“Serving the Lord with Gladness, Part Four”
Jeremiah 31

May 29, 2005
by C.W. Powell

10 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.
11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.
15 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.
16 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.
17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border. –Jeremiah 31:10-17

This is the fourth message on this great 31st chapter of Jeremiah. What a remarkable chapter this is, and bears study and meditation. I hope you give yourself some time every day just to think. You know, being conscious is not the same as thinking. You have to take time to think. Is this like that? Is Jesus saying the same here as what He said over here? Is there a difference? Is this more important than that? What is God really like. What is the meaning of this. Give time for your soul: to read the Bible; to meditate, to pray for enlightenment and understanding.

In the first message we saw that there are two tightly-woven themes in this chapter: one, the promise of the restoration of Israel to their land and the city of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple. Second, the come of the Messiah and the New Covenant that God would make with His people. The first promise depended upon the second, for all the promises of God to Israel were because of the special role they were to play in the coming of the Lord Jesus. The restoration of Israel to the land of Caanan to true worship, was accompanied by the promise to all of God’s people of their eternal rest in the true city of God, the Jerusalem which is above the heaven of heavens where we will be with God forever.

In the second message we saw the promise concerning the New Covenant that God made with His people when the Lord Jesus would come. This would not be according to a people of the flesh, but a people of the spirit, for the law would be written on their hearts and in their minds. Material blessings are nothing if man is not renewed inwardly. We are called to give our hearts and minds to the Lord, as Jesus said, that all the law is contained in this: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all they mind and with all thy strength, and thy neighbor as thyself. The new people of God are those who are born, not of the natural seed of Abraham but of the Spirit of God, for that which is born of the flesh is flesh. We must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. All things are new in Christ; the king of the church is in Heaven; the High priest of the church is in Heaven; our elders are not heads of tribes but those who are gifted by the Spirit, and are ordained by fastings and prayer and the laying on of hands, indicating the spiritual nature of their calling. Most of the ceremonies of the old covenant are done away, to make way for the administration of the Spirit who does not delight in the exercises of the body, which profit only a little, but for the movings of God in the soul.

In the third message we saw the application of these promises to the remnant of Israel that imprisoned and exiled at Ramah. It was not because they were good, for Ephraim was not a pleasant child, but had been stiffnecked and hard of heart. But God had yearned for him and worked repentance. Verses 18,19 speaks of the repentance of Ephraim, who prayed, “Turn me, and I shall be turned.” They were to set their hearts to the highway that would return them in time to the land of promise. This prospect was sweet to Jeremiah.

But this brings us to the text before us. Let me read it again……. Notice the juxtaposition of two very different themes. Jammed together, if you will, are ideas that do not seem to go together. Incredible joy and peace in verses 10-14. Then Rachel weeping for her children in verses15-17.

This is the paradox of the kingdom of God. The joy of Christ and forgiveness of sin comes with tribulation and trouble.

Jesus did come. The Messiah established His kingdom. What was the first tangible result of the coming of Christ to Israel: the slaughter of the innocents. The murder of the babies by Herod the Great in fulfillment of this prophesy. Paul told the churches that it is by much tribulation that we enter into the kingdom of God. Do you think it is a cakewalk to glory. Do you think you will be carried to the skies on flow’ry beds of ease, whild others fought to win the prizes and sailed through bloody seas?. It will not be so. Do you think that Satan will surrender his kingdom because you say, “I believe”?

I. Jesus said that we must take up our cross if we are to follow Him. We are to endure trial, because God has ordained for us to demonstrate our faith and give witness to this world that our hope is not in earthly things.

a. We do not worship according to the flesh.
b. Our treasures are not on earth
c. Our affections and our hearts are not on the earth.
d. We have been predestined to be conformed to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

II. Where do tribulations come from.

a. From providence:

HC 27: Q27: What do you understand by the providence of God?

A27: The almighty, everywhere-present power of God,[1] whereby, as it were by His hand, He still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures,[2] and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink,[3] health and sickness,[4] riches and poverty,[5] indeed, all things come not by chance, but by His fatherly hand.

b. This providence put crooked places in our lives:

“13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.” (Ec 7:13-14 AV)

c. Imperfect people: Illustration: I ran a Christian school for many years. Sometimes you have to get a teacher, because school is starting and the kids are going to be there whether you are ready or not. You get the best teacher you can get, but sometimes they don't meet your perfectionistic criteria. The same way with picking an elder in a church. The same way with elders and deacons.

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” (Pr 14:4 AV)

d. Our own sins and imperfections. We suffer for our own fault; we are chastened of the Lord that we might be made partakers of his holiness.

III. What are tribulations for?

a. To glorify God. As in Job suffered for the glory of God, to demonstrate that believers are kept by the power of God.
b. To demonstrate that our faith is real. It is gold and not a cheap counterfeit. It is the real stuff.
c. To show how weak we are: Peter said, “I will not betray you….” We boast in the flesh.
d. To give the lie to the world; that we serve for earthly reward. Our affection are on things which cannot be seen. The root goes deep and will not wither when the sun and tribulations arise.
e. To prepare us for future service: “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2Co 1:4 AV)

Application:

1. Do not be discouraged if things are going badly.

HC Q28: What does it profit us to know that God created and by His providence upholds all things?

A28: That we may be patient in adversity,[1] thankful in prosperity,[2] and for what is future have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love,[3] since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move.[4]

2. All things are for our good: “All things work together….” The murder of the babies by Herod did not mean that God had forgotten His promises; it was rather a sign that the great conflict had begun which would end with the glory of God, the salvation of His people, the overthrow of Satan’s kingdom, the forgiveness of sins. In the consummation of all things, all will be well, every evil avenged, and every child of God comforted and established, all tears wiped away from every eye.

3. See verse “At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.” (Jer 31:1 AV) “And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.” (Jer 31:17 AV)

4. All of the elect will be in heaven; every sin forgiven and every wrong made right.

Amen and Amen. May God bless you.