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Encouragement for the journey from God’s Word. Today's Scripture: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26 / Proverbs 25:18-19
Well, a good Thursday morning to you. Let me ask you this. Did you have parents that were, well, they were effective at corporal punishment, at discipline, and you were on the receiving end of that discipline?
I can remember times when I really thought, my dad must really hate me, or my mom must really despise me because of the pain that they were putting me through, the discomfort, the displeasure of my punishment.
It was well-deserved. I can only remember one time, I can only remember one time when I got, I was on the receiving end of corporal punishment and I didn't deserve it. It was one of those things where a couple of my siblings were carrying on and fighting or something upstairs.
I also happened to be upstairs where they were. My dad was downstairs and he yelled up to the kids to stop their fighting or fussing or whatever they were doing. They didn't stop, and so off came the belt and up came dad up the stairs.
Well, just as he was coming up the stairs, I was coming down the stairs, and he just took that belt and whacked me a good one, not even investigating, finding out what my part in it was or anything. The fact of the matter is, I had nothing to do with the conflict that was going on between my siblings in another room.
But that was a rarity. Usually when I got, almost always when I got punished, I deserved it, and I didn't like it. Punishment isn't pleasurable, but sometimes it's necessary. In Jeremiah chapter 30, the Lord is speaking to his people about the punishment that he has inflicted upon them because of their unrepentant, egregious sin.
They've been engaged in idolatry, they would not repent of it, they wouldn't listen to the prophets that warned them, and so God brought punishment upon them, chastening them. Then he says this in verses 12 and following, and what he says here sounds really, really hopeless.
He says, Thus saith the Lord, your affliction is incurable, your wound is severe. There is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines. All your lovers have forgotten you.
He's talking there about the false gods, those idols. They do not seek you, for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one. For the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased.
Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you. Now that sounds absolutely helpless, doesn't it?
It sounds hopeless, hopeless. There's nobody to help, there's no cure for the ailment, nothing that we can do is going to solve our pain, is going to alleviate our pain, is going to heal, be a balm to our wounds.
There's nothing we can do. The situation is absolutely hopeless, and our Heavenly Father has done it to us. But it's not hopeless. It's not hopeless because of what the Lord goes on to say in the next couple of verses.
He says, therefore, all those who devour you shall be devoured, and all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity. Those who plunder you shall become plunder, and all who prey upon you I will make a prey.
So the Lord says, I'm going to deal with those who have dealt so severely with you. And they were the instruments of his punishment. But then he says this, he's not just going to deal with the pagans who have brought affliction and punishment and pain upon his people.
He's going to go a step further. He says, for I will restore health to you, I will heal you of your wounds, says the Lord. Because they called you an outcast, this is Zion, a non-seeker. No, I'm going to heal you.
I will bring back the captivity of Jacob's tents. I will have mercy on his dwelling places, and so on and so forth. So what is the answer to those incurable wounds, to that incredible pain? The love of the Father, who brought about the pain and the affliction in the first place.
And this isn't the only time he says that. In chapter 31, the next chapter, verses 13 and 14, he says the healing and the restoration is going to be so complete that it will bring joy and laughter and dancing.
He says this, then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and old together. For I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says the Lord.
So yes, chastening may come. The Lord has to chasten and punish his people when they won't repent and turn from their sins. But he who chastens also heals and restores. I'm grateful that our Father loves us enough to discipline us when we need it, and then to bind up the wounds with his loving kindness.
So our Father and our God, we thank you today that you are of justice and righteousness, but of mercy and compassion. Thank you for who you are, our gracious Father. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, have a good rest of your Thursday, and may God bless you in it.
Good day.