Hope for Israel's Neighbors

Sustaining Hope
The Days Are Surely Coming
A Vision of the Future

Jeremiah 12:14-17  The Message

^14-17 God’s Message: “Regarding all the bad neighbors who abused the land I gave to Israel as their inheritance: I’m going to pluck them out of their lands, and then pluck Judah out from among them. Once I’ve pulled the bad neighbors out, I will relent and take them tenderly to my heart and put them back where they belong, put each of them back in their home country, on their family farms. Then if they will get serious about living my way and pray to me as well as they taught my people to pray to that god Baal, everything will go well for them. But if they won’t listen, then I’ll pull them out of their land by the roots and cart them off to the dump. Total destruction!” God’s Decree.

 
For Reflection

The evil neighbors about which Jeremiah is speaking, were the Moabites, Ammonites Syrians, Edomites and Egyptians, that had been evil neighbors to Israel in helping to draw them from God.  Many of those neighbors, it is said, converted to Judism.  So, this is not so much a passage which declares, "they'll get what they deserve."  It is not so much about Devine retribution but rather,  restoration.  God will find a way to bring the non-believers, the evil doers, those who draw others away from God, back into the fold with total forgiveness and pardon.

 

Pray

for those whose mission is to draw others away from God.  Pray for those who fear God and must confront this challenge daily.  Pray for strength in the face of the seductive evil that surrounds you.  Pray for hope in the Lord.  Pray that God will place opportunities for service and hope in your path.  Pray for the courage and strength to face those opportunities with a God-centered purpose.