Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded

Jeremiah 31:15-22

“A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children  and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” This is what the Lord says: “Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord. “They will return from the land of the enemy. So there is hope for your descendants,” declares the Lord. “Your children will return to their own land.

Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him,  I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declared the Lord.

“Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take. Return, Virgin Israel, return to your towns. How long will you wander, unfaithful Daughter Israel? The Lord will create a new thing on earth— the woman will return to the man.”

Why?

Because Judah and Israel were gone, so the voice is heard in Ramah, and Rachel weeps for her children and refuses to be comforted.

Our God is full of compassion for his people. 

Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded. God don't dismiss everything we did for the right things.

Set up road signs, and put up guideposts. The Lord is calling us, unfaithful Daughter Isreal? The Lord will create a new thing on earth.

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前一章講神賜的復興：代表合一、歡樂滿足的恩典

本章神與人的關係：有哀哭的聲音因為百姓不願意神做他們的王，所以神使他們受苦、新約時希律王也不給耶穌做王。但是神仍然有恩典，使被奴役的歸回從巴比倫。新約的耶穌為逃避希律王殺嬰孩，逃到埃及，再從埃及回來，這是真正的出埃及。人真的悔改，心中會感到羞愧因為罪的關係。前一章，歡樂是因為神的恩典！神的生氣，因為神心中關心、顧念人。這是神的責備，仍然是出於愛。神還是有個提醒，好好記住自己怎麼走過來的。不要再重蹈覆轍！

神造男人，亞當來保護妻子，這裏的新事，女子要保護男人，人常自以為剛強，女人指的是弱者，如耶穌基督看來是軟弱的，卻成為我們自以為強者的保護、拯救。這個強者是我們自己認為的。

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How?

Return, return to your towns, return to my Lord, through Jesus Christ, to find joy and peace.