ירמיהו, פרק מ״ד, פסוק ב׳

Prophets do much more than simply predict the future; they reveal the clear cause and effect between human behavior and historical events. In the normal course of life, when people face a new or tragic situation, they are left to investigate and guess what might have caused it. However, when a prophet warns in advance that a specific action will inevitably lead to a specific outcome, and that exact scenario unfolds, there is no longer any room to doubt the true cause of the disaster [מלבי״ם].

The grim reality surrounding the people is presented to them as undeniable proof of this principle. The devastation that God brought upon Jerusalem and the surrounding cities of Judah is not merely a tragedy that happened in the past, but an ongoing, painful reality [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. These cities currently stand completely ruined, desolate, and emptied of their inhabitants [מצודת ציון]. Looking at these destroyed cities is meant to make the truth perfectly clear to the people. The complete fulfillment of the prophetic warnings proves beyond any doubt that their overwhelming disaster is the direct result of their own actions.