Jeremiah 31:9, “With supplications will I lead them”

 

The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:9, “They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

 

The Book of Jeremiah is a great book and Jeremiah 31:9 is a great verse. In the book of Jeremiah what is often thought about is how Israel is totally destroyed by Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar as a judgment of God because of its sins.

 

In terms of Israel this verse talks about how God is their father and how they will be blessed. There are many many verses in the books of the prophets that talk about the future restoration of Israel when The Messiah returns.

 

One thing is for sure: the idolatry that plagued Israel throughout the Old Testament does not exist anymore. When God does bring judgement, it is always thorough because God always performs the intents of his heart.

 

The day will come when Israel will be a great nation again, the greatest nation in the world. It will be when the Messiah returns and all Israel is saved. That will be a marvelous day and only the power of God can accomplish such a thing.

 

What happened to Israel can easily parallel the Christian life. Sometimes Christians fall away from the Lord and God must chastise them but look at how far Israel fell from the Lord. God punished them for their great wickedness and yet one day they still will be the greatest nation in the world for 1000 years.

 

The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:9, “They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

 

They shall come with weeping. Why will they weep? Perhaps they will weep for their own sins when they see God’s love and God’s grace and accept his forgiveness. Perhaps they will weep with joy too when they see God blessing them again.

 

This verse has a great application to Christians. They shall come with weeping. When we have a clear vision of the cross and the suffering that Jesus suffered for our sins when he shed his precious blood, and when we have a clear understanding of how sinful we are, perhaps will weep for our own sinfulness.

 

“With supplications will I lead them.” God leads and guides his children. Supplications are prayers. When you pray to God with supplications, he will lead you. Prayer is an important part of the Christian life. And prayer is needed to be guided by God. We should pray God’s will be done and not ours. And we should pray that God guides us in everything we do. You can be sure when you come to God with supplications, with earnest prayers, that he will lead you.

 

A person who is lead by God can have confidence and security, comfort and faith, despite the uncertainties of the future in this life. The future is never certain except from a Biblical standpoint. With supplications will I lead them.

 

“I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way.” Jesus is the water of life. If you walk by rivers of waters then you are blessed. You have life and you have it more abundantly. “Rivers of waters” in mentioned in Psalms 1:3, and also Jesus said in John 7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Remember than in aramaic times water was harder to come by than it is today. Without water any living thing dies. If you understand the value of water, then you can understand that it symbolizes life. There is life in Jesus, eternal life, and life for those who go in a straight way. God leads us in a straight way where we will not stumble. If we trust in him, there is no confusion. “With supplications I will lead them; I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble.

 

I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble. What it comes down to is God guiding us, God leading us, us trusting in him and doing his will. If this happens, then there is life for a person and there is a straight way to go where you will not stumble. If you do stumble, remember Proverbs 24:16, “for a just man falleth seven times but riseth up again…” I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 

What a blessing it is to be led by God. We know if God leads us, that we go in a straight way where there is life and blessings, joy and truth, love and comfort and fellowship.

 

Remember it is God that keeps us from stumbling. Rely on his strength and not your own. Remember the whole armor of God and you will be prepared for the spiritual battles you must face as God leads you through this life. With supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.”

 

Jeremiah 31:9, “For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.” If you understand that God is a father to Israel and that God loves his firstborn, the Bible says in Romans concerning the gospel, “To the Jew first,” then you will realize God  has love for you too and can be a father to you. If you are saved, then you are grafted in and you really are part of the nation of Israel.

 

The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:9, “They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.”

What a great verse in the bible to memorize and apply to the Christian life every day, prayer, guidance, life from God as your father. If God is not your father, then repent of your sins today and ask Jesus to save you and you too can walk by rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein you shall not stumble.

This should describe the Christian life. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them.

God wants to guide you, God wants to lead you, God wants to bless you, and God wants you to have life through faith in his name, Jesus Christ. Faith blossoms so serene as gentle as unfolding wings. God is gentle with his children. He will nurture and grow your faith so that it becomes what it is meant to be as long as you remain surrendered to him. He will lead you through this life and he will lead you even through death to heaven.

 

  

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Copyright; 2022 by Bruce Creech
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