30:4
It would not matter how distant the land was that someone had been banished to, the Lord would still bring them back. It is a key concept in the Bible that it is the Lord who inflicts the judgement, and it is He who brings about the restoration. Some object to the concept of God inflicting judgement, but this is a foolish line to take. One, the Bible quite clearly states that God does inflict judgement. The second is that since it is God who inflicts the judgement, He is well able to bring about the restoration. No matter how dire your circumstances, the Lord can rescue you. Note also that while God is the ultimate cause and the primary cause, He uses men as His instruments. The Baylonians were an instrument of judgement on Judah, Cyrus was an instrument of restoration.
30:5
The Lord would bring them back “to the land that belonged to your ancestors”. There are two key points out of this. One is that it is the Lord who brings them back, the other is that God’s promises to their ancestors still stand. God’s plans do not change. Now this does not mean that our actions do not matter. Israel’s failure to observe the Law had profound consequences, but God’s plans and purposes did not change, and were not thwarted. “He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors”. In fact, far from thwarting God’s plans, the blessing is ultimately even greater.
No comments:
Post a Comment