Jeremiah 31:11
The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:11-14, For the LORD
hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger
than he.[12] Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and
shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and
for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall
be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.[13]
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together:
for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them
rejoice from their sorrow.[14] And I will satiate the soul of the
priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith
the LORD. It says in verse 11 that the
LORD hath redeemed Jacob. To redeem means to
buy or to purchase. Every believer has been purchased: purchased by the blood
of Christ. The word redeem is one of the great words of the Bible that
describes our salvation. The first time that the word is used in the Bible
refers to a price being paid by a sacrifice of the innocent lamb. It says in
Exodus 13:13-16, And every firstling of an
ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou
shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt
thou redeem.[14] And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to
come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand
the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:[15] And
it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all
the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the
firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the
matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.[16]
And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine
eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
Jeremiah 31:11 says that the Lord
redeemed Jacob from the hand of him that was stronger than he. One of the
motivations to turn to Jesus for salvation is the fact that we cannot save
ourselves. We are too weak and too sinful. The world, and sin, and the devil
were all too strong for us. But not for Jesus. Jesus defeated all the enemies
of mankind on the cross of
The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:15, Thus saith
the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel
weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they
were not. This Bible verse is talking about suffering: the
suffering of a mother who loses a child. There may be no greater suffering on
earth than that of a parent losing a little child. This Bible verse also says
that such a parent would have lamentation and bitter weeping and would
refuse to be comforted. It is a hard burden to bear that the Lord has given
some of us, but there is some consolation to such sorrows. The first
consolation is the fact that our Savior Jesus has a purpose for all that He
allows, and He can lighten our burdens. Jesus carried the greatest burden of
all because He took upon Himself the sins of the whole world. Jesus is called
in Isaiah 53:3, a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief. It is no wonder that
He knows how to comfort us who are in any trouble. The second consolation that
we have concerning losing a child is the assurance that the little children
went to heaven. Heaven is a place for children. Heaven is Gods day-care filled
with children and their laughter. Jesus said in Luke 18:16, But Jesus called unto him, and said, Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the
An interesting fact that must always
be pointed out about Jeremiah 31:15 is that it is a prophecy about the
suffering that would take place shortly after Jesus came into the world and was
born of Mary. It says in Matthew 2:11-18, And when they were come into the
house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and
worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto
him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.[12] And being warned of
God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their
own country another way.[13] And when they were departed, behold, the
angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the
young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.[14]
When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed
into Egypt:[15] And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt
have I called my son.[16] Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of
the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children
that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.[17]
Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,[18]
In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are
not.
The Bible says in Jeremiah 31:16-20, Thus saith
the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy
work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land
of the enemy.[17] And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that
thy children shall come again to their own border.[18] I have surely
heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was
chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be
turned; for thou art the LORD my God.[19] Surely after that I was
turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I
was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my
youth.[20] Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I
spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are
troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
In verse 15 we were told about one of the very sad events of history: the
murdering of the little children by wicked King Herod sometime after the birth
of Christ. This life can definitely bring tears and sorrows. Jeremiah himself
was called the weeping prophet. It is interesting to notice in Jeremiah 31:16
why God said that they could stop their weeping and stop their tears. The Lord
said, for thy work shall be rewarded. God sees and knows all things, and He is the Judge of the
whole earth. The positive side of this truth means that every good deed and
every good work is noticed and is rewarded. That is what Jesus was talking
about when He said in Matthew 10:42, And
whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water
only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward.
Rewards from the Lord Jesus Christ
should be very important to every Christian. We are saved by grace through
faith and faith alone, but that does not mean that the Lord does not want us to
perform good works after we are saved. Of course, He does. Jesus wants us to
bear fruit, and we bear fruit by doing the things that are pleasing to Him.
Jesus said in John 15:8, Herein is my father glorified, that ye bear much
fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. God gives us a positive reason to serve
Him, to bear fruit, and to do good works: He offers us rewards. These rewards
will not be minor at all. The rewards undoubtedly will have a great deal to do
with determining what our position will be in heaven. Remember that believers
will reign with Christ in His eternal rule. There will be a hierarchy in heaven
with Jesus at the top. There is a reason that rewards are called crowns in
the New Testament. A crown is symbolic of authority. It says in Second Timothy
2:12, If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. Jesus spoke
of giving out authority to individuals when they entered heaven, based upon
their service and their deeds. Jesus gave a very lengthy teaching on this
subject. Jesus said in Matthew 25:14-30, For the kingdom of heaven is as a man
travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto
them his goods.[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two,
and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey.[16] Then he that had received the five
talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.[17]
And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.[18] But
he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's
money.[19] After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and
reckoneth with them.[20] And so he that had received five talents came
and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five
talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.[21] His
lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been
faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:
enter thou into the joy of thy lord.[22] He also that had received two
talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I
have gained two other talents beside them.[23] His lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy
lord.[24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord,
I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and
gathering where thou hast not strawed:[25] And I was afraid, and went
and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.[26]
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou
knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:[27]
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my
coming I should have received mine own with usury.[28] Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.[29]
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but
from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.[30]
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Evidently, Paul, an apostle, was
greatly motivated by his desire to be rewarded by Jesus Christ. We all know how
earnestly Paul labored in the spread of the gospel of Christ. Paul wrote in
First Corinthians 15:10, But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his
grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more
abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Why did
Paul labor so abundantly? Of course, He loved his Savior and wanted to show how
much he appreciated the fact that Jesus suffered and died for him. But was
there anything else that motivated Paul? Paul also wrote in Second Timothy
4:6-8, For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure
is at hand.[7] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith:[8] Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:
and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
___________________________________________________
Copyright; 2013 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved