Jeremiah Chapters 30-31_John_Karmelich
1.
After endless chapter after chapter of horrid predictions of coming
disaster, we now get a section of Jeremiah saying, "It's ok, it'll
eventually get better". It made think, why is it always necessary to
"break people" before transforming them into something better? For example, armies are famous for taking
people, stripping them of all dignity and all the habits they've learned to
make them to be the kind of person an army wants. Consider the bible Exodus. In effect it was God working to change the
Israelites to live, as He desires. An
old joke is, "It took 40 days to get the Israelites out of Egypt, but it
took 40 years to get Egypt out of the Israelites". My whole point is
"breaking us" is usually a necessary prerequisite to living as God
desires just as it is for many aspects of life!
a)
OK, John, after 29 chapters telling us in effect how horrid the
Babylonian invasion will be, I would say it's time you (ok Jeremiah) hit us
with the good news. So what is it already?
b)
Essentially it's the idea that God's not through with the nation of
Israel. Let's be honest, if you were
kicked out of your homeland and that same land was destroyed, you'd think, so
much for that life, I can never look back.
However, God loves to work where we can't. If there is one thing we learn from studying
the bible, it's that God loves to prove He can do what people can't. If you study bible miracles carefully, they
are always things that can't be explained by human interaction. In other words, it's things we can't do for
ourselves.
c)
That leads back to the idea of salvation. One of the great differences between Judaism
vs. Christianity is the concept of "proving our worth to God". Christians do believe that we're to do good
works, but it's based on gratitude for our salvation, not proving our worth.
I'm getting into this because here, as the Israelites "gave up"
defeated, as they were kicked out of that land. God effectively responds,
"Wait a minute. Just because you've
had it, doesn't mean I've had it". As an example, a "Higher
Power" is a necessary part of all of the 12-step programs. It's to realize
that when realize we've hit rock bottom, God can still do what we can't do for
or by ourselves. It's why we have hope when all seems lost in life!
d)
Bottom line, these chapters describe God's future restoration plans for
the nation of Israel. We will get some
passages here quoted in the New Testament.
e)
At this point let me give my lesson title. It's the word "Hope". It's to understand that God has a plan even
when He breaks us down and takes away all we have. Our hope is in the fact that despite all the
horrid things that have occurred in our live, we need to still have a lot of
hope because eternity is well, immeasurably longer than this life. All we go through in this life in effect is
God "breaking us" to make us into the kind of person He wants us to
be for all of eternity. In other words
all of this is worth it!
2.
With all of this understood, I need everyone to realize these two
chapters are a "Jewish thing".
In these chapters we're going to read of God's plan to restore the
nation of Israel one day. So what's that
mean for us Christians? OK, God's going to restore the Nation of Israel one day
so they'll live as He desires. Good for
them. What does any of that have to do
with us Christians? So glad that you
asked. To answer, I need you to consider
Paul's letter to the Romans. He has
three chapters dedicated to discussing Israel's past (pre-Jesus, Chapter 9),
Israel in the Christian era (Chapter 10) and finally Israel in the
"post-Christian" era. (Chapter 11.) In fact Paul quotes Jeremiah
Chapter 31 to support his argument.
However, Paul doesn't just give that illustration to show how God will
one day restore Israel. He gives it to
show our hope in Jesus is "worth it".
a)
To quote my favorite Jewish teacher Dennis Prager, "I've got
nothing against Evangelical Christian theology, because if they're right, we,
the Jewish people win in the end".
b)
What we need to grasp is if they (The Jewish people win), realize we
non-Jewish believers will win as well.
Our trust in Jesus means we're "grafted in" to the family of
God. All that I'm getting at is we
should have hope that no matter what we're going through, we win in the end,
based on our trust in Jesus.
c)
That's good news and should give us cause to be joyful and hopeful of
our future!
3.
OK John, you're definitely preaching to the choir again. We may not grasp all the details over the
future of the Jewish nation although I'm sure this lesson will teach us those
things. Why should I care about all of
this stuff if I already believe I'm saved based on my trust of Jesus dying for
all of my sins and being Lord of my life?
How does any of this help me go through my day? You just know that I love that question:
a)
First, it gives us perspective.
It's the reminder that no matter how much we mess up, we'll be saved
based on that trust. It's the reminder that no matter how hard life gets at
times, it is a reminder that "this too shall pass". It's a reminder that
God has a purpose for allowing us to go through whatever we're dealing with at
this time.
b)
Remember that Jeremiah's talking to a big bunch of Israelites who are
about to lose all that they have, know or care about. In spite of that God's
telling them that He's not done with His corporate relationship with them. It
reminds us, "If God's not through with them, then He is not done with us
either". It's a great reason to
have hope for our future.
c)
If we get all of that, what do we do in the meantime? Never give up. It means making the best decisions we can
given the situation in front of us. It
means we continue to live by all the principals taught in the bible as a
witness for Jesus, not to earn His love.
It means that we are to go through live being joyful because we have a
duty to be a witness for Jesus as well as because we have a hope that our
eternal wonderful future is certain!
d)
Recently a had a nephew ask me, "How do you know for sure that the
Bible is the word of God?" I told him that 30% of the bible is predictions
about the future. It's there to teach us
that God knows the future before it occurs.
It verifies the bible as coming from outside of time as we know it. I state that here because these chapters are
predictive of Israel's short- term future (70 years after Jeremiah's
prediction) as well as the long-term prediction of the future of that
nation. So how do you know it's also
long term? That's what Jeremiah 31 is
all about. That's why Paul quoted it in
Romans 11. It's the reminder that "it's
all worth it". I'm talking about
whatever suffering we must deal with in this life. That's why we should be joyful no matter the
situation. It's the idea that we can't
lose, so be full of joy!
4.
