For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. This verse employs comparative language to juxtapose judgment's brevity against mercy's magnitude. "Small moment" (rega qaton, רֶגַע קָטֹן) suggests a brief instant, while "great mercies" (berachamim gedolim, בְּרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים) emphasizes abundant, overflowing compassion. The Hebrew rachamim (רַחֲמִים) derives from rechem (רֶחֶם, womb), suggesting motherly, tender compassion.
The verb "forsaken" ('azavtikh, עֲזַבְתִּיךְ) acknowledges real abandonment—God doesn't deny the exile's reality. Yet its duration is "small" from divine perspective, however long it seemed to sufferers. The contrasting "gather" (aqabbetsekh, אֲקַבְּצֵךְ) promises reunion, collecting scattered exiles into unity. The proportion is stark: brief forsaking versus abundant gathering, temporary judgment versus enduring mercy.
From a Reformed perspective, this verse addresses the apparent paradox of divine discipline. God's children experience real chastening (Hebrews 12:6), yet this is "for a moment" compared to eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17—"our light affliction, which is but for a moment"). The certainty of gathering grounds assurance—God's anger is momentary, His compassion eternal (Psalm 30:5). This verse teaches that God's essential character is mercy; wrath is His "strange work" (Isaiah 28:21), necessary but not preferred.
Historical Context
The exile lasted approximately 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10)—roughly two to three generations. For those experiencing it, this seemed interminable. Yet from God's eternal perspective and Israel's multi-millennial history, 70 years is indeed "a small moment." The gathering refers to return under Cyrus and subsequent waves.
This principle appears throughout Scripture: Noah's flood (judgment) followed by covenant promise (Genesis 9); Egypt's bondage (400 years) followed by exodus and inheritance; wilderness wandering (40 years) preceding Canaan. In each case, judgment is temporary, mercy enduring. For the church, present suffering is brief compared to "eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). Church history confirms this—persecutions end, but God's gathering of His people continues through millennia.
Questions for Reflection
How does viewing present trials as 'a small moment' compared to eternal mercies provide perspective?
What evidence of God's 'great mercies' can you identify in your current circumstances?
How should this proportion (brief forsaking, abundant gathering) shape your response to discipline?
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Analysis & Commentary
For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. This verse employs comparative language to juxtapose judgment's brevity against mercy's magnitude. "Small moment" (rega qaton, רֶגַע קָטֹן) suggests a brief instant, while "great mercies" (berachamim gedolim, בְּרַחֲמִים גְּדֹלִים) emphasizes abundant, overflowing compassion. The Hebrew rachamim (רַחֲמִים) derives from rechem (רֶחֶם, womb), suggesting motherly, tender compassion.
The verb "forsaken" ('azavtikh, עֲזַבְתִּיךְ) acknowledges real abandonment—God doesn't deny the exile's reality. Yet its duration is "small" from divine perspective, however long it seemed to sufferers. The contrasting "gather" (aqabbetsekh, אֲקַבְּצֵךְ) promises reunion, collecting scattered exiles into unity. The proportion is stark: brief forsaking versus abundant gathering, temporary judgment versus enduring mercy.
From a Reformed perspective, this verse addresses the apparent paradox of divine discipline. God's children experience real chastening (Hebrews 12:6), yet this is "for a moment" compared to eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17—"our light affliction, which is but for a moment"). The certainty of gathering grounds assurance—God's anger is momentary, His compassion eternal (Psalm 30:5). This verse teaches that God's essential character is mercy; wrath is His "strange work" (Isaiah 28:21), necessary but not preferred.