God’s Correction and Grace

 By:  Dale Weckbacher

 

Text:  Jeremiah 16

 

Proverbs 3:11-12

My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
¹² for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights.

(ESV)

 

As a child, I can remember times when I would do something wrong, and my mom would tell me that my dad would talk to me when he got home from work.  My dad was not abusive, so I did not fear physical harm, but that did not mean I looked forward to receiving my dad’s correction.  Usually, my dad would be gracious in his correction, using it as a teaching moment to ensure I learned a lesson and did not repeat the offense.  As I have grown older and have kids of my own, I am beginning to understand that parents correct their children because they love them and want them to grow up to be disciplined adults that love and serve God. 

 

In the English Standard Version of the Bible, Jeremiah 16 has two topic headings; famine, sword, and death, and the Lord will restore Israel.  Israel has sinned by forsaking God and turning to other gods.  These headings indicate that the passage deals with the discipline and correction of Israel and Judah by a loving heavenly Father who after a time of correction and discipline, intends to restore His people.  God’s plans for His people are not for their destruction but their good (Jeremiah 29:11).  Jeremiah 16 illustrates the balance of the judgment and grace of God,

 

1)      Judgment (Jeremiah 16:1-13) – Israel and Judah are about to experience the judgment of God by famine, sword, and death.  While this may seem severe as a punishment, it is in accordance with the Word of God (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).  In Deuteronomy 8:11-20, God cautions the people of Israel to also guard their hearts against becoming complacent as God blesses them leading to their forsaking of God and the worship of other gods.  Deuteronomy 8:11-20 provides a prophetic view of what has occurred in Israel with the result, famine, sword, and death but not the complete destruction of Israel. 

2)      Restoration (Jeremiah 16:14) – God is a good father and does not intend to completely destroy his people but to correct them.  After pronouncing a sentence of famine sword, and death, God promises restoration for Israel after a period of correction for polluting the Promised Land with their idols and false gods (Jeremiah 16:18).  This illustrates the mercy and grace aspect of God.  Most of us are familiar with John 3:16 but when we place it in the context of John 3:16-18, we see that Jesus did not come to condemn the world with anyone believing in Jesus as their savior escaping condemnation.  Instead, God reserves condemnation for those choosing to reject Jesus.  With historical hindsight, we know that Israel and Judah will repent and return to the Promised Land and never forsake God again. 

 

God is the perfect balance of righteousness and grace.  God illustrates His righteous side by his abandonment of Israel and Judah, subjecting them to sword and famine for their forsaking of God and worship of other gods (Jeremiah 16:10-13).  God illustrates His merciful side by his promise to restore Israel after a time of payment for their iniquities (Jeremiah 16:14-18).  This aligns with Jeremiah 29:11, the thesis verse of the book of Jeremiah.  The subjection of Israel and Judah to sword, famine, and death serves to prune them of their rebellion against God by turning to other gods, something Israel has not done again.  However, as a nation Israel has rejected their Messiah and will need to endure a time of great tribulation, once again suffering from famine, sword, and death (Revelation 6:8), causing them to accept Jesus as their Messiah. 

 

After his creation, God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden with the duty of tending the garden, but after disobeying the command not to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, God evicts Adam and Eve from the Garden (Genesis 2:8).  However, the merciful side of God is even present in the Garden with his promise of a Messiah to restore humanity back to a relationship with God (Genesis 3:15).  God is like a good gardener and tends to our lives by engaging in righteous pruning of conformity to the world in our lives, pruning it with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17; Romans 12:1-2).  God’s Word can both bring blessing to our lives but also serves to challenge us by exposing areas in our lives that conform to the world and need pruning by the Word of God.  The beginning of this process involves one making a profession of faith in God as his or her savior.  If you are reading this and have never done so, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

In Psalm 103:12, God reminds us that our sins are separated as far as the east is from the west.  To give us an idea of how far that is, imagine your sins are in the east and you start heading west.  If you continue west, you will do laps around the globe and never head east and find your sins.  May God both bless and challenge everyone reading this post.