With all that said, I'm not going to do my usual summary of these two
chapters. We don't get any specific date time stamps. Jeremiah states how God
will restore the 100-year dead North Israelite kingdom. Then he expands that to
say, "Since I'm discussing how God will restore the long dead North
kingdom, let me expand on that to include the fact He's going to restore all of
Israel again. Yes we get references to life after that 70-year prediction comes
true. We also get predictions that are
obviously in the distant future. It keys on the fact that Jeremiah predicts
that all of Israel "will know" God.
If you know anything about modern Israel, I would say it's very secular
for the most part. Therefore, to predict
that everyone there will know God has to be future to us living today.
5.
Yes I'm well aware that whenever one talks future predictions, it's a
debatable topic over how it'll exactly occur.
What I'm going to teach is fairly "standard" among Evangelical
views of the future for Israel. A reason
we should care is because if we can't trust God's predictions about Israel how
can we ever trust His promises about God's plans for us Christians? The fact that so many of the bible
predictions have literally came true support that. Peter himself stated that the fact he spent
several years personally with Jesus is not as convincing as bible prophecy to
validate all that He's promised to us as Christians will come true. (See 2nd Peter 1:18-19.)
6.
As far as the text itself, it's hard to give my usual chapter
summary. It all coves the topic of hope
as it focuses on God's plans for the future of that nation. We're going to cover a lot of verses here so
I ask for your patience as we go through it all. Just realize as we discuss God's future plans
for the nation of Israel, what we need to be thinking in the background is,
"If God's going to be doing all of this for them in spite of how bad
they've messed up, how much more is His promises going to come true for us
Christians even though we blow it just as badly". These chapters give us hope that it's our
faith in what Jesus did that saves us, not our works. We only do good works as that's the best way
to live life and as a witness for Him.
OK then, enough of that. Let's
get rolling.
7.
Chapter 30, Verse 1: This is the
word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 "This is
what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `Write in a book all the words I have
spoken to you. 3 The days are coming,' declares the LORD, `when
I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to
the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the LORD."
a)
We're not
positive when this section was written, but "best guess" is it was
soon before the final Babylonian invasion occurred that destroyed what was left
of Israel as a kingdom.
b)
Jeremiah wrote
this almost as if he's saying, " I'm tired of stating how bad things are
going to be for Israel. Let me take a
little time now to say how good things will be one day". No it won't be because we deserve it. We deserve to be in hell for not living as
God calls us to live. What we will get is forgiveness not because we deserve
it, but just because God loves us unconditionally. I don't know why He chose me. I just accept that He did and live my life as
a witness for Him out of gratitude not so I can prove my worth to Him.
c)
Anyway, that's why
Jeremiah switches from the "judgment's coming" that prevailed in the
first 29 chapters of this book, to a message of hope that'll be prevalent in
Chapters 30-33.
d)
To state it
bluntly, Jeremiah's predicting that God will not only restore the
"South" Israel Kingdom (called Judah), but He'll also return the long
dead North Kingdom called Israel.
i)
Time for a quick
historical background for the newcomers.
Israel first became one kingdom under a man named Saul about
1000BC. Next came King David. At the time of David's grandson ruling,
Israel split into two kingdoms. The
North one is called Israel and they got taken into captivity about 721 BC if
memory is correct by an empire called the Assyrians. About a hundred years later, the Babylonians
did conquer the Assyrians and inherited all their lands and their
conquered. So when the Babylonians
conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah around Jeremiah's day around 600 BC, that
meant all the surviving Israelites got scattered in the Babylon Empire that
existed for only about a 100 years before the Persians conquered them.
ii)
With that understood, here's Jeremiah predicting that not only will the
"South" one be restored, but the "North" will as well. If
you think that's no big deal, realize that in the history of civilization, no
country has ever been conquered, scattered and then came back together again to
be a country, except for Israel who's did it twice in the history of
civilization. That alone is a great
proof of the bible as God's word!
iii)
For those of you that only think bible predictions are "ancient
history" it has some predictions that have come true in the last
century! OK then, let's move on!
8.
Verse 4: These are the words the LORD spoke concerning Israel
and Judah: 5 "This is what the LORD says: "Cries
of fear are heard-- terror, not peace. 6 Ask and see:
Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on
his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale?
a)
Unfortunately,
before Jeremiah can focus more on the positive, he want to emphasize just how
painful it will be in the meantime.
Again it's the reminder of the fact that God works in our life to break
us of ways we're disobedient to Him so He can use us for His glory.
b)
The illustration
here is a little unusual, but I'll explain it.
The essential idea is that a male's body is not designed to produce
children. However, because of the pain
of the land being destroyed, men will "bend over in pain" as if
they're in labor. Yes it's a strange
illustration but it gets the point across that life will be really
painful. Remember that the
"South" had most if not all of their remaining men fighting to
preserve their nation from destruction.
c)
Jeremiah's saying
the loss will be so bad, it's as if all the fighting men are bending over in
pain like they're in labor. OK we get the point, move on.
9.
Verse 7: How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It
will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it. 8 " ` In
that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, `I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them.
a)
You're about to
learn that these two chapters are full of expressions that tie to stuff in the
New Testament. The first of the is the
expression, "time of Jacob's trouble" (Verse 7.)
i)
To discuss that
expression, first remember that we're dealing with a "Jewish thing"
because Jacob was the original name of the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.
ii)
The next thing to
remember is that prophecy is "patterns". Some argue this only is referring to the
Babylonian captivity. However, Verse 8
ends with "No longer will foreigners enslave them". Obviously after the Babylonians the Israelites
were part of other empires all the way until 1948. Some will even argue it refers to the WWII
Holocaust. However again the express is
"No longer will foreigners enslave them" in Verse 8. So can it refer to Israel being a nation
again? Could be, but given all of the
hatred of that nation, I think it's something different. Drum roll:
iii)
It refers to the
horror period that is most of the book of Revelation. Without going into all that detail, let's
just say the whole world will be at war with Israel as a key factor. It's a time when God's temple is rebuilt and
the Antichrist puts a stop to all the return of animal sacrifices and demand he
be worshipped. Anyway, this is the Old
Testament term ("time of Jacob's trouble") for the "Revelation
show".
b)
Now for the
important question. Why bring that up
here? After all the focus of Jeremiah is
on upcoming the Babylonian invasion. Why
is "Jacob's trouble" brought up here?
