Pam Padgett ... teacher
Because they sinned greatly against God, children of Israel were taken into captivity in Babylon. When God chose to release HIS people from captivity and restore them to the land HE had given to them, God spoke to the prophet Jeremiah what HE would do, including ....
Jeremiah 50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions
have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and
last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones. 18
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the
king of Assyria. 19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and
he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied
upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. 20 In those days, and in that time, saith
the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall
be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will
pardon them whom I reserve.
God completely pardoned the sins of HIS people, saying that even if one looked for their iniquities, they could not be found. As I read this, I
thought of the forgiveness we have under the new covenant, the blood of
Jesus paying for our sins completely so they are remembered no more by
God ...
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in
their hearts:and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a
people:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:for all shall know me, from the
least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more.
Paul taught about those God has before determined to love HIM and be HIS
children being called by God and justified (freed from blame and guilt;
declared to be innocent) by the blood of Jesus ...
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also
called:and whom he called, them he also justified:and whom he justified,
them he also glorified. 31 What shall we then say to these things? If
God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely
give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's
elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is
Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
As the children of Israel were delivered from bondage in Babylon,
returned to the land God had given them, and pardoned of all their sins
and iniquities, so we have been delivered from bondage to serve sin but repent and turn from sin, our sins completely paid for by the blood of Jesus and forgotten
by God, and we are conformed to the image of Jesus, that we might receive
the inheritance God has laid up for HIS children.