Jeremiah 45:1-5; 15:10-21; 14:1-15:9; 16:1-17:27; 8:4-10:16; 2 Kings 24:1-4; Jeremiah 35:1-19

By now, Jeremiah has fairly concluded that there is no hope for Judah. Yahweh has promised He will not relent and the punishment will continue until full. Jeremiah is told not to mourn for the hard-hearted. He comes to a point where he simply doesn’t want to continue to proclaim God’s message. Preach on, Jeremiah, God says. I will make you like a fortified bronze wall – they will attack you, but they can’t harm you.

Yahweh will scatter the children of Israel. Then, He promises to bring them back. In fact, so amazing will this be, the world will reference His majesty and power in light of this wondrous work – surpassing even the Exodus from Egypt.

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.

Jeremiah 16:14-15

Why go to all of this trouble? Why not just walk away and leave them in the land of Canaan to cry out to their false gods until the day of judgment when you can drop the hammer on them? Why not drive them away into captivity and leave them there, bringing in another group of folks and start all over? But drive them out only to bring them back? Things that make you go, “Hmmm.”

The answer goes far beyond Judah and Jerusalem. The answer goes to the four corners of the earth and into the grave. The answer goes into the future. The answer is Jesus. Yahweh promised all the way back when He called Abram into Canaan and told him it would belong to his descendants. For in that promise, Yahweh said all people of the earth would be bless through the descendant of Abram. This unfolding plan of God is not merely for the Hebrews, but also for the Gentiles.

O LORD, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the Gentiles come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!” “Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.”

Jeremiah 16:19-21

From all nations, tongues, peoples and families people will seek the one true God and they will find Jesus, the Messiah. In Israel, God was not performing an experiment in nation-building. Rather, He was calling people to Himself. Some will hear, others will refuse to listen. In the end, they will know His name is Yahweh (the LORD) and the redeemed will glorify Him,

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

Revelation 5:9-13

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!