◄ What Does Jeremiah 31:3 Mean? ►

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

Jeremiah 31:3(KJV)

Verse of the Day

This beautiful passage, which is directed towards the people of Israel, announces, in tender language, that God has loved them with an everlasting love. It states that the Lord will certainly fulfil His pledge to re-gather His chosen people back into their own land. It is a reminder that He drew them to Himself in love and His love for them is everlasting. It gives them confidence that He will fulfil the promises He made to their forefather Abraham and His seed forever.

"Yes!" is His proclamation to Israel: "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore, with loving-kindness I have drawn you." God's Word is true, His promises are sure, and His faithfulness endures from one generation to the next. His eternal commitment to Israel stands fast forever and His sacred Word is unchanging and unchangeable.

The Lord chose Israel to be His special people. He redeemed them from Egyptian bondage and provided for their needs throughout their wilderness wanderings. He did not reject His people, despite their rebellion and unbelief, and although they broke their covenant with Him and had to be punished, He pledged to heal the nation, return them to their land, and restore the joy of their salvation.

But the rich and abundant mercy of God is not only poured out on His people Israel, but embraces all who are members of Christ's Body, which is the Church, and because of the great love with which He loved us, He has drawn us into permanent union with Christ and seated us together with Him in heavenly places.

God is holy, and God is just, but the very nature of God is love. The Alpha and Omega of God's eternal and unchangeable attributes unite together in perfect love, for despite their bitter waywardness and foolish choices, the Lord loved Israel with an everlasting love, and His love for the Church reflects that same, never-ending love.

Intermingled deep within His eternal character of love, there is a multiplicity of godly attributes and divine graces, for He is good and gracious, He is patient and kind, He is long-suffering, and abundant in truth. He is infinitely unchanging and perfect in all His ways. And by His grace and goodness we discover ourselves to be His beloved children, by faith in Christ.

It was not just because of our sorry state that He demonstrated His unconditional love towards us (pitiable though we were). It was not because of our desperate destiny in the fires of hell that He poured out His unique love upon us (appalling though our future was). God's love rests upon His eternal, unchangeable, divine character.

God has a unique and unfathomable love for all mankind which was demonstrated toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, dead in our sin and at enmity with God, Christ died for us. Jesus paid the price for our sin so that His unconditional love and unswerving justice could be demonstrated through Him.

Christ was the One Who was wounded for our transgressions. He was the One Who was bruised for our iniquities. He did not die because of who we are, but because of His everlasting love towards the children of men. Christ did not go to the Cross because of what we have done, but simply because of Who He Is.

Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that He took the initiative and loved us first, by sending His only begotten Son into the world to die for sinful man so that whosoever believes on Him would not be condemned, but be given abundant and eternal life, by grace through faith.

O measureless might! Ineffable love!
While angels delight to worship Thee above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall all sing Thy praise.

My Prayer

God of wisdom and love, I am not worthy to gather the crumbs under Your table and yet in mercy and love, You picked me up out of the miry clay and dressed me in the robe of Christ's righteousness, for His name’s sake. I praise You for the unconditional love You pour out on me in unhindered measure, because Your eternal character is measureless love. Thank You, Father, for Your everlasting love for me. Thank You that in loving-kindness, You drew me to Yourself and made me Your child. In Christ's name I pray, AMEN.