Jeremiah 31:1 - Meaning and Application

God here assures his people of several things. First, he will take them back into covenant relationship with himself, even though they seemed cut off from him. When God’s anger breaks out against the wicked (Jeremiah 30:24), his own people will still be recognized as the children of his love: “I will be the God” of all the families of Israel (Jeremiah 31:1). That means not only the two tribes, but all the tribes, and not only the house of Aaron and the families of Levi, but every family among them. Their whole nation, and even their separate households, will enjoy the blessing of a special relation to God.

This is a comfort to good families in every age. They may come to God and rest on him as their God in their family life. If we and our houses serve the Lord, we and our houses will be protected and blessed by him (Proverbs 3:33).

Second, God will do for them, in bringing them out of Babylon, what he once did for their fathers when he brought them out of Egypt, and what he had planned to do when he first made them his people. He reminds them first of what he did for their fathers at the Exodus (Jeremiah 31:2). They, like these later exiles, were a people left for dead by the sword, Pharaoh’s sword that killed the Hebrew boys at birth and then chased them to the Red Sea. They were in the wilderness, where they seemed lost and forgotten, just as these people were now in a foreign land. Yet God found favor in them, owned them, honored them, and showed them great kindness, and he then led them into rest in Canaan.

This is a good reminder when we are brought very low and the way out seems impossible. The church has been in such straits before, yet God has raised it up from a low place and brought it to Canaan through the hardships of the wilderness. He is still the same God.

Third, the people answer by recalling what God had done for their fathers, and they seem to say, “We no longer see those same signs now.” Like Gideon, they might ask, “Where are all the wonders our fathers told us about?” It is true, “The Lord appeared to me long ago” (Jeremiah 31:3), in Egypt and in the wilderness. He appeared with and for his people, and they saw his glory as their God. Those were glorious times, but now it seems different. What good is it that he appeared long ago, if now he hides himself from us? (Isaiah 45:15). It is hard to take comfort from past mercy when present trouble feels so heavy.

To this, God answers with a promise of lasting love: “Yes, I have loved you.” It is not only an old love, but an everlasting one, a love that will never fail, even if the comfort of it is hidden for a time. Because his love is everlasting, he has drawn out lovingkindness toward them, as he did toward their ancestors, and he has drawn them to himself as their God from the idols they had followed. This is the great happiness of all who, by grace, belong to God’s love. His love lasts from eternity to eternity, and nothing can separate them from it. Those whom he loves this way, he brings into covenant and fellowship with himself by the work of his Spirit. He draws them with lovingkindness, with human tenderness and bonds of love, and no stronger attraction can be found.

Fourth, he will form them again into a people and give them a joyful home in their own land (Jeremiah 31:4-5). Is God’s church his house, his temple, and is it lying in ruins? It is, but he says, “Again I will build you, and you will be built.” Are its parts scattered? He will gather them and set them together again, each in its proper place. If God takes the work in hand, it will succeed, no matter what opposition rises up.

Is Israel like a beautiful young woman, now stripped of her ornaments and brought low? She is, but she will be dressed again and made beautiful. She will take up her tambourines, the ornaments of her glad times, and be cheerful again. They will take up their harps, which had hung on the willow trees, tune them, and be ready to use them. Their joy and music will be fitting then, because God’s providence will call them to it. Before, when God called them to mourn, such music would have been shameful. It may also point to their use of tambourines in their religious feasts and dances, like the daughters of Shiloh (Judges 21:19, 21). Our gladness is truly an ornament only when we use it to serve and honor God.

Is the city’s joy supported by the work of the countryside? It is. So God promises, “You will again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria” (Jeremiah 31:5). Samaria had been the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, set against Judah, but now the two will be united (Ezekiel 37:22). There will be such peace and safety that people will turn fully to working their land. The planters will plant without fear that soldiers will come to seize the fruit or tear up the vines. They will freely eat what they grow, like common food, not forbidden fruit, not forbidden by God’s law, as it was until the fifth year (Leviticus 19:23-25), and not withheld by owners, because there will be enough for everyone.

Fifth, they will have freedom and opportunity to worship God in the worship he has appointed, and they will have both the call and the desire to do so (Jeremiah 31:6). There will come a day, and it will be a glorious one, when the watchmen on Mount Ephraim, set there to warn against enemy attack, will see that all is quiet and no danger is near. Then they will want to leave their posts for a while and go up to Zion to praise God for the peace of the land. Or the watchmen over the vineyards (Jeremiah 31:5) may stir themselves, and stir up their neighbors, to go up and keep the solemn feasts at Jerusalem. This means that God’s worship will be set up again in Zion, and there will be a wide and eager gathering to it, with much joy and mutual encouragement, as in David’s time (Psalm 122:1).

