Jeremiah 16:14-15 (ESV)
The LORD Will Restore Israel
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.
God is a compassionate God. In chapters 12-16 we read of the iniquity of Israel and Judah and the discipline that God is going to bring upon them as a result. Through the voice of the prophet Jeremiah, God calls their iniquity “filling the land with whoredom.” They have sough other gods and become unfaithful to Yahweh. For these actions, God is going to punish them. We read in the proceeding chapters this summary:
Jeremiah 15:2 (ESV)
And when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD:
“‘Those who are for pestilence, to pestilence,
and those who are for the sword, to the sword;
those who are for famine, to famine,
and those who are for captivity, to captivity.’
Yet, God has mercy on them. Despite their wickedness and their false worship, God states that the “days are coming” that God will once again redeem them. Up to this point the theme of Israel was the God redeemed them out Egypt. That was the iconic thought for the people. Yet, God tells them they will go back into captivity and God will redeem them again. This time, not from Egypt, but from the north country. We know that the prophet is referring to Babylon and Assyria. God is bringing a more wicked nation on them to discipline them. YET, despite their wickedness, God will still have a remnant that He holds as His people. He states, “For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.” Why?
1. God keeps His promises. God promised the land to them as a heritage forever. God kept His promise then and He will in the future.
2. God must have a remnant to bring forth the Messiah, His Son.
3. God is love and He is moved by that love to demonstrate it to the world.
4. God chastens all those He loves. He must discipline them.
Hebrews 12:3-7 (ESV)
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
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