Jeremiah 32:38,39 - They will be my people, and I will be their God

32:38

“They will be my people and I will be their God”. Yet again the oft repeated refrain occurs. This is God’s overall purpose for mankind. The judgement was the work of God and was necessary and just, but it was a step along the way. We so often want what we see as a simple picture. Most just want a God of “love”, but this is superficial. Some want a God of judgement alone. Neither of these on their own are Biblical positions. Throughout the Bible the two go together, especially in the things that Jesus taught. Only when we have both do we begin to approach a more rounded and complete picture of who God is and His purposes.

32:39

“I will give them singleness of heart”. Salvation is not just forgiving us or rescuing us, it is about changing our hearts, so that instead of “every thought being evil”, we become more and more like Christ in our hearts and in our actions. “So that they will always fear me”. The Israelites feared many things and this led to many of the errors and sins. We need to fear God, knowing that He is God and that all things are in His hands. It means knowing that the most important thing is to do what God wants us to do, whatever “risks” or dangers that that might seem to entail. Then things will go well with us and our children.