a little karate outfit and I went down to visit him and I would teach him a few little things.
#6 | 3:35 to 4:13 | cleaned
And then I was playing with him and I laid down on the floor and he would come up to me and he would stand right by my side and jump straight up in the air and bring both feet right down on my stomach. Well, it didn't bother me because, you know, he only weighed 40 pounds, something like that. And each time he did that, I'd just tighten my stomach muscles and it'd be just kind of like bouncing off.
#7 | 4:13 to 4:37 | cleaned
And he did that three or four times and I allowed it. Finally, about the fifth time, he jumped up in the air to jump on my stomach. And when he did, I rolled over on my side and timed his feet at the floor. I rolled back and pinned his feet to the floor and I came back with a back fist right in front of his face and of course stopped. I didn't hit him, but I stopped right in front of his nose. He pulled his feet out from under me and he looked at me and said, "Oh, Papa, we don't play like that."
#8 | 4:38 to 5:06 | cleaned
Well, you know, that's the way it goes. It's all right for us to play like that, but it's not all right for God to play like that. You see, we oftentimes speak about God's love, God's grace, God's mercy, God's patience, God's longsuffering. But yet we're negligent and we hesitate to speak about God's anger and God's wrath and God's judgment. We tend to think oftentimes in unbiblical terms when it comes to our heavenly Father.
#9 | 5:07 to 5:35 | cleaned
We want Him to be as we wish Him to be and not as He is revealed in Scripture. And I usually say that most professing Christians really do not worship the God of the Bible. They worship a God of their own imagination. They'll say, "Well, God cannot possibly be like He is revealed in the Scripture," but yet He is the only God that is, is the God that has revealed Himself in Holy Scripture.
#10 | 5:36 to 6:05 | cleaned
Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15 and turn in your Bibles to Romans chapter 2, because it is indeed true that God is loving. God is patient. God is kind. God is longsuffering. And the Bible tells us in Romans chapter 2 about these attributes of God. In Romans chapter 2, beginning there with verse 3, the Apostle Paul says, "And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?" Now watch carefully verse 4. "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"
#11 | 6:05 to 6:52 | cleaned
Now, interestingly, men despise God's goodness on a daily basis. We fail to praise Him and thank Him for everything that He's done for us. And interestingly, when men despise God's goodness on a daily basis, God does not just instantly smite them and knock them down. Well, what happens when men despise the goodness and the mercy of God? Well, the Bible tells us then that His forbearance comes into play, that He just simply forbears with them a little longer. The forbearance of God is an aspect of God's patience that manifests His self-control. And so instead of God smiting us or smiting any sinner, He just forbears with them. Well, what happens when God's forbearance runs out? Well, according to verse 4, that is when His longsuffering comes into play. God just suffers even longer their impudence and their rebellion.
#12 | 6:53 to 7:55 | cleaned
I get tickled oftentimes when I think of some of these words. Actually, the word longsuffering has a connotation of being long nostrils. We can say that God is long nostrils. You say, "What in the world is that?" I know that God is spirit. I understand that. But have you ever noticed that when you get angry, when you get upset, you start breathing hard and your nostrils flare?
#13 | 7:57 to 8:20 | cleaned
And the interesting thing is the longer or the bigger your nose, the more difficult it is to see the flare and the more difficult it is for you to discern that that individual is really getting ticked off. Well, God, when you despise His goodness, His forbearance comes into play. When you despise His forbearance, then, of course, His longsuffering comes into play. And that just enables Him then to endure the insolence, the arrogance and rebellion of wicked people who hate Him and despise Him.
#14 | 8:21 to 8:54 | cleaned
The Bible says in Romans 9 in verse 22, listen carefully. "What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction?" You see, fallen man always misinterprets the patience, the goodness, the forbearance, and the longsuffering of God. Many imagine, because God does not smite them instantly, that either they're innocent or that God is not going to judge them for their sins. They think somehow that God is not going to fulfill His word. Well, according to Paul in Romans chapter 2 and verse 4, God's end in His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering was not to testify to their innocence as they imagined, but lead them to repentance for which they were absolutely ignorant. Do you understand that if God instantly broke the vessels of wrath into pieces, His power of control would not so eminently appear?
#15 | 8:54 to 10:02 | cleaned
I've often said, I'm so thankful that I'm not God, because if I was, I'd have killed me and a whole lot more a whole lot sooner and a long time ago. Stephen Charnock, the Puritan, said this concerning God's patience: "It is a part of the divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. God, being the greatest goodness, hath the greatest mildness. Mildness is always the companion of true goodness, and the greater the goodness, the greater the mildness."
#16 | 10:03 to 10:36 | cleaned
"Who is so holy as Christ, and who is so meek? God's slowness to anger is a branch of his mercy. The Lord is full of compassion, slow to anger. It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the subject." Now listen carefully. "Mercy respects the creature as miserable. Patience respects the creature as criminal. Mercy pities him in his misery. Patience bears with the sin which engenders the misery and giveth birth to more."
#17 | 10:36 to 11:10 | cleaned
So God then is both merciful and patient as well. I've often asked people this question: Do you know why you did not die in your sleep last night? Do you know why you were allowed to live under this service? Let me quote the verse for you. Lamentations, chapter 3, verses 22 and 23: "It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness." So when you wake up every morning, you need to thank God for His compassions and for His mercies and for His lovingkindnesses, which are new to you and allowed you to live through the night. Now, we know that God is love. We know that God is kind. We know that God is patient. We know that God is forbearing. We know that God is longsuffering.
#18 | 11:10 to 12:07 | cleaned
