How can Jeremiah accuse God of deceit?

“Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, “You shall have peace,” Whereas the sword reaches to the heart’” (Jeremiah 4:10).

In this passage Jeremiah is simply exposing his humanness in an emotional state of shock and despair (similar to Isaiah 63:17; Job 38:2; 42:3; Psalm 10:1; 13:1). While it is possible that Jeremiah was momentarily duped by the message of false prophets (Jeremiah 14:13), which the Lord had to correct (5:12-13; 14:14; 23:16-17), it is also possible that Jeremiah initially assumed the Lord’s positive prophetic words of 3:12-18 were to be fulfilled sooner than the Lord intended. He is then dismayed by the Lord’s pronouncement of imminent destruction in 4:5-9, which Jeremiah now has to publicize. 

Thankfully the Lord is merciful, even when a prophet like Jeremiah speaks rashly from his ignorance and misunderstanding.

--Kevin L. Moore

 

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Image credit: https://anglicansforlife.org/2020/06/22/jeremiah-example-not-excuse/