 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”
4 These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: 5 “Thus says the Lord: We have heard a cry of panic, of terror, and no peace. 6 Ask now, and see, can a man bear a child? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor? Why has every face turned pale? 7 Alas! That day is so great there is none like it; it is a time of distress for Jacob; yet he shall be saved out of it. 8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. 10 “Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished. 12 “For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous. 13 There is none to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you. 14 All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant. 15 Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you. 16 Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all who prey on you I will make a prey. 17 For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’ 18 “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt on its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be. 19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. 20 Their children shall be as they were of old, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them. 21 Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord. 22 And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” 23 Behold the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. 24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this. Meditation God’s sovereign grace turns the tide of troubles and turmoil. The sunbeams of His steadfast love shine through the clouds of conflict and chaos. Storms pass. Darkness is pierced with the daylight. Hope dawns in hearts and history when we trust God, His word, and His work. God promises that He “knows the plans He has for (His people) … plans to prosper and not to harm” (29:11). These plans include “turning” captivity into a returning to God and His blessings (29:14). In the midst of exile and exhaustion God’s sovereign grace promises to turn things for the better! The great turnaround provided through God’s sovereign grace is celebrated in the next three chapters. In today’s reading we see specifically turning to God’s blessings (3), and a turning towards restoration (18- “turning” is a repeated word in Hebrew throughout this section). God’s promises include turning perceived defeat into salvation from evil empires (5-11), turning hurts into healing and health (12-17), and turning a broken society into a restored community (18-21). God will be faithful because He is our God and we are His people (22)! Jeremiah’s prophecy fuels faith by specifying how God is faithful to His promises. God did return Judah from exile (538 BC)! God did raise up a king greater than David (9), Jesus Christ our Savior. And God will one day completely turn the tide of history by fully establishing His righteous reign of love, shalom, and life (Revelation 21-22). Richly Dwelling -What aspects of today’s reading stand out to you, especially in regards to God’s sovereign grace turning troubles of our times into treasure? -Why is it difficult to trust God and His timing to fulfill His promises? -How does God’s past faithfulness (in history and through Christ) fuel faith in the present and propel confidence in God’s promises moving forward? Key verse 8 “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. Comments are closed.
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