What does it mean when God says, "If thou return, then will I bring thee again"?

In this line, God is speaking to Jeremiah after the prophet has poured out his frustration and pain. When God says, "If thou return," he is calling Jeremiah back from doubtful and discouraged thoughts to a settled trust in God and to his prophetic work. It is not about Jeremiah coming back to physical land, but about returning in heart and mind to his role and to confidence in God's word. "I will bring thee again" means God will restore him, keep him in his ministry, and let him stand before God as his servant, ready to hear and speak God’s message.

What does "take forth the precious from the vile" mean in this passage?

“Take forth the precious from the vile" is God’s way of telling Jeremiah to separate what is true and good from what is false and worthless. This has at least two sides. First, Jeremiah is to speak pure truth from God, not mix it with wrong teaching, flattery, or empty words. Second, he is to make a clear difference between people who truly belong to God and those who stubbornly live in sin. He is to comfort the repentant and warn the unrepentant. If he does this, God says Jeremiah will be “as my mouth,” meaning his words will carry God’s own authority.

What does God mean by "let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them"?

Here God tells Jeremiah not to bend to the people’s sinful ways or their pressure. “Let them return unto thee” means that if there is any change, it should be the people coming around to Jeremiah’s message, not Jeremiah softening or twisting God’s words to please them. “Return not thou unto them” warns him not to conform to their unbelief, complaints, or disobedience. He must stay firm, speak what God says, and let those who listen adjust to God’s truth. It is a call to stand steady, not to trade faithfulness for acceptance.

Why does God call Jeremiah a "fenced brasen wall" to this people?

When God says he will make Jeremiah a "fenced brasen wall," he is using a picture of strong, fortified metal walls that cannot easily be broken. The people will fight against Jeremiah with words, threats, and even physical harm, but they will not succeed in silencing God’s message or destroying his servant before his work is done. God is not saying Jeremiah will feel no pain, but that he will be kept firm, steady, and inwardly upheld. The strength does not come from Jeremiah’s personality but from God’s promise, “for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee.”

What does this passage teach about God saving Jeremiah from the wicked and the terrible?

God promises, “I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.” The “wicked” and the “terrible” are those who oppose Jeremiah and use their power to threaten him, including rulers and strong men. God is not saying Jeremiah will never be attacked or imprisoned, but that evil people will not finally succeed in cutting him off from his calling or from God’s care. To “deliver” and “redeem” here means God will pull him out of their grasp at the right time, keeping his life and mission in God’s hands, not theirs.

How does this passage show both Jeremiah's weakness and God's faithfulness?

In the wider setting, Jeremiah has spoken very honestly about feeling worn out, wounded, and even afraid that God’s promises will fail him. God does not cast him aside for this, but calls him to return to a right frame of heart and to steady obedience. At the same time, God repeats his promises: Jeremiah will stand before God, speak as God’s mouth, be made like a bronze wall, and be delivered from the wicked. So we see both sides: Jeremiah as a real, struggling servant, and God as patient, strong, and faithful, giving both correction and deep comfort.

How can this passage guide someone who wants to serve God today?

This passage shows that serving God often brings resistance, misunderstanding, and even danger, but it also shows how God cares for those he calls. A person who wants to serve God today can learn to stay close to God’s word, not soften truth to gain approval, and make a clear difference between what is precious and what is worthless. It also teaches that doubts and fears should be brought honestly to God, not hidden. As God promised to be with Jeremiah, strengthen him, and deliver him, believers today can lean on the same God for courage, faithfulness, and protection in their own callings.

What does this passage teach about God's presence with his servants in hard times?

The repeated promise, “I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee,” is at the heart of this passage. God does not promise Jeremiah an easy path or a gentle audience, but he does promise his own presence and help. The picture of the fenced bronze wall shows that God himself is Jeremiah’s strength and defense. This means that the servant is never really standing alone, even when everyone around opposes the message. God’s presence brings courage to speak, power to endure, and rescue at the right time. Hard times do not erase God’s nearness, they often reveal it more clearly.

Jer.15.19

Jeremiah 15:19

KJV GOD

¶ 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.

The LORD’s Promise

¶ 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.

And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.