Prophecy – Jeremiah 27-31

Hmm….

Who do you think is the character in the picture?

What is on his shoulders?

Is that a happy, or sad, or ambivalent face?

What significance does it have for Judah?

What lessons does it have for us?

Do you think if I should stop asking questions now?

And let you read and find out for yourself?

Ok…

Here is today’s passage:

Bible Passage: Jeremiah 27-31

I know it is an especially long passage today.

But it starts off a bit depressing…

And ends up exhilarating.

Parable of the Bonds and Yokes

The picture you see above is of Jeremiah. And on his shoulders is a yoke.

God told Jeremiah to put on this yoke and go to first to Jehoiakim, and then later to Zedekiah, to tell them to submit their country to Babylon’s authority. Failure to do so will result in greater suffering for the people – death by the sword, famine and pestilence.  We read all about this in Chapter 27.

Why?

We, like the people who may not understand God’s will and plan, could never imagine that God would allow His people to be ruled over by a foreign king.  But here, we read that king Nebuchadnezzar was called the servant of God (27:6)!  And even though it sounds ludicrous, according to the prophet – it was actually better that they be ruled by this king rather than their own king!

So you see that in Chapter 28, there were some people who reacted negatively against this and sought to dispel God’s will.

Hananaih boldy proclaimed that the yoke of the king of Babylon would be broken and that this was a proclaimation from the Lord!  He claimed God told him so – in effect calling Jeremiah a liar – and actually broke the yoke on Jeremiah’s shoulders.

The result for Hananiah was death.

Chapter 29 sees Jeremiah writing to the captives in Babylon.  It is important to understand that the exile to Babylon occured in stages over a period of years.  The problem was some of these people believed that their exile would be a short one because the false prophets predicted it that way (29:15, 23-32).

But if all this seems doom and gloom – the next 2 chapters changes to a message of hope and joy.

Chapters 30 and 31 starts by God promising Jeremiah that He will bring “back from captivity My people Israel and Judah”, and “cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it” (30:3).

What?

A people that constantly rejected God and ignored His warnings?

God will save them?

From an incurable maladay that was their own doing?

Yes!  God promises to renew the people of Judah – even the remnants of Israel.  Mourning will turn to joy.  From hopelessness there is now renewed hope for their future.  God will build and plant with them.

God will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and Judah!  For God will forgive their iniquity and remember them no more (31:34).

This is indeed a great message of hope and peace that clearly shows God’s loving kindness to His people.

The Problem of A Difficult Child

As a parent, one can understand that there is no greater heartache than having your beloved child grow up to be stubborn, rebellious and wayward.  Indeed, this is a painful struggle and sorrow that people who do not have the problem will find it difficult to understand and deal with.

We do read in the newspapers that some parents deal with these children by rejecting them and treating them with hostility.  It is as if the wayward child is no longer deserving of their love.

But here in Jeremiah is one of the most poignant model for the parents of a difficult child – demonstrated by God Himself.

Jeremiah 31:20

Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a pleasant child?
For though I spoke against him,
I earnestly remember him still;
Therefore My heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him, says the LORD.

My heart literally weeps when I read this.

“… Ephraim My dear son…”

Ephraim is of the northern kingdom of Israel – the kingdom that did not have a single good king.  The kingdom that rebelled against God continually.  The kingdom that rejected the Loving Heavenly Father for the deception and lie of idols.  The kingdom that rejected serving the Lord of Lords and King of Kings for pagan practices.  The… I think you get the picture.

“Is he a pleasant child?”

It surely does not sound like it.  And because of their rejection of God – the Lord allowed the Assyrians to take the Israelites into exile.

But… “though I spoke against him, I earnestly remember him still”.

Like the loving father in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, the Lord never lost His love for Israel.  He is ready to welcome the people back whenever they choose to end their rebellious ways.

I know some of us are struggling with our own prodigals.  But we can take comfort from the fac the even the Ultimate Father has some wayward children.

We, in our human weakness, may find it difficult to love our children with the love that God has.  But when we consider ourselves before God and how He time and time again forgives us for our weakenesses and wayward ways, we can ask God to give us to power to love our children with wisdom, grace and love that comes only from Him.

As I typed these words, this song “When God Ran” kept running through my head.  Listen to the words carefully and it never fails to move me to tears when I hear it…