The Just Leader

                                                            Sunday School Lesson                                                
                                                                  August 19, 2012
Lesson Focus:
God's promised king
is wise,just,and righteous.
Lesson Scripture
Jeremiah 23:1-6;33:14-18

INTRODUCTION.Jeremiah’s ministry began in Judah under the reign of godly King Josiah. His prophetic ministry continued through the reigns of the final four evil kings of Judah leading up to the Babylonian Captivity.This was a time when Judah’s kings, referred to in our lesson as pastors, were evil and corrupt.It was a time that cried out for godly and righteous leadership.Therefore, God through Jeremiah, sent forth a great messianic prophecy not only concerning Israel’s ultimate restoration after the Captivity, but also concerning the “Branch of righteousness.”He would be the One who would come to sit on the throne of David and provide Israel and the world with righteous leadership pleasing to God.  
                                          
II. GOD’S CARE FOR THE FLOCK (Jeremiah 23:1-6)       
                       
 A. The Lord condemns the unfaithful shepherds (Jeremiah 23:1-2).            
 1. (vs. 1).  Jeremiah’s message to Israel’s leaders began with “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.”God sternly condemned Israel’s leaders, whom He described as “pastors” or shepherds.  He pronounced that “Woe” or calamity would fall upon “the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture.”Instead of gathering and caring for the sheep of God’s own pasture, they were destroying and scattering them. These kings or “pastors” had destroyed and scattered God’s sheep by making themselves rich at the people’s expense, denying them justice, and shedding innocent blood (see Jeremiah 22:13-17; Ezekiel 34:2-4). 
2. (vs. 2).  Here God continued to say through Jeremiah “Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.”   God now pronounces the judgment presented by the word “woe” in the previous verse.  He said that since they had scattered and driven His flock away “and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings.”   The word “visited” here has the meaning of attending to the people’s needs.  God said that since the leaders had not done that “I will visit upon you the evil of your doings.”  Israel’s leaders had not “visited” or attended to the needs of God’s people so now God was going to “visit” or attend to them by punishing them.
B. The Lord’s promise to regather the flock (Jeremiah 23:3-4).           
1. (vs. 3).  Referring to the millennial or thousand year reign of Christ, the Lord now says “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.”  Since the kings God had set in Israel had not conducted themselves like shepherds, the Lord said He would take it upon Himself to “gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds.”  God promised that He would return His scattered flock to their own “folds” or pastures.  This is a reference to the land of Israel.  However, only a “remnant” or a small number of people would return because many people would die while in captivity and some would not be spiritually ready to return.  Notice that the Lord said this remnant would return from “all countries whither I have driven them.”  God made it plain that He was the One who scattered the people.  Yes, the kings led them into idolatry that would result in their captivity, but it was God who put them there due to His “anger,” “fury,” and “great wrath” (see Jeremiah 32:37).  Prior to entering Canaan, the Lord had warned His people that if they were disobedient they would be expelled from the land (see Deuteronomy 28:63-65).  Of course the Bible confirms that a remnant of Israelites did return from the Babylonian Captivity, but the phrase “all countries whither I have driven them” supports the truth that this portion of the prophecy won’t be completely fulfilled until the future return of Christ when this regathering of Jews from every nation will be complete (see Isaiah 11:10-12).  Once the return is complete, God’s people will no longer be a remnant or a few people, but they will “be fruitful and increase.”
2. (vs. 4).  Not only would the Lord regather His people to their land, He also said “And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.”  When they return, God’s people won’t be subject to evil or unworthy shepherds.  God said He would “set up shepherds over them which shall feed them.”  These shepherds will fulfill the true calling of a shepherd or pastor---to feed the sheep and not themselves.  This refers to spiritual nourishment of the people.  In addition, the sheep “shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.”  Under the protection of the new shepherds or rulers, the sheep would no longer be afraid nor would any be “lacking.”  The word “lacking” here means that none of the sheep will go missing or be unaccounted for (see John 6:39).       C.  The Lord promises a Righteous King (Jeremiah 23:5-6).           
 1. (vs. 5).  Jeremiah continued his prophecy with “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”  The phrase “Behold, the days come” was often used by Jeremiah to refer to the messianic age (see Jeremiah 7:32; 16:14-15; 31:31; 33:14).  This was the Lord’s way of drawing attention away from the people’s present time of trouble to a future day of blessing.  God reassured Israel that He would fulfill His covenant promise to David when He said “I will raise unto David a righteous Branch.”  The word “Branch” refers to a sprout or branch of a plant.  It is often used to identify a descendent, or son of an individual family.  In this case, it refers to the line of David.    The Lord also said that the Righteous Branch as “King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”  As King during the millennial kingdom, the Righteous Branch, the Messiah, will bring a reign of justice and uprightness to the earth.  He will rule with wisdom, understanding, counsel, might and knowledge (see Isaiah 11:2).  He will also judge the poor and meek with righteousness and fairness, but He will not spare the wicked (see Isaiah 11:4).             
2. (vs. 6).  Still speaking of Messiah’s earthly rule, Jeremiah prophesied “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.”  The phrase “In his days” refers to the thousand year reign of Christ during which there will be benefits for God’s people.  First, Israel will once again be unified.  There will no longer be a northern kingdom called Israel and a southern kingdom called Judah for the Messiah will rule them both.  There will be one Israel (see Isaiah 11:13: Ezekiel 37:15-25).  Second, Israel “shall be saved.”  This salvation can refer to both physical deliverance as well as spiritual salvation.  Physically, Israel will be delivered from all enemies (see Micah 5:7-9; Zechariah 12:6-9).  Israel will also be spiritually delivered because Jesus has purchased Israel’s salvation (see Matthew 1:21), and the remnant He will gather from all lands will receive His forgiveness (see Jeremiah 33:33-34; Romans 11:26-27).  Third, both “Judah” and “Israel shall dwell safely.”  Under the reign of Messiah, God’s people will have no need to be afraid, for they will dwell in safety (see Micah 4:1-4).  Here the Lord calls our Righteous Branch “The Lord Our Righteousness.”  In Hebrew this name is “Jehovah tsidkenu.”  This wonderful title reveals that the Messiah is Yahweh (the Lord), that He is righteous, and that He gives righteousness to His people.  Through Him Israel will finally become a righteous nation. 
III. GOD’S PRESERVATION OF THE LIFE OF ISRAEL (Jeremiah 33:14-18) A. The Lord will fulfill His promise (Jeremiah 33:14).  In this next section Jeremiah utters more of the Lord’s prophecy as He said “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.”  Again the Lord says “Behold, the days come” in order for the people to focus on a glorious future ahead and not their present condition.  The phrase “that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah” refers to the many blessings that Israel will enjoy upon their return to their homeland (see Jeremiah 32:42-44; 33:6-13).  The returning exiles from Babylon would experience some of these blessings immediately, but many others including those given in the remaining verses will see complete fulfillment when Israel is finally restored to their land.          

