Jeremiah 32:34

Jeremiah 32:34 says, But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.  God continues to list the sins of the people of Judah, saying they set an abomination, or idols, in His house.  We need to be creful that we do not bring any kind of idol into the church today.  Verse thirty-five adds, And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.  They worshipped Baal, and allowed their daughters to be sacrificed to Molech, which God said He had prohibited them to do, and leading the people of Judah to sin.  If we are allowing idolatry into the church today, we may be guilty of leading others to sin.  Verse thirty-six declares, And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;  Once more, God made it clear that the city of Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, and that this was the result of the sins of the people.  Verse thirty-seven adds, Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:  God also gave His promise that the people of Judah, and Israel, would once again return to Jerusalem.  These would be the people who continued to put their faith in God, or returned to Him in faith.  Those who worshipped idols would not be restored. but would die in exile.  Verse thirty-eight states, And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:  Those restored to Jerusalem would be God's people in truth and not just in name, because He would really be their God.  It is not enough to just claim to be God's people, but we must truly accept Him by faith in Jesus Christ and live under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:  God said that He would unite the people in their obedience to Him for their good and the good of their children.  If we are followers of Christ, we must be united as His people and in obedience to Him.  Verse forty declares, And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.  This everlasting covenant came through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  God said that when people accept this everlasting covenant that he would not turn away from them.  Verse forty-one adds, Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.  God said that those who returned, those who had remained faithful to Him, would be planted in the land that he had given them.  As followers of Christ, one day we are planted forever in the kingdom of God.  Verse forty-two states, For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.  Just as God was going to punish those who refused to be obedient to Him, and they were supposed to be His people, He was going to restore those who really were His people.  We have the choice today of either suffering everlasting punishment because we refuse to accept Christ as our Savior and Lord or having everlasting life with God because we do.  Verse forty-three adds, And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.  Then verse forty-four concludes, Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.  God said that though the land was desolate that it would be restored once again.  The land would once more have value.  If we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and lord our life is desolate, but if we accept Him then our life will be filled with the value that God intends for us to have.

Jeremiah 32:26

Jeremiah 32:26 says, Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,  Verse twenty-seven adds, Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?  Jeremiah said that the word of the LORD once again came to him, declaring that He was the God of all flesh and asking if anything was too hard for Him.  God is indeed the Creator of all flesh, and everything else, so we should never question His ability to meet all our needs if we pit our faith in Him.  Verse twenty-eight states, Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:  God said that He was going to give the city of Jerusalem over to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that he would take the city.  If we fail to remain faithful to God, then He may allow us to be defeated spiritually.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.  God said that the Chaldeans were going to burn Jerusalem to the ground because the people who were supposed to be His people had offered sacrifices to Baal there, and poured out offerings to other gods.  I believe that anything that we do that worships any thing other than God as followers of Christ will one day be burned away.  Verse thirty continues,  For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.  God told Jeremiah that the people of Israel and the people of Judah had been rebellious against Him since they were a young nation.  Israel was singled out more than Judah, but it wasn't a comparison to justify Judah.  The Bible tells us that we have all sinned and that the only hope of salvation is to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  It doesn't matter if we are better than someone else.  Verse thirty-one declares, For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,  God said that Jerusalem had been a provocation to Him since the day that was built, and that He was going to remove it from before His face.  We think of Jerusalem as the holy city of God, but God said this was not true.  We may think that we are building great works for God, but He may see them as something to destroy.  Verse thirty-two adds, Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  God said that the governmental and spiritual leaders and all the people of Israel and Judah and the people of Jerusalem had provoked His anger.  This would be all of those who were called His people.  As Christians, we need to make sure that our actions do not provoke the wrath of God.  Just claiming to be a child of God is not enough, but our actions must be consistent with His word.  Verse thirty-three concludes, And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.  God said that He had taught the people of Israel and Judah His word from early on, but that they had turned their backs on Him.  They would not listen to His instruction.  God calls everyone to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ, but too many people of the world turn their back on His call.  We as followers of Christ should never be guilty of doing so.

