For thus says the L ORD : “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O L ORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. return here.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ his flock.’ For the L ORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. strong for him.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the L ORD, goodness of the L ORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. they shall languish no more.

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, with my goodness, declares the L ORD.” Jeremiah 31:7-14 (ESV) Jeremiah 31:7-14 (ESV)

The difficulty of Jeremiah

Oftentimes the prophets are difficult to read.

The difficulty of Jeremiah Oftentimes the prophets are difficult to read. It can be very hard to understand the chronology of the prophets.

The difficulty of Jeremiah Oftentimes the prophets are difficult to read. It can be very hard to understand the chronology of the prophets. They make references that can be hard to understand.

A Quick History of Israel

Israel reaches its peak under the reigns of David and Solomon.

A Quick History of Israel Israel reaches its peak under the reigns of David and Solomon. After Solomon the kingdom splits in two. The northern kingdom is known as Israel, the southern kingdom is known as Judah.

A Quick History of Israel Israel reaches its peak under the reigns of David and Solomon. After Solomon the kingdom splits in two. The northern kingdom is known as Israel, the southern kingdom is known as Judah. Israel has not one good king. Eventually the Assyrians destroy Israel and deport the population. ( B.C.)

A Quick History of Israel Judah alternates between good kings: Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah, and bad kings: Ahaz and Manasseh.

A Quick History of Israel Judah alternates between good kings: Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah, and bad kings: Ahaz and Manasseh. During much of this time Judah was a vassal state of the Assyrian Empire.

A Quick History of Israel Judah alternates between good kings: Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah, and bad kings: Ahaz and Manasseh. During much of this time Judah was a vassal state of the Assyrian Empire. As part of this Assyria’s gods had to be set up in the temple and honored.

A Quick History of Israel Judah alternates between good kings: Asa, Hezekiah, and Josiah, and bad kings: Ahaz and Manasseh. During much of this time Judah was a vassal state of the Assyrian Empire. As part of this Assyria’s gods had to be set up in the temple and honored. The prophet Jeremiah lived through the reigns of Manasseh, Josiah, and their successors.

A Quick History of Israel Manasseh not only honors the Assyrian gods, he engages in every kind of evil act.

A Quick History of Israel Manasseh not only honors the Assyrian gods, he engages in every kind of evil act. Josiah, his grandson, restores the worship of God and does away with all the idols.

A Quick History of Israel Manasseh not only honors the Assyrian gods, he engages in every kind of evil act. Josiah, his grandson, restores the worship of God and does away with all the idols. During the time, Assyria is replaced by Babylon, as the great power of the region.

A Quick History of Israel Manasseh not only honors the Assyrian gods, he engages in every kind of evil act. Josiah, his grandson, restores the worship of God and does away with all the idols. During the time, Assyria is replaced by Babylon, as the great power of the region. After Josiah, Judah’s kings return to idolatry. God punishes this by sending them into exile at the hands of the Babylonians.

The Message of Jeremiah

Jeremiah spent much of his career denouncing the apostasy and idolatry of Judah.

The Message of Jeremiah Jeremiah spent much of his career denouncing the apostasy and idolatry of Judah. He predicted that God would punish Judah by means of the Babylonians.

The Message of Jeremiah Jeremiah spent much of his career denouncing the apostasy and idolatry of Judah. He predicted that God would punish Judah by means of the Babylonians. Jeremiad: n. A long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes.

For thus says the L ORD : “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O L ORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. return here.

For thus says the L ORD : “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O L ORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. return here.

The Message of Jeremiah A time will come when mourning will be turned to shouts of praise.

For thus says the L ORD : “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O L ORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. return here.

The Message of Jeremiah A time will come when mourning will be turned to shouts of praise. God will reverse the process of deportation.

The Message of Jeremiah A time will come when mourning will be turned to shouts of praise. God will reverse the process of deportation. God will provide for this return, and even those who seem to be unlikely participants will come.

For thus says the L ORD : “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O L ORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.’ Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. return here.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ his flock.’ For the L ORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. strong for him.

The Message of Jeremiah A time will come when mourning will be turned to shouts of praise. God will reverse the process of deportation. God will provide for this return, and even those who seem to be unlikely participants will come. God will provide for them as they come.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps Ephraim is my firstborn. “Hear the word of the L ORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands far away; say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.’ his flock.’ For the L ORD has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. strong for him.

Redemption

If a stranger or sojourner with you becomes rich, and your brother beside him becomes poor and sells himself to the stranger or sojourner with you or to a member of the stranger's clan, then after he is sold he may be redeemed. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or a close relative from his clan may redeem him. Or if he grows rich he may redeem himself. Leviticus 25:47-49 (ESV) Leviticus 25:47-49 (ESV)

Redemption The Torah conceptualized redemption as primarily a familial obligation.

Redemption The Torah conceptualized redemption as primarily a familial obligation. Yet, in this passage Jeremiah says that God will redeem us.

Redemption The Torah conceptualized redemption as primarily a familial obligation. Yet, in this passage Jeremiah says that God will redeem us. The incarnation means that Jesus became a man: our brother. (Hebrews 2:11)

Redemption Thus this passage sets up the way God works.

Redemption Thus this passage sets up the way God works. God is both the one who punishes sin, and the one who provides for redemption from sin through the Son.

They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the L ORD, goodness of the L ORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more. they shall languish no more.

Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, with my goodness, declares the L ORD.” Jeremiah 31:7-14 (ESV) Jeremiah 31:7-14 (ESV)

The Message of Jeremiah God will give them a new land and will fulfill all of their desires.

What does this passage teach us?

God takes sin seriously. Our sin is great. We deserve punishment for that sin.

What does this passage teach us? God takes sin seriously. Our sin is great. We deserve punishment for that sin. Yet, God provides us a brother in the person of the Son. The son redeems us from our enslavement to sin.