God’s Unsearchable, Enduring Love

Big name stars have been advertising for more than just burgers, clothing, footwear, and animal rights. Many of them are also promoting ways in which people can supposedly gain insight, information, and inroads to success.

To what am I referring? We see this on many of the commercials promoting psychics.

This is sad for several reasons. First of all, it is demonic at worst and a ripoff to the gullible at best.

Secondly, those people on the other end of the phone, crystal ball, or room, have no more insight into the future, than your cat does.

In the case of Jeremiah, the people of Israel and Judah actually did have One who knew the future. Even when the world seemed to have crashed in upon them, many had a relationship with the One who genuinely cared about them and Who knew what was in store for them.

Today, we also have One Who knows every detail about our future and what God has in store for us. Just like those in Jeremiah’s time, we also should consider the following:

We should find ourselves amazed and appreciative of God’s unsearchable, enduring love.

God Provides Answers. - 33.1-3

Jeremiah 33:1–3 (NASB95)

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying, “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

First of all, it is helpful to note that in the last two chapters, Jeremiah has found himself in the unenviable position of being a prisoner. Interestingly, he was not a prisoner of the Babylonians, as one might think. Instead, he was a prisoner of his own king, King Zedekiah. It seems that the king did not appreciate the fact that Jeremiah was prophesying the destruction and fall of the royal city, Jerusalem.

Once again, we read that Jeremiah received a message from God. I am always impressed by how God gets the attention of His people. Even though Jeremiah knew all about God, God still kept reminding His people as to Who he is and what He wanted to do. Go back and look at Jeremiah 33:2–3 ““Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name, ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’”

Isn't that great?! What are we told to do if we want to know something? God says, “call to me and I will answer you."

My friends, does life get you so confused and frustrated that you often don't know which way to turn? God says, “call to me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

Do you find yourself tired of just doing the mediocre things in order to just get by in the Christian life? Once again, we go back and read "call to me and I will answer you. God says that he will tell great and mighty things.”

Our God offers us the same today as He did in Jeremiah's time. It does not matter what your situation may be or what your question is; God knows the answer. We simply need to call on Him.

God Promises Physical Blessing. - 33.4-13

In these verses, Jeremiah was again reminded of the destruction that had and would happen to Jerusalem. However, in verses six and following, there is a tremendous message of hope for the nation. God promises to physically restore his chosen people.

Now in the context, for this physical restoration to take place, there must be a dealing with sin. Look at verses eight through nine. Jeremiah 33:8–9 “‘I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me. ‘It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’”

It is so easy to look at the incredible promises of God in the Bible and claim them as our own. However, one cannot overlook some basic requirements. We know from our studying that there was a repentant spirit among the remnant. The Bible is clear that God will always forgive those who genuinely repent of their sin. In this situation, with the nation of Israel, God was going to use them as a visual object lesson to all the nations around them. He was going to show how God also restores a people when He forgives them from their sin.

Notice also that the glory does not go to the people. Verse nine states that the city will bring God joy, praise and glory. In fact, the surrounding nations and all those on earth who are aware of the blessings and prosperity and peace will tremble. And it will not be because of the Jews. Rather, it is because "of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.”

Another result of this physical blessing as being genuinely caused by God, is the fact that the people once more give genuine praise. Listen to Jeremiah 33:10–11 ““Thus says the Lord, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting”; and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the Lord. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.”

There seems to be an absolute recognition that their blessings were totally from the Lord. And each one of them, as well as each one of us, should shout with a hearty amen, when we consider that "the Lord is good; his love endures forever."

God Promises Spiritual Blessing. - 33.14-26

As we look at this section, it is helpful to understand that the spiritual blessing is found in the promise of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. In these verses, we see that God is going to bless all peoples on earth through the nation of Israel, as promised earlier. We see that the Davidic covenant will be kept, as we know that the Messiah will come through David's line.

In our minds, we might wonder if the people could actually understand what God was promising them. In fact, even today, do we fully understand what it means to spend eternity with our Savior?

Think about it; a people that for all practical purposes were nearly obliterated from the face of this earth, were still going to be used by God. God's love is absolutely incredible!

But one might still wonder if God will change his mind? Verses 20 and following should clear that up for us. Jeremiah 33:20–22 ““Thus says the Lord, ‘If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers. ‘As the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ””

You see, it is impossible for God to break his covenant. Remember how God introduced himself to Jeremiah at the beginning of the chapter? Jeremiah 33:2 ““Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name . . .”

It is this God, who, even though others scoff and mock and ridicule, while attempting to deny his existence; this is the God who will keep his covenant. For as night ceases to be night and day ceases to be day, then in fact, the Messiah would not come. This, of course, cannot happen. In fact, God says, "I will…" His promises are true and faithful.

Conclusion

What an exciting thing for Jeremiah to have been given these wonderful promises for the coming Messiah, as well as the nation’s own physical restoration! What an encouragement to be reminded that God has the answers, for He knows the big picture!

But what about today? We know that the Messiah came as Jesus Christ as a baby some 2000 years ago. But did you know that there is far more prophecy dealing with Christ’s second coming than there was His first coming as a baby? And if that was fulfilled, and it was, you can count on the fact that Jesus will come again.

And if that is the case, and it is, shouldn't we be extremely busy sharing with as many as possible that our God offers a love, which is unsearchable and enduring? There is nothing like it. Without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, the only experience people will have will be that of eternity separated from God.

Let me close with a word of warning. There are some who claim to be born again; who claim to have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, but who are living as children of the devil. Obviously, no one can know their hearts. Yet, the Bible clearly points out that if a person is living a lifestyle of sin, the truth is not in them, and they stand condemned.

Our security and assurance of salvation is not based upon what we say to other people. Neither was the safety and security of Israel and Judah based upon the fact that they were God's chosen people.

If we truly belong to God, we will live our life for Him. If one is not living their life for God, yet say that they belong to God, the apostle John says that that person is a liar. The Bible says that destruction awaits the liar, just as it did with those who rebelled and rejected God and his commands during Jeremiah's time.

But friend, you can repent. You can be restored. Because I said so? No! Because the Bible says so! God's love is indeed unsearchable and enduring. As a result of this information, we should find ourselves, amazed and appreciative of God's unsearchable, enduring love.