These verses are from that portion of Jeremiah’s prophecy known as, “The Book of Consolation.” God is speaking. The present captivity in Babylon is chastisement for sin. But punishment to God is not punitive, but redemptive; it is a means to refine and restore Israel.
The promised salvation will be comprehensive—individual and communal; present and future; spiritual, psychological and physical; religious and socio-economic. It would entail deliverance from fear and dismay, removal of their enemies, and returning the scattered ones from various lands to their homeland. Cities and homes will be rebuilt; the few shall become many and joyful sounds shall once again be heard on the street. Such comprehensive restoration following such devastation can only come from God.
As the Church, we are the new Israel. Thus, this word has special impact for us. It serves as a reminder that, while God is the Lord of all Creation, He has a special relationship with those of us who have submitted to the Lordship of His Son, Jesus Christ. That special relationship is built upon a special love, fellowship and concern.
The promise is deliverance, and its meaning is two-fold. There is the promise to the present generation that their captivity will have a sunset. The greater promise however, is relevant to us because it is a promise of a coming Messiah, One who would cause the true Israel, the Church, to possess the land of Promise (restored fellowship with their Father). It is the promise that we rest in.
Jeremiah makes it clear that what he is about to report does not come from him. He is merely the conduit through which God speaks to His people. It is God’s message, not Jeremiah’s. It is a Word of consolation and concern.
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