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Israel Will Return to God
1The Lord said:
Israel, I promise
that someday all your tribes
will again be my people,
and I will be your God.
2In the desert I was kind
to those who escaped death.
I gave them peace,
and when the time is right,
I'll do the same for you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Will Rebuild Israel
3Some time ago, the Lord appeared to me and told me to say:
Israel, I will always love you;
that's why I've been so patient
and kind.
4You are precious to me,
and so I will rebuild
your nation.
Once again you will dance for joy
and play your tambourines.
5You will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria
and enjoy the grapes.
6Someday those who guard
the hill country of Ephraim
will shout, “Let's go to Zion
and worship the Lord our God.”
Israel Will Return
7The Lord says:
Celebrate and sing for Israel,
the greatest of nations.
Offer praises and shout,
“Come and rescue
your people, Lord!
Save what's left of Israel.”
8I, the Lord, will bring
my people back from Babylonia
and everywhere else on earth.
The blind and the lame
will be there.
Expectant mothers
and women about to give birth
will come and be part
of that great crowd.
9They will weep and pray
as I bring them home.
I will lead them
to streams of water.
They will walk on a level road
and not stumble.
I am a father to Israel,
my favorite children.
10Listen to me, you nations
nearby or across the sea.
I scattered the people of Israel,
but I will gather them again.
I will protect them like a shepherd
guarding a flock;
11I will rescue them from enemies
who could overpower them.
12My people will come
to Mount Zion
and celebrate;
their faces will glow
because of my blessings.
I'll give them grain, grapes,
and olive oil,
as well as sheep and cattle.
Israel will be prosperous
and grow like a garden
with plenty of water.
13Young women and young men,
together with the elderly,
will celebrate and dance,
because I will comfort them
and turn their sorrow
into happiness.
14I will bless my people
with more food
than they need,
and the priests will enjoy
the choice cuts of meat.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Offers Hope
15 In Ramah a voice is heard,
crying and weeping loudly.
Rachel mourns for her children
and refuses to be comforted,
because they are dead.
* 16But I, the Lord, say
to dry your tears.
Someday your children
will come home
from the enemy's land.
Then all you have done for them
will be greatly rewarded.
17So don't lose hope.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
18The people of Israel moan
and say to me,
“We were like wild bulls,
but you, Lord, broke us,
and we learned to obey.
You are our God—
please let us come home.
19When we were young,
we strayed and sinned,
but then we realized
what we had done.
We are ashamed and disgraced
and want to return to you.”
20People of Israel,
you are my own dear children.
Don't I love you best of all?
Though I often make threats,
I want you to be near me,
so I will have mercy on you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
21With rock piles and signposts,
mark the road well,
my dear people.
The road by which you left
by will now lead you home.
22Will you ever decide
to be faithful?
I will make sure that someday
things will be different,
as different as a woman
protecting a man.
Reflect
How well do you remember what happened after the death of Solomon? The kingdom of Israel split, with the northern part following its own kings, and the southern part, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, continuing David’s line. The name “Israel” (usually) refers to the northern kingdom, while the southern kingdom was called “Judah.” (To complicate matters, Israel is sometimes called “Ephraim,” and sometimes “Israel” refers to Israel and Judah together). In 722 the Assyrians, who were at that time supreme in the Middle East, took Israel into captivity. Then the Babylonians conquered the Assyrians and deported Judah to Babylon in 597.
Jeremiah foresees a time when Israel and Judah will be brought together again, and will worship together in Zion, or Jerusalem (v 6). Israel, Jacob, Samaria, Ephraim – all these refer to the northern kingdom. Rachel (Jacob’s daughter in Genesis) symbolizes Israel. She weeps for what has happened to Israel.
But here we see hope. Lots of hope. Israel has responded to God’s discipline (verses 18-19) and repented.
God loved her with an everlasting love (v 3 NIV, ESV) in spite of all she had done, simply because she was his child. It is the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15). God has not changed. Whatever we have done, there is forgiveness when we repent and return to him. He may discipline us, but his love for us is everlasting.
Respond
Heavenly Father, We are amazed that you love us like this, with a love that is beyond any love we have ever known. Thank you for forgiving us over and over again for the ways that we continually fail you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Annabel Robinson
Annabel was born in Kew, near London, England. She committed her life to Jesus Christ at a Scripture Union camp when she was 16, and immediately found joy and peace. At Oxford she was active in the Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, where she met her husband, Reid. They emigrated to Canada in 1965, where she taught Classics at the University of Regina until 2007. She has two children, Heather in Oslo and Alasdair in Calgary.