In this chapter many Judeans (including Jeremiah) are allowed to remain in Judah under the rule of a Babylonian governor.
“…when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah… as governor over them, then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.” (v11-12)
There’s a Babylonian governor overseeing the remaining Judeans, but they’re allowed to farm and produce in ways they were previously unable. This remnant of God’s people were marginalized – homeless, poor, outcast, and possibly even lepers – but now they’ve inherited the fields and homes of those killed / exiled by Babylon. They have gone from possessing nothing to possessing all that remains in the land of Judah.
Do we deserve to inherit the Kingdom of God / Jesus? Can we earn our way into Heaven? Of course not. Did these people earn, purchase, or deserve the properties they inherited? No, yet they received them from God anyway.
God blesses us so richly with an inheritance we could never earn or deserve, which includes the righteousness of Jesus and a place in His eternal kingdom. Let’s praise Him for our undeserved inheritance, the righteousness and presence of God through Christ Jesus our benefactor.
Father God, our Compassionate and Generous Lord, You have blessed us so abundantly. We may lack physical riches in this world, but our future inheritance through Jesus’ death and resurrection is far greater than we can imagine. Please help us to share this glorious inheritance with those around us, for there more enough for everyone (for You are an infinite God). Please guide us to be as generous as You are, spreading the love of Jesus throughout this land, and hold none of it back. To You be all honor, glory, and praise, today and always, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training