Pray Always ... Stop Praying - Jeremiah 12-16

Jeremiah 14:7-11 (ESV Strong's)
7 “Though our iniquities testify against us,
act, O LORD, for your name's sake;
for our backslidings are many;
we have sinned against you.
8 O you hope of Israel,
its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
9 Why should you be like a man confused,
like a mighty warrior who cannot save?
Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us,
and we are called by your name;
do not leave us.”
10 Thus says the LORD concerning this people:
“They have loved to wander thus;
they have not restrained their feet;
therefore the LORD does not accept them;
now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.”
11 The LORD said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people.

A Time To Pray ... A Time Not To Pray

Before we look at the above verses from Jeremiah’s conversation with God, let’s remember Paul’s words to the Church:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV Strong's)
... pray without ceasing,

Paul tells the church that they should not to cease praying.   Notice, also, the words of Samuel about King Saul and Israel:

1 Samuel 12:23 (ESV Strong's)
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

In both these passages we seem to have a different message than what God said to Jeremiah in the above passage.   Jeremiah is speaking to God and telling them that the people have come to a point that they recognize their sin and are pleading with God to forgive them.    But, God states that Jeremiah should no longer plead on Israel’s behalf.   Notice what God will say later to Jeremiah about this same thought:

Jeremiah 15:1 (ESV Strong's)
Then the LORD said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go!

He, also, later says:

Jeremiah 16:5 (ESV Strong's)
“For thus says the LORD: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the LORD.

God is telling Jeremiah, because of Israel’s great sin of chasing after idols, to stop praying, stop interceding and stop morning for the nation.   God is perfect in love and perfect in justice and perfect in wrath.  He is never out of balance.   We, unlike Jeremiah, are not told to stop praying for people.  But we, like Jeremiah, have to come to the knowledge of the truth that God’s mercy and grace are measured out.   God can, by His own decree, withdraw His grace in a life anytime He chooses.  We know God will save a remaining of Israel and build the nation back.  He will, through that remnant, bring the Messiah, to save them from their sins.   But, whereas we are to pray continually, there was a time, for Jeremiah, where he was told to stop.