Why did the Jews in Jeremiah 44 think they were having all their problems?
The Jews believed their troubles—want and destruction by sword and famine—came because they had stopped burning incense and pouring drink offerings to the Queen of heaven. They thought ceasing that idolatrous worship caused their problems, rather than recognizing God was dealing with them.
Les explains from Jeremiah 44 that the Jews or Israelites answered back that since they left off burning incense to the Queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, they had wanted all things and were consumed by the sword and by the famine. They were not recognizing that God was trying to deal with them; instead they claimed the reason for all their problems was that they had quit worshipping the Queen of heaven. The context also notes this Queen of heaven was one of the primary goddesses of mythology, and the women were the primary culprits, making cakes and pouring drink offerings without their men. Jeremiah responded that the incense burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem by them, their fathers, kings, princes, and the people of the land—did not the Lord remember—showing how far pagan worship had penetrated the Jewish or Israeli community.
But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
More Questions
Why did the Jews blame their troubles on quitting the worship of the Queen of heaven?
The Jews were not recognizing that God was trying to deal with them; instead they reasoned that the reason for all their problems was that they had quit worshiping the Queen of heaven.