Jeremiah 16–17 – Desolation is prophesied as a consequence of wickedness, but also the future gathering of Israel and the blessing of trusting God.
Today's devotional draws from "Jeremiah and the New Paradigm of the Gathering" from the BYU Religious Studies Center, a preferred source, as it directly illuminates the prophecies in Jeremiah 16 concerning the gathering of Israel.
This article highlights Jeremiah's prophecy that the latter-day gathering of Israel will be an event of such magnitude that it will eventually overshadow even the miraculous Exodus from Egypt as the ultimate demonstration of God's power. Jeremiah foretold a worldwide gathering, where God would send "fishers" and "hunters" to seek out scattered Israel from every corner of the earth. Unlike ancient gatherings which sometimes lacked permanence due to Israel's disobedience, this modern gathering, characterized by increased stability and commitment to God's work, is prophesied to endure. The article also notes that Joseph Smith emphasized the critical importance of the gathering for salvation in the latter days.
In Jeremiah 17, the Lord contrasts the fate of those who trust in mortal strength with those who place their confidence in Him. "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord" (Jeremiah 17:5). "For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited" (Jeremiah 17:6). In stark contrast, "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is" (Jeremiah 17:7). Such a person "shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8). This imagery powerfully conveys the stability and fruitfulness that come from divine reliance, even amidst desolation.
As you reflect on your morning intention to align your inner desires and daily actions more fully with your sacred covenants, how might actively participating in the ongoing gathering of Israel and continually choosing to trust in the Lord—even when worldly circumstances appear bleak—further solidify your spiritual roots and yield more abundant "fruit" in your life?
Scripture References:
Sources