This is here (in my opinion) to say in effect the effort to wipe out the
Jewish nation doesn't end with the Babylonians.
We know that's true in history as the Romans did their best to wipe out
that nation, let alone what Hitler did.
Anyway, it's here to make us realize the Jewish nation will always be at
risk up to and including the time of "Jacob's trouble". Why?
As I love to point out is because Jesus needs a Jewish nation to be
there when He shows up. I'd also argue there is a resentment of the idea of a
Jewish guide who rules over our world.
c)
OK enough bad
news. I promised this is a positive
lesson; so let's get back to it.
10.
Verse 9: Instead, they will serve the LORD their God
and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
a)
Keep in mind when
Jeremiah wrote this, David's been dead for close to 400 years. In some
commentaries, they will argue it refers to a literal resurrection of
David. It's the idea that when Jesus
rules over the world, David himself will be in charge of Jerusalem. We won't
know until that future day, but it's a possibility based on this text.
b)
The other
interpretation that most commentators lean toward is this is a reference to
Jesus as the promised Messiah and a direct descendant of David ruling the world
from there!
c)
With that
established, let's get back to Jeremiah.
11.
Verse 10: " `So do not fear, O Jacob my servant;
do not be dismayed, O Israel,' declares the LORD. `I will surely save you out of a distant
place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and
no one will make him afraid. 11 I am with you
and will save you,' declares the LORD. `Though I completely destroy all the
nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will
discipline you but only with justice; I will not let you go entirely
unpunished.'
a)
We're back to the
"hope message". The beginning
of Chapter 32 seems to indicate that this was organized as a message shortly
before the Babylonians wiped out Jerusalem once and for all. I can't be positive that Chapters 30 and 31
were composed then, but it does give us a message of hope when all seems lost.
The message to Israel is despite the fact they'll lose the battle for the land
now, God's going to wipe out every place that took Israel captive.
b)
I've mentioned
before that my favorite t-shirt when I went to Israel a few years back had a
list of all the nations and empires who conquered Israel. Each of them had a line through them as none
of them exist anymore and Israel still stands.
My point is we can now see of the fact these verses have literally come
true. It also doesn't say much for all those nations that threaten Israel today
and what's their future. I'm not saying
modern Israel is perfect. I'm just
saying I don't want to mess with God who considers Israel "His land".
c)
At the same time,
notice near the end of Verse 11 God says He'll discipline you (Israel) but only
"with justice". The short
version is they'll suffer, but it will never be permanent.
d)
OK John this is
all interesting. Why should we
care? Keep in mind we're "grafted
into the kingdom" because of God's unconditional promises to us as
Gentiles. OK, that's old news. Why should we care about all these details
for Israel? Because if God can give them
hope about their plans for their eternal future, what does that say about us,
when things are not looking good for us at the moment. Remember that one of the
big bible themes is that God likes to discipline us to prepare us for our
eternal destiny. Therefore, if there's hope for the nation of Israel, that
would also imply there's hope for us as Christians despite whatever's the
situation of the moment. Obviously it doesn't
mean we will be rescued quickly out of each situation. Sometimes God allows the death of His saints
for a greater purpose. All I want us to
grasp is the fact that God gives us hope as well, but it's the eternal kind!
12.
Verse 12: "This is what the LORD says: "`Your wound is incurable, your injury
beyond healing. 13 There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy
for your sore, no healing for you. 14 All your allies
have forgotten you; they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel,
because your guilt is so great and your sins so many. 15 Why do you cry
out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt
and many sins I have done these things to you.
a)
The first question to ask here is Jeremiah condemning the Israelites or
their enemies? We read of both being
discussed in these chapters, so let's clear that up as neither groups gets
blatantly messaged in these verses. If
we back up a few verses, we read that Jeremiah was talking of "Jacob"
(Verse 10). He's the father of the 12 brothers who became the 12 tribes of
Israel. My simple point is we're
definitely talking about the Israelites in this passage.
b)
This is Jeremiah explaining in effect, why God had to "break
them" before He can start His restoration program that will be described
throughout this lesson. In other words,
before we can get the good news, we have to deal with the bad news. Jeremiah's key point is the sins of the
Israelites are "incurable".
Yes he's referring to the idolatry that was dominating the land of
Israel at that time (first in the Northern Kingdom that lead them into
captivity) and then roughly a century later, in the Southern Kingdom that
required their captivity.
c)
As I've stated a bunch of times, the good news of the Babylonian
captivity is it cured them of their "grand scale" idolatry of the
Israelites literally turning to other gods.
d)
OK John that's neat and I'm glad that worked. Why should we care? Because another way to read these verses is
to remind us of the biblical principal that our sins are "incurable"
in the eyes of God. It's saying in effect that none of us are perfect and we're
trying to please a perfect God with our efforts. In that sense, these verses are arguing
against "works" for us to prove our worth to God. As I stated in the
introduction Christians should believe in the concept of good works, but not to
prove our worth to God, but only to show our gratitude for what He's done for
us. If you reread these verses that way,
the principal is there!
e)
But God doesn't literally kick us out of our land to lead us to
Him. However, I would say He makes our
life miserable in the sense we sense we're "missing something" when
we're not living our lives to make a difference for Him. One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit in the
life of the believer is to convince us of our sins again to draw us closer to
Him.
f)
Meanwhile, while I got philosophical Jeremiah's still picking on those
Israelites:
13.
