GOD'S REDEMPTIVE LOVE IN SUFFERING

Passage: Jeremiah 32:26-44

Key verse: 40

NIV

26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.(A) Is anything too hard for me?(B) 28 Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar(C) king of Babylon, who will capture it.(D) 29 The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,(E) along with the houses(F) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings(G) to other gods.(H)

30 “The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;(I) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger(J) with what their hands have made,(K) declares the Lord. 31 From the day it was built until now, this city(L) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove(M) it from my sight. 32 The people of Israel and Judah have provoked(N) me by all the evil(O) they have done—they, their kings and officials,(P) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs(Q) to me and not their faces; though I taught(R) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.(S) 34 They set up their vile images(T) in the house that bears my Name(U) and defiled(V) it. 35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(W) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,(X) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind(Y)—that they should do such a detestable(Z) thing and so make Judah sin.(AA)

36 “You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague(AB) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 37 I will surely gather(AC) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger(AD) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.(AE) 38 They will be my people,(AF) and I will be their God. 39 I will give them singleness(AG) of heart and action, so that they will always fear(AH) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant(AI) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire(AJ) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.(AK) 41 I will rejoice(AL) in doing them good(AM) and will assuredly plant(AN) them in this land with all my heart and soul.(AO)

42 “This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity(AP) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised(AQ) them. 43 Once more fields will be bought(AR) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate(AS) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds(AT) will be signed, sealed and witnessed(AU) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,(AV) because I will restore(AW) their fortunes,[a] declares the Lord.”

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Footnotes
  1. Jeremiah 32:44 Or will bring them back from captivity
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

26 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, (A)the God of all flesh. (B)Is anything too hard for me? 28 Therefore, thus says the Lord: (C)Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it. 29 The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city (D)shall come and set this city on fire and burn it, (E)with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal (F)and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, (G)to provoke me to anger. 30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight (H)from their youth. The children of Israel have done nothing but (I)provoke me to anger (J)by the work of their hands, declares the Lord. 31 This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, (K)so that I will remove it from my sight 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—(L)their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 (M)They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them (N)persistently, they have not listened (O)to receive instruction. 34 They set up (P)their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 35 They built the high places of Baal (Q)in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, (R)to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, (S)though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do (T)this abomination, (U)to cause Judah to sin.

They Shall Be My People; I Will Be Their God

36 “Now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, (V)‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: 37 (W)Behold, I will gather them from all the countries (X)to which I drove them in (Y)my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, (Z)and I will make them dwell in safety. 38 (AA)And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 (AB)I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, (AC)for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 (AD)I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. (AE)And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. 41 (AF)I will rejoice in doing them good, (AG)and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

42 “For thus says the Lord: (AH)Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them. 43 (AI)Fields shall be bought in this land (AJ)of which you are saying, ‘It is a desolation, without man or beast; (AK)it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ 44 Fields shall be bought for money, and (AL)deeds shall be signed and (AM)sealed and (AN)witnessed, (AO)in the land of Benjamin, (AP)in the places about Jerusalem, (AQ)and in the cities of Judah, (AR)in the cities of the hill country, (AS)in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb; for (AT)I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. God was justified in his actions (26-35) The Babylonians were coming to destroy Jerusalem. It sounds horrible. But God tells us why. His people were worshipping idols, ignoring his word and disregarding God. They set up idols in the house of the Lord. They even went so far as child sacrifice to Molech. They were inviting God's judgement on themselves. 2. God still loved and hoped in his people (36-44) Though they had sinned, God still loved them. God would gather them from the lands where he had banished them. They would live in safety and unity. He was still committed to them as their God. Though there would be suffering, it was redemptive in nature. God was helping his people to turn their hearts to him.

Prayer: I trust you and your redemptive love. I know you are God leading us according to your redemptive purpose.

One Word: Always see God's love in hardships