As for you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, and do not be dismayed, O Israel; for I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to frighten him. For I am with you to save you, declares the LORD. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have scattered you, I will not completely destroy you; yet I will correct you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.” vs10-11

God chastens but He does not destroy His people. He chose us from the foundation of the world, and we will partake in His holiness: He will not cast us off forever. He will make it look like we’re destroyed - like sin has dominion or circumstances are too great for us - but everything is to humble us. He will send us to Babylon and chasten us with stripes, but He won’t take away His love. Count on this covenant keeping God.

1 Israel had no reason to be spared! She’d sinned and sinned, but God had mercy His way. First, He sends us to Babylon and breaks us, causing us to confess, and then He delivers us without any power of our own.

He will silence the boasts of man, and praise will ascend up high, when we’ve been defeated, made to serve Nebudchadnezzar, and all of our schemes have proven vain! Health won’t save us, happiness won’t save us, and nothing in this world will give us peace but Jesus and the forgiveness of sin: this is God’s mercy - that we bow and live to bring Him glory.

2 Everyone doesn’t get this. Some go into Babylon for destruction! Chastisement comes, hardships happen, and they walk away from the Lord. Their marriage fails, but rather than seeing their sin, they blame the spouse and depart into iniquity, perhaps into someone else’s arms. The business fails, but rather than crying out, they harden themselves and double their efforts.

Oh, how HORRIBLE when God lets us fail upward - so we sin and things “get better.” This is what happens to many: They leave the church, become more happy, and they perish in their corruption! It is not true peace; it pings the conscience, but it is good enough to keep them away from Christ. This is a strong delusion that destroys man: they are happy enough without God.

3 You, however, will come back, because He chastened for our good. He broke us, and self-confidence was defiled. He forgave us but with cleansing power: We didn't use the gospel to sin but to sin no more. We drew near to Him and said, “Father, You are forgiving, but I want to be holy, and I don’t want forgiveness without cleansing.”

You are God’s elect, taught to bow in adversity, and He brings you into Christ’s joy. He doesn’t forsake us because He never would let us perish. We are believing souls! We are blessed by God.