Jeremiah 32:17-44
Tuesday, 11 October 2022
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:27
Jeremiah’s prophecies came at a time the twin nations of God’s people were in rebellion with God. It was only a matter of time that they would have to face the wrath of God and we read in Jeremiah 25, God’s word of punishment over them. As Jeremiah is still trying to contemplate the prophecies of doom, God promises their restoration in Jer.27:22, leaving him in the awe of the God of heaven and earth (32:17).
In chapter 32 God speaks specifically to Jeremiah, the areas of restoration. One area was that, He would bring his people back to their homeland from where they were dispersed due to their wickedness. And God true to His word, has begun this work, and we are witnesses of it today. But is that all we read today? Are all the promises only for the Jews or is God speaking to each one of us who believe in His name?
Hidden in all these verses are great and precious promises for each of us. The greatest promise is found in our Key verse. He is not an exclusive God but the God of all mankind—a God who wants to establish a relationship with everyone He has created in His own image. Though all our acts deserve death and eternal separation from Him (Rom. 6:23), God being the Righteous Judge and Merciful Father, made a way for all of mankind to recognize Him as God “the One and Only” who justifies us through Christ (Rom. 3:29-30).
So how do the promises that were exclusive for one nation become applicable to us today? Is anything too hard for God?!! Through this one nation God has established a new covenant by which we become heirs of these promises of God. What are these promises?
He made us his very own: (Vs 38): “They will be my people and I will be their God.”
Ephesians 2:11 says, once we were without hope and without God, BUT GOD demonstrated his love for us and sent us His own Son as a sacrifice to bring us into a relationship with Him. Through Jesus’ blood and body, God opened a way for us into His presence thus giving us the right to call God our own Father. [Heb.10:19 & Rom.8:15]
He gave us singleness of heart: (Vs 39)– The world has a way of taking the place of God in our lives. That’s why the psalmist prays in Psalm 86:11“Give me an undivided heart to fear your name.” -this has been a cry through the ages. As we believe the finished work of Jesus on the cross, He turns our hardened hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and writes His laws in our hearts whereby no one will have to prod us saying: “Follow God.” (Heb.8:10). Rather our one and only desire will be for him. As Paul says in Acts 17:28: “For in him we live and move and exist.”
He established a new and everlasting covenant:(Vs40)– It’s always been God’s desire that men everywhere would turn to him and be saved. For this He worked out his glorious plan of raising one man into a nation so that God’s eternal plan would be fulfilled. In the fullness of time God sent His Son Christ Jesus for all mankind – so that He would fulfill all the righteous requirements of the law so that in Him, men would be saved. Through this act Christ has become the mediator of a new covenant by which man need not shed animal blood for his sins, but Christ was sacrificed once and for all to take away the sins of the many people. (Heb.9:13,15,27)
Today you and I have been given these great and precious promises by which we can escape the corruption in this world (2 Peter 1: 4) and live for Christ.
QUOTE FOR THE DAY:
“Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:13
Listen: 'Mercy walked in'
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