And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. — Jeremiah 30:22

God’s chosen people had gone far away from Him. They had committed evil until He determined to cast them out of His sight. Yet, through the Prophet Jeremiah, God gave the promise in the focus verse that one day His relationship with His people would be restored. A time would come when the Jewish people would serve Him. This promise looked ahead in part to when the seventy years of captivity was over. However, the complete fulfillment will take place in the last days when Jesus returns as King of Kings.

In the meantime, God wants a relationship with individuals today. He is calling all who are unsaved to seek His forgiveness and become His children. Some who once had an experience with the Lord have gone back into sin, and God wants that relationship to be restored. At times, relationships between individuals are broken, and God wants to restore those as well. Rudy and Bea’s marriage is an example of this. Rudy testifies, “How I thank Jesus Christ for saving me. For many years, I lived my life without any thought of God, and I made many wrong choices. I had mistreated my wife to the point that she moved out.

“While I was working for a tree-trimming company, God brought a Christian to work with me. At first, I persecuted him, but even though I looked for ways to make his work day miserable, he showed me Christian love and even invited me to church. One Friday evening, I agreed to go with him. That night God spoke to my heart and let me know that I was headed down a long dead-end street. I realized for the first time that I needed Jesus Christ.

“At the end of the service, I went to the altar of prayer and felt remorse for the way I had lived. I simply called on the Lord for help and asked Him to forgive me. He did just that! In a moment of time, He changed my life completely. The desire for drugs and alcohol that were such a part of my life was instantly removed, and the anger that controlled most of my actions was replaced with peace and joy.

“About a week after I was saved, I received a phone call letting me know that my wife was filing for divorce. Praying for her became a top priority in my life, and in time I couldn’t seem to focus on anything else spiritually. Finally, I had to give her up to the Lord, turning my marriage over to God and allowing Him to work as He knew best. Then the Lord asked me, ‘Would you still serve Me, even if your wife never came?’ What could I say? I told Him, ‘Lord, You died for me on the Cross, and I will follow You till the day I die.’

“Often I asked the people of God to pray with me for my wife, and they rallied behind me. When I felt as though I had no more prayers left, they prayed. God was so faithful and kept me going. Then when things looked their worst and the situation was so bleak, my wife came to God and He saved her. It was wonderful! What power there is in prayer!”

God restored Rudy and Bea’s marriage, and today they have two children and are still serving God. Their story illustrates how God can restore broken relationships when people have the right relationship with Him. God is in the restoration business. Just see what He can do in your life and the lives of the people you know!

BACKGROUND

This chapter begins the four-chapter section of Jeremiah which Bible scholars often call the “Book of Consolation.” While there are differing opinions on when this chapter was written, many commentators believe it was while Jerusalem was under siege, not long before the city was destroyed. This was a dark time for the Jewish people. Looking ahead, the prophet gave hopeful words and encouragement to them.

The first three verses introduce the section and tell of a time when Israel and Judah would again possess their land. This prophecy was only partially fulfilled after the seventy years of captivity; the complete fulfillment is yet to take place when Jesus comes back to rule the world.

Jeremiah also told of the agony of Jerusalem’s destruction as well as the Great Tribulation, the latter being a terrible time of trouble yet to take place (verses 4-7). He said the pain would be so intense that men would grip their thighs like a woman does during childbirth. But verses 8-11 show that hope will come, when God “will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds.” One day, Jesus Christ, the Son of David, will come to rule not only the Hebrew people but also the world. The Jews will be gathered from the nations where they have been scattered, and will be given rest.

In verse 12, the prophet referred again to the current situation in Judah, this time using a medical illustration — their bruise was incurable and their wound grievous. There was no one to help the people because Judah’s allies were also destroyed. Yet God promised that in time He would punish those who took them into captivity.

Verses 18-24 contain God’s promise to restore His people. The word for heap in Hebrew is tel, a word used to reference the mound of dirt and rubble left when a city was destroyed. Cities in ancient times in the Middle East were often built on top of one another, and the mound would grow with each city that was built and crushed. God’s promise to rebuild on Judah’s own tel indicated specifically that His people would be restored to their original location. They would not build another city in another area; they would return to the land He had promised and repossess what was their rightful inheritance.

God promised that His people would be honored, and that they would again be able to educate their children and rule themselves. Their enemies would be punished.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

(Hannah’s Bible Outlines - Used by permission per WORDsearch)
II.   The pronouncement of judgment against Judah
    C.   The consolations of the prophet
           1.   The prospect of restoration
                 a.   The promise of deliverance from Jacob’s distress (30:1-11)
                 b.   The promise of healing (30:12-17)
                       (1)   The plight (30:12-15)
                       (2)   The promise (30:16-17)
                 c.   The promise of restoration (30:18-24)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. What was promised in verse 3 for Judah?
   
   
2. Why do you think Jews are often viewed as “outcasts” yet today?
   
   
3. What are some ways you can improve your relationship with God?

CONCLUSION

God’s promises of salvation and restoration are for everyone who stands in need.