But let me point something out. In light of all those blessed attributes, there is still a time when God will say, "I've had enough. I've had enough. That's it. No more." Now, before we look in Jeremiah chapter 15 in detail, I want to give you several historical examples of when God has had enough. And by the way, when God has had enough, He is not only talking about individuals and societies and culture, He is also talking about nations as well. For instance, you remember in Genesis chapter 6, verse 13, the Bible says, "And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come near unto me."
#19 | 12:08 to 12:59 | cleaned
"For the earth is filled with violence through them. And behold, I will destroy them with the earth." So the antediluvian civilization was wiped out in the judgment of God. The Bible says in 2 Peter 2 in verse 5, "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly." So there was a time when God looked at those antediluvians and all their sin.
#20 | 13:00 to 13:26 | cleaned
Then He just said, "That's it. I've had enough. I'm going to wipe you out." And that's exactly what He did. The same thing is found in Genesis chapter 19 with Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain. The Bible says in verse 23, "The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities and all the plain and all the inhabitants of those cities." So God said, "Look, there's a time when I had enough and I'm just simply going to destroy you." And that's exactly what happened to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, the cities of the plain.
#21 | 13:27 to 14:07 | cleaned
Now, do you remember when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt? He did something very unique in one sense of the word. When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He literally put a sword in their hand and said, "I want you to kill all the inhabitants of Canaan." In fact, in Deuteronomy 7 in verse 2, listen carefully. "And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, thou shalt smite them and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them." So God said, "Smite them, destroy them, make no covenant, show them no mercy." Now, a little bit later, Deuteronomy 20 and verse 17, He said it like this, "But thou shalt utterly destroy them, namely the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee." Literally wipe them out.
#22 | 14:08 to 15:12 | cleaned
Now, I want you to hold Jeremiah 15, but go in your Bibles to Genesis chapter 15. Everyone knows that Abram and his descendants went into Egypt into captivity for 400 years. But if you ever ask yourself this question, why did the children of Israel have to go into captivity for 400 years? Why? Well, the answer is given us in Genesis chapter 15. And let's begin reading with verse 13, Genesis 15, verse 13. "And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And also that nation whom they shall serve will I judge, and afterwards they shall come out with great substance."
#23 | 15:12 to 16:07 | cleaned
"And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace, and thou shalt be buried in a good old age." Now watch carefully, "...but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." So God says, "Look, I'm going to destroy these wicked people in Canaan, but I'm going to give them 400 more years." You talk about patience and longsuffering and forbearance. But when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, He put a sword in their hand and said, "Kill every one of them." Because after 400 years, God said, "I've had enough."
#24 | 16:08 to 16:49 | cleaned
Now, I want you to understand something. It is equally true that God oftentimes has enough of personal rebellion as well, because the Bible says in Proverbs 29 in verse 1, "He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy." You can only rebel against God for so long. All you have to do is read through your Bible, you'll read about men like Dathan and Abiram and Korah. You'll read about Ananias and Sapphira and a host of others in the Bible. You'll find that God suddenly ended their lives and oftentimes very tragically. Not only do you have biblical examples, you have examples that you know of personally. For instance, I will give you one.
#25 | 16:49 to 17:41 | cleaned
I had a fellow before me who had his two children in a Christian school. He was called in and warned about his children.
#26 | 17:41 to 17:58 | cleaned
Finally, he did not correct them. The children were expelled. I brought the man in. He was in our church. I brought the man in and I said, "We are going to exercise church discipline upon your children. And here's why." Now, he stood in front of my desk, he did not sit, and I spent over an hour just going from scripture to scripture to scripture and showing him what the Word of God says and the purpose of church discipline.
#27 | 18:00 to 18:38 | cleaned
After I got through, he looked at me and he said this, "Preacher, I know you're right. And I know the Bible's right. But I got to handle this my own way." And so instead of facing church discipline, he took his family and left. Guess what? The young girl turned out to be a prostitute. The young boy turned out to be a drunkard and a dopehead. And that mom and daddy had to sleep with a loaded pistol by their bed to protect themselves from their own son.
#28 | 18:40 to 19:25 | cleaned
They had to call the law innumerable times and have him locked up because he was still out of control and so threatening them. Finally, the young man got drunk and went to sleep in his car on a railroad track. And after the train got through with him, they identified him only by his teeth. And I'm just simply saying, folks, everyone understands individually, there comes a time when God says He's had enough. But I want to call your attention to the fact that God even has a breaking point with the nations and listen carefully, even with those nations that profess to be His people. Undoubtedly, most people in America believe that since America is a Christian nation, God would never judge us. Well, obviously, we were a Christian nation at one time, but no longer. Now, I want you to turn back to Jeremiah, chapter 15, and I want you to look at just verse 1. And then I want to show you what is happening in Jeremiah, chapter 15, because then we're going to read from chapter 14.
#29 | 19:26 to 20:48 | cleaned
Look, if you would, please, verse 1 of Jeremiah 15. "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth." Now, notice, if you would, "Then said the Lord unto me." So what you have in Jeremiah 15, verse 1 is God's answer to Jeremiah's prayer. So if you look in Jeremiah, chapter 14, beginning there verse 19, Jeremiah is praying and he asks God this.
#30 | 20:49 to 21:27 | cleaned
