I'm trying to pretend I was living in Yirmiyahu's time to really understand the issues he faced. The entire nation, save a few, are idolaters, don't fear G-d, etc. Did G-d really expect a bunch of speeches by a navi, i.e. Yirmiyahu would sway the ethos of an entire nation.
Imagine trying to successfully execute a mass-scale kiruv movement in Israel today – it would take significantly more than a few speeches in front of a portion of the nation to create lasting intellectual and psychological impact necessary to change the contemporary religious direction.
Add the fact that the entire nation was turned off to any form of kiruv from the outset and it is difficult for me to understand how Yirmiyahu would ever have succeeded in one lifetime.
Additionally, the approach of reprimanding the person whose ways you want to change doesn't seem like the best way of successfully changing them. They will respond to what they see as antagonism with ignorance at best and more antagonism at worst.
- Wouldn't it have been more effective for Yirmiyahu not to rebuke the nation but to show them how great the Torah is?
- Wouldn't Yirmiyahu have needed a massive team to actualize his mission?
- Would the Jews in his time ever have actually changed?
- What distinguished him from a Navi-Sheker in the eyes of the people?