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Tom Brimmer's Journal The Jeremiah Principle Jeremiah was one of God's prophets. God chose him. He grew up with the inclination to listen to God's voice and he lived his whole life practicing that avocation. Evidently, he was good at it. But there was something different about the way Jeremiah listened to God. He talked back. He was not shy either. He asked the questions he wanted answered and he even questioned the answers.
God had told him that He would destroy the Jewish people. Jeremiah asked for mercy and more chances to repent. God said, "No!" God told Jeremiah to stop praying for the people too because He was tired of dealing with a rebellious bunch of troublemakers who wouldn't repent from sin and live according to their own commitments. Here is where Jeremiah did the unexpected. He refused to quit praying for the peace of Jerusalem and for the ultimate redemption of the Jewish people! He searched for reasons why God should relent. He
sought out faith in a faithless society. He put his own life The Jeremiah principle is this: the righteous prophet may stand and ask God for mercy on the Nation of Israel even if the world and the news media rightly accuses Israel and Israel deserves to be cursed. It may not be simple and God may not accept the first petition but the prophet still may persist in finding reasons for God to show mercy. We don't seem to have many assigned prophets in today's society it seems. There are rabbis, preachers, priests and seekers but the role of prophets such as Jeremiah seems to be missing. So, what is the point of talking about the Jeremiah principle? Well, God doesn't differentiate between people the same way people do. He chooses some for special appointed roles but he will allow anyone to pray. The bible is clear on that point. God desires the heartfelt fellowship of all that will pursue him. True, you may not hear the voice of God like it seems Jeremiah did. Will that make it impossible for you to believe? The corollary of the Jeremiah principle is that nothing will stop the true seeker from believing in the ultimate faithfulness and righteousness of God. Every person living has the same right of access by prayer and God is even willing to listen to the impertinent prayer of every faithful person. Shall we pray?
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Jeremiah was absolutely determined to
stand up for God and God's chosen people. Jeremiah lived in some difficult times.
The Chosen People had chosen to forsake the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. There was
terrible sin in the nation and God was angry at the sin. God decided to punish the sin and
the people who were sinning. God does that sort of thing from time to time. Since He is
God, there doesn't seem to be much anyone can do about it, does there. Jeremiah did not
agree. Yes, He agreed that God had the right to punish sin and the people who were sinning
but he did not agree to the nature of the punishment God had decreed. 
on the line to stand between God and the just punishment
of the sinners. His own faith in the mercy of God is astonishing. To the
amazement of the reader, God does not brush Jeremiah aside. Instead, God listens to the
prophet and makes promises of ultimate victory for those who turn to Him. God even blessed
Jeremiah for his impertinent stand on behalf of the nation of Israel even though Israel
deserved to be cursed.