Jeremiah 50:4-“In those days and in that time, declares the Lord, the people of Israel and the people of Judah shall come together, weeping as they come ,and they shall seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it ,saying Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten. “

Almighty God prophesied through Jeremiah that though the God’s people were sent into captivity to Babylon due to their persistent disobedience to the word of God, after 70 years they will return to their land .

What kind of return was this?

It was a wholehearted return with a thankful weeping to worship God the Father who has remembered them and brought them back to their own land. Ezra 3:12 As we see that these people who once worshipped God were taken as captives in their young age  and remained  in the enemy’s land with no such worship. But now after 70years they come back as elders of old age with weeping and joy to once again  worship and seek God wholeheartedly.

Even during these days of the pandemic,  the church suffered similar situation of no worship in the churches due to Lockdown. But now by God’s mercy , as we come back to our church worship, what is the state of our hearts?

Is our worship full of repentance and shouts of  thanksgiving ?

How do we return to God and seek HIM?

For The Bible says many blessings upon those who seek HIM earnestly.

• Lament 3:25–.”The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seek him.”
• Psalms 9:10-God does not forsake them.
• Psalms 34:10- they lack no good thing.
• Psalms 40:16– those who seek God rejoice and are glad in HIM.
• Psalms 69:32- their heart is revived, and they are healthy.
• Amos 5:6- says seek the Lord and live.
• Isaiah 65:10-says God prospers them who seek HIM.
• Hosea 10:12 – says this is the time to seek God.

Yes, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ,  we need to seek God with all our mind and heart , meditate on HIS goodness, read and meditate on His word with humble broken spirit.

Never let go one day without seeking HIM in prayer and bible meditation.

Jeremiah 50:5  here the returned people want to establish everlasting covenant with God through our Lord . because the earlier covenant they broke it by not giving the due respect and honour to God through their disobedience .

We all have made this eternal covenant through water baptism. But are we careful enough to keep it safe?

Covenant itself is giving production, covenant with Almighty God which is eternal by always keeping our face turned towards GOD and diligently walking in HIS ways .

This is what the people of God did when they returned from their captivity.

They turn their face towards Zion and ask the way to Zion, the church of God.

Today we find different groups of people in church. Some of which are as follows:

1. Many do not turn towards ZION/Church, neither want to know the way. They are satisfied with their worldly life, seeking temporal things
2. Some slightly turn their face towards Zion, but don’t want to know the WAY, they live with secret sins, practice all immorality, alcoholism, etc., but just come to church as spectators.
3. Some others seek knowledge, but their life is far away from God with no personal experience of salvation. They know forgiveness of sin and salvation through Christ is very important, but don’t have personal experience of the joy of salvation which comes through forgiveness of sins.

It is not possible to reach Zion without following Christ, He is the only way to Zion.

Isaiah 2:3 “Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.  ” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

Our Lord teaches us His way, through Bible, Holy Spirit, and servant of God. The way of Zion is the narrow gate, having pain, sorrows but it leads you to Zion

Mathew 7:13,14  “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

People return from Babylon they really understood their transgression and deeply repented, turned towards God and Zion , decided wholeheartedly that they would thereafter only listen to God’s counsel and serve Him alone and thus stay in the eternal covenant with God.

Which group do we belong to?

Though life is full of struggle, we need to constantly listen to the Holy Spirit and walk in God’s ways.

When the people return like this, how does God bless them?

1. Jeremiah 50:19, God brings them back to green pastures and satisfy their souls.
2. And he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan; His soul shall be satisfied on Mount Ephraim and Gilead. (Michael 7 :14,15 God leads them through the path of wonders.)
3. Jeremiah 50:20 God shall forgive and blot all their sins and iniquities and replant them in their land.

Halleluiah what a wonderful God we serve?

HIS faithfulness and mercies endure forever.

Come church, Lets decide to worship this wonderful God wholeheartedly and seek Him first all our days of life.

Amen.