"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah?" So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem now, the southern kingdom. "Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us? We look for peace and there is no good. And for the time of healing and behold, trouble. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee. Do not abhor us. For Thy name's sake do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory. Remember, break not Thy covenant with us."
#31 | 21:27 to 21:59 | cleaned
"Are there any among the vanities or the idols of the Gentiles that can cause rain, or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we wait upon Thee, for Thou hast made all these things."
#32 | 22:00 to 22:12 | cleaned
Now, look, if you would, please, at verse 19. Jeremiah asked, "Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us?" So when you look in Jeremiah 15 in verse 1, God is now answering Jeremiah's petition, and He says, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people, cast them out of my sight and let them go forth."
#33 | 22:12 to 22:53 | cleaned
Now, let me point something out. Everyone knows that Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. But what many people do not know is this, that Jeremiah was not only a weeping prophet, he was also a patriot. He wanted to see his people and his nation spared. He really, genuinely wanted to pray for Judah and Jerusalem. If you look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 7, and let's begin reading there with verse 14, God informs Jeremiah early not to pray for this people because God is going to destroy them. So notice in Jeremiah chapter 7, beginning there with verse 14, Jeremiah 7, verse 14, "Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein you trust." And by the way, notice this. "Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name, wherein you trust." It's amazing how many times we trust in things instead of God.
#34 | 22:53 to 23:57 | cleaned
You remember when Israel was fighting the Philistines and Samuel was there with Eli, and Eli was still in charge, and Hophni and Phinehas, his sons, were there. And Israel was being defeated by the Philistines. And what did they say? "Go bring us the ark that it may save us." And so now they're trusting in the temple. So look what God says. "Therefore, will I do unto this house," the temple, "which is called by my name, wherein you trust, and unto the place which I gave you, and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh."
#35 | 23:58 to 24:31 | cleaned
"And I will cast you out of my sight as I've cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim." Look what God says. "Therefore, to Jeremiah, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up crying or prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee." Why? God said, "Jeremiah, don't even pray for these people. Do not intercede for me. I'm not going to hear you. I'm not." Look in your Bible, Jeremiah chapter 11. It gets even worse in one sense of the word, Jeremiah 11, and let's begin reading there with verse 11. Jeremiah 11, verse 11, God says, "Therefore, thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape."
#36 | 24:32 to 25:24 | cleaned
"And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods on whom they offer incense, but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of the cities where thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have you set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal."
#37 | 25:25 to 25:51 | cleaned
Look what God says, "Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me for their trouble." Now, God said, "Jeremiah, don't you pray, I'm not going to hear you." And now He says, "I'm not going to hear you. When they cry to me, I'm not going to hear them. I refuse to hear them." Then if you'll turn to Jeremiah chapter 14, beginning there with verse 10, Jeremiah 14, verse 10, God says, "All right, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, I'm going to let you pray for them, but you have to pray what I'm going to tell you." So in Jeremiah 14, verse 10, the Bible says this, "Thus saith the Lord unto this people that have loved to wander."
#38 | 25:51 to 26:35 | cleaned
"They have not refrained their feet. Therefore, the Lord does not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins. Then saith the Lord unto me, Pray not for this people for their good." In other words, Jeremiah, if you want to pray, go ahead and pray. But here's what you pray. You pray that I'm going to destroy them, for that's exactly what I'm going to do.
#39 | 26:36 to 26:54 | cleaned
What God is saying is this, their impieties, their wickedness, their rebellion has reached the highest pitch, and there was certainly no more mercy and no more hope for them. So, Jeremiah, do not pray for this people. With the exception, if you pray, pray that I'm going to destroy them.
#40 | 26:56 to 27:16 | cleaned
Now, I want you to understand something. It was no slight upon Jeremiah that God would not hear his prayers. Because He said in Jeremiah 15 in verse 1, "Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people." Now, you have to understand that Moses and Samuel were great intercessors. You remember, there were so many times that God was so provoked by those Hebrews that God said to Moses, "Step aside, I'm going to kill every one of them."
#41 | 27:17 to 27:54 | cleaned
"And I will raise up a greater nation of you." And Moses would fall on his face and say, "Oh, God, you can't do that. Remember your great name. The heathen would say that you brought him out, but you were not able to bring him in. Lord, have mercy." In fact, there was one instance, Exodus 32 in verse 32. Moses prayed, "Yet now I will forgive their sin, if not, blot me out of the book which thou hast written." And he interceded. By the way, there were also times when Moses got so provoked, he'd look to God and say, "Kill them all." I've often said, if God and Moses never got together, there wouldn't have been an Israelite left. But Moses interceded and God listened to him. Samuel also interceded. In 1 Samuel 7 verse 9, the Bible said, "And Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a sacrifice, a holy, holy unto the Lord. And Samuel cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him." Many times Samuel interceded in 1 Samuel 12 and verse 23.
#42 | 27:54 to 29:00 | cleaned
He said this small verse for me. "God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you. But I will teach you the good and the right way." So God is saying, "Look, here are two great intercessors, Moses and Samuel, and yet if they were standing here, I would not hear them either. I would not listen to them." Let me show you. It even gets worse. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel 14 and go ahead and mark this passage.
