The Book of Jeremiah certainly isn’t a “happy” book: the prophet Jeremiah, who is also attributed with writing Lamentations, certainly had a rough go of it. The mostly bleak outlook for Israel in Jeremiah makes it hard to read. Its like watching someone bent on self-destruction, and knowing that nothing you could do would prevent them from succeeding.
And yet. Even here, at the end of Jeremiah, we see that the unjust punishers of Israel (namely, Babylon), will also be punished. (Habakkuk covers similar territory). Also, as we finish the book we are left with words of hope:
Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of Hosts, though their land is full of guilt before the Holy One of Israel
Reminds me of Paul’s words in 2nd Timothy, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, –for he cannot deny himself”
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