Verse 16: " `But all who
devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile. Those who
plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
a)
It's one thing to realize God's going to restore our nation one
day. It's another to realize it may cost
us our life in the meantime. A lot of
those Israelites did die trying to prevent the inevitable. A lot of them died
in captivity. In the last 2,000 years
many people did die as a witness for Jesus. My point is God never guarantees us
long life as one of His. What He is
promising is if we use the time He has given us as a witness for Him, we'll
live forever. It is a reminder that the purpose of life is to do His will, not
ours and yes often that means it will cost us a long life in this lifetime. The
point as it applies here is the captivity is needed in order to accomplish God's
goal. The good news is coming next:
14.
Verse 17: But I will restore you to health and heal your
wounds,' declares the LORD, `because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom
no one cares.' 18 "This is
what the LORD says: " `I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and
have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and
the palace will stand in its proper place.
a)
Let's be honest
if you were going to get killed defending Israel or died in captivity I doubt
this verse is comforting. Again the
important thing is to see the big picture.
That living in this life is much more than our life span. If we realize
that the reason God made the world in the first place was to glorify Him. It's so those called to live forever can use
their life as a witness for Him. That's
the purpose of life. If we realize that, it gives us purpose greater than
anything else we can use our lives for!
b)
That leads us to
the "hope" of this chapter.
It's not just that saved people will be in heaven forever. It's so God can fulfill His purpose in this
world. One way He does that is to work in ways we can't. He takes a dead nation
who got scattered and bring it back again.
In the history of civilization it's never happened to another
nation. When the Hebrew language was
brought back for modern Israel, it was the first time in the history of
civilization that a dead language was brought back for daily use! All I'm saying that if you want proof of
God's plans being bigger than man's plans look at Israel's history. You and I get to watch that play out as we
see it happening today.
c)
Remember that
when Jeremiah wrote this, it's all in the future. He didn't get to see Israel be restored as a
nation. It's one of the great bible
predictions that came true over time! It's there "hope" and God never
disappoints when we have hope in Him.
15.
Verse 19: From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the
sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be
decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained. 20 Their children
will be as in days of old, and their community will be established before me; I
will punish all who oppress them. 21 Their leader
will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close
to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?' declares the
LORD.
a)
First question, is this "end times" or after they return from
Babylon? Some of both. God's trying to get it through them that
despite the fact they're being taken into captivity, this is not "the
end". Yes a relatively small
percentage did return 70 years later. I'm sure they did celebrate their return.
There are a few bible books written after their return and Nehemiah discussed
punishment of people who tried to oppress them then.
b)
However, bible predictions are often in patterns as I've stated over
and over again. There's usually short-term fulfillment to validate the prophet
as one of God's. There's often a long term one in focus and as we read these two
chapters as a whole, one can sense that's what Jeremiah often had in mind. Did Jeremiah fully understand the long-term
prediction? My guess is no, but it's what God told him to say, so what choice
did he have? The reason I'm saying all
of this is because the text describes the leaders in Israel after the return as
being a person after God's own heart.
Yes it can refer to Ezra and Nehemiah but as we'll see it's probably
focusing more on the Messiah ruling from Israel forever.
c)
Time for a quick "why should we care" speech again. Whether we like it or not, when the return of
Jesus occurs, He'll be ruling the world from Israel. That's way it's necessary for a Jewish
population to exist when He's there.
That's why Israel was there 2,000 years ago as it was necessary for His
first coming and Israel must exist at the time of His Second.
i)
That leads back to us. What do
you think Christians will do when He returns? We will not be sitting in heaven
without a care in the world. Just as God saved us for a purpose in this
lifetime, I suspect He's got purposes for us in the next one. We will be working for Him in some capacity
when He returns.
ii)
Can I prove that? No, it's just
what I suspect. I don't see God saving
us so we'll be sitting in heaven watching television all day! Just as He has a purpose for us now, He'll
have a purpose for us then. Meanwhile,
back to the Israelites.
16.
Verse 22: " `So you will be my people, and I will be your
God.' "
a)
Does that mean
all the Israelites who returned to Israel were saved? Of course not. Just as it does not mean
everyone who has godly parents is automatically saved. What you need to understand is that Jesus
desires His people united under His leadership.
It's the idea of the importance of the "Land". I've always found it strange that the God who
created all of the universe looks at the real estate of Israel and says
"It's mine, don't mess with it". That's what the bible teaches. In
fact Jesus stated how much He desires that His people be united under Him there
and it grieved Him that they refuse.
(See Matthew 23:37 or Luke 13:34.)
i)
Anyway, the point is God desired to gather His people "all in one
place". So how's that going to work
eternally? It gets back to my theory that we'll exist in more than three
dimensions eternally. I'll leave it at
that. All I wanted to get across here's
the fact that God desires His people gathered together to under His rule.
b)
So explain again how we Christians fit in this picture? As an illustration, Jesus said there was a
king who wanted to give a big banquet.
Picture throwing a wedding and you knew exactly how many seats there
were. In that illustration people made
excuses not to come. Jesus said to
invite other people in effect until the place was filled up. It's not perfect, but it sort of gives an
example of how we Gentiles were "grafted into" His plan while He
still is keeping His unconditional promises to the nation of Israel. (See Luke 14 for this story.)
c)
Now that I've explained that, let's get back to Jeremiah:
17.
Verse 23: See, the storm of the LORD will burst out in wrath, a
driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. 24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back until
he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand this.
a)
What I pondered as I read this is "in the days to come, is that
after the 70 years or is that a reference to life after the "full number
of Gentiles come in."
b)
Time for a New Testament lesson.
