One who would dare approach the Father

In the midst of all the prophesies of Jerusalem’s fall, Jeremiah does not leave the people without hope. 

God assures his people here that though he will discipline them, and not let them go entirely unpunished, yet he would not completely destroy them.  (Jeremiah 30:10-11)

Still, Jeremiah doesn’t sugarcoat their situation, saying,

Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.  There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you….

Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.. (Jeremiah 30:12-13, 15)

But then he promises to send someone to save them.

Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them.  I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the Lord. 

“‘So you will be my people, and I will be your God.’ ”

See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.  The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. 

In days to come you will understand this. (21-24)

This passage is of course talking about Jesus.  I like verse 21 where God says, “For who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?” 

In the NASB, it says, “Who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?”

In Jeremiah’s time, there was no one who could approach the Father.  Only the high priest might dare to do so, and he could do so only once a year. 

But by this time, the priesthood was compromised, and the ones who were supposed to be serving God, were serving false gods.

But as God’s own Son, Jesus could approach the Father and intercede for us.  He stood in the gap for us, and in doing so, he took upon himself the fierce wrath of the Father, dying on the cross for our sins.  And because of that, God’s anger has been turned back.

Now, those of us who believe in him can also approach the Father, without fear. 

So as the writer of Hebrews said,

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  (Hebrews 10:19-23)