Restoration is not easy. Hurricane Sandy has finally passed through the Northeast corner of US, but the devastation she left behind is overwhelming. The pictures and video shown in the news can make anyone’s heart cringe, and the facial expressions on the victims are hard to watch. Now, they are facing an enormous task – the restoration. Water needs to be pumped out, sand needs to removed, tree branches need to be cleaned up, and houses need to be rebuilt. It’s a daunting task just by thinking about it.
We can imagine that the devastation left behind by Nebuchadnezzar and his army must be as daunting as, if not worse than, that caused by Hurricane Sandy. In such time of desperation, Jeremiah was told by the LORD to prophesize the sureness of restoration. “I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before” (Jer 33:7). Because of his covenant with Abraham and David, God will bring back the people and have compassion on them (33:26). Such promise will be as sure as God’s covenant with the day and night (33:20), and God’s people will be as many as stars of the sky and sand on the seashore (33:22). Restoration by God is guaranteed.
However, the following chapters (34-36) convey an important message about faithfulness of the people through the contrast of three different groups. First, Zedekiah and people of Jerusalem made a covenant, and then broke it, with their slaves (34:8-11). Second, the Recabites honored the tradition of their forefathers by not drinking any wine or building any houses (35:6-7). Finally, King Jehoiakim and his attendants burnt the words Jeremiah prophesized since King Josiah (36:23-24). Even though these chapters were not arranged chronologically, the message comes through clearly. The ones who faithfully obey God’s commandments will be truly restored.
Restoration is God’s work, but he works through the heart of the people. For those who sincerely accept Christ to be our savior, we have also embarked onto a long journey to restore the holy image of God in each one of us. Faithful obedience is essential in this journey, so that we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phi 2:12). But we can be sure that the restoration will be complete one day, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phi 2:13). That’s the true meaning of being a disciple of Christ.
Keep on reading, you have finished the 40th book.
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