Paul spends three chapters on God's relationship with the nation of Israel. Romans 9 focuses on Israel pre-Jesus. Romans 10 focuses on Israel in the Christian
era and Romans 11 focuses on Israel in the "post-Christian era". My point is that there is coming a day when a
specific number of people will be saved that form the church (See Romans
11:25). Then God focuses on Israel once
again. We'll discuss it more in the next
chapter, (later in the lesson). Can
non-Jewish people still go to heaven after that? It's debated, but I'll argue yes, but I'll
save that discussion for another day.
c)
My point of getting into all of this is the "short-term"
fulfillment is obviously after that 70- year period is completed. Verse 24 above mentions God's anger will not
turn back until it is "fully satisfied". My point is God's anger at the sin could only
be satisfied at the cross. I am just
saying these verses definitely have end time implications here.
18.
Let me pause for a moment before I jump into Chapter 31. A lot of you may be reading all of this
"end time stuff" and think, "Well that's neat, but how does it
affect me today?" My answer has to
do with realizing the big picture of God's plan for salvation. For us to be a part of it, obviously it
begins with accepting Jesus as God, paying for all our sins and accepting Him
as being in charge of our lives.
However, that's step 1. The rest
of our lives should be dedicated to using it to make a difference for Him. That's why we were saved in the first
place. So until God wraps up the era of
the Christian church, our job is to stay busy making a difference for Him.
a)
With that necessary speech out of my system, time for Chapter 31.
19.
Chapter 31, Verse 1: "At that time," declares the LORD, "I
will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people." 2 This is what
the LORD says: "The people who
survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to
Israel."
a)
Again after the
captivity only a small percentage of them returned. Yes there were people from all the tribes of
Israel. There are no lost tribes by the way. The North Israel one went into
captivity by the Assyrians. The
Babylonians conquered them and inherited all of the groups they had. My point is members of all the tribes
returned. However, I don't think the
verses are just referring to life for those who came back. We'll get to that next:
20.
Verse 3: The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I
have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
a)
One of the things
to grasp about God is He loves His people "unconditionally". No it does not mean all Jewish people are
saved because they're Jewish. It just means all of us who've used their lives to make a difference for Him
because we've "walked by faith" to put it in a simple term, are loved
by God unconditionally. I hold the view
that if we trust in Jesus as I stated earlier (believe He's Lord of our lives,
paid the full price for our sins, is God) then I will argue we can't blow it if
we tried. If there was a way for me to
blow it, I guarantee I would have found it by now! With that thought in mind,
God states in effect that He has a love for His own that is unconditional. It's the idea that many are called, but few
respond in a way that God demands (that we use our lives as a witness for Him).
What about those who die before an age of accountability? I believe they get a "free
ticket". I'll leave that up to Him
to judge, but just as Jesus commanded that we come to Him as little children, I
do believe that babies who die are automatically saved.
b)
Anyway a key
verse here is simply the fact that God loves us "just because He
does". It is not something we can
explain, just something we must accept.
It doesn't mean we ignore Him and say, "Thanks God, see you in the
next life!" It means out of gratitude for what He has done for us we live
as He desires we live. No we're not
perfect but we should try!
21.
Verse 4: I will build you up again and you will be
rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will
take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. 5 Again you will plant
vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant them and enjoy their
fruit.
a)
The first thing
to realize is Jeremiah's saying the return won't just be the "South"
kingdom but all of Israel. Samaria was
the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel that died over a 100 years prior
to the Babylonian captivity.
b)
I'm fascinated
how God refers to the Israelites as "Virgin Israel". This is after they've been collectively
guilty of turning from Him for years. So
what's the deal? Think of describing our
spouse when we first met them! We don't
focus on all their faults that we know after a very long-term
relationship. Calling Israel "My
virgin" is God describing His desire of a healthy relationship with His
people!
c)
With that said,
notice the promise of "hope" in these verses. This four chapter section was most probably
written (or organized) while the Babylonians were "knocking on the
door" for the final destruction.
Yet here is Jeremiah saying, "you're going to come back here not as
prisoners, but dancing with joy as He will do what we can't do for
ourselves." Then we get the reference to the fact that Samaria will be
rebuilt. The reason that's emphasized is to state the fact that it's not just
the Southern Kingdom that will come back, but "everyone" is
welcome. Grant it only a small
percentage actually returned, but again it's God promising hope for those who
desire to draw close to God again!
22.
Verse 6: There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills
of Ephraim, `Come, let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.' " 7 This is what
the LORD says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the
nations. Make your praises heard, and
say, `O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.'
a)
To understand
these verses, remember that Israel has been living with the idea of being a
divided nation for centuries. The idea
of these verses is that those living in the territory of the "North"
will come to Jerusalem. Need to explain
with some key words:
i)
The largest tribe
in the North kingdom was Ephraim. When
the text says those in the hills of Ephraim want to go to "Zion",
it's the idea of traveling to Jerusalem.
ii)
The word Zion is
usually associated with all Israel.
Sometimes it specifically refers to Jerusalem in terms of the Israelites
gathered to worship there.
b)
OK, John all of
this is sort of interesting. I gather
that God's obsessed with gathering all of His people in "one spot" to
worship Him. Why should I care? The
answer is one day we'll be a part of those people gathered together to worship
Him.
c)
So does this mean
we'll all be living in Israel for all of eternity? What if I don't like all that heat? First, relax.
When Jesus was resurrected, one of the stories told was He entered into
a locked room. (John 20:19). The same writer tells us that when we're
resurrected we'll be "like him".
That's why I'm convinced that when we're resurrected we'll exist in more
than three dimensions. That's how Jesus entered that locked room. My point here
is God wants us gathered in one spot to be with Him. I'm pretty sure the weather won't be a
factor. I'm also sure it will be a
joyful experience so however we're all gathered together it'll work!
d)
In the meantime,
Jeremiah is telling those Israelites despite the problems they should have a
strong sense of joy as their descendants will return to their land with great
joy.
e)
For what it's
worth the chapters going to expand to just describing that return after the
70-year period to end times predictions about Israel. My point is to hang tight through this!
23.
