DO NOT BE AFRAID, JACOB

Passage: Jeremiah 46:27-47:7

Key verse: 46:27

NIV

27 “Do not be afraid,(A) Jacob(B) my servant;(C)
    do not be dismayed, Israel.
I will surely save you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.(D)
Jacob will again have peace and security,
    and no one will make him afraid.
28 Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,
    for I am with you,”(E) declares the Lord.
“Though I completely destroy(F) all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy you.
I will discipline you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

A Message About the Philistines

47 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines(G) before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:(H)

2 This is what the Lord says:

“See how the waters are rising in the north;(I)
    they will become an overflowing torrent.
They will overflow the land and everything in it,
    the towns and those who live in them.
The people will cry out;
    all who dwell in the land will wail(J)
3 at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,
    at the noise of enemy chariots(K)
    and the rumble of their wheels.
Parents will not turn to help their children;
    their hands will hang limp.(L)
4 For the day has come
    to destroy all the Philistines
and to remove all survivors
    who could help Tyre(M) and Sidon.(N)
The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines,(O)
    the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.[a](P)
5 Gaza will shave(Q) her head in mourning;
    Ashkelon(R) will be silenced.
You remnant on the plain,
    how long will you cut(S) yourselves?

6 “‘Alas, sword(T) of the Lord,
    how long till you rest?
Return to your sheath;
    cease and be still.’(U)
7 But how can it rest
    when the Lord has commanded it,
when he has ordered it
    to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”(V)

Footnotes
  1. Jeremiah 47:4 That is, Crete
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

27 (A)“But fear not, O Jacob my servant,
    nor be dismayed, O Israel,
for behold, I will save you from far away,
    and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,
    and none shall make him afraid.
28 (B)Fear not, O Jacob my servant,
declares the Lord,
    for I am with you.
I will make a full end of all the nations
    to which I have driven you,
    but of you I will not make a full end.
(C)I will discipline you in just measure,
    and I will by no means leave you unpunished.”

Judgment on the Philistines

47 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet (D)concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down (E)Gaza.

2 “Thus says the Lord:
(F)Behold, waters are rising (G)out of the north,
    (H)and shall become an overflowing torrent;
they shall overflow (I)the land and all that fills it,
    the city and those who dwell in it.
Men shall cry out,
    and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.
3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,
    (J)at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,
the fathers (K)look not back to their children,
    so feeble are their hands,
4 because of the day that is coming to destroy
    all (L)the Philistines,
to cut off from (M)Tyre and Sidon
    every helper that remains.
For the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
    (N)the remnant of the coastland of (O)Caphtor.
5 (P)Baldness has come upon Gaza;
    (Q)Ashkelon has perished.
O remnant of their valley,
    (R)how long will you gash yourselves?
6 (S)Ah, sword of the Lord!
    How long till you are quiet?
Put yourself into your scabbard;
    rest and be still!
7 How can it[a] be quiet
    (T)when the Lord has given it a charge?
Against (U)Ashkelon and against the seashore
    (V)he has appointed it.”

Footnotes
  1. Jeremiah 47:7 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew you
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

God gave Jeremiah his prophesies of judgment on the surrounding nations, not so that Israel could gloat, but so they could know God, who punishes the guilty for their sins and also restores.

If we know this God and trust him, we don’t have to be afraid, no matter what happens. By faith in Jesus, we can be God’s chosen people and know his salvation. This world is like a land of exile, where we are living as foreigners, but God saves us out of the world. We can know true spiritual peace and security (46:27).

We can also have a sense of identity as God’s servant who is used for his good purpose. We suffer just like everyone else, but we know that our troubles will not destroy us, but that God uses all things for our good (Ro 8:28). Our sufferings are God’s discipline, just as a Father disciplines the children he loves (46:28).

Prayer: Father, thank you for letting me be one of your chosen people through faith in Jesus. I want to overcome fear with faith, and to trust that even my sufferings are your good discipline.

One Word: Do not be afraid.