The Mercies of the Lord

The prophet Jeremiah has especially spoken to the kingdom of Judah although he did not neglect to warn Israel to return unto the Lord. While Judah may still enjoy its independence, the nation of Israel had to sigh under the slavish yoke of Assyria. Now, to awaken a jealousy in Judah, Israel is addressed in our text with the words, “I will not keep anger forever.”

It is an eternal wonder that the Lord does not punish Israel as they had deserved. They had not hearkened to the warning message of the prophets whom the Lord had sent unto them. That is why the judgment of the Lord had come upon them, for there was no bowing before the Lord but an ignoring of the rod whereby they were stricken, not noting that there is no evil in the city or saying that the Lord is the cause of it. It is the essence of God’s holy righteousness that He is angry with sin, and now comes the call in the text, “toward the north.” This was against Assyria, which had initially carried away Israel. There were those who by word and deed had called upon the idols for their help and must now experience the judgment of the Lord whereby He will show that He is not an indifferent bystander.

The prophet also had to bring another calling which showed the Lord’s mercy: “Return, ye backsliding Israel.” Oh, how low the Lord bows down and how great are His mercies in comparison with a well-deserved judgment.

In the days in which we are living, His judgments and decrees are still joined with His mercies; the Lord calls us to consider and return, saying, “Turn from your wicked ways, O house of Israel, for why would ye die?” What a blessed benefit it is when the Lord sends this demand as a gift. May it work an unrepentant sorrow toward God, not to be repented of, to salvation. For in true conversion God’s people are freed from the demanding judgment of God even though the soul still considers itself a cursed and hellworthy one who needs to be delivered from the just judgment.

In the days wherein we are now living, this doctrine is frequently assaulted. The experiential element must make place for the dead letter. It runs away as quickly as water, and it leaves nothing behind. Yet it is true, “I will not keep anger forever.” The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Blessed are they who may learn that the Lord does not distance Himself from His perfect attributes, also not from the attribute of His justice. Who, then, will be able to understand or put into words the removal of His anger? That is possible only through Him who with His heart became Surety unto God and who bore the indivisible wrath of God against sin so that a child of Adam may through grace receive the application through God’s Spirit that the heat of His anger has been extinguished.

In these words, “I will not keep anger forever,” lie the forgiveness and the rooting out of guilt. How necessary it is, dear reader, to know this personally. Then that is not an accepting of a Jesus who has never been applied, for with such a Jesus man remains under the wrath of God. Where grace is lacking, God has not begun, and man seeks to live his life with a confession of Christ which is out of a broken covenant of works, and man is an enemy of free grace. Where God has begun, there is a missing of Him and His communion. Then the question comes up in the heart, “Has God begun with me, or is it my own work?” That is a looking and longing people who long for the forgiveness of their sins and the rooting out of their guilt so that also in their life it will be fulfilled, “I will not keep anger forever.”

Dear reader, may the Lord teach us through grace, “Thy people’s strength is all from Thee; blest be Thy name eternally.” p

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