Verse 8: See, I will bring them from the land of the
north and gather them from the ends of the earth. Among them will be the blind
and the lame, expectant mothers and women in labor; a great throng will return.
a)
I want to focus on the phrase "land of the north" first. If one looks at a map, Babylon is in effect
due east of Israel. Why north? Some argue it refers to the fact the path to Israel
is a path from the north as that's the main "highway" from Babylon to
Israel. It's the way that the Israelites
were taken in captivity. Maybe it's just
saying, "The same way they went out will be the same way they come back
in!"
b)
OK so much for the "how".
Next is the "who". It
doesn't mention kings. It mentions those
who are blind, lame, expecting mothers, and a "great throng". So why those people? Well for starters, it adds to the
miracle. It isn't like the Israelites
will conquer the Babylonians a day in the future and come home victorious. This is Jeremiah adding to the miracle of the
return to the land. It's as if he's
saying, "Even those people will make it back here".
c)
Again, keep in mind Jeremiah wrote this in Israel's final days before
their captivity. We've got God saying in effect, "Have hope, it's not the
end for God's people despite all the ways you've collectively messed up
(sinned)." This idea it gives us
hope that no mater how bad we've messed up, we may lose our witness for Jesus
but not our salvation.
24.
Verse 9: They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring
them back. I will lead them beside
streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am
Israel's father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
a)
The emphasis here
is that the return will be a happy time.
The crying is the idea that they can't believe this is happening. Again,
in civilization history, no nation got conquered and then scattered then came
back to be a nation again. It's one of
those things when it's very obvious there is a God and He rules over the world. The related idea is the return will not be a
time of suffering. There will be running
water in Israel so they can survive there.
b)
A quick side note
here. The term "firstborn"
does not always mean "first born".
It can also be used as a title as "first in most important". I say that here because Ephraim was not the
firstborn. He was the second son of Joseph. Of the 10 tribes that formed the
North Israelite kingdom Ephraim was the largest and it's a nickname for the
"north". The key point is the
Northern tribe will be part of the return and not just the South one who was
threatened at the time Jeremiah wrote this.
25.
Verse 10:
"Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands:
`He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a
shepherd.' 11 For the LORD
will ransom Jacob and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
a)
Keep in mind
another reason why God's doing all of this.
He wants Israel to be a witness to other nations around them. The proof of Israel returning as a nation
(and nobody else got that privilege) is a proof that the God of the Israelites
is "the" God. The same way He
wants us to be a witness for Him to those around us, so God wanted the
Israelites to also be His witnesses to those "in the
neighborhood". The text also
correctly states they came home in spite of the fact the empires that ruled
were much stronger than them!
26.
Verse 12: They will come and shout for joy on the
heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the LORD-- the grain, the
new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and
they will sorrow no more. 13 Then maidens
will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I
will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. 14 I will satisfy
the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,"
declares the LORD.
a)
This section ends
with a few more "happy" verses.
Again, picture the Israelites scared out of their minds as the
Babylonians have them surrounded. Most
of them will die soon. In spite of all
of that Jeremiah's saying in effect, "Yes life's bad now, but it's not the
end! God has great things planned for
the future of our nation". Grant it that may not be comforting when facing
certain death, but God's saying, "It's not over until I say it's
over!"
b)
Stop and consider
all the Christians who've died as martyrs for Jesus. Think of all of those who've died of say
cancer despite lots of prayers for them.
God never promises us a great life in this one. He promises eternal salvation for those who
trust in Him. He promises if we live our
lives as a witness for Him, the eternal benefits are far greater than whatever
it is we must deal with in this life.
c)
OK John, that's
encouraging. What does it have to do
with these verses? Jeremiah's telling the Israelites that when they return to
the land they'll be good farm land to return to. That day will be a day of dancing and
celebrating. It'll be a day of comfort.
d)
Remember how I
preached that prophecy often has more than one fulfillment. That's what we have
here. Yes it's past tense about the
return, but I'm also convinced it's eternal when the Messiah rules the world
one day from Jerusalem. More on that
coming up.
27.
Verse 15: This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in
Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing
to be comforted, because her children are no more." 16 This is what
the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. "They will return
from the land of the enemy. 17 So there is
hope for your future," declares the LORD. "Your children will return
to their own land.
a)
If Verse 15
sounds familiar, it's because Matthew uses to describe the horror when Herod
ordered the killing of the babies in Bethlehem in order to kill "The
Messiah". (Matt. 2:13.) I suspect
Verse 15 was a "proverb". A little
background is helpful here. The father
of the 12 tribes of Israel was named Jacob. The 12 tribes came from 4 women.
Rachel was one of the four. Her children
were Joseph and Benjamin. Joseph had two sons named Manasseh and Ephraim. Because Joseph rescued the family from Egypt,
his father gave him a "double blessing" so his two sons each got a tribal
area in Israel. The point is those two
tribes are associated with Northern Israel and Benjamin was part of the South
Kingdom. So Rachel weeping for her
children is the idea of Israelites from both of those kingdoms suffering
tragedy. The reason Matthew uses that
proverb is Rachel was buried near Bethlehem.
All I'm saying is "Rachel weeping for her children" is a
proverb for Jewish tragedy.
b)
That leads me
back to the idea that when this was written, the Babylonians were knocking at
the door, so to speak. So there was a
lot of fear and suffering then. That's why we read of "Rachel's
suffering" here. That's why
Jeremiah is preaching "hope" here.
He's saying as sure as you're going into captivity, your children will
be brought back here again!
c)
In fact Verse 17
even mentions the idea of hope itself!
The underlying message for us is to be faithful when things are not
looking well or even "doom" is on the horizon.
28.
Verse 18: "I have surely
heard Ephraim's moaning: `You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have
been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the LORD my
God.
a)
As I stated
earlier, Ephraim was the largest tribe in the "long dead" Northern
kingdom. It is mentioned here to say to the dying Southern Kingdom, "Hey
everyone, I'm bring back the long dead North one, so there is hope for the
future!" The verse mentions the
fact they were disciplined and still God's going to bring back people from the
"North" as well!
