The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Jeremiah 33:14-16

When life is difficult, it can be hard to have hope. Friends may try to encourage us to stay positive, saying “Things will get better,” but their words can feel hollow. How do they know things will get better? What assurance do any of us have that the future will improve upon the present?

Jeremiah can relate. Jeremiah’s years were marked by ongoing crisis and overwhelming circumstances. During the course of his ministry, he witnessed national unrest, military invasion, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the exile and captivity of his people in Babylon. So what hope could he have in such desperate times?

Thankfully, God’s word to his people was that the present circumstances would not last forever. The Lord spoke to and through Jeremiah, saying, “The days are surely coming when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” The days are not “probably” or “maybe” coming, but “surely.” It’s not that God “might” or “could” fulfill the promise, but that he “will.”

The certainty of God’s promise is a stark contrast to the uncertainty of the Israelites’ experience. The result of the fulfillment of God’s promise is that Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. Note the consistency of God’s character and God’s purposes. The Lord is our righteousness; he is the Righteous One. Because of who he is, what he accomplishes is righteous and just, bringing salvation and security to the land.

This same promise is given to God’s people as a whole, and it is to be experienced by the entire community, not merely by a few select individuals. That’s because God’s deliverance is not just about personal salvation, but societal redemption and transformation. God’s goodness will be visible to all; there will be justice throughout the land. God’s vision is bigger than just “me and Jesus.” Because God is the God of the universe and Lord of all creation, his coming will redeem and transform the whole world.

Jeremiah only saw a glimpse of this in his day, but eventually the justice and righteousness of God became incarnate through the coming of Jesus, the righteous Branch of David. Because of the historical reality of the incarnation of Jesus, we can have confidence that God’s purposes will not be thwarted. Injustice is not the end of the story. The world is not left without hope. God, in Christ, is making all things new.

We can trust that those days are surely coming. They have already been fulfilled in part, and we have confidence they will be fulfilled in whole. This Advent season, be encouraged that God’s good purposes have not changed. His promises are secure, and so are we.

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:

What are you waiting for? How does this promise of God speak to you in your season of waiting?

PRAYER:

God of Righteousness, you bring justice to this unjust world. We pray that your righteousness will fill the land and make your salvation known to all. We trust in the goodness of your promise, in the righteous name of Jesus, Amen.

READ THE PASSAGE IN CONTEXT:

The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

"In those days and at that time
I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David;
and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
In those days Judah will be saved
and Jerusalem will live in safety.
And this is the name by which it will be called:
'The LORD is our righteousness.' "

Jeremiah 33:14-16