#43 | 29:00 to 29:29 | cleaned
We will come back here just momentarily. But look, if you would, please, in Ezekiel, chapter 14, and let's begin reading there with verse 12.
#44 | 29:30 to 29:41 | cleaned
Now, we're still talking about the southern kingdom. So Ezekiel, chapter 14, verse 12. Look what God says. "Then the word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it." Watch. "If the land sins against me, I'll send the famine." Verse 14, "Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beast, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon the land, and say, Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off man and beast from it, though these three men, that is, Daniel, Noah, Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be
#45 | 29:41 to 30:59 | cleaned
delivered themselves. Or if I send a pestilence unto the land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast, though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall neither deliver son nor daughter, they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness." I want you to take notice of. In Ezekiel 14 and in Jeremiah 15, God is saying there comes a time when He's had enough.
#46 | 30:59 to 31:41 | cleaned
And that if the godliest men that have ever lived prayed to Him, He would not hear them. He wouldn't listen to them. Their righteousness may deliver themselves, but He's not even their sons and their daughters. I don't know about you, but when I read these passages and I saw this truth, it hit me. Do you realize there comes a time when it's useless to pray for a nation? Judah was a nation, the southern kingdom.
#47 | 31:45 to 32:32 | cleaned
And God said, "I'm not going to spare it. The godliest men that have ever lived cannot intercede for this nation, that's it." Everywhere I travel in this country, I see signs in yards. "Pray for America." "Pray 2 Chronicles 7:14." And one that I see quite frequently, "Prayer, our only hope." Let me ask you a question. Has it ever dawned upon you that prayer will not save America? When you stop and think about prayer, prayer is not our hope. Jesus Christ is our hope. If I were starving,
#48 | 32:35 to 33:41 | cleaned
dying of starvation and you handed me a big bowl of cereal and a spoon, and I took that spoon and dipped into that big bowl of cereal and ate that cereal and I was revived and I was spared, would it not be absolutely stupid of me to say the spoon saved my life? The spoon didn't save my life. The spoon was just the instrument that I used to get to what saved my life. Prayer was just an instrument to get to God. And when you start thinking about 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, it's not just prayer.
#49 | 33:45 to 34:24 | cleaned
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall what?" You remember that passage, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall what? Humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways and seek my face." Then said God, "Will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land?" So there must be not just prayer, but humility and prayer and seeking God's face and repentance.
#50 | 34:25 to 34:55 | cleaned
But listen to me carefully. Even when you see signs that say "Pray 2 Chronicles 7:14," by the way, the people of Judah certainly knew 2 Chronicles 7:14. But it didn't save them. It did not save them at all. Has it ever really dawned upon you that there comes a time when God has had enough and no amount of prayer from no amount of individuals will save? I want you to go back to Ezekiel, chapter 22, hold chapter 14, but look in Ezekiel 22. It is true that God seeks for intercessors. I want you to see what He said in Ezekiel, chapter 22, and look in verse 30. Ezekiel 22 and verse 30. Interestingly, God says this, Ezekiel 22, verse 30, "And I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it, but I found none." So God said there was a time when I sought for intercessors and I couldn't find one. Couldn't find one man that would stand in the gap and make a pledge that I should not destroy the land.
#51 | 34:55 to 36:19 | cleaned
Now, God says in Jeremiah 15, Ezekiel chapter 14, though you have the greatest intercessors in the land praying, it won't matter. I'm not going to listen. So go back to Jeremiah 15, look in verse 1, we're going to come back to Ezekiel in just a moment. But look in Jeremiah 15 verse 1, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people."
#52 | 36:22 to 36:52 | cleaned
"Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth." So Jeremiah 15 verse 1 teaches us there comes a time when there are some that are willing to stand in the gap, it'll be too late. And what God is saying to Jeremiah in chapter 15 in verse 1 is this, "I am implacably enraged. I'm unchangeably resolved against them and no one and nothing is going to change my mind." And so God says the only resolution is "Cast them out of my sight and let them go forth."
#53 | 36:53 to 37:30 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you. Have you ever reached a decision in your life or come to a point concerning an individual or concerning a group that you positively no longer wanted to be around? You did not want to see them. You did not want to hear them. You did not even want to think about them. You simply wanted them gone and out of your life forever. It's the same here.
#54 | 37:31 to 37:58 | cleaned
God says, "I'm not going to change my mind. I want them gone." He abandons them because He abhors them. God says, "My mind cannot be toward them." How can it be thought that the holy God could have any complacency toward a people that hated Him and despised Him and refused to worship Him? They turned from Him because they hated Him. And now He abandons them because He abhors them.
#55 | 38:01 to 38:37 | cleaned
It's the lex talionis of Scripture. They abandon God, God abandons them. They refuse to hear God, God refuses to hear them. So God says, "Cast them out of my sight. Cast them out of my sight because they are in the highest degree odious and offensive toward me. I don't want to be around them anymore. Let them go."
#56 | 38:37 to 39:04 | cleaned
Now, the interesting thing is this. When you look in verse 1, God says, "Cast them out of my sight. Let them go forth." Would God cast someone out of His sight? And God says, "Let them go forth." Where are they going? Well, God says to Jeremiah, "If somebody asks you, 'Where are we going to go?' let me give you the answer." Here it is. Look in verse 2. "And it shall come to pass that they say to thee, Whither shall we go forth?"
#57 | 39:04 to 39:42 | cleaned
