God Gives Us Hope – Jeremiah 30:3

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 30:3 (NIV)

“The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

Jeremiah 30:3 (MSG)

“‘Look. The time is coming when I will turn everything around for my people, both Israel and Judah. I, God, say so. I’ll bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors, and they’ll take up ownership again.’”

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“For behold (hear this), the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will return them to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they will take possession of it.’” -AMPLIFIED

“There needed to be a permanent record of these predictions since the people rejected the Lord’s words. When He restored the fortunes of Israel and returned the people to their land, the book would vindicate His faithfulness and His predictions of judgment to come.” ~Thomas Constable

Yesterday we addressed the need to take God at His Word. We found the Lord instructing Jeremiah to write down the Words that he had been given, and also the Words that he was about to be given. Why? Because these Words would be a testament to the Lord; that He was a God who did what He said He would do.

“This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write on a scroll all the words that I have spoken to you…” -Jeremiah 30:1-2 (CSB)

 Adonai was, and will always be, faithful and true.

The Lord now gives to Jeremiah a prophetic Message, another Message and promise of restoration.

“This is a promise stated many times before and after in Jeremiah. Yet as this prophecy develops, it seems clear that this return from captivity is later and greater than the relatively soon return from the Babylonian exile. This is especially indicated by the last words of this chapter, which tell us that in the latter days you will consider it (Jeremiah 30:24). Jeremiah here looked beyond his present day and near future to see the latter days.” ~David Guzik

As is the case with many of God’s prophecies, which often pertained to the near future and the distant future, this was the case in this instance as well. God intention was to instill hope in His people, so that they would not give up when the prophecies given by the false prophets did not come to pass. God’s Message:

“Look! the days are coming when I will restore the fortunes of My people—both Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to the land I gave their ancestors, and they will again possess it.” -(VOICE)

The Lord begins this Message with words that convey to the people that they needed to pay attention to His Words, they were important:

• “For behold (hear this)…” -(AMP)
• “For the day is coming…” -(CJB)
• “For, note well,…” -(AMPC)
• “For behold, days are coming…” -(NASB)
• “Look! the days are coming…” -(VOICE)

The days were coming when Adonai would restore. God would do the restoring. He would give back to the people what had taken away. It was Isaiah who recorded this Message of hope and restoration:

“Instead of your [former] shame you will have a double portion; And instead of humiliation your people will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore in their land they will possess double [what they had forfeited]; Everlasting joy will be theirs.” -Isaiah 61:7 (AMP)

We will learn that this prophecy will not fully come to pass until the latter days. The final words of this chapter tell us this:

“In the latter days you will understand this.” -Jeremiah 30:24b (NASB)

But God’s intention at this point was to give the people a hope to hold on to, something to look forward to. In their case, it was the restoration of their fortunes, their homes, and their land. As we continue to look at Jeremiah, chapters 30-31, we will find this theme of restoration continuing.

 “For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, and I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their fathers; they shall possess it and live here again.” -(TLB)

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Thus speaks the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it ( Jeremiah 30:1-3). And he’s talking about the present re-gathering that you see in the nation of Israel, not the re-gathering from the Babylonian captivity. And if you notice the very last verse of chapter 30, in the very end of the verse it said, “In the latter days you will understand it or you’ll consider it.” You’ll be able to understand this in the last days. So write it in the book. In the last days this will be understood. So as we see the nation Israel being re-gathered into the land, we can begin to understand now the words of this particular prophecy.” ~Charles Ward Smith

God’s intention for us has always been to give us a hope.

Remember these words that were given to the captives in Babylon, they convey the fact that God’s aim was to give a hope and a future, something to hold on to when things look dark :

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that.” -Jeremiah 29:11 (VOICE)

In the book of Lamentations, we find this reason to always hold on to our hope:

“But this I call to mind, therefore I have hope. It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.” -Lamentations 3:21-23 (AMP)

Paul reminded the church in Rome that God gives us hope:

“God gives hope. May he make you very happy. May he give you peace because you believe. Then the power of the Holy Spirit will give you much hope.” -Romans 15:13 (WE)

“Remember Whose you are and Whom you serve. Provoke yourself by recollection, and your affection for God will increase tenfold; your imagination will not be starved any longer, but will be quick and enthusiastic, and your hope will be inexpressibly bright.” ~Oswald Chambers

The writer of Hebrews admonishes us to hold tight to our hope:

“So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.” -Hebrews 10:23 (AMPC)

Think about this verse today, meditate on it, remember WHO it is that gives you hope.

“Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” -Isaiah 40:27-31 (MSG)

 “Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19), because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a ‘wish’ (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made.” ~R. C. Sproul

My friend, our hope is found in the Lord. He is the One who has good plans for our lives, plans for hope and a future. His mercies are new every morning. It is He who makes us happy and gives us peace. He is the re-newer of our strength, and He will never give up on us. Hold on to this hope, acknowledge it and confess it! Remember, He is Emmanuel, God with us! He is our Blessed HOPE!

 “Without Christ there is no hope.” ~Charles Spurgeon

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, you are my Hope and you give me hope. I know that you are with me. When I am walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I am reminded that you are with me. When life is chaotic, I am reminded that you will never leave me or forsake me. When everyone else has turned against me, I am reminded that you are the friend that sticks closer than a brother. You, Lord, fill me with hope. You are the One that is Faithful and True, I can always count on you. Thank you for being the Hope that I need. Thank you for your Word that is filled with promises of hope. I am so blessed by these Words of hope, and I am holding on to every one of them. You, Lord, are so good to me. Thank you.