Spurgeon Verse Expositions - Jeremiah 31:1 - 31:26

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Spurgeon Verse Expositions - Jeremiah 31:1 - 31:26


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Jer_31:1-3. At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Was there ever a sweeter word from heaven than this, — everlasting love proved by the drawings of divine grace? I know that your hearts will be full of music if ever the Spirit of God has spoken home to your soul such a message as this. Let us read it again. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jer_31:4-5. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.

God has kind purposes of love towards his ancient people, and he will yet bring Israel again to her own land. And, spiritually, he has like purposes of love to all his elect; and they shall joy and rejoice with unspeakable delight. What though you are barren for awhile? God shall yet come to you, and you shall be fruitful.

Jer_31:6-9. For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Do not forget the first meaning of this passage in its reference to Israel, but suck in also the consolation which comes from it to all who are believers in Christ. The Lord will certainly bring all his chosen ones to himself. Blind as they are, — wandering as they have been, — they shall come back to him; they shall come back with tears of repentance, and with refreshments of mercy: “by the rivers of water.” They shall come back to their God, who says, “I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

Jer_31:10-11. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.

Redemption lies at the bottom of every favor that we receive from God. He blesses us because he has redeemed us. He has bought us with so great a price that we are too dear for him ever to lose us. Because he has bought his flock, therefore will he fetch it away from the enemy.

Jer_31:12-14. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

Why, these very words are full of marrow and fatness! The promise is inexpressibly sweet; what must the fulfillment of it be? Oh, for faith to lay hold upon it! Yet there is a note of sorrow mingled with the pealing of the joy-bells: —

Jer_31:15-16. Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

“Your lost babes shall live; their very bodies, mouldering in the earth, shall rise again. Be not grieved or vexed overmuch; for ‘they shall come again from the land of the enemy.’ “

Jer_31:17. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.

There is another sorrow, — a deeper sorrow than grief over children, that is, sorrow for sin: —

Jer_31:18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, —

And there was an end of it, —

Jer_31:18. As a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke:

Since thy chastisements have been of little service to me, lay thine hand upon me: —

Jer_31:18-19. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented;

Repentance is a turning from sin unto the Lord.

Jer_31:19. And after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh:

In very grief of heart, as if I could not smite myself enough for having sinned.

Jer_31:19. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

Now when a man talks like that, how does God speak?

Jer_31:20. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still:

“Not only do I remember him, but ‘I do earnestly remember him still.’ “

Jer_31:20. Therefore my bowels are troubled for him;

“I cannot bear to see his misery.”

Jer_31:20. I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

Oh, what blessedness there is in this gracious promise!

Jer_31:21-26. Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness. And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks. For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.

I should think it was. If a man could dream like that, he might well wish to go to sleep again. To dream of everlasting love, of gracious drawings, of heavenly restorations, of sin forgiven, sorrow removed, and desire satisfied, well may the prophet, say, “My sleep was sweet unto me.” May we, when we are awake, learn what the prophet heard in his sleep!