"Then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are for death to death, such as are for the sword to the sword, such as are for the famine to the famine, such as are for the captivity to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." God said there will be different kinds of punishment inflicted upon them according to the very nature of their transgressions.
#58 | 39:43 to 40:14 | cleaned
Some will be punished one way, some another way. If you'd go back now to Ezekiel chapter 14, look if you would please at verse 21. Because this is the passage again where God said, "Oh, Noah, Job and Daniel was before me, I would not hear them." So God says in verse 21, "For thus said the Lord God, How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword and the famine and the noisome beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man and beast." So here's what God is saying, "Jeremiah, I want them gone."
#59 | 40:15 to 41:03 | cleaned
"And if they turn around and ask you, 'Where are we to go?' here's what I want you to say. 'Such as for the sword to the sword, such as to the dogs to the dogs, such as to the famine to the famine, such as to captivity to captivity.' It really doesn't matter to me where they go. They're all going to judgment. Just get them out of my sight." Wow. That's what He said. Just so they're gone. That's all that counts.
#60 | 41:04 to 41:52 | cleaned
One of the reasons God was so incensed with these people was because of their King Manasseh and what he did in Jerusalem. Look in verse 4, this will surprise you. "And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem." Now, whoa, back up. Did you hear that? God said, "I will cause them," that is the people, "to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did." Now, why are the people going to go into captivity and be judged for that which Manasseh did?
#61 | 41:55 to 42:47 | cleaned
I wish I had about eight hours to deal with Romans 13 and the Christian civil government. But you know, there are principles in the Bible. And here it is. Here's one of them. When a civil ruler sins privately and individually, he alone is judged for his private and individual sin. But when a civil ruler sins openly and publicly, and the people do not stop him, then they're always judged with his sin and with him.
#62 | 42:52 to 43:31 | cleaned
For instance, you remember when David committed adultery with Bathsheba, had her husband Uriah the Hittite killed with the sword of the children of Ammon? Only David was judged. Only David. But when David began to number the children of Israel, and he knew, and everyone else knew, the children of Israel were not to be numbered except in a time of war. And then the half shekel of the sanctuary had to be taken. And even Joab, as wicked as he was, knew better.
#63 | 43:33 to 44:07 | cleaned
Then he said, "The Lord make his people so many times more, but do not do this thing." And David's word prevailed. And guess what? 70,000 men died for David's sin. Everybody knew what David was doing wrong. Nobody stopped him. Same thing when Saul, in his zeal to the children of Israel, sought to kill the Gibeonites. Everyone knew the Gibeonites were not to be killed. And consequently, God sent a famine for three years in a row because nobody stopped him.
#64 | 44:07 to 44:44 | cleaned
You see, our attitude is this. "Well, it doesn't matter to me what Obama does and what those folks in Washington, D.C. do. It's no skin off my nose." That's not true, folks. And when you say, "It doesn't matter to me what they do in my state capital," that's not true. Because when we allow our rulers to sin publicly, we suffer with them because God judges the people as well as the rulers.
#65 | 44:45 to 45:14 | cleaned
Now, I want you to turn to 2 Kings 21. I'm not going to be able today to show you the intense wickedness of Manasseh, but he was the most wicked king in Judah. 2 Kings 21. The most wicked king in the northern kingdom was Ahab. And the southern kingdom Manasseh. Notice 2 Kings chapter 21 verse 1. You will not believe some of the things this man did. Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign. He reigned 55 years in Jerusalem.
#66 | 45:14 to 45:55 | cleaned
And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abomination of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove. By the way, let me explain something to you. Every time you see the word grove in the Bible with one exception, and I forget the exact passage in Genesis, but when it says that Abraham planted a grove, it was a grove of trees. When we hear the word grove, we think of a pecan orchard or a peach orchard. We think of a grove of trees. Well, with the exception of Abraham planting the trees, every time you see the word grove in the Old Testament, it's an Asherah, which is a sex goddess. It has nothing to do with trees. When he made a grove, he made an image of the sex goddess that went along with Baal.
#67 | 45:56 to 47:01 | cleaned
She was a consort of Baal. So watch what he did. Verse 3, "For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father destroyed, and he reared up altars of Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the hosts of heaven, and served them." Now watch. "And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said in Jerusalem, will I put my name? And he built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord."
#68 | 47:01 to 47:30 | cleaned
So he's got all these false images in the temple. Watch verse 6. "And he made his son pass through the fire," that is to Moloch, "and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards. He wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. And he set a graven image of the grove," that is, the Asherah, "which he had made, in the house of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever." So he took one of these images, not only Baal, but of the Asherah, and put them in the temple. "Neither will I make the feet of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers, only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them. But they hearken not, and Manasseh seduced them," that is the people, "he seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel."
#69 | 47:30 to 48:35 | cleaned
"And the Lord spake by his servants the prophets, saying, Because Manasseh, king of Judah, hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all the Amorites did which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols, therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth it, his ears shall tingle." This same wicked man also made rooms in the temple and by the temple for the sodomites.
#70 | 48:37 to 49:10 | cleaned
And the Bible says he seduced the people. Have you ever asked yourself this question, how do you seduce the people into idolatry? I've got a whole message on that, but let me tell you the easy way to do it. All the civil rulers have to do is to pass laws that favor their idolatry and pass laws that condemn truth. For instance, look how much is going on today for political correctness.