Jeremiah 32:16

Jeremiah 32:16 says, Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,  After Jeremiah had done as God instructed him to do, then he prayed to God again.  Once we have done what God tells us to do, we still need to pray to Him for guidance.  Verse seventeen states, Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:  Jeremiah began by acknowledging the greatness and power of God.  We need to acknowledge the same thing today.  Even as our heavenly Father, He is still the all powerful Creator of the universe.  Verse eighteen adds, Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name,  Jeremiah continued by acknowledging the lovingkindness of God, and His punishment of sin.  Verse nineteen continues, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:  Jeremiah said that God's eye was on every individual, and that every person was judged individually by his or her own works.  This has always been and always will be the case.  Verse twenty declares, Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;  Jeremiah acknowledged what God had done in Egypt, all the signs and wonders He gave to the Pharaoh so that the people of Israel would be freed from bondage.  The sign and wonder that we need to behold today is the sign of Jesus Christ dying for our sins that by faith in Him we might be set free from the bondage of sin.  Verse twenty-one adds, And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;  Jeremiah acknowledged the power of God that had been displayed in Egypt, and we should never forget the awesome power of God.  Verse twenty-two continues, And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;  Jeremiah said that God fulfilled His promise to the people of Israel when He gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.  Verse twenty-three states, And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:  Jeremiah said that even though God was faithful in keeping His covenant with Israel, they were not faithful in keeping theirs with Him.  As followers of Christ, God's people, we need to be faithful in our obedience to His word.  Jeremiah said it was because of the evil of the people that God was punishing them.  Verse twenty-four adds, Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.  Jeremiah said that what God had said was going to happen had happened.  God's word will always come true.  Verse twenty-five concludes, And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah said that God had instructed him to buy a field and he had done so, even though the city was currently under the power of the Chaldeans.  We don't need to worry about what God asks us to do even if it may not make sense at the time.  We simply need to act in faith.

Jeremiah 32:1

 Jeremiah 32:1 says, The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.  God's word once again came to Jeremiah.  It is now closer to the time of the desolation of Judah.  Verse two states, For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.  Judah had been besieged, and Jeremiah was imprisoned in the king of Judah's house for prophesying the destruction of Judah,  Verse three adds, For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;  Zedekiah had imprisoned Jeremiah for his proclaiming the word that came from God, but Zedekiah asked him why he did so.  People today may question our proclaiming God's word, and some may even be imprisoned for doing so, but if we are followers of Christ, we must never cease to proclaim or compromise His word.  Verse four continues, And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;  Zedekiah especially questioned the part of Jeremiah's prophesy that said that Zedekiah was going to be taken away captive and come face to face with Nebuchadnezzar.  Verse five concludes, And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper?  The rest of the prophets were still prophesying victory, and Zedekiah questioned whether what Jeremiah was saying was really God's word.  God said that Zedekiah would serve in Babylon for the rest of his life.  No matter how many people may proclaim something that does not agree with God's word, we must never believe it.  Verse six declares, And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,  Verse seven adds, Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.  While Jeremiah was imprisoned, God's word came to him once more, instructing him to buy a field from his uncle by right of redemption.  He was told that Hanameel would come to him with the offer.  God was still at work in the life of Jeremiah.  Verse eight says, So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.  When Hanameel came to Jeremiah at the prison offering to sell him the field, he knew that it was God's word that had told him to do so.  Even if we do not see the immediate purpose behind doing what God tells us to do, we must do it anyway.  Jeremiah may have wondered if he would ever receive any benefit from buying the land, but he knew that God had told him to do so.  Verse nine adds, And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.  Jeremiah bought the land, and I assume it was for the price that he was asked to pay.  Matthew Henry has a long discussion about the small price, but I think we can only conclude that Jeremiah paid what was asked.  Verse ten states, And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.  Jeremiah said that he had the transaction recorded and that he paid the price asked for the land.  The whole nation was about to fall captive to Babylon, but Jeremiah still had faith that one day the land would be his again.  We have God's promise today of a heavenly home, and we must live by that belief.  Verse eleven adds, So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:  Verse twelve continues, And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.  Jeremiah had the Jews that were imprisoned with him witness the transaction.  They may have felt that it was a wasted thing to do so, but Jeremiah was only doing what God had told him to do.  Verse thirteen states, And I charged Baruch before them, saying,  Verse fourteen adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.  Jeremiah called for Baruch to take the evidence and seal it in an earthen vessel according to God's direction.  Verse fifteen concludes, For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.  Jeremiah said this was to be done because of God's promise that Jeremiah would one day return to Judah.  We need to stand firm in God's promise even if the world seems to be coming apart around us.

