As you read through the book of Jeremiah, do you find yourself looking for a bit of good news, even just a snippet here and there? Well, here it is! “I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. . . . I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land” (23:3,5). Of course, there is much more, here, which I have not quoted. But, think about it, to those who have spurned him and who have loved idols rather than their God, he tells these he will send a Redeemer, a righteous Branch!
The prophet turns right back to harsh words of judgment, but we cannot erase from our minds that news he has just given: a righteous Branch! And, so, the prophet continues with denouncing the idolatry, the stubbornness, the evil of the people. And he assures them they will go into exile when Babylon invades. But . . . a righteous Branch! My thoughts quickly run to Romans 5: though weak and ungodly, Christ died for us; though sinners, Christ died for us; though enemies of God, Christ died for us and has redeemed us!
I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow. –Elvina M. Hall