#71 | 49:14 to 49:49 | cleaned
You know, we'll praise the transgender, we'll praise the sodomite, we'll praise the lesbian, we'll praise this, but here's somebody over here kneeling in prayer. That's offensive. And so we'll persecute this individual, but we'll subsidize these other individuals. Yeah, that's exactly what he did. He made it difficult to stand for truth and the Lord and made it easy to go along with him. Now watch. So it was Manasseh now that seduced the people into idolatry and fornication and sodomy and sacrificing their children to Moloch and a host of other infamous sins.
#72 | 49:52 to 50:35 | cleaned
So look in 2 Kings 24. Beginning there with verse 2, God sent warnings, but they would not listen. 2 Chronicles, chapter 24, look, if you would, beginning with verse 2. "And the Lord sent against them bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, for also for the innocent blood," that is, all those children that he shed, "for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, which the Lord would not pardon." Wow, and look at the millions that we have sacrificed to the god of convenience. And the Bible says God would not pardon it.
#73 | 50:35 to 51:38 | cleaned
So many people think that America is exceptional. In fact, you will hear our civil rulers talk about American exceptionalism. Let me tell you something, folks. God is not mocked. We think that we are immune from God's judgments, but we're not. Let me be a little uncouth and blunt, but you'll get the point. When God has had enough of our snotty rebellion and arrogant, haughty, indifference and rejection of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and trampling His law under our feet, hold on, because God will deal with us just like He dealt with Jerusalem and Judah. Because God is immutable. He does not change. His judgments are true and righteous. There comes a time when God says,
#74 | 51:40 to 53:00 | cleaned
"I've had enough," not only individually, societally, culturally, ecclesiastically, and nationally. Now, I want you to go back to Jeremiah 15. Because I want to make some applications, I want you to think with me, please. Jeremiah 15, notice verse 6. Here it is. When God is weary with our sins and when God reaches His breaking point with us, He'll stretch out His hand against us exactly the way He did Judah in verse 6. God says to Judah, "Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord. Thou art gone backward. Therefore, will I stretch out my hand against thee and destroy thee? I'm weary with the repenting." Do you hear that? God said, "You've forsaken me. You've gone backward. I'll stretch out my hand against you and I will destroy you."
#75 | 53:02 to 54:11 | cleaned
We bring the judgments of God upon ourselves by forsaking God and refusing to repent. That's not all. Look at verse 5. Oh, God asks, "For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?" Who shall have pity upon thee? Who shall bemoan thee? Who will cry for you? Or who will even go aside to ask how you're doing?
#76 | 54:12 to 54:55 | cleaned
When we've been sick or when we're feeling poorly, it does kind of lift our spirits when someone says, "Well, how are you today? Hope you're better." The indication is they're at least concerned about our physical welfare. But God says, "When I judge you, when I cast you out of my sight, neither our enemies nor our friends will have any compassion upon us." You know, there's a wonderful truth and we rejoice in it.
#77 | 54:55 to 55:32 | cleaned
Found in Romans chapter 8 in verse 31. Most of you can quote it. Listen to me. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" Isn't that wonderful? If God be for us, it really doesn't matter who's against us. Because God's a majority in and of Himself. But let's turn it around. If God's against us, who possibly could be for us? And what good would it do us if they were for us? God says, "When I judge you, nobody's going to ask how you're doing. No one will bemoan you. No one will be sorry for you. You'll just be loser. You'll be the loser. You'll be just like Judah. You'll be judged. You'll be destroyed."
#78 | 55:33 to 56:27 | cleaned
Let me point this out. We know that God's judgment is true. If you understand what I've been preaching this morning, and if you understand about Moses and Samuel and Daniel and Noah and Job, when it comes to severe judgment, when God judges us, I don't know about you, but I'd kind of want to be like Daniel, and Noah, and Job, and Moses, and Samuel. I want to be spared. You know what's interesting?
#79 | 56:30 to 57:24 | cleaned
Even old Balaam, as wicked as that reprobate was, said, "Let me die the death of the righteous." But he didn't want to live the life of the righteous. You can't die the death of the righteous unless you live the life of the righteous. And God says these men would have just merely spared their own lives by their own righteousness. Now, listen carefully. You say, "Oh, that's Old Testament." Yeah. The Old Testament is just as much the Word of God as the New Testament. When Paul wrote 2 Timothy 3:16, he had in mind primarily the Old Testament because the New Testament had not been completed at that time. But just to correct it, let me just quote 1 Peter chapter 4, verses 17 and 18. Are you listening? "For the time has come that judgment must begin in the house of God."
#80 | 57:26 to 58:18 | cleaned
"And if it first began at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel?"
#81 | 58:18 to 58:25 | cleaned
Now, listen, "If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Where's God going to start His judgment? The house of God. The house of God. Wow. So that means this, folks. If you really believe there comes a time when God has had enough, just like He did in Judah and Jerusalem, just like He did with the northern kingdom, do you really believe that?
#82 | 58:25 to 59:04 | cleaned
It should make you live as holy and as godly and as obediently as you possibly can. You know, God was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were just 10 righteous people in those cities, and there's far more than 10 in this room. It does matter how you live. And it does matter whether or not you are godly. So you need to make up your mind by the grace of God you're going to be as obedient and as godly and as holy and as righteous as you can be by His grace.
#83 | 59:06 to 59:54 | cleaned
Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Give us, Lord, Your mercy. Help us to live for Thee. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray, Amen.
#84 | 59:56 to 1:00:11 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:32:10Z

When God Has Had Enough

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver preaches from Jeremiah 15 that God's patience has limits, and there comes a time when He says 'enough'—individually, societally, and nationally. Using Judah as the primary example, he warns that even the greatest intercessors cannot avert judgment once God's mind is set. The sermon applies this to modern America, urging holy living and repentance.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:1-8

"Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. Then shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? Then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are for death to death, such as are for the sword to the sword, and such as are for the famine to the famine, and such as are for the captivity to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord, the sword to slay, the dogs to tear, the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." "And I will cause them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? Or who shall bemoan thee? Or who shall go aside and ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone backward. Therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, I am weary with repenting."

Introduction: Human vs. Divine 'Enough'

We often reach a breaking point and justify our anger, but we resist the idea that God can also say 'enough.'

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:1-8

"And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land, and I will bereave them of children. I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways. Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas. I have brought upon them again against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday. I have caused them to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city."

God's Patience and Its Misinterpretation

God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are meant to lead to repentance, but sinners misinterpret His delay as approval.

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:3-4

"And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?"

Now watch carefully verse 4.

Scripture Reading — Romans 2:3-4

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

The Bible says in Romans 9 in verse 22, listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Romans 9:22

"What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction?"

Historical Examples of God's 'Enough'

The flood, Sodom, and the conquest of Canaan demonstrate that God judges nations when their iniquity is full.

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:5

"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly."

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 29:1

"He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy."

God's Answer to Jeremiah's Prayer

Jeremiah 15:1 is God's response to Jeremiah's intercession in chapter 14, declaring that even Moses and Samuel could not change His mind.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah?"

So we're talking about Judah and Jerusalem now, the southern kingdom.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us? We look for peace and there is no good. And for the time of healing and behold, trouble. We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against Thee. Do not abhor us. For Thy name's sake do not disgrace the throne of Thy glory. Remember, break not Thy covenant with us." "Are there any among the vanities or the idols of the Gentiles that can cause rain, or can the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Lord our God? Therefore we wait upon Thee, for Thou hast made all these things."

Now, look, if you would, please, at verse 19. Jeremiah asked,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 14:19-22

"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us?"

The Futility of Prayer for a Doomed Nation

God repeatedly told Jeremiah not to pray for Judah; Ezekiel 14 reinforces that even Noah, Daniel, and Job could only save themselves.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"Therefore, will I do unto this house,"

the temple,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"which is called by my name, wherein you trust, and unto the place which I gave you, and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh." "And I will cast you out of my sight as I've cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim."

Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 7:14-16

"Therefore, to Jeremiah, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up crying or prayer for them, neither make intercession to me, for I will not hear thee."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods on whom they offer incense, but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of the cities where thy gods, O Judah, and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have you set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal."

Look what God says,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me for their trouble."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11-14

"Thus saith the Lord unto this people that have loved to wander."

Scripture Reading — Exodus 32:32

"Yet now I will forgive their sin, if not, blot me out of the book which thou hast written."

Now, we're still talking about the southern kingdom. So Ezekiel, chapter 14, verse 12. Look what God says.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 14:12-20

"Then the word of the Lord came again to me, saying, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out my hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it."

Watch. "If the land sins against me, I'll send the famine." Verse 14,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 14:12-20

"Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord God. And if I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beast, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. Or if I bring a sword upon the land, and say, Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off man and beast from it, though these three men, that is, Daniel, Noah, Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, they only shall be

The Sins of Manasseh and National Judgment

Judah's judgment is traced to King Manasseh's public idolatry and seduction of the people, illustrating corporate responsibility.

America's Parallel and the Call to Righteousness

America is not immune; when God is against us, no one can help. Believers must live holy lives to be spared.

When God Has Had Enough

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	1213152159300
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover: As Yet
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-12-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 078: Exodus: Bondage, Deliverance, and Passover - Volume 1 — Chapter 12
Source Timed Segments	84

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Human vs. Divine 'Enough': We often reach a breaking point and justify our anger, but we resist the idea that God can also say 'enough.'
God's Patience and Its Misinterpretation: God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are meant to lead to repentance, but sinners misinterpret His delay as approval.
Historical Examples of God's 'Enough': The flood, Sodom, and the conquest of Canaan demonstrate that God judges nations when their iniquity is full.
God's Answer to Jeremiah's Prayer: Jeremiah 15:1 is God's response to Jeremiah's intercession in chapter 14, declaring that even Moses and Samuel could not change His mind.
The Futility of Prayer for a Doomed Nation: God repeatedly told Jeremiah not to pray for Judah; Ezekiel 14 reinforces that even Noah, Daniel, and Job could only save themselves.
The Sins of Manasseh and National Judgment: Judah's judgment is traced to King Manasseh's public idolatry and seduction of the people, illustrating corporate responsibility.
America's Parallel and the Call to Righteousness: America is not immune; when God is against us, no one can help. Believers must live holy lives to be spared.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God's patience is often misinterpreted as approval

Sinners think God's delay in judgment means He will not judge, but His patience is meant to lead to repentance.

