God is Faithful to the End - Jeremiah 42-46

Jeremiah 46:28 (ESV)

Fear not, O Jacob my servant,

declares the LORD,

for I am with you.

I will make a full end of all the nations

to which I have driven 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.”

Chapters 42-46 are not the best chapters to see the good in the people of God.   In these chapters we read about those who were left behind after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem.  They are, of course, devastated.  This remnant of people don’t know what to do.  They are fearful that Babylon is going to return to “finish the job” and destroy them.   So, they look to flea to Egypt.   Yet, they pause long enough to have Jeremiah ask God about that very prospect.  They promise to do whatever God tells Jeremiah.   Yet, they don’t.  Jeremiah talks with God and God gives them a great warning to NOT go to Egypt. If they do, God promises to destroy both them AND Egypt and her gods and her pharaoh.     They, like their brothers and sisters who were taken captive in Babylon, disobeyed God.   They flea to Egypt.   Of course, God is not going to close His eyes to this disobedience.  Like He did with the disobedient children in Jerusalem, God brings the Babylonians to Egypt to destroy their leadership, their gods and to punish His disobedient people.

Yet (and here is the wonder of God) we read in the above passage that God still is willing to bring a remnant back to the land of Judah.  God states that He will make a full end of the nations that have driven them out of their land.  That means despite the fact that He used Babylon (and Egypt to an extent) to bring punishment on His people, God will, eventually, punish Babylon (and Egypt) and bring His people back to the promised land.  This is the amazing grace of God.  Yes, these chapters have been horrible regarding the disobedience of His people.  But, God’s faithfulness to His own promises to rise up from Israel a Messiah (Jesus Christ) to bless the nations of the world, still holds true.  God will bring back a remnant to fulfill all HIs promises, despite the rebellious nature of these people.   It is God’s faithfulness that remains true and not the nature of the people.   God is ever faithful to His promises.  That is the beauty of the above verse in light of the disappointment of these chapters.