Thanksgiving Shall Proceed

True thankfulness is acknowledging the Lord for all His benefits and this is the purpose of Cod’s saving work in sinners. “He hath formed a people unto Himself that shall show forth His praises.” God will be glorified by a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people that will show forth the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. This is Cod’s purpose, the glory and the exaltation of His Name in true thankfulness.

Jeremiah, the preacher of penitence, was the prophet who was sent “to root out and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down,” but also “to build and to plant.” Jeremiah was privileged to bring good tidings, together with all the warnings and admonishing prophecies of God’s judgments upon a rebellious, stiffnecked people. We find a passage in Jeremiah, chapters 30-33, with rich promises of salvation, of deliverance out of bondage, and the restoration into their former glory and happiness. In that restoration we see a picture of the salvation of a lost sinner.

It seems impossible that these people would praise the Lord, and that out of them would proceed thanksgiving. “For their bruise is incurable and their wound is grievous.” Their condition is hopeless, and there are no healing medicines for them; it was not only the enemies who wounded them, but it was also God’s chastising hand over them. “I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased.”

Rev. C. Vogelaar is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of St. Catharines, Ontario.

Israel and Judah, the two unfaithful sisters, that disobedient and rebellious people, received the punishment that was threatened, and then the temple and city were destroyed and the people led into captivity. Oh, how sad and miserable was their condition, and that because of their own guilt!

They are compared to a woman who left her husband and lived with other lovers, but who now has a deadly sickness and is without hope of recovery. We would say: As soon as the physician came she asked, “Oh, please, do you have some medicine which can give relief and restore my health? Is there any hope for me?” But the physician shook his head and said sadly: “No, miss, I cannot help you anymore, I tried everything, but for your disease there are no healing medicines.” Oh, what a terrible, frightening message that is for this suffering patient, who is left by all her former lovers and now is lonely and without comfort! Here we see the bitter fruits and consequences of sin. “Oh, that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways.” Here she lies, in pain and fear, expecting death as the wages of sin.

My dear young or old friend, this is not only Israel or Judah, but this is also you. For you lie here and your condition is hopeless; your bruise is incurable and your wound is grievous. Although you do not want to see and believe it, you are lying here in your misery and the worst of all is that you do not know it. Oh, how foolish it is to destroy your life, your happiness, to despise God’s sincere callings to repent, and to prefer the mean, false company of strange lovers, of the world, of Satan and his instruments! How foolish it is to seek joy and vain pleasure in the entertainments of the world, or in some self-made religion, and to despise the service of love which the Lord proclaims in His testimony. Do we not see that the end of such ways are death, shame, and destruction? For the prodigal son, what was the fruit of his life of sin, with his false, selfish and worldly friends? They all left him, and here you see the same thing, “All thy lovers have forgotten thee.” No, although the devil promises you pleasure and joy in his service; although the world shows you many occasions to laugh and to enjoy life, it is deceit. The end is that Satan will mock and our friends will leave us.

Why will the Lord say that out of such a poor, miserable people—who just received the tidings of certain death—there shall proceed thanksgiving? How is it possible that this dying, miserable woman, who suffers so terribly because of her own sins, will rejoice, praise and give thanks unto the Lord?

Yes, so it can be in your life when you cause your own ruin. Then your life will be lonely, dark, and without hope; then you will see that it is all your own guilt. So it is when the Lord, by His Spirit, shows unto us what we have done, not only in our daily transgressions, but also when we learn to know our deep fall in Adam. Then we learn to know our state for eternity, our total depravity. Then we cry out: “Woe is me, for I am undone.” The Holy Spirit reveals our depravity, exposes our vile-ness and makes known our wickedness. And we mourn…for God is good, and just and holy. Oh, that godly sorrow over sin — “Against Thee, Thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight.” Then we confess our sin. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Prov. 28:13).

They smite upon their breast with the publican and they cry out to the living God, in humbleness and with a sincere sorrow of heart, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” There is no one who is as bad as they are. They are the chief of sinners. But although they cry and weep, they see that their tears will never wash away their sins, that God is holy and just and will maintain His justice, and they will have to bear His wrath unless satisfaction be given. To such a one cornes the message: ‘Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.” For such a one there is no hope, no expectation.

