Promise and Wrath (1)

Pray Psalm 126.1, 2.
When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”

Sing Psalm 126.1, 2.
(Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns!)
When God restored our fortunes all,
we were like those who sweetly dream.
Our mouths with joy and laughter filled,
made Him our constant song and theme.

Read and meditate on Jeremiah 24.1-7.

Prepare.
1. What vision did God show Jeremiah?

2. In what time period was this vision set?

Meditate.
Most of the book of Jeremiah is set in the last days of the Kingdom of Judah, when Zedekiah was king (v. 8). But Jeremiah had been at his calling for some years before Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon set up Zedekiah as king. God led Jeremiah to bring forward for Zedekiah aspects of his years of ministry before Zedekiah’s day. The purpose of this was to try to convince Zedekiah of the Lord’s faithfulness, and of the certainty of His Word.

Here is a strange vision. We usually think of prophetic visions as looking forward in time. This one looks back. Jeremiah is shown two baskets of figs “set before the temple of the LORD” after Jeconiah (Coniah) had been carried away and before Zedekiah was made king (v. 1). God wanted Jeremiah to see clearly what was at stake here, so that he would not back down from his message, even when the going began to get rough.

The good figs represent those faithful people of Judah who were being carried away to Babylon (v. 5). God would bring them back to Jerusalem after a period of captivity (v. 6) – not all of them, of course, but faithful people like them, and perhaps descended from them. In chapter 29, Jeremiah will write to encourage these same people with further instructions from the Lord.

Note the promise God makes to those who return: He will give them a heart to know Him (v. 7). This has been Israel’s problem since before the conquest of Canaan: They just did not have a heart for God (Deut. 5.29). God Himself would have to “circumcise” their hearts so that they would be clean and able to obey Him (Deut. 30.1-10). Here the Lord ties back to this earlier promise to show that the day of the new heart is getting closer. Jeremiah will add to this promise a bit later, and then Ezekiel will reinforce it in Ezekial 36.26, 27.

The new heart is what we need. The new heart makes us God’s people. Only when our hearts are made new can we receive the Light of the Lord to know, love, and serve Him (Eph. 1.15-23). So, while dark days were just ahead for the people of Jerusalem, God’s mighty promises – that He would be among them as their God, and they would be His people – were getting closer by the day.

And that’s still true for us. Maranatha!

Reflect.
1. What does it mean for God to give someone a new heart?

2. What does having a new heart enable us to do?

3. What does it mean to “know” the Lord? How would you explain this idea to an unbelieving friend?

Here is added the main benefit, that God would not only restore the captives, that they might dwell in the land of promise, but would also change them inwardly; for except God gives us a conviction as to our own sins, and then leads us by his Spirit to repentance, whatever benefit he may bestow on us, they will only conduce to our greater ruin. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Jeremiah 24.7

Lord, thank You for my new heart! Fill it with Your Light today, and send me forth to…

Pray Psalm 126.3-6.
Ask God to give you opportunities today to sow good Kingdom seed into your Personal Mission Field.

Sing Psalm 126.3-6.
Psalm 126.3-6 (Truro: Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns!)
Then the astonished nations said,
“The Lord has done great things for them!”
Indeed, great things our God has done,
Whose Name we praise, Amen, Amen!

Restore our fortunes, Lord our King!
Let grace like flowing streams prevail.
All they with tears of joy shall sing
who sow while yet they weep and wail.

They who in tears of sorrow sow
and cast their seed on every hand,
with joy shall reach their heav’nly home,
and bring the harvest of their land.

T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).