Jeremiah used a key idea twice in this Temple sermon: “The Lord will relent.” At another spot in the
book (which, remember, is a collection, not in chronological order), we read God saying, “I have
spoken and will not relent” (Jeremiah 4:28). But in the Temple, Jeremiah said, “If you change your
behavior, God will relent and spare you from disaster.”

• In the book of Jonah, God sent another prophet to preach disaster. The hearers repented and God relented. That made Jonah furious: “Isn’t this what I said, LORD?...I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God…who relents from sending disaster” (Jonah 4:2). Was Jeremiah right—could Israel have avoided exile by truly turning back to God? Or do you believe God is unable to shape how empires like Babylon act?