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Jeremiah 30 (ESV)
1 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.
REFLECTION:
This passage records the message of comfort and hope that Jeremiah conveyed. God always has mercy in judgment, and there is no lack of comfort in His wrath. One day, the people will return to their native land from the exile, and make a new covenant with God to replace the broken old covenant. They will also repent from their sins and be converted and obey God. When we read it, it’s like looking at the mountains from afar. The summits are close to each other. When we get closer, we will see that there is actually a great distance between the summits. As far as Jeremiah’s prophecy is concerned, people often think that what is about to happen is only a short distance away from the end, but in fact it is not. Jeremiah not only saw the doom of Judah’s impending exile, but also saw the scene of Christ’s eternal rule over all things in the future. The King David here (v9) does not really refer to David, but refers to his descendants, the Messiah whom everyone admires. Today, we have passed the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus for more than two thousand years, His promise of return seems that it is about to be accomplished, but it also seems to be far away indefinitely. We should be encouraged from this past of the Israelites returning from captivity, with good hope in our hearts, and watchful waiting for the Lord’s return.
PRAYER:
Come to God quietly, pour out to God what you hope He will accomplish for you, but has not yet been accomplished. Ask God to comfort you, and make you understand that what God is willing to accomplish will be accomplished, but God has His own time. Ask God to give you more patience to wait, just like the farmer to wait for the early and the late rains until there is a fruitful harvest.
HYMN:
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death – youtu.be/OibIi1rz7mw
