I do not doubt, but that these verses had respect to the bringing back the people from Babylon. But, I still think, the Holy Ghost had yet a much greater object in view, in bringing back the Lord's heritage from worse than any earthly captivity, even from the captivity of sin and Satan. For what blindness is equal to the blindness of the soul; or what captivity like the bondage of hell? If we read the passage in this spiritual point of view, we shall find it precious indeed. The Lord puts a behold! before the words, that the Church may take notice. And surely most worthy of notice it is: for both the north country, and all the coasts of the east shall give up God's children, when the Lord demands his own. He saith to the north, give up; and to the south, keep not back. Isaiah 43:6. But who are they that shall come? Both the blind and the lame. Jesus will be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. No impediments shall obstruct, for even a woman in travail shall not plead excuses, but joyfully follow the Lord's royal camp. And observe, Reader! the Lord saith, it shall not be a few, but a great company. John when in vision he saw heaven opened, tells the Church, that in his day it formed a multitude that no man could number. And what an host of redeemed souls since born, and who have joined the society of the spirits of just men made perfect, who shall calculate? Revelation 7:9. And I beg the Reader yet further to remark on this beautiful passage, how the redeemed are said to come. They are to come both with weeping and supplication. Tears of holy joy, under a conscious sense of undeservings but, as holy mourners in the view of divine mercy. The same Prophet hath elsewhere more particularly described this sweet frame of soul. Jeremiah 50:4-5. And what sums up the whole beauty of this lovely passage, is in the close of it, wherein the Lord assigns the reason of this mercy; that it is not in human merit, but divine favor; and God's relationship to his people in Christ. As the Lord said to Pharaoh in Egypt, so now he saith to all: Israel is my son, my first born. Oh! precious cause of all our mercy in Christ! Exodus 4:22.
Related Commentaries of Jeremiah 31:8
Jeremiah 31:8-9
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplicationsc will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.