Jeremiah 31:31ff

Listen to these words from Jeremiah 31:31-34:

31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, " declares the LORD.
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

I am amazed by this prophecy. I think this is so powerful that in the midst of the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem, God is telling them about the new covenant in Christ. God is so good.

While studying Jeremiah, the question has come to my mind many times: Why is God so harsh with the people by sending them into captivity for 70 years? That is some peoples entire life time.

As a step back and look at the situation and read more of the book, I realize that many times God has given them the opportunity to avoid this situation and also many times he has made the promise to bring them out of the captivity (29:10ff). So, I see that it is almost like the parent/child relationship that we deal with. We don't like to discipline our children, but we know it's the only way they are going to learn some lessons. The fact that the captivity is 70 years seems like and eternity to us but to God it is but a glimpse of time. My human eyes and mind may not understand, but from God's perspective, it is another situation where he is preparing his people for Christ to come.

I see the difference in the way God deals with his people in the OT vs. the NT. However, one thing comes to mind: even though He seems more "harse" in the OT, He continually gives his people chance after chance to avoid the problems. Then, just like me and you today, they still do things their way. God has to discipline them like we do our children.

His love is just as immense in the OT as it is in the NT. I love this study because it is showing me again how amazing God is and how faithful he is! Praise God!

Stay stong, PLD!