Monday, November 17
Jeremiah 23:1-6
1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.
5 The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”
“… . 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. …”
At the time Jeremiah writes, this is a far-fetched dream. The Assyrians had already destroyed Israel, the northern kingdom; and Judah, the southern kingdom, is under a severe threat of annihilation by the Babylonians. There does not seem to be a future for the people of God. All appears to be lost.
Jeremiah’s words, then, are ones of hope in what God will do in the future. Rather than focusing on the destruction presently experienced by the people, the prophet looks ahead to God’s promise of restoration and renewal. “While things right now seem bleak,” Jeremiah seemed to be saying, “God has not abandoned you. Instead, God will made all things new.”
Hearing that promise in our own day and time is critical to our hopefulness. While the world around us may seem to be going to hell in a handbasket, we trust that God’s promise to Judah and Israel several millennia ago remains ours today. It’s not just about recovering land and kingdoms. It’s about restoring the future for the people of God in every age.
As it was to the people of Israel and Judah then, it serves the same purpose today. Even though our present circumstances may seem darkened and futureless, God will restore hope and peace, light and life.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the promise given though the prophet Jeremiah. Help us to hear Your Word for us today that we may live with hope, peace, and light always. Amen.