What other scriptures warn against ignoring God's call, similar to Jeremiah 4:31?

Jeremiah 4:31 pictures Judah gasping for breath as judgment closes in—a vivid warning about what happens when people keep brushing aside the Lord’s call. Scripture repeats that warning from start to finish.

Old Testament voices of warning

- Proverbs 1:24-33 — “Because you refused my call … I will mock your calamity… Then they will call me, but I will not answer… But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety.”

- Isaiah 55:6-7 — “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near… He will freely pardon.”

- Zechariah 7:11-13 — “They refused to pay attention… Just as He called and they would not listen, so when they called, He would not listen.”

- Ezekiel 33:31-33 — “They hear your words, but they do not put them into practice… When it comes to pass…and surely it will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

- Psalm 95:7-8 — “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

- 1 Samuel 8:7-18 — Israel dismisses Samuel’s warnings and demands a king, choosing human rule over God’s; later hardship proves the cost of ignoring Him.

Jesus’ own appeals

- Matthew 22:1-7 — In the parable of the wedding banquet “He sent his servants to call those he had invited…but they refused to come… The king was enraged.”

- Matthew 13:15 — “This people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears.”

- Luke 13:34-35 — “Jerusalem… how often I have longed to gather your children… and you were not willing!”

- Revelation 3:20 — “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him.”

Apostolic reminders

- Acts 7:51 — “You stiff-necked people… you always resist the Holy Spirit.”

- 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 — “We urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain… Now is the day of salvation!”

- Hebrews 3:7-15 — “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

- Hebrews 12:25 — “See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks.”

- 1 Thessalonians 5:19 — “Do not quench the Spirit.”

Takeaway

Jeremiah’s warning is part of a consistent biblical chorus: when God calls, the only safe response is immediate, wholehearted obedience. Ignoring Him hardens the heart, multiplies sorrow, and ultimately brings judgment, while listening opens the door to mercy, fellowship, and life.