“There is hope for your future—this is the LORD’s declaration—-and your children will return to their own territory” (v. 17).
Those who are in prison have only one longing—home. And a nation in exile has one desire—home. This was the desire of the Israelites in captivity to Babylon. And the LORD was telling them it was gong to happen. They would not be in captivity forever, but soon enough the LORD was going to bring them back home.
Once again there would be dancing and tambourines, shouts and singing with joy, no longer would they grow weak with hunger but would once again have plenty of food.
Just as the LORD watched over their tearing down for their discipline, he would now watch over their rebuilding and restoration. The people would see their sins and turn from them, trusting once again in the LORD.
There is an acknowledgement that there was sorrow:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
a lament with bitter weeping—
Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted
for her children
because they are no more.
This was the bitter pill of their judgment. Their was separation and even death. But the entirety of this chapter is about their hope and a future. The LORD would bring them out of their captivity and restore them to the land.
Not only that but he would make a new covenant with them, one that was of the heart and not of the law. They will know the law of the LORD because he will write it on their hearts. It would be eternal and secure.
They would also see a rebuilding of Jerusalem, the city. And when it was built it would never again be destroyed. This is not only the heavenly Jerusalem but a Jerusalem some time in the future, perhaps in our modern times where the city is being rebuilt.
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My thoughts.
- I had an ultra orthodox rabbinic Jew tell me he thought Christians were so boring. And I think he is right. In many a church if there was dancing, shouts of joy and more it would split the church. It’s “reverence only” although that is changing. This while the Jews, even the ultra orthodox, have dancing and celebration and more. Perhaps we need to change this as this chapter clearly has a place for celebration.
- I wrestle with the “Rachel weeping for her children” verse as it applies in context in Matthew 3. Will get to that in the next post.
- “There is hope for your future.”. What beautiful words. Sometimes that is something we need to hear. God’s desire truly is to bless his children and to give them a hope and a future. Not just for us but for the generations.