What stands out most here is that the watchmen of Ephraim are eager to promote the worship of God at Jerusalem. In the past, the watchman of Ephraim was hatred toward the house of God (Hos 9:8), and instead of calling people to Zion, he trapped those who turned their faces that way (Hos 5:1). God can turn former enemies of true religion into people who encourage it and lead in it.

This promise would reach its fullest meaning in the days of the Messiah. Then the gospel would be preached through all those lands, and a broad invitation would go out to the church of Christ, of which Zion was a picture. God will get glory from this blessed change, and the church will get both honor and comfort from it (Jer 31:7).

“Sing with gladness for Jacob” means that all Jacob’s friends and supporters should rejoice with him (Deu 32:43). “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people” (Rom 15:10). Jacob’s restoration will draw the attention of all the neighboring nations, and they will all share in his joy. Even the leading nations, those that matter most in the world, will count it an honor to congratulate Jacob’s restoration and may even send ambassadors for that purpose.

“Publish, praise” means they should spread these good news while praising the God of Israel and speaking well of the Israel of God. Those who publish the gospel must publish it with praise, and the Psalms often join gospel proclamation with worshipful praise (Psa 67:2, Psa 67:3; Psa 96:2, Psa 96:3). Whatever comfort we bring to others, or receive for ourselves, we must be careful to give God the credit for it.

“Praise, and say, O Lord, save your people” means, go on to bring their salvation to completion and keep rescuing the remnant of Israel that is still in bondage (Psa 126:3, Psa 126:4). When we praise God for what he has already done, we should also ask him for the future help his church still needs and expects. In praying that way, we are truly praising him and giving him glory, and he accepts it as such.

In order to settle them happily in their own land, God will first bring them home from captivity in a joyful and comforting return (Jer 31:8, Jer 31:9). That first act of mercy will be a pledge of all the other blessings promised here. Though they are scattered far away, God will gather them from the north country and from the farthest parts of the earth.

Though many of them are not fit for travel, that will not stop them. The blind and the lame will come, because they will have such a willing heart for the journey that they will not use their weakness as an excuse to stay behind. Their companions will help them, being eyes for the blind and legs for the lame, as good Christians should be to one another on the journey toward heaven (Job 29:15). Above all, their God will help them. No one should say he cannot come because he is blind if God is his guide, or lame if God is his strength.

The women with child are heavy with child, and it would not be fit for them to make such a journey, much less those about to give birth. Yet when the call is to return to Zion, neither condition will be allowed to stand in the way. When God calls, we must not plead helplessness as an excuse, because the one who calls us will also strengthen us.

Though they seem few in number, when they all come together they will be a great company. So it will be with God’s spiritual Israel as well, when there is a great gathering of them together, even though now they are only a little flock. Their return will bring joy, but their stores and their weapons will both be prayers and tears (Jer 31:9). They will come weeping and making supplication, weeping for sin and asking for pardon, because God’s kindness leads them to repentance.

They will weep more deeply and tenderly for sin after their rescue from captivity than they ever did while suffering under it. Weeping and praying go well together. Tears give life to prayers and show their sincerity, and prayers help dry the tears. The margin reads, “With favors will I lead them,” meaning that God will surround them on the journey with his kindness, which is shown in his many gifts.

Though their journey is dangerous, they will be safe under God’s care. If the land through which they pass is dry and thirsty, he will make them walk by streams of water, not by waters from a flood that vanish in summer. If it is a wilderness with no road or track, he will lead them in a straight way so they will not lose it. If it is rough and rocky, they still will not stumble.

Wherever God gives his people a clear call, he will either find a way for them or make one for them. As long as we are following his providence, we can be sure his providence will not fail us. The reason for all this care is plain: “I am a Father to Israel, a Father who gave him life,” and so I will care for him with a father’s love and compassion (Psa 103:13). Ephraim is my firstborn, that is, even Ephraim, though he has wandered from God and is no longer worthy to be called a son, will still be owned as dearly loved and will receive the rights of a firstborn son.

The same reason given for Israel’s release from Egypt is given here for their release from Babylon. They are freeborn, so they must not be enslaved. They belong to God by birth, so they must not remain the servants of men (Exo 4:22, Exo 4:23). If we take God as our Father and join ourselves to the church of the firstborn, we may be sure that we will not lack anything truly good for us.