Speaking about the future of his people, all the prophets of before captivity mentioned a certain trial, which will consist of the eviction of the people from the land given to them by God and the dispersal among the neighbors. But these same prophets were assured that this eviction is not for ever, that...
Speaking about the future of his people, all the prophets of before captivity mentioned a certain trial, which will consist of the eviction of the people from the land given to them by God and the dispersal among the neighbors. But these same prophets were assured that this eviction is not for ever, that it is only a means to remind to the people God, that they forgot, and the Torah, that they violated systematically. And Jeremiah speaks about the return of the people, as something predetermined.
Apparently, such an assurance under the light of this freedom, which God gives to man, seems a little bit strange: because nobody can predict, which choice will make the people from these catastrophic events, which he will have to try. But the problem as we see, in this case was not only in the choice of people, but also with the plan of God. And in this plan entered the return of the people, and the coming of the Messiah, and the salvation of humanity.
The question consisted only in knowing, who of the people in its current state will turn out being participant to the realization of God’s plan, and who will stay aside. Here man is indeed given a complete freedom. Because indeed, God is also free, and He is not going to change His plans only because somebody of those who was born among His people, they do not please. Such persons can stay with their bad will.
Certainly, such a bad will ends up not so good for them, but it will already be their business and their choice. After all they will stop simply having a relation with the people of God, as it happened with several Jews, who refused the faith of their fathers and associated themselves in Babylon during the captivity. And those who stayed, became the pit of a new nation, this remnant, about which the prophets spoke.
23 Woe against wicked pastors, the scattered flock shall be gathered, Christ shall rule and save them, Jer 23:1-8.
Against false prophets, Jer 23:9-32.
And mockers of the true, Jer 23:33-40.