Jeremiah 31:1-6 _ The lovingkindness of God never fails

As we know the United Israel was divided into two kingdoms - Israel and Judah. The split took place under the reign of Rehoboam who chose to listen to the foolish advice of his contemporaries and not his father’s seasoned advisors. From the start of Israel, the northern Kingdom careened downhill till it was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. All nineteen of her kings from nine dynasties were evil. Although Judah also followed suit and was sent into exile in 586 B.C., she had periods of  reform under eight good kings. Their history could be traced from these books – 1 & 2 Samuels, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles.       

However, the message of Jeremiah 31 concerns the whole of Israel, both the northern and the southern kingdoms. God wanted His people to know that He had not forgotten “all the families of Israel.” He reiterated that the whole of Israel shall be His people. Though both had gone through the harsh judgment of the Lord, God's grace would meet them again and restore them. Samaria and Ephraim are references to northern Israel.  

In the first two verses, references were made to two significant events of the Old Testament - the exile and the exodus. Those who “survived the sword” would be a reference to those who survive the exile. Those who “found grace in the wilderness” would be a reference to the exodus. Those people found grace and entered the land of promise of the land of rest. The common denominator was that the grace or the lovingkindness of God was what they all experienced.  

 

Jeremiah was saying that hope awaited them. From the start, God had loved them with an everlasting love.  That love for them had never faded. God’s people both from Israel and Judah would be restored to the land. There rebuilt and renewed Israel would once again rejoice and celebrate in the renewed hope. Watchmen would sound the clarion call to return to Zion.

 

The grace of God is the lovingkindness of God. He first showered it on Israel. And the greatest show of His lovingkindness is at Calvary where Christ died on mankind’s behalf.  It is still God's clearest call. It had been sounded on the cross on that green hill far away. The call is clear, constant, far-reaching, and purposeful. God is still sounding out loud and clear through the Gospel: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”  We must respond and love Him in return, with a heart that flo with deep gratitude and thanksgiving.