Chapters 30-33 of Jeremiah are filled with such hope and joy they are sometimes called “The Book of Consolation” or “The Book of Comfort.” As in most prophecy, God had both an immediate and distant fulfillment in mind. At the start of Jeremiah 30, the prophet is given good news to record. The message is no longer to Israel alone, but to “Israel and Judah.” Both northern and southern kingdoms could look forward to a great homecoming (v 1-3). The wounds of captivity were still fresh in Jeremiah’s mind. He portrays the misery and terror of their conquest in vivid terms. Defeated warriors clutch their stomachs in agony, like women in labor, as their faces turn pale (v 4-6). But God will save them from their great day of distress. This promised deliverance means much more than the end of their Babylonian exile, for the prophecy includes a coming King who will be a true son of David. And service to Him will mean nothing less than service to God Himself (v 7-9). Jeremiah was waiting for the Messiah, who would be God with us. To those who are afraid and dismayed, He will bring freedom and peace. As a righteous Judge, He will protect the vulnerable and punish the guilty (v 10-11). God had scattered His people because of their sin. He describes it in medical terms as a terminal illness, an incurable wound. All of us are inflicted with this malady, and it will take more than a couple days in bed and a few bowls of chicken soup to get us back on our feet. Sin is such a part of us that we simply can’t get rid of it. But God can. He is the Great Physician who vows to heal us. Yet it won’t be cheap, for it will cost Him the death of His own Son (v 12-17). When Jerusalem is rebuilt, people will celebrate with songs of thanksgiving. The population will increase, and their reputation will be restored. Messiah’s city will be a place where children play safely in the streets (v 18-20, 23-24). But a strong city requires strong leadership, and this too God will provide. “Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst.” So this majestic Ruler will not be a stranger or foreigner. He will come from the ranks of His own people. “I will make Him draw near,” God says, “and He shall approach Me.” These words are fulfilled in the work of Jesus Christ, who is our Priest as well as our King. Fully God and fully human, He has opened the way for us to also draw near to God in full assurance of faith. Because of Jesus, we belong to God and He belongs to us, forever! (v 21-22). For further meditation: