Jeremiah 16:14-21 Restored
God is NOT going to relent in His punishment of Judah. But He WILL restore them once His anger is spent. And they WILL remember this lesson!
God will NOT forget His people, even in the middle of their darkest lessons. He sees where each one of them is and where their hearts are. And He is using this time of punishment to forge in them new hearts. Hearts that will KNOW Him. Hearts that will abandon ALL other gods.
I was surprised to find the reference to ‘fishermen’ and ‘hunters’ here. I was immediately reminded of Jesus calling to Peter and Andrew by the sea. He said “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18b). Apparently, this was not a new concept to God.
Thinking about this, I was also reminded of something about these two activities. I want to take a moment and look at the ‘fisherman’ and the ‘hunter’.
The fisherman has to do more than bait a hook and throw it in the water. He has to know a lot about the kind of fish he wants to catch. He needs to know where they live, what type of bait they are attracted to, and what time day they are likely to be feeding before he even puts his pole in the water. Once he has chosen time, place and plan (bait) it’s time to put this knowledge to work. He prepares his supplies, sets his clock, and gets a good night’s rest before setting out on his mission.
On the boat, by the shore, or in the water, his task begins. He will use everything he has learned to increase his chances of success. His ‘best friends’ in this process are patience and persistence. It may be hours before he gets his first nibble. Or it could be seconds. One thing is for sure; that first nibble is NOT the end of the process. Unless the fish is EXTREMELY hungry or trying to beat another to the meal, that first nibble is only a test. The fisherman has to keep the bait accessible until the fish can resist it no more. The fisherman has to wait for the fish to ‘strike’; grab the bait with his whole mouth.
Now the ‘fight’ is on! The fisherman first snaps the pole up, securing the hook in the fish’s jaw. Then the two struggle for the ‘win’. The fish for escape and the fisherman for the capture. The fish will pull, slacken, and veer off from side to side to get lose or break the line. The fisherman needs to know when to ‘let out a little line’, ‘reel him in’, and ‘let him play himself out’ before he can bring the fish into his waiting hands. If the fisherman is too eager, he will likely lose the fish and his bait. Too slow and the same thing may happen. Timing, experience, and patience are pivotal here.
None of these strategies come naturally. The fisherman has to learn them; usually from a more experienced fisherman who learned from another himself. It may take a lifetime to perfect his craft.
The most important thing about the fisherman though is that he is selective. He is NOT out to get every fish in the sea. Even one who fishes with nets is only after specific fish. Those that do not meet his ‘standards’ will be thrown back. Once he has reached his desired limit, the fisherman packs up for the day and heads home. There are MANY MORE fish in the sea than what the fisherman takes home.
Let’s look at the hunter now.
Like the fisherman, there is work to be done before the hunter even enters the forest. He has to also know the habits, home, and characteristics of the animal he is after. A person hunting for bear uses a completely different set of information than one hunting for rabbit or deer. Even the kind of rifle and ammunition is dependent on what is being hunted.
The hunter prepares his supplies, which often includes food, for the task may take several days. Patience and persistence are crucial for him as well. He may have to track the animal, wait in a carefully prepared stand, or even send hunting dogs to flush out the animal. There is no guarantee he will even find his desired prey. He may see MANY other animals before he finds the one he is searching, or allowed to take. Small game hunters are allowed several captures where large game hunters are only allowed to take ONE animal each hunt. There will be MANY animals left in the forest when the hunter returns home with his prey.
One thing both these individuals have in common is that they have to be selective. They will take FAR LESS than they leave. This is so with those who will return after God has exhausted His wrath. FEW will return because FEW will have their hearts centered on Him. MANY MORE will choose to remain and serve other gods. Those who return will be ‘hand-picked’ by God through those He sends as ‘fishermen’ and ‘hunters’. Those who return will LOVE the Lord and want to serve Him only. “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can mane make for himself gods? Such are NOT gods!” (verses 19b-20, emphasis added). Those who remain have inherited nothing but lies from the ‘gods’ they served.
This would be the last time that Israel and Judah would be exported to other lands. They would have conquers who ruled over them in their own land, but not sold into captivity again. “This once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the Lord” (verse 21b). Through conquest, annexation, exile, and restructuring the nation of Israel disappears for a LONG time. It was reinstated as a nation in 1947. I’m not a history buff so this is just my take on the limited timelines I could find.
Bottom line; God KNOWS the heart of EACH AND EVERY person who ever lived or who will ever live. He knows which ones He will ‘catch’ and which will be ‘left in the sea’. He knows what it will take to bring those hearts to Him. This is NOT saying that one person or another is ‘destined’ for Hell. It is saying that God has already seen it happen. He has seen who will make the choice to love Him. He has already reached out and received His answers from ALL of mankind. We are simply living out what He has already seen. BUT WE have to make the decision! He won’t make it for us. WE lime moment to moment and EACH of them counts. So, TAKE A BIG BITE and get on the ‘hook’! Walk out in front of His ‘gun’ of love. Be one of those He finds when He ‘fishes’ and ‘hunts’.
Father God, that bait sure tasted good! I don’t know what flavor it was but it changed my life forever. I’m glad You ‘let me play myself out’ in this dance. Sometimes I find an ounce of reserve and start tugging on the line again. But You NEVER give up. You keep working with me and wanting me regardless of the time it costs to ‘land’ me.
I’m THIRLLED that death does not wait at the end of this process. Life does! Eternal life with You. No frying pan, just a seat by the fire.
