Can someone stray so far into sin, then repent and wish to return to God, but find that God would no longer receive them because they had strayed so far? Some people may believe that, however, our Scripture passage today from the prophet Jeremiah shows how the Lord will keep His covenant with His people no matter what. Let’s take a quick look at this Scripture.
The prophet Jeremiah ministered to the people of the Kingdom of Judah during the time when they were under siege from the Babylonians, the population being taken into captivity, and much suffering. The prophet reminded the people that God’s Word and the preaching of earlier prophets had warned them that it was their disobedience to the Lord and their worshiping of pagan foreign gods that brought this about. God had allowed this judgment to come upon them. However Jeremiah’s message wasn’t just chastisement for the people’s sins. Jeremiah did bring a message from the Lord of hope and restoration. Despite the suffering that their sins brought, God promised to bring them back to their land, and establish an everlasting covenant with them.
The emperor of Babylon had overcome the nation by war, which also then brought famine and disease. Thus the people of Judah lamented that they were doomed and that there was no more hope or a future for themselves (vs. 36). The Lord, though, had a different message for His people, one that the prophet Jeremiah was to relay to them. In addition to being a message that should restore their hope, it also reaffirmed God’s sovereignty in the midst of war and destruction, and showed His faithfulness to His covenant and promises.
As we continue reading, the Lord spoke of how He promised that He would gather the people of Israel out of the countries where they had been exiled (vs. 37). He had been furiously angry with them because of their idolatry and disobedience to His Word which had brought about their captivity, but now He would return them to their land where they would dwell in safety.
After approximately seventy years of captivity, the Lord brought the people back to their homeland. However, over the years, though they may not have fallen back into idolatry, many of the people’s hearts were still far from the Lord. When the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ came, the majority of the nation rejected Him and had Him put to death by the Romans.
When the people turn back to Yahweh, He promises that they will be His people again (vs. 38). At that time, then, He will give them one heart and one way so that they will fear Him forever, and He will bring goodness to them and their children (vs. 39). Yahweh promises that this will be an everlasting covenant. When the people fear the Lord, they will not depart from Him to worship false gods.
God has given us a New Covenant, and that is through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a sure and true covenant, one that He will never back down on or turn away from. When we turn to Him, and accept Jesus as our Savior, we will dwell with Him, and His fear will be in our hearts. God promises to bless us with His goodness.
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