B. The Lord will provide a righteous King (Jeremiah 33:15-16).          
1. (vs. 15).  The Lord goes on to say through Jeremiah “In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.”  This verse is quite similar to verse 5.  It repeats that the coming Messiah is a descendent of David and will rule righteously in the land.          
2. (vs. 16).  In this verse the Lord says “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.”  This verse is similar to verse 6 but with a couple of differences.  First, verse 6 says that Judah and Israel shall dwell safely, but this verse says “Jerusalem shall dwell safely.”   The change was probably made because in Jeremiah 33:4-5, the destruction of Jerusalem was declared and the people needed to be assured that Jerusalem would not be destroyed forever.  The other difference between this verse 16 and verse 6 is that the phrase “The Lord our righteousness” is applied to Jerusalem in verse 16, but it is applied to the Messiah in verse 6.  The reason this title is applied to Jerusalem is because the Messiah will identify Himself with the city and place His righteousness upon Jerusalem. In addition, life there will reflect that righteous characteristic.    
C. The Lord will perpetuate the monarchy and the priesthood (Jeremiah 33:17-18).          
1. (vs. 17).  Here the Lord says “For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel.”  With the Babylonians on the horizon God gave His people further assurance that His Word would come to pass. The Lord declared that “David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel.”  The Lord promised that the Davidic monarchy or rule would never end.  The words “shall never want” means that David would never lack a descendent to sit on the throne of Israel.  It is true that the line of David would not always have a reigning king on a throne, but that line would not cease to exist.  There was always someone who was qualified to rule until Jesus came (see Luke 1:31-33).  Jesus’ two genealogies in Matthew and Luke establish His physical descent from David and His legal right to rule (see note under verse 5).  Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the promise in this verse.  He will not only rule Israel, but the entire world (see Revelation 11:15).          
2. (vs. 18).  Our final verse says “Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.”  The Lord also promised that the Levitical priesthood would never “want” or lack a man to offer burnt offerings, burn grain offerings and continual sacrifices.  Both the Davidic monarchy and the Levitical priesthood are perpetual or will last forever. God originally made this promise to Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson because he eagerly protected God’s honor (see Numbers 25:10-13).  Jesus is the fulfillment of both prophecies.
IV. Conclusion.The Lord used Jeremiah to reveal a future age of righteous rule.There will be no more unworthy shepherds who take advantage of the flock under their care.They will be replaced by the divine Messiah and saints who assist Him in ruling justly.