Jeremiah 30 is awesome. Here God explains it all. Why all the evil hordes are victorious over the people of God. Why He is doing it... When it'll all be changed, how the hordes will be judges, how the restoration will come about... Its wonderful! My margin notes on this were copious.
Let me share an observation or two, instead of outlining the whole chapter.
THIS IS WHEN JEREMIAH WROTE IT DOWN:
v.1-3
Here is God's command to write it all down. Some time into his ministry, he sits down and goes over all that has happened. I know that later we'll find out about Baruch (barook)(means "blessed) his scribe, and we'll see a king burning his scrolls, but now we're seeing Jeremiah go through it all and write it out. Awesome. And why write it? "for behold, the days are coming," syays the LORD. "And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it."
The book is there so they'll have hope and guidance in their captivity, believing the promise of God for restoration.
MEN IN LABOR: (not to be confused with "men at work", the australian band from the '80's)
v. 6-7
I once enjoyed a CD from a band called "Jacob's Trouble". Google that, and you'll find its an important literary thingy...term...whatever... This is where that comes from. Jacob's trouble. men in anguish over immanent destruction. Foreign hordes, marauding, pillaging, killing, raping, taking slaves of children... we're talking absolute agony, here... God is destroying them.
please don't forget God's calling them to go over to the King of Babylon all this time. They have all got the opportunity to believe Jeremiah and go out of the city to safety, joining with God's plans of deportation and replanting.
but for those who won't listen to Jeremiah: death after agony.
From v.1-7 so far, God is speaking about the soon future destruction, and the restoration of the remnant, to israel.
in v.8, it turns to the promise of restoration... 70 years...
DO NOT FEAR:
v.10-11
OMG isn't this awesome! a promise of restoration framed in grace and faithfulness. Rest, peace, vindication...
then back to the present time of Jeremiah:
WOUND INCURABLE:
wounding
affliction
disease
adultery
chastisement
Because of SIN's increase.
v. 15 says, "why do you cry about your affliction?" It's like asking, "don't you get it? Stop whining like this is some surprise."
because of their SINNING, they were PUNISHED.
but v.16 and 17 say that He will restore them and punish their punishers.
v.18-20 say he'll bring back, have mercy, build their cities with them, establish the palace, multiply and glorify them, as they worship and thank Him... children will increase as before and he'll establish the congregation of israel...
then in 21, I find something terribly messianic! a prophecy of Jesus:
"...and their governor shall come from their midst; then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall appproach me; for who is this who pledged his heart to approach me?" says the LORD.
"You shall be my people, and I will be your God."
Jesus has made us a people unto God.
Jesus is the one whose heart is fully pledged to God.
who alone can approach God, having no sin, having laid down his very life to ransom us.
Jesus is that "governor from their midst" whom God has caused to draw near, who offered a priestly offering of his own blood for us, once for all, through the cross.
Look at the concept of "Governor/government" in Isaiah 9:7
"Of the increase if His government and peace there will be no end."
Look at Daniel 2:44, prophesying the establishment of a kingdom that will break in pieces all the other kingdoms. read about that rock that smashes the feet of the statue... a rock not cut by hands...
JEsus is that rock,
that governor...
that king of the kingdom...
He has made us a People... we are the people Jesus has made a People unto God: His family. adopted heirs of the King of Kings...
As we read on, don't forget the things that bleed from chapter to chapter. 31 is a continuation of this line of thought....
No comments:
Post a Comment