29.
Verse 19: After I
strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was
ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.' 20 Is not Ephraim
my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I
still remember him. Therefore my heart
yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD.
a)
Notice the phrase
"beat my breast" in Verse 19. That's a Jewish way of showing
repentance of sin. Verses 19 and 20 are
both "repentance" with Verse 19 from the Israelites viewpoint while
Verse 20 gives it from God's viewpoint.
Let me explain:
i)
Verse 19's
essentially a prediction that when the Israelites return to the land they'll be
sorrow they messed up and show it to God. If it's 70 years later, obviously
that's the next generation coming back.
The idea of repentance here is "national" and not an
individual thing. It's like praying on behalf of our nation, "We really
messed up and we blew it. We recognize
that and recognize that You've given us the hope of salvation in spite of
that. Guide us by Your spirit to live as
You desire."
ii)
Verse 20 is the
idea of repentance from God's perspective.
God allowed the nation of Israel (both kingdoms, but the North is
emphasized here) to go into captivity. In this verse it's God saying in effect,
"The Israelites are my people. Yes
discipline as well as breaking them was necessary in order to get them to
realize that living as I (God) desires is the best way to live." This verse shows that despite the fact He did
allow them to go into captivity, He still loves them and wants the best for
them.
iii)
It's sort of an
Old Testament Version of Romans 8:28 that essentially says all things work
together for God's good for those who love Him.
30.
Verse 21: "Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you
take. Return, O Virgin Israel, return to
your towns. 22 How long will you wander, O unfaithful
daughter? The LORD will create a new thing on earth-- a woman will surround a
man."
a)
As I've stated a
few times so far, this was probably written shortly before the South group was
taken into captivity and the land of Israel was essentially destroyed. I
mention that as Verse 21 says in effect, "Pay attention to the route as
you leave as you'll be coming back by way of the same path". If one thinks "all is lost", giving
hope of one's return is a great way to give comfort when something horrible is
about to occur.
b)
Let me use an
extreme here. Suppose one is dealing
with someone dying of cancer. What we
would say to comfort them is to preach on eternity. Another option is to remind them of how their
lives have made a difference to others so that God's work may continue. My point is there is always hope even in the
worst of situations.
c)
The fact that the
term "Virgin Israel" is used, is a subtle way of saying God forgives
them as a group. Yes judgment is an
individual thing. At the same time it's
a reminder that He is keeping His relationship with Israel as a nation despite
all the sins they committed.
d)
That leads to
Verse 22: What's the "new thing of
a woman surrounding a man"? Yes
that is a confusing passage. Most likely
it refers to the idea that Israel was thought of as God's "bride",
the same way Christians use the word picture of the "Bride of
Christ". (Rev. 19:7.) The idea is
simply that a day will come where the Jewish nation will be accepting God as
their God as a newlywed bride embraces her husband.
31.
Verse 23: This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of
Israel, says: "When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the
land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: `The LORD bless
you, O righteous dwelling, O sacred mountain.' 24 People will
live together in Judah and all its towns--farmers and those who move about with
their flocks. 25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the
faint."
a)
In the last few
verses, Jeremiah talked about the Northern tribes coming back. However, I can see the in his audience in the
Southern Kingdom saying, "Well what about us?" That is why these
verses talk about "the land of Judah" which is the southern Kingdom.
Again we are reading of the Israelites returning to their land. Realize the Babylonians wiped out the nation
completely, so the hope is about all the towns being occupied once again!
32.
Verse 26: At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been
pleasant to me.
a)
Ever have a night
where you woke up and thought, "Wow, that was a nice dream, hope it comes
true". Jeremiah had the advantage
of being a prophet of God. Does that mean all of His dreams were God inspired? Of
course not. I'm sure a late spicy food
dinner affects his dreams like anyone else.
So how do we know this dream is God inspired? Easy, recorded history as well as the bible
tells us the Israelites were allowed to return to that land after it was
conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire. So how do we know the new guy in charge
wasn't just being Pro-Jewish? Part of
the proof is that it was exactly 70 years as predicted. That decree didn't apply to all nations, just
the Israelite one.
b)
Anyway, Jeremiah
had a positive dream, which is the last bunch of verses we read.
33.
Verse 27: "The days are coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will plant the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the
offspring of men and of animals. 28 Just as I
watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring
disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the
LORD.
a)
Well, Jeremiah has been on a roll describing how good life will be
after the return so he is continuing here in these verses. (Things are about to change in a few verses,
so enjoy the last of it here.) In Verse
27 he gets blunt and says people from both kingdoms will return to this land
along with animals. Just as it was God
ordained to have both of the kingdoms taken into captivity, so it'll be God's
will to bring them back. If you know
your history, it wasn't a permanent thing.
Even when they came back they were still under the domain of the
Medo-Persian Empire, then the Greeks then the Romans. In 70AD the Romans got
sick of the Israelites rebelling and "leveled the place" again. I'm
emphasizing that here just as a reminder that the return wasn't permanent. That'll be important by Verse 31. But first we need to read Verses 29 and 30.
34.
Verse 29: "In those days people will no longer say, `The
fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' 30 Instead,
everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes--his own teeth will
be set on edge.
a)
Here we get a proverb that's "lost in translation". It sort of means if "dad's in pain the
kids will suffer". The more literal
translation is the father eats sour grapes the children's teeth also hurt. Instead Jeremiah's predicting people will die
for being a bad witness for God as it has been all through the history of God's
people but the next generation won't suffer.
b)
Obviously there are many exceptions as many people die young. It also is not meant as a "It'll be
permanent right after the Persians set us free". Again they suffered under them as well as the
Greeks and the Romans wiped out that land again and scattered them.
c)
Quick side note for those who don't know. The word Palestine is derived
from "Philistine" by the Romans.