And, oh wonder, there is something that Satan will not teach you, even though he imitates the work of God in the conversion of the sinner so that it seems to be a true work: with tears, with a change of life, and with becoming strict and religious. It will never be imitated so that a sinner may bow under Cod’s justice and agree with the punishment of his iniquities, and say: “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him.” Unto such a hopeless, hell-worthy people the Lord will give the Valley of Achor for a door of hope: “And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth.”

How is that possible? Oh, my dear friend, is that impossible for you? Then everyone can be saved, except me. But the Lord says: “Would there be anything too hard for Me?” There is forgiveness, that He may be feared. That is what we see here. For if all healing medicines are in vain; if there is no help and expectation from the human side, then He will show His Almighty power and His gracious, wonderful deliverances. We read: “I will break his yoke from off thy neck…and will raise up unto him… David their king, I will restore health unto thee…and I will heal thee of thy wounds.”

That is the only reason: I will—Cod’s sovereign pleasure. He says: I will, and then they shall. And if He speaks, it will happen…There will be salvation, for Cod is willing and mighty to save. It is certain, for the Lord speaks, the unchangeable Cod of the covenant. Oh, what a message did the Lord give unto the centurion, who had asked for His help: “And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.” They rejoice already when His willingness to save is revealed; when they may see that there is help laid upon One that is Mighty.

In this chapter we not only read I will, but also how the Lord found a way and a means to deliver a guilty people in a way of justice and mercy. “For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto Me? saith the Lord.” And there is one who said: “Lo, I come, in the volume of the Book it is written of Me.” And Isaiah testified of Him, “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:5). Oh, they see that their state is so currupt, their condition so miserable, that “from the sole of the feet even unto the head there is no soundness in them, but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores” (Is. 1:6). They will need this precious Redeemer and will cry out for His mercy. To them is proclaimed: “For I will restore health unto thee.”

Oh, church of God, it is your holy duty to: “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright” (Ps. 33:1).

This Physician knows how to deal with such hopeless cases. He showed that while He was upon the earth — by healing the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf, and even by quickening the dead, as he told the disciples of John the Baptist.

To such a people He becomes necessary, precious, and suitable; His Name “will be to them as ointment poured forth.” To Him they will learn to flee, giving up everything outside of Him, and crying out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy upon me.” By Him they will be cured and made whole, at His time, by the application of His work unto their heart.

Jeremiah may prophesy that God will lead them in true conversion, in repentance, by faith. He will bring them back and will build up the ruins of Jerusalem. Then there will come a time that out of them shall proceed thanksgiving. No, Jeremiah does not bring an incomplete message: there is misery and there will be deliverance, but there also will be heard the voice of them that make merry. True thanksgiving will be heard and seen when Jerusalem’s walls are rebuilt, and they will celebrate that with the instruments of music, with the loud expressions of their gladness because of God’s deeds.

Oh, church of God, it is your holy duty to: “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely for the upright” (Ps. 33:1). It is not a/ways mourning and weeping here upon the earth, but there are times of spiritual joy which the world and unconverted ones know nothing of. They may sing of His faithfulness, grace and mercy. The Lord is a very present help in trouble, ready to support and succor those who may cast themselves upon Him. They have to travel through the wilderness; their path must go through a valley of tears. In the world they will have tribulation, but the Lord says: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

The pilgrim’s journey will come to an end; they shall one day enter into the heavenly Jerusalem, and then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving. This is an encouraging message for an unworthy people. My friends, also dear youth, this will be the future of God’s church, of those who here in the world have often mourned and wept. Their sorrow will be turned into joy, but what will be your portion? Oh, seek ye the Lord while He still can be found, and while He still calls unto you: “My Son, give Me thine heart.”

And to those who are cast down, and whose soul is disquieted within them, “Hope in God, for you shall yet praise Him,” when you at the end of your journey may go unto the altar of God, unto God your exceeding joy. You will praise Him, for He alone is worthy to receive the glory and the honor. ?

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