“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.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
When the Israelites were taken captive to Babylon, Jeremiah sent a letter to them of the prophecy he’d received from the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:1) In this letter he condemns the prophecy of Shemaiah a self-proclaimed false prophet who prophesied to the people that they would immediately return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s prophecy told the people that they would be in captivity 70 years. “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.” (Jeremiah 29:10) He encouraged them to make a life in captivity so that in their return, they would be able to populate the city. “Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. (Jeremiah 29:5-6)
Chapters 30 and 31 of Jeremiah are called “Jeremiah’s Book of Consolation.” In these chapters Jeremiah prophesies about their return and also Jeremiah’s ten Messianic prophecies. He begins in chapter 30 to prophesy about their return and continues in chapter 31.
In verse 3 of Jeremiah 31, he writes that even before the captivity, the Lord had appeared to him and expressed His love for the people with the phrase “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying...” He reassures them that although they have been taken captive, God still loves them with the same love He has always had for them, with the words, “everlasting love.”
These words that Jeremiah speaks to the captives, the Lord speaks to us, His children that were in captivity in the kingdom of sin and death and those children of God that are still in captivity and that will be saved. We here on earth reason that these words were spoken to a prophet thousands of years ago. How can they possibly have anything to do with us in the 21st century? Remember that to the Lord the past, present and future are always present to Him. This is hard for us to understand, but if can we accept that truth, we can see that this message applies also to us. God’s love is everlasting, since before the creation of the world, He has loved us. He knew of us, each one individually and collectively, the Israelites and the church. He has loved us, and His love has not diminished. It’s everlasting. It’s eternal.
And because of this love that He’s always had for us and has for us now, the Lord has drawn us to Himself. We cannot come to Him unless He draws us. He is the initiator of our relationship with Him. We’re unable to turn to Him unless He draws us. That is the magnitude of His love, that He draws us. Jesus said, “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44) It’s all God, from the beginning to the end, from the days before the world was created and forever.
There are many other Scriptures that also say we must draw near to the Lord. It’s a two-way draw. First the Lord initiates it by drawing us with His great love for us. Then we must draw near by recognizing His love, accepting His love, receiving His love and living in His love. “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8) It appears that James is saying that it’s our responsibility to first draw near to God. But at that time, God had already initiated our relationship with Him. He had sent Jesus, Who had taken our sin and punishment for sin, death, on the cross. He had risen from the dead. God had and has already done everything possible for us to have access to Him. Now we can and are able to come near to Him.
Jeremiah’s prophecy describes how He draws us. “...with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” The Hebrew word is kheh'-sed, with kindness and never with a rebuke or because of anything beautiful in us. It’s His good favor and mercy toward us.
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