It was meant as an insult to the Jewish people as "it's not your
land".
d)
What I'm getting at is all this jubilation about returning isn't
permanent. That leads us to a key passage that's quoted in the New Testament:
35.
Verse 31: "The time is
coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be
like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to
lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband
to them," declares the LORD.
a)
First thanks for
sticking around this far in the lesson.
I'm about to reward us as I run long to describe the future to us. Let's face it, all this prediction stuff
we've had in this lesson is stuff that happened long ago. We're about to get into predictions that is
future to us too!
b)
Before I do that,
notice the word "covenant". That's how we get the term "New
Testament" as it refers not to the fact it's written later than the Old.
The word "covenant" is a synonym to "Testament". The idea's
the Old Testament focuses on God's promise to bless Israel only if they are
obedient. The idea of the New Testament
is the idea that God Himself will pay the complete price for our sins. With that debt completely paid, we're then
free to use our lives as a witness for Him.
Here's the "bonus":
Israel as a nation will benefit too!
c)
That in effect is what these verses are saying. That the Israelites "broke" that
covenant as it is necessary for God to make a new one with them as they failed
to keep the old one!
d)
What that covenant is, is explained in the next verse.
36.
Verse 33: "This is the covenant I will make with the house
of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and
write it on their hearts. I will be
their God, and they will be my people.
a)
If it's not
amazing enough that God decided that He alone pays the complete price for all
our sins, it's equally as amazing that a future day will come where He will
once again be the God of the Israelites!
Think of it this way, if Jesus is going to rule the world from the
nation of Israel, it would be necessary for them to be
"Pro-Jesus". Israel as it
stands today is very secular. Yes there
is a minority of Orthodox Jews. However,
there will be a strong conversion rate when the "Revelation Show"
occurs as they accept Jesus as the Messiah!
b)
So again, this is
a "Jewish thing", but we can see how it fits into His plans for
Israel when Jesus rules there. OK John,
how do we know all of this isn't a "fairy tale"? After all it has been 2,000 years. That's why the bible is 30% predictions
including the return of them to their homeland.
It's been that long for God to gather in all the Gentiles who He desires
to be a part of His kingdom. Yet a day
will come where God will say, "OK that's it. It's time for Me to focus on Israel as a
nation again." That's what we have
here!
37.
Verse 34: No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a
man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from
the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will
forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
a)
The way I look at
this verse is if God can forgive us of all our sins, then He has every right to
forgive them for rejecting Him corporately.
This is why Paul says in Romans 11 there is coming a day when "All
Israel will be saved." (Romans 11:26). Paul got this just as He got the
fact a day will come when all the Jewish people in Israel will be saved. We have no idea when that day will occur, but
that's what's being taught here. It's
essentially the idea that the Israelites will realize Jesus is and was the
Messiah, and accept Him for a complete payment of all their sins. If you get
that, you understand the true hope of this section!
38.
Verse 35: This is what the LORD says, he who appoints
the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who
stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD Almighty is his name: 36 "Only if
these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the LORD, "will the
descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me." 37 This is what
the LORD says: "Only if the heavens above can be measured and the
foundations of the earth below be searched out will I reject all the
descendants of Israel because of all they have done," declares the LORD.
a)
My loose
translation: As long as the world continues, Israel will never cease to be a
nation before Me. If you know you're
history, the Israelites were kicked out of that land in 70AD and they were not
a country again until 1948. Even after they returned from Babylon, they were
parts of different empires up to and including the Romans. Therefore this has to be a future prediction
"post-Jesus" return.
b)
So how do
religious Jewish people see this passage?
They believe it's Messianic and there will be a Messianic figure who
will rule the world from Israel and Jewish people will trust in Him, so it's
not that different. They fail to see
it's Jesus, but He'll "fix that one day!"
c)
Verse 37 says in
effect if man is ever able to count all the stars or fully comprehend all that
is in the earth then I'll reject the Israelites. Even with all our modern technology, we still
do not know all that information.
39.
Verse 38: "The days are
coming," declares the LORD, "when this city will be rebuilt for me
from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 The measuring
line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to
Goah. 40 The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes
are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as
the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never
again be uprooted or demolished."
a)
Short version,
Jerusalem will be rebuilt to exact specific sizes as laid out here.
b)
I have to admit,
I'm fascinated by some of the 18th Century preachers. At that time, Israel was still in ruins. Yet many bible preachers studied this passage
and believed in a literal return of the Jewish people to that land.
c)
I could give you
details about all of the specific location markers given in these verses, but
I'm running way long. Let's just say
they are literal.
d)
What about modern
Jerusalem. The old city stands today
under Jewish control. Does that mean
this is fulfilled? Partially in terms of the city's dimensions, but again most
of Israel is secular so I'd say this is future.
Could God wipe them out and bring them back again? He can do what He
wants. I just know the "pieces are in place right now ". Jesus return
is obviously on God's timing. Our job is
just to be a good witness for Him until that time!
40.
OK, I ran way
long on this lesson. You probably know
more now about the future of literal Israel than you ever cared to know. Here's the hope for us non-Jewish
Christians: If we don't trust His
promises to the nation of Israel, how can we ever trust in His promises to us
Christians? Belief in all of this is as
necessary as our trust in what Jesus will do one day. Again to keep it simple, if He is going to
rule the world one day, He will do it from Israel and that means believing
Israelites do live in that land when it happens. That's the eternal hope that underlies this
lesson.
41.
With that said,
we're way overdue to close in prayer: Heavenly Father, none of us
can grasp why You picked us to be a part of this eternal plan. We're just grateful You did. None of us know
how long we get to live. All we know is
that You created us to glorify You with our lives. Help us by Your spirit to make it obvious to
us how we are to use our lives to make that difference for You. We ask this in
Jesus name, Amen