We have read some very solemn and harsh things so far in Jeremiah. This prophetic book is a heavy read! It is interesting though to read Jeremiah’s reaction after having received and passed on these solemn messages. He doesn’t think God is harsh. It is quite the opposite. He is, in fact, struggling with the apparent leniency of God in not bringing about justice for evildoers sooner. He wonders why God has allowed the injustices and the evil to continue given that this had ruined the nation. God answers by promising that judgement will indeed come upon those evildoers both in Judah and upon those nations that God would use to inflict punishment upon Judah. But the question remains: Why didn’t God bring about justice sooner? This is one of the most common struggles voiced by various Biblical writers. We saw this struggle, for example, in Habakkuk. The answer has something to do with the fact that God has a higher purpose even than justice. Justice is good, but grace is better. God purchased the salvation of all people by satisfying justice in the suffering and death of Christ. Christ’s death is sufficient that all people may receive grace (undeserved favour), but this does not mean that all people will. God wants to give every person every opportunity to receive his grace before they get their just desserts. Grace was a gift that cost him a lot and he wants, by all means, to get that gift to us. This is what he holds out to you now and he will keep holding it out to you until the day you die.
Gratefully receive God’s grace today.
Read Jeremiah 12