Romans 2:4 says God's goodness leads to repentance, but men despise it.

There is a point when prayer cannot save a nation

God commanded Jeremiah not to pray for Judah because their judgment was irrevocable.

Jeremiah 7:16, 11:14, and 14:11 all forbid intercession for Judah.

The greatest intercessors cannot avert decreed judgment

Moses, Samuel, Noah, Daniel, and Job are cited as examples of righteous men whose prayers would be unavailing.

Jeremiah 15:1 and Ezekiel 14:14, 20 show that even these men could only save themselves.

National judgment comes through public sin of rulers

When leaders sin openly and the people acquiesce, God judges the entire nation.

Manasseh's public idolatry and seduction of Judah brought judgment on all (2 Kings 21, 24).

America is not exempt from God's judgment

American exceptionalism is a myth; God will judge the U.S. as He did Judah if it continues in rebellion.

God is not mocked... hold on, because God will deal with us just like He dealt with Jerusalem and Judah.

Personal righteousness is the only hope in judgment

Believers must live holy lives to be spared when God judges a nation.

If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Peter 4:17-18).

Scripture References

Jeremiah 15:1-8: Primary text; God declares He will not relent toward Judah even if Moses and Samuel interceded.
Romans 2:3-4: God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering are meant to lead to repentance.
Romans 9:22: God endures with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.
Lamentations 3:22-23: God's mercies are new every morning; we are not consumed because of His compassions.
Genesis 6:13: God declared the end of all flesh and the flood judgment.
2 Peter 2:5: God spared not the old world but saved Noah, bringing the flood on the ungodly.
Genesis 19:23-25: God rained fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, overthrowing the cities of the plain.
Deuteronomy 7:2: God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanites and show no mercy.
Genesis 15:13-16: The iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full, so Israel's captivity lasted 400 years.
Proverbs 29:1: He that hardens his neck after reproof shall be suddenly destroyed without remedy.
Jeremiah 14:19-22: Jeremiah's prayer asking if God has utterly rejected Judah.
Jeremiah 7:14-16: God tells Jeremiah not to pray for Judah because He will cast them out as He did Shiloh.
Jeremiah 11:11-14: God will bring evil on Judah and will not hear their cry; Jeremiah is told not to pray.
Jeremiah 14:10-11: God tells Jeremiah to pray not for the good of this people.
Exodus 32:32: Moses interceded for Israel, offering to be blotted out of God's book.
1 Samuel 7:9: Samuel cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him.
Ezekiel 14:12-20: Even Noah, Daniel, and Job could only deliver themselves by their righteousness.
Ezekiel 22:30: God sought for a man to stand in the gap but found none.
2 Kings 21:1-16: Manasseh's extreme wickedness, including idolatry and child sacrifice, provoked God.
1 Peter 4:17-18: Judgment begins at the house of God; if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly appear?

Historical References

Antediluvian civilization destroyed by flood: Example of God saying 'enough' to a whole world filled with violence.
Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by fire: God overthrew the cities of the plain for their wickedness.
Conquest of Canaan: God commanded Israel to utterly destroy the Canaanite nations after 400 years of patience.
King Manasseh of Judah: Most wicked king of Judah; his public idolatry and seduction of the people brought national judgment.
David's census and the plague: David's public sin in numbering Israel resulted in 70,000 deaths because the people did not stop him.
Saul's slaughter of the Gibeonites: Saul's sin brought a three-year famine on Israel because no one restrained him.

Important Quotes

Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

God's irrevocable decree of judgment on Judah, showing that even the greatest intercessors cannot change His mind.

I am weary with repenting.

God's patience has reached its limit; He will no longer relent from judgment.

Most professing Christians really do not worship the God of the Bible. They worship a God of their own imagination.

Highlights the tendency to ignore God's wrath and judgment in favor of a self-made deity.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we're not consumed, because his compassions, they fail not. They're new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Emphasizes that daily survival is due to God's mercy, not human merit.

Prayer is not our hope. Jesus Christ is our hope.

Corrects the misconception that prayer itself saves, rather than the God to whom we pray.

If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Sobering New Testament warning that judgment begins with God's own people.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does our tendency to justify our own anger contrast with our reluctance to accept God's righteous wrath?

[Context]

Introduction comparing human 'enough' with divine 'enough'.

[Question]

In what ways do people today misinterpret God's patience as approval of sin?

[Context]

Discussion of Romans 2:4 and the despising of God's goodness.

[Question]

Why did God forbid Jeremiah to pray for Judah, and what does that teach us about intercession?

[Context]

God's commands in Jeremiah 7, 11, and 14 not to pray.

[Question]

What does the example of Manasseh teach about the corporate responsibility of citizens for their leaders' public sins?

[Context]

Judah judged for Manasseh's idolatry and seduction.

[Question]

How should the reality that 'judgment begins at the house of God' affect the way we live as Christians?

[Context]

Application from 1 Peter 4:17-18.

[Question]

Is America truly a 'Christian nation' today, and what parallels exist between our nation and ancient Judah?

[Context]

Comparison of American exceptionalism with Judah's false security.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:27:59Z