FRIDAY, 10 MAY 2024
TEXT:
Jeremiah 33:1-18
1:
While Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of
the Lord came to him a second time:
2:
“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and
established it—the Lord is his name:
3:
‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things
you do not know.’
4:
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
5:
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.
6:
“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people
and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
7:
I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they
were before.
8:
I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will
forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
9:
Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations
on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe
and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’
10:
“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate
waste, without people or animals.” Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of
Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither people nor animals, there
will be heard once more
11:
the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the
voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord, saying,
“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; his love endures
forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’
says the Lord.
12:
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate and without
people or animals—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds
to rest their flocks.
13:
In the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, in
the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of
Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand of the one who counts them,’ says
the Lord.
14:
“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good
promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.
15:
“‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from
David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.
16:
In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is
the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’
17:
For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail to have a man to sit on
the throne of Israel,
18:
nor will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before me
continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present
sacrifices.’”
(New International Version Holy
Bible)
TOPIC:
REASSURANCE OF RESTORATION
Jeremiah
was imprisoned in the court of the guard. They were hoping that he would be
silenced so that they would not receive any more prophecies of judgment.
Unfortunately
for them, God still spoke. But this time around, the message expressed the
grace and mercy of God which began with an affirmation of the source.
The
essence of this introduction is to remind Jeremiah's persecutors that God is
still in control. God also reminded them that He is the covenant keeping God
who will restore them back to their homeland after the stipulated period of the
Babylonian captivity.
God
will fulfil these promises on the basis of His grace and faithfulness. In the
same manner we have been saved not because of our good deeds but due to the
grace of God that is in Christ Jesus who died and rose from the dead for our
salvation.
QUESTION:
Do you know that you are alive today because of the grace and mercy of God?
PRAYER:
Take a few minutes to appreciate God for His grace and mercy to you.
Remain
Blessed
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