Connect Jeremiah 14:9 with Hebrews 13:5 on God's promise to never forsake. An ancient plea and a timeless promise Jeremiah 14:9: “Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!” Hebrews 13:5: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God Himself has said: ‘Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.’” Jeremiah’s moment of crisis • A devastating drought (Jeremiah 14:1-6) has Judah on its knees. • The prophet voices the nation’s fear that God might abandon them in judgment. • Even while questioning, Jeremiah affirms two realities: – “You are among us, O LORD.” – “We are called by Your name.” • His final appeal—“Do not forsake us!”—rests on God’s covenant character revealed all the way back in the Exodus (Exodus 34:6-7). The same God speaks in Hebrews • Hebrews 13:5 quotes Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 and Joshua 1:5, compressing them into one emphatic statement: “Never… never.” • The Greek stacks five negatives—God is making the promise as strong as language allows. • While Jeremiah feared forsakenness, Hebrews assures believers that forsakenness is impossible for those in Christ. One promise, two contexts 1. Under judgment (Jeremiah 14) – Judah’s sin had real consequences. – God disciplined His people, yet He never disowned them (Jeremiah 30:11). 2. Under grace (Hebrews 13) – The audience faces social pressure and possible persecution (Hebrews 10:32-34). – The writer anchors them in the same covenant faithfulness now fully revealed in Jesus (Hebrews 8:6-13). Threading the promise through Scripture • Deuteronomy 31:6-8 — God goes with His people into the unknown. • Joshua 1:5 — The same assurance equips Joshua for conquest. • Psalm 37:28 — “The LORD loves justice and will not forsake His saints.” • Isaiah 41:10 — “Do not fear, for I am with you.” • Matthew 28:20 — Jesus: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Why God’s promise holds • His nature: He is immutable (Malachi 3:6). • His covenant: Sealed by Christ’s blood (Hebrews 9:15-24). • His presence: The indwelling Spirit (John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9). • His purpose: To glorify Himself by preserving His people (John 17:12). Living in the light of “never forsake” • Contentment over covetousness (Hebrews 13:5-6): God’s presence outvalues possessions. • Courage in hardship: If the Lord is near, we can echo Hebrews 13:6, “What can man do to me?” • Repentance, not despair: Even when discipline comes, run toward Him, not away (Hebrews 12:5-11). • Community encouragement: Remind each other of this promise daily (Hebrews 3:13). Key takeaways • Jeremiah’s plea and Hebrews’ proclamation flow from the same unchanging heart of God. • The cross proves once for all that God will never abandon His people (Romans 8:31-39). • Every circumstance—drought, prison, boardroom, hospital—finds its answer in “Never will I forsake you.” |
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