The Book of Jeremiah, a significant prophetic text in the Old Testament, provides profound insights into the nature of prayer and God's responses to His people. Jeremiah, often referred to as the "weeping prophet," was called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah during a tumultuous period in their history. His life and ministry offer several instances where prayer and divine response are intricately woven together.

Jeremiah's Call and Initial Prayer (Jeremiah 1:4-10):
Jeremiah's prophetic journey begins with a divine encounter where God speaks directly to him. In this passage, God assures Jeremiah of His presence and purpose, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). Jeremiah's initial hesitation and feelings of inadequacy are met with God's promise of empowerment and protection. This interaction, though not a formal prayer, reflects a dialogue where God answers Jeremiah's unspoken concerns, affirming His sovereign plan.

Intercession for Judah (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11):
Throughout his ministry, Jeremiah is instructed by God not to pray for the well-being of the people of Judah due to their persistent rebellion and idolatry. In Jeremiah 7:16, God explicitly commands, "As for you, do not pray for this people. Do not offer a plea or petition on their behalf, and do not beg Me, for I will not listen to you." This directive highlights a sobering aspect of divine response: there are times when God's judgment is set, and intercessory prayer will not alter His course. It underscores the seriousness of sin and the consequences of turning away from God.

Jeremiah's Lament and God's Assurance (Jeremiah 15:15-21):
In a moment of personal lament, Jeremiah cries out to God, expressing his anguish and seeking vindication against his persecutors. He pleads, "You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away; know that I endure reproach for Your honor" (Jeremiah 15:15). God's response is both corrective and reassuring. He promises to deliver Jeremiah and make him a fortified wall of bronze, emphasizing His faithfulness to those who remain steadfast in their calling.

Prayer for Understanding (Jeremiah 32:16-25):
In the context of purchasing a field at Anathoth, Jeremiah prays for understanding regarding God's instructions amidst the impending Babylonian siege. His prayer acknowledges God's greatness and the apparent contradiction of buying land destined for destruction. Jeremiah prays, "Ah, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You" (Jeremiah 32:17). God's response, detailed in the subsequent verses, reaffirms His sovereign plan to restore and renew His people after their exile, demonstrating His ability to bring hope out of despair.

Jeremiah's Prayer for Deliverance (Jeremiah 42:1-6):
After the fall of Jerusalem, the remnant of Judah seeks Jeremiah's intercession to know God's will regarding their future. They implore him, "Pray that the LORD your God may tell us the way we should walk and the thing we should do" (Jeremiah 42:3). Jeremiah agrees to pray on their behalf, and after ten days, God answers, instructing them to remain in the land and promising His protection. However, the people's subsequent disobedience highlights the importance of aligning one's actions with God's revealed will.

The Book of Jeremiah, through its various accounts of prayer and divine response, illustrates the complexity of human interaction with the divine. It reveals God's readiness to communicate with His people, His unwavering justice, and His ultimate desire for their repentance and restoration.Lamentations 3:55,56
I called on your name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Secret of Effectual Prayer
... find, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). ... All the
mysteries and difficulties connected with answers to prayer will, however ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter ix the secret of.htm

The Prayer of Faith.
... the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet ...
All the history of the church shows that when God answers prayer, he gives his ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture v the prayer of.htm

Of Prayer
... Answers. ... Answer.2. From an expression of Jeremiah respecting Moses and Samuel ... 3. Is
repugnant to the word of God.4. Is opposed to the due method of prayer.5. Is ...
/.../calvin/of prayer--a perpetual exercise of faith/of prayer.htm

Discerning Prayer.
... answers prayer. He has verified the promise. "Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/various/the wonders of prayer/discerning prayer.htm

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
... cut off all the mighty men of Assyria." David prayed in the cave, and Elijah on
Carmel, and Jeremiah in prison ... You that have had answers to prayer say, "Ay ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/a poor mans cry and.htm

God's Sovereignty and Prayer
... love into action but through the direct answers vouchsafed to ... which so stresses the
human element in prayer that the ... In Jeremiah 10:23 we are told "It is not ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter nine gods sovereignty and.htm

Putting God to Work
... and will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not" (Jeremiah
33:3 ... the higher working of another law, and this He may do when He answers prayer. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/ii putting god to work.htm

The Gospel of the Kingdom.
... name whereby He shall be called, The Lord our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:5, 6 ... Father
in the voice from Heaven, and in the immediate answers to prayer in the ...
/.../burbidge/the kingdom of heaven what is it/chapter ii the gospel of.htm

Praying Saints of the Old Testaments (Continued)
... in the great fact that God hears and answers prayer. ... these Old Testament saints given
to prayer grows as ... evangelical prophet, and that of Jeremiah, the weeping ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/ii praying saints of the.htm

The Heart's Desire Given to Help Mission Work in China.
... In all these visits he was accompanied and helped by Mr. Jeremiah Meneely, one of
the three young men ... "The joy which such answers to prayer afford, cannot ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/muller/answers to prayer/the hearts desire given to.htm

What is fervent prayer (James 5:16)? | GotQuestions.org

What is listening prayer? Are listening prayers biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Is there evidence that God answers prayer? | GotQuestions.org

Prayer: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus