Jeremiah 31:1-20
Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food. -Jeremiah 31:4-5
God's abundance is revealed to His chosen ones, His people. In the previous years there were lot of mixed experiences for the people of God-(the old Israel and the new). After their captivity of 70 years, God’s promise of restoration was fulfilled- (For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jer.29:10-11). Even now the very existence of the nation is testimony of God’s faithfulness and His covenant to them.
We see in our reading God promising His remnant to do good to them. The remnant of God as we see it today is inclusive of the following-(10 tribes of Israel+ Judah and Benjamin+ the New Testament church). As God has shown these three will be fused into one in God's hand.
In Jeremiah 31:3 God says to His people-(The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you”). Let us be assured about this heavenly love poured out lavishly to adorn His bride the Church Universal during these days of the latter rain. (Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone-Zech.10:1). The remnant of the Lord will flourish and produce fruit in abundance for God's glory. This is the very Church we see in Revelation to be caught up with the Lord-(And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints-Rev 19:8). For this beautiful bride, the Lord Himself will send heavenly adornments to adorn her.
He has ordained well in advance the work that this latter day rain shall accomplish. A few of them shall be:
1. The return of the exiles (Jer.31:15-17)—“…And they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the Lord…”
2. Power and authority shall be granted to her from above. (Isa.52:1-2 –“Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion;…” To the church: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:18-19)
3. The Church universal gets separated from the common and unclean. Isaiah tells the remnant: “Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure…” (Isa.52:11-12)
Paul writes to the church: 2Cor.7:1: Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
4. Produce the end time harvest. Jesus had said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt.9:37-38)
5. God will shake the heaven and earth so that the unshakable remains.
Heb.12:28: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
All the above shall culminate in the eternal union of the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride the Church and the new era will be ushered in.
Prayer: Dear Father, Make us more like your Son, so that we will be adorned with the heavenly beauty. In Jesus name, amen.