Jeremiah 16:14-21--The LORD Will Restore Israel

Jeremiah 16:14-21
English Standard Version

The LORD Will Restore Israel
14 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.

16 “Behold, I am sending for many fishers, declares the LORD, and they shall catch them. And afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. 17 For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. 18 But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.”

19 O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,
    my refuge in the day of trouble,
to you shall the nations come
    from the ends of the earth and say:
“Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies,
    worthless things in which there is no profit.
20 Can man make for himself gods?
    Such are not gods!”

21 “Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.”

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The LORD promises that this new generation (and many to follow) would remember a new kind of Exodus for them where the LORD brought them out of their exile in Assyria and Babylon and all the other countries they had been dispersed to.  Every time the people have been scattered, the LORD brings them back to their Land again--it just may take some time.  We saw it happen after the Dispersion in 70 A.D., and it took nearly about 1900 years for them to be gathered back together in the Land in 1948.  This Exile only lasted 70 years as compared to the over 400 years they had spent in Egypt, but it was still another reminder of them of who God is and what He does to save and redeem His people.  He still loves them, keeps His covenant with them, and He had plans for them (and still does).

First, God will judge the people for the way they have polluted the Land with idols, the carcasses of sacrifices made to those idols, and all kinds of abominable and detestable things and acts--in fact, it says he will doubly repay them for this evil.  However, after this He is going to save them, and they will have no more choice about coming back to the Land as they did about leaving it.  It is going to be like the LORD sends out fishermen to catch fish--the fish don't have any choice about getting caught.  Then the LORD will send hunters to hunt those who remain and catch them and bring them back to the Land--the fishing and hunting here is not a picture of those trying to kill them (there's plenty of that which has happened over time), but those who will do God's work to tell the Jews that they must return to their homeland--they would not be given comfort or shelter anywhere else in the world.  It is part of God's plan, even if those doing it are doing so with impure motives.

Jeremiah prays through the Holy Spirit that the nations that worship false gods would realize the lies and folly of this.  Yes, they have inherited nothing but worthless lies from their fathers, but they chose to make gods of gold and silver for themselves knowing full well that anything they made with their hands cannot be greater than them and should not be worthy of their worship.  The LORD alone is the Uncreated One who spoke everything into existence out of nothing.  With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, He made us redeemed us, sustains us and will deliver us to the ultimate salvation and blessing He has prepared for us.  One way or another, the LORD is going to make His Name known among the nations--either to fear Himi and worship Him or to be afraid of Him and the judgment that He may bring.  Either way, He will be feared, and they will all know His Name.