Jeremiah 31:27

Jeremiah 31:27 says, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.  God said that the day was coming when he would reestablish the kingdom of Judah and of Israel.  The people may have divided into two kingdoms physically, but they were still all God's chosen people.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD.  God said that He had watched over them while they were being destroyed, because of their own rebellion, and that He would watch over them while they were restored, after they turned to Him in faith again.  If we are being destroyed in the world today, as long as we remain faithful to God, He will one day restore us, even if it isn't in this lifetime.  Verse twenty-nine states,. In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.  God said that there was coming a day when people would no longer say that children were being punished for the sins of their fathers. Verse thirty adds, But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.  God told them and tells us that each individual is responsible for his or her own sins and not for those of any other.  Verse thirty-one declares, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:  This promised new covenant was made with the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It would apply not only to the people of Judah and Israel but to all who would believe.  Verse thirty-two adds, Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:  God said it would not be the same as the old covenant that they broke.  We are not under the covenant of the Law, but of grace.  Verse thirty-three declares, But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  God said that instead of being written on stone tablets that the new covenant would be written in the hearts of the people.  We, like the people then, fail to live up to all of God's law, but if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we are saved forever.  Verse thirty-four adds, And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  Before, the people had relied on the priests and prophets to know God's word, but under the new covenant every person would be able to know God's will for them self.  We do not have to go to anyone else to know God and what He would have us to do in life.  In fact, we must go individually and establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-five states, Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:  God said that He was the Creator and Sustainer of all creation, and we must acknowledge Him as such.  Verse thirty-six adds, If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.  God said that if those seed, the ones who had established a personal relationship with Him departed, then the nation of Israel would cease to exist forever.  Verse thirty-seven declares, Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.  God said that the vastness of the universe could not be measured, and that He as Creator would cast off the people of Israel if they failed to live up to the new covenant.  Verse thirty-eight says, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.  Verse thirty-nine adds, And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.  Then verse forty concludes, And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.  These verses spoke of the physical rebuilding of Jerusalem, but the real promise is not of a physical city, but of a spiritual relationship with God that can never be plucked up or thrown down if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Jeremiah 31:15

