"IF YOU RETURN TO ME, I WILL RESTORE YOU" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 2/12/26

“Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.” (Jeremiah 15:19)

The discussion between Jeremiah and the Lord in Chapter 15 occurs during the inevitable decline of Judah, before the Babylonian exile. If you remember, we previously discussed how this punishment served as the consequence of Israel’s blatant disregard for Him. As a result, He would turn His back on them. Even if people like Moses, Noah, David, or Samuel (all upright, Godly men) interceded, He wouldn’t relent and spare Jerusalem.

Jeremiah then laments his isolation and complains that his mission has brought him only suffering. God responds by promising to protect and strengthen Jeremiah, reaffirming his call and the inevitability of judgment. God tells Jeremiah that the nation's sin is too deep; judgment by sword, famine, and captivity is required. The Prophet responds with despair and extreme emotional pain, until God rebukes his doubt and assures him of deliverance pending the nation’s repentance.

The Divine voice within makes answer to the passionate complaint, saying, “If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me.”  Like the people, the prophet also needs to return to his true mind and repent of his murmurings and distrust in His providence and promises. Upon that condition only can he again “stand before” the Lord in the complete sense of that word, and approach Him as a prophet-priest. Jeremiah will be restored to the favor he once had with the Lord, to be His vessel who will reveal His mind to the people. His advice is to take the precious truths, which are more valuable and desirable than any amount of gold and silver coins, and separate them from those worthless doctrines. Separate one from the other, and don’t mix or blend them. Truly gracious souls, who are precious in the sight of God, are redeemed by Christ’s blood and are adorned with the graces of the Spirit.

He asks His prophet to speak what He commands to Israel, and all the words that cross his lips will be as if God Himself had spoken them.  Jeremiah should plead for their return. He should not comply or cover up their sins, as the false prophets did, but preach earnest repentance. I’ve often talked about how genuine repentance is a process of realizing the weight of your sin and turning back to God, leaving sin behind. If Israel returned to Him through the prophet’s ministry, words, messages, directions, and example, it would go well for them, but refusal would lead to ruin.

This is obviously directed to Jeremiah, but the practical advice of “return to me and thrive” is not only essential to Israel, but also to us readers. Israel must forsake the idolatry and sinful practices they now love and come back to the Lord in order to prosper. The ultimate prosperity requires a true repentance.