Jeremiah 31.15-26 “Comfort and Joy in the Face of Evil”

“Comfort and Joy in the Face of Evil”

The angels promised to the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem, “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (). Yet we see the dark side of the Christmas story when Herod, out of fear of losing his kingship killed all the male children under the age of two ().

I. Rachel’s Grief –

A. Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, died in childbirth in Ephraim’s territory of Ramah –

1. Her son was “son of my trouble” to Rachel

2. But Jacob renamed him “son of my right hand”

B. Ramah

1. A staging area where Israelites were dragged five miles from Jerusalem in the same area that Rachel died

2. These prisoners, mostly children and youth, were taken to be marched to Babylon

3. Mothers cried out in grief to see their children taken from them often brutally to a far land

far land

4. Rachel’s story moves the heart of every mother who has suffered a miscarriage, lost a newborn, or buried a child in their youth. She represents every mother grieving for a wayward son or daughter

lost a newborn, or buried a child in their youth. She represents every mother

grieving for a wayward son or daughter

5. This judgment is because of the dull hearted prophets –

II. Hope for the Future –

A. Refrain from weeping

1. We may grieve as Christians but not as those who have no hope –

2. Those who hope only in politics grieve excessively when politics doesn’t go as expected

B. Our hope is in the Lord who made heaven and earth –

1. Faith is wholly dependent on the reliability of the one we place our faith in – ,

2. Trouble motivates believers to hope in God –

3. Trouble resulted in repentance by God’s people –

III. An Invitation to Hope –

A. A father never forgets his son

1. My heart yearns for him, I will surely have mercy on him –

2. My heart yearns within me – , Jeremiah, 4, 8, 9

3. The Father looked for the return of his prodigal son –

B. Ransomed –

1. Slaves who are bought and restored to freedom

2. There is one God and one Mediator –

3. The Son of Man gave His life as a ransom –

C. Hope of a Baby –

1. Create – God’s powerful word to make something new

2. A woman would encompass or surround a man (a mighty one). The same word for son in . Matthew Henry indicates that this is the same word for mighty God in

3. Jeremiah prophesies the incarnation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God become flesh The weary soul is satisfied in this child –

flesh The weary soul is satisfied in this child –

This child Jesus Christ does bring peace on earth!

As Babylon threatened the city of Jerusalem to destroy it and to take its citizens into exile., the Israelites blamed their forefathers for this disaster. Indeed Moses wrote in "that the sins of the fathers would be passed on to third and fourth generation of those who hate Him." Yet here in -29-30 God promises that the children are embittered often by their parents, but they bear their own responsibility. No one is a victim of other people.

I. Covenant -

A. God has always dealt with His people though a covenant

1. "A covenant is a relationship that God establishes and guarantees by His Word" The Children's Catechism

2. God's sovereignty establishes the covenant and guarantees it by a sacrifice of blood -

B. One covenant of grace runs throughout the Old Testament

1. The covenant is a seed that grows into a fruit bearing tree. It may look different at different stages but is organically connected

2. Abraham - - His seed will be a blessing to all the families of the earth - Abraham believed God and He counted his faith as righteousness -

3. Moses -

4. David -

II. A Better Covenant

A. Regeneration

1. Ezekiel makes the same promise

2. The covenant with Moses was good but failure came in the inability of God's people to honor it

3. God must give His Spirit before anyone can be born again -

B. Relationship - "I will be their God and they shall be my people." -

1. This is the promise of the covenant of grace -

2. - The house of David

3. - Promise to Israel

C. Redemption -

1. The new covenant has a better high priest than the old -

2. Jesus cleanses the conscience -

III. Revival -

A. God will always keep His covenant Word -

1. This is the promise of - ;

2. But revival among the Jews will bring revival to the Gentile Nations -

B. Faith is believing the promise of God's covenant

1. Be it unto me according to Your Word

2. Write your law upon my Heart

3. Be my God

4. I desire to know God

5. I desire my sins to be forgiven

These are written that you may know the Son of God and have life through His name.

"Write your blessed name upon my heart, there to remain so indelibly engraved that no prosperity or adversity shall ever remove me from Your Love." Thomas A. Kempis 1380-1471