 Jeremiah 31:15 says, 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.  God spoke of the mourning. or lamentation, and weeping for the children that was coming to the people of Judah.  Verse sixteen adds, 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.  God told the women to dry their tears after they had mourned.  They were not forbidden to mourn Matthew Henry states, but their mourning was not to go on forever.  Our mourning cannot keep us from going on with life.  Verse seventeen declares, And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.  Even though the people thought their children that had been taken from them were no more, God said that there was still hope that in the end they would be returned to them  Even if we lose a child in death, there is hope that we will see them again when God's kingdom comes.  Verse eighteen adds, 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.  God said that the people of Ephraim, the other ten tribes Matthew Henry says, would acknowledge their sin and return to God.  They had not accepted His yoke, or lived up to their part in the covenant relationship.  If we are God's people, we will accept His yoke, or be guided by His word in other words.  Verse nineteen states, 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.  The people of Ephraim would repent and turn, away from the sin that had ruled them and to God.  It is not enough to just turn away from one sin if we turn to another.  We must turn to God in repentance and ask for His forgiveness.  Verse twenty asks, 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.  God acknowledges that Ephraim is still His child, and that it troubles Him that He had to chastise him, but that He would have mercy on Ephraim again.  Verse twenty-one declares, Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.  God called on the people of Ephraim to return to His standards, the landmarks He had set.  If we have allowed sin to come into our life as a child of God, we must repent and return to Him.  He has set the landmarks  or guide stones for us to follow.  Verse twenty-two asks, How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.  God asked how long they would go about in sin.  God said He had created a new thing, and many think this is a reference to Christ.  Whether it is or not, we do know that God created a new work through Christ, Who was born of a woman and came to offer the peace of God to the world.  Verse twenty-three declares, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.  God said they would speak of these things in the land of Judah after He restored them.  The nation would no longer be seen as a source of shame.  Verse twenty-four adds, And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.  God said that they would one day once again live a normal life in Judah, just as we will one day live a normal life in the promised land of God if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-five continues,  For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.  God said that He would replenish every sorrowful soul, and He still will today.  Verse twenty-six concludes, Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.  When we, who are His people, are obedient to His word we are a source of happiness to Him.

Jeremiah 31:1

Jeremiah 31:1 says,  At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.  God said that when He had restored the people to the land that He had give them that He would be their God and they would be His people.  He would restore those who had remained faithful to Him.  There would once again only be one people, not Israel and Judah.  Verse two declares, Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.  God reminded them of the people who came out of Egypt.  God said those who were spared the sword found grace in the wilderness.  They would once again be the same because of God's grace.  No matter how separated we may be as followers of Christ, we are still one people because of God's grace.  Verse three adds, The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.  God reminded them that He had appeared to their forefathers in the past, and that He declared His everlasting lovingkindness for them and when He called them into a covenant relationship with Him.  Verse four continues, Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.  God said that He was going to once again build Israel and that their joy would be restored.  As followers of Christ, we should live in the joy of our salvation.  Verse five says, Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.  All was not lost forever, because God was still in control.  Even if we find ourselves in the worst of situations today, if we keep our faith in God all will never be lost.  Verse six adds, For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. God said the day was coming when the watchmen would once again be on Mount Ephraim and would look out and see nothing but peace, just as the day is coming when we are in our heavenly home and will look out and see nothing but peace.  Verse seven states, For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.  God said that they were to sing out in praise and to ask Him to restore the remnant of Israel.  They were to sing out in praise even before they were restored, just as we are to sing out in praise today even before we are called home to glory.  Verse eight declares, Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.  God said that He was going to bring all His remnant back to the land He had given them, no matter how they were doing physically.  Physical condition will never keep anyone from coming to God and being a part of His kingdom.  Verse nine adds, They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.  God said that they would return with weeping and supplication, but that He would lead them by rivers of water in a straight way so that they would not stumble, not because of who they were , but because of Who He was.  We can walk by the Living Water today in a path that is straight if we walk by faith in God.  Verse ten states, Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.  God called on the rest of the nations to acknowledge that it was God Who had gathered the people of Israel together again.  One day, when Christ returns and all of God's people are gathered together, the rest of the world will acknowledge that God is God.  Verse eleven adds, For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.  Just as God said He had redeemed and ransomed Jacob. or the people of Israel, He has redeemed and ransomed those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse twelve continues, 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.  God said that the people of Israel would rejoice and sorrow no more.  We as Christians should rejoice in the Lord and sorrow no more.  Verse thirteen declares, 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.  God's promise was that He would return joy to the people of Israel, from the old to the young.  Verse fourteen adds, And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.  The priests would once again be full of God's word and the people would be satisfied with the goodness of God.  Preachers today need to be filled with God's word, and we as followers of Christ need to be satisfied with His goodness,