Though He disciplined both Israel and Judah for a time, what are God’s long-term plans for them and us? Let’s begin in Jeremiah 33.
Did God invite Jeremiah to hear about some great and mighty things?
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, saying, “This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to create it, He whose name is the Lord: ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (Jer 33:1-3 NASB)
Why did God not defend Jerusalem against the Babylonian siege ramps?
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword in the fight with the Babylonians: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness. (Jer 33:4-5 NIV)
After punishment would God bring health and healing to Israel and Judah?
Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’ (Jer 33:6-9 NKJV)
Will there once more be heard the sounds of joy and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem?
“This is what the Lord says: You have said, ‘This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.’ Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah’s other towns, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the Lord. They will sing, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, for the Lord is good. His faithful love endures forever!’ For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the Lord. (Jer 33:10-11 NLT)
Would people live again in Israel with flocks in the country and live in the cities?
Yahweh of Armies says: “Yet again there will be in this place, which is waste, without man and without animal, and in all its cities, a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of him who counts them,” says Yahweh. (Jer 33:12-13 WEB)
Will there be someone of David’s line to rule the land, a righteous branch called the Lord is our Righteousness?
The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill my gracious promise with the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time, I will raise up a righteous branch from David’s line, who will do what is just and right in the land. In those days, Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is what he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness. The Lord proclaims: David will always have one of his descendants sit on the throne of the house of Israel. And the levitical priests will always have someone in my presence to make entirely burned offerings and grain offerings, and to present sacrifices. (Jer 33:14-18 CEB)
Who is this descendant of David who will always rule as king of Israel?
Then the Lord told me: I, the Lord, have an agreement with day and night, so they always come at the right time. You can't break the agreement I made with them, and you can't break the agreements I have made with David's family and with the priests from the Levi tribe who serve at my altar. A descendant of David will always rule as king of Israel, and there will be more descendants of David and of the priests from the Levi tribe than stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach. (Jer 33:19-22 CEV)
Did God permanently cast off the two clans of Israel and Judah? Will both their spiritual and physical descendants be given mercy?
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. Thus says the Lord: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.” (Jer 33:23-26 ESV)
Though we sometimes may feel abandoned, what does God promise us?
“So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:9-10 HCSB)
Though He disciplined both Israel and Judah for a time, what are God’s long-term plans for them and us? You decide!
