Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"O LORD, save Your people"
Text: Jeremiah 31:7
A CALL TO EXERCISE FAITH IN GOD
It was important to Captive Israel to exercise faith in God. They had turned to idols in the past and had broken the Covenant of God badly. The LORD taught them how to worship and to pray!
“For thus says the LORD:
‘Sing with gladness for Jacob,
And shout among the chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O LORD, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!””
Jeremiah 31:7
1. “For thus says the LORD”
a) This was instruction from the LORD Himself.
b) He sought to teach them how to worship:
i) To praise.
ii) To pray.
2. “Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations”
a) It would take faith to sing “for Jacob”.
i) Jacob was used as a synonym for Israel.
ii) This name was associated with sinfulness and weakness.
b) Yet, Israel was encouraged to sing with gladness.
i) The context is the future of Jacob.
ii) A good and positive future is something to sing about with praise.
c) They may even “shout” about their faith in God concerning Jacob’s future.
i) Israel was in exile in powerful foreign lands.
ii) Some of these lands were “the chief of the nations” (mighty nations).
3. “Proclaim, give praise, and say, ‘O LORD, save Your people, the remnant of Israel'”
a) The faithful may do two things:
i) To give praise to God even if they were in captivity.
ii) To ask the LORD to save His people.
b) The remnant of Israel:
i) Indeed, the people had become only a “remnant”.
ii) What would God do if His people were to cry out to Him for deliverance?