From Vile to Valuable: A Call to Return

"Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them." - Jeremiah 15:19

"Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them." - Jeremiah 15:{verse.verse_number}

In the heart of Jeremiah 15:19, we find a profound exhortation and promising assurance from the Lord: "Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them." This verse is a treasure trove of spiritual insight, calling us into a deeper communion with God while challenging us to discern the precious from the vile.

To understand the implications of this message, we first need to address the landscape in which Jeremiah spoke these words. Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, delivered challenging truths to a people who had wandered far from God. His lips often echoed the discontent with complacency, idolatry, and rebellion against Divine decrees. The message from God through Jeremiah here is both a warning and an invitation—a divine call to repentance.

The term "return" in this context is an essential aspect of spiritual growth. In Hebrew, the word for return is "shuv", which is not merely about geographical relocation but rather involves a movement of the heart, a decision to turn back to God from a state of spiritual disarray. When God calls for a return, He beckons us back to the safety of His presence, to the love and grace that His willingness to forgive embodies.

This renewed standing before the Lord is not just a position of rest but an active participation in the Kingdom's work. "And thou shalt stand before me" indicates that upon our return, we are not left in our old state but transformed and empowered to serve as His ambassadors on earth. We become vessels through which His heart, His mouth, speaks to the world around us. God is not interested in passive observers but rather in active participants in the divine narrative.

Moreover, God emphasizes the choice we must make: "if thou take forth the precious from the vile." There is a clarion call for discernment in our lives—distinguishing between what is valuable, pure, and aligned with God’s will (the precious) versus what is useless, corrupt, and opposed to His commands (the vile). This discernment is crucial for anyone desiring to be God’s voice in the world. It sets the stage for a godly life characterized by holiness and purpose.

The call to endure comes with God’s assurance: "thou shalt be as my mouth." Think about that! The Creator of the universe desires for us to be His voice. He wants to speak through us to a world searching for truth amidst chaos and confusion. But this role comes at a cost; it requires an unwavering commitment to His ways and a determination not to yield to the influences that seek to pull us back into the mire.

Finally, there’s an admonition: "but return not thou unto them." We often find ourselves tempted to return to the very practices, habits, and mindsets that led us astray. Yet, God calls us not to revert but to rise above—to keep our eyes firmly on Him. This insistence upon moving forward embodies a life of sustained commitment to righteousness, a rejection of a lukewarm faith that veers away from the truth of God’s revelation.

In conclusion, Jeremiah 15:19 is an invitation to every believer to reflect on their own journey. Are there areas in our lives where we have strayed? Where have we allowed the vile to mix with the precious? God invites us to return—to experience His loving embrace once more. May we discern wisely, adhere to His call, and rise as His mouthpiece in a world desperately in need of His voice. Let us not merely return to God but embrace the high calling He offers us, becoming true vessels of His love and truth. In doing so, we will not only find restoration for ourselves but also influence those around us with the grandeur of God’s grace.

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Jeremiah 15:19 Artwork

Jeremiah 15:19 - "¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them."

Jeremiah 15:19 - "¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them."

"¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them." - Jeremiah 15:19

"¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them." - Jeremiah 15:19

Jeremiah 33:19 - "¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,"

Jeremiah 33:19 - "¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,"

Jeremiah 19:15 - "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words."

Jeremiah 19:15 - "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words."

Jeremiah 36:19 - "Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be."

Jeremiah 36:19 - "Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be."

"¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying," - Jeremiah 33:19

"¶ And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying," - Jeremiah 33:19

Jeremiah 39:15 - "¶ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,"

Jeremiah 39:15 - "¶ Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying,"

Genesis 15:19

Genesis 15:19

Genesis 19-15

Genesis 19-15

Jeremiah 38:19 - "And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me."

Jeremiah 38:19 - "And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me."

Jeremiah 37:15 - "Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison."

Jeremiah 37:15 - "Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made that the prison."

Jeremiah 19:14 - "Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD'S house; and said to all the people,"

Jeremiah 19:14 - "Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD'S house; and said to all the people,"

Genesis 15:19 - "The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,"

Genesis 15:19 - "The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,"

Jeremiah 15:12 - "Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?"

Jeremiah 15:12 - "Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?"

John 21:15-19

John 21:15-19

Luke 21:15-19

Luke 21:15-19

Jeremiah 19:10 - "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,"

Jeremiah 19:10 - "Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,"

Jeremiah 28:15 - "Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie."

Jeremiah 28:15 - "Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie."

Jeremiah 10:15 - "They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish."

Jeremiah 10:15 - "They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish."

Jeremiah 13:15 - "¶ Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken."

Jeremiah 13:15 - "¶ Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken."

1 Samuel 28:15-19

1 Samuel 28:15-19

Jeremiah 18:19 - "Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me."

Jeremiah 18:19 - "Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me."

Jeremiah 25:19 - "Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;"

Jeremiah 25:19 - "Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people;"

Jeremiah 8:15 - "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!"

Jeremiah 8:15 - "We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!"

Jeremiah 4:15 - "For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim."

Jeremiah 4:15 - "For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim."

Jeremiah 22:19 - "He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

Jeremiah 22:19 - "He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

Matthew 19:15 - "And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

Matthew 19:15 - "And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence."

Jeremiah 7:19 - "Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?"

Jeremiah 7:19 - "Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?"

"The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites," - Genesis 15:19

"The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites," - Genesis 15:19

Jeremiah 49:15 - "For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men."

Jeremiah 49:15 - "For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised among men."