Jeremiah 30 Commentary
So we know how we got the scripture written down; the LORD commanded it. Verse 2.
Now we have details of the LORD’s ‘good plans’, or part of the details. “The days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess.
The inclusion of Israel in the restoration plans means the LORD is talking about a plan whose scope exceeds the return of Jews from Babylon.
Then we have a long monologue which we guess spills into chapter 31. The LORD is speaking. His words must be recorded because they must be read by someone, probably you. Let’s analyze the speech.
We see two parts of the LORD’s nature: compassion and justice. The compassionate God will break the yoke off their necks. Foreigners will no longer enslave Israel. Instead, they will be slaves of the LORD – they will serve the LORD. Over them is another king, in the model of David. We guess this new leader is Immanuel, a son born to us, with the government on His shoulders.
Jacob doesn’t have to be afraid at all.
But the God of justice is also in the room. “I will discipline you but only in due measure,” says the LORD. “Due measure,” may translate into enough punishment or punishment equivalent to the sin. “I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”
Then the LORD posts a problem. “Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.” And it becomes worse, “There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you.”
Of course, the scripture hasn’t ended here but it is absolutely important for an individual to ponder these thoughts coming straight from the LORD.
There is simply no solution to the wounds of Adam.
But “’I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD.” Can’t the world see that it’s only the LORD God who can heal humanity’s wound? Forget the sciences and technology, wealth, or indeed wisdom. The LORD God stoops down and pleads for humanity’s cause. He came down in the form of a man…so man in appearance that we couldn’t recognize him. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Isaiah 53 verse 2b.
All of this was Greek to Jeremiah’s audience. “In days to come you will understand this.” I think we do understand now. The everpresent conflict between Compassion and Justice is resolved by Calvary; both meet at the Cross. We guess that is good news for humanity! Mediation is finally here. We can have it!
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