18 “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt on its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be. 19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honoured, and they shall not be small. 20 Their children shall be as they were of old, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them.

21 Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord. 22 And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

23-24 “Behold the storm of the Lord! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intentions of his mind. In the latter days you will understand this. 31 vs 1 At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 30:18-31:1 (English Standard Version)

Today's verses are still in a section of Jeremiah where, in the middle of his dark forecast that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed by the Babylonian army, he also preached that many years in the future God would wonderfully restore the Israelites to their land again. That's clearly stated in vs 18. What would be the result of God's mercy in bringing them back and their rebuilding the city? (vs 19-20)

There would be celebration and songs of thanksgiving, and their numbers would increase. God Himself would protect them from their enemies. This was important because they would be returning like refugees and would not have a strong army of their own. What were the lovely promises of vs 21-22?

They would once again have their own ruler (not a foreign King in a foreign land), and God would make their ruler acceptable in His sight to draw near to Himself for wisdom and help. Jeremiah reminds them that no man or woman can approach God in their own strength or goodness. Our sins make us unworthy and His glory would overwhelm us. But God said He would bring them into a personal relationship with Himself. In a way, this was a picture of what God would do through the gospel when He sent His Son into the world to make sinners clean and Jesus would be their own Lord.

This is why the New Testament says to Christians: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way  opened for us through the curtain, that is, Jesus' body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22) Without Jesus none of us could dare of our self to approach God?

Verses 23 to vs 1 of Chapter 31 describe how these things would happen for the Israelites at the time when God's judgement was being sent upon the nations of those days. History records that Babylon was defeated by the Medes and Persians, who were later destroyed by the man known as Alexander the Great. And while the nations came and went, God protected Israel. God still had a plan for that nation. Through them the Messiah was to come into the world. And through the Messiah many men and women from all over the world would discover the joy of God's purpose in vs 22 where He says “you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” It's out of such people that “songs of thanksgiving come, and voices celebrate.”