Improbable Possibilities

                                                                   Sunday School Lesson


Lesson: Jeremiah 33:2-11

Golden Text: “The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 33:11).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  Throughout their history, God’s people went through cycles of sin, forgiveness, and restoration.  Jeremiah chapter 33 from which our lesson comes clearly illustrates this pattern.  Israel’s restoration after being disciplined by the Lord is anticipated as early in the Bible as Leviticus chapter 26.  This is a theme continued by the prophets, particularly those who prophesied as Judah’s exile and captivity drew near.  These prophets gave the people hope by pointing to a future time of great blessing that would keep them through the dark days of the Captivity.  In this week’s lesson, we learn that even though Jerusalem was damaged and desolate, the city would experience a future rebirth of goodness and prosperity that would be a testimony to nations of the world of God’s faithfulness to His people.
II. THE LORD’S PLAN FOR JERUSALEM’S PRESENT (Jeremiah 33:2-5).  Jeremiah chapter 33 is a continuation of last week’s lesson from chapter 32.  There, upon God’s directions, Jeremiah purchased land from his cousin to symbolize Israel’s future.  After purchasing the land, Jeremiah prayed to the Lord asking why He would have him buy land when the nation would be taken captive (see Jeremiah 32:16-26).  God replied to Jeremiah reaffirming that He would give the nation over to the Chaldeans (Babylonians) because of their evil (see Jeremiah 32:27-36).  However, the Lord also reaffirmed to Jeremiah that He would gather the people back to their land, make an everlasting covenant with them, and fields shall once again be bought and sold in the land (see Jeremiah 32:37-44).  Then in Jeremiah 33:1, we are told that the prophet was still in prison when the word of the Lord came to him a second time.  This is where our lesson begins.
A. A pronouncement of extraordinary things (Jeremiah 33:2-3).
1. (vs. 2).  Our first verse says “Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name.”  God, through Jeremiah reminds the people who He is as Creator: “the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it.”  It’s difficult to determine what the word “it” refers to in this verse.  Many scholars understand it to refer to the heavens and the earth.  However, since God said what would happen to Jerusalem in the previous chapter, it’s quite possible that “it” refers to Jerusalem for God formed this city and established it.  Regardless of how we understand what is meant here, in a broader sense it has to mean that whatever the Lord says, He will carry out, and whatever He wants to make, He forms it (see Isaiah 37:26).  God then identified Himself as “the Lord is his name.”  The term “Lord” here is the Hebrew “Yahweh” and the English is “Jehovah.”  It literally means “I am” indicating self-existence.  This is God’s covenant name by which He wanted to be known by Israel (see Exodus 3:14-15).  This name describes God as eternal, unchangeable, and faithful.  He was the God that would perform everything that He commanded Jeremiah to prophesy concerning Israel.
2. (vs. 3).  The Lord continued to say to Jeremiah “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”  God invited Jeremiah to call upon Him and when he did God would answer by showing him “great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”  The word “mighty” in Hebrew means “not accessible” and is often translated “walled” or “fenced” as in a fortified city that can’t be penetrated.  In other words when Jeremiah prayed, God promised to answer by revealing what he could not possibly know.  These “great and mighty things” refer to the blessings the Lord has in store for Israel’s future.  God would reveal to Jeremiah things that seemed impossible in light of the present circumstances---being under siege by the Chaldeans.
B. A pronouncement of judgment (Jeremiah 33:4-5).  
1. (vs. 4).  In this verse Jeremiah says “For thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword.”  This verse introduces what God is about to say concerning the disciplinary judgment He was going to bring upon Jerusalem.  The Lord said this message concerned the desperate measures the people were taking in order to resist the attack of the Babylonians.  It involved how they were using “the houses of this city” and “the houses of the kings of Judah.”  As a result of the siege by the Babylonians, the people of Judah had torn down both the royal palace and their own houses to defend the city from the approaching enemy.  It appears from the wording of this verse that the houses and the palace were being “thrown down (or broken down) by the mounts (or ramps), and by the sword.”  However, actually these were broken down and used to defend the city against the mounds and the swords of the siege.  
2. (vs. 5).   Now God goes on to describe what will take place in the city.  He said “They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.”  The Lord was saying that the people were trying to fight the Chaldeans (or Babylonians) but their efforts would be futile because the houses they hoped could save them would be filled with “the dead bodies of men.”  This is a reference to their own dead bodies not the bodies of the enemy.  Although the Chaldeans would be the ones doing the killing, God claimed responsibility for it when He said “I have slain in mine anger and in my fury.”  The Lord’s anger and fury was due to Judah’s wickedness (see Jeremiah 32:30-32).   The nation was so wicked that God also said “for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.”  This is a picture of God turning away and hiding His face from Jerusalem letting it and the people suffer from their own evil deeds.  God’s people had turned their backs on Him by following other gods (see Jeremiah 32:33-35), so now He had no choice but to return the favor.
III. THE LORD’S PLAN FOR JERUSALEM’S FUTURE (Jeremiah 33:6-11)    
A. Captivity ended (Jeremiah 33:6-7). 
1. (vs. 6).  The message from God now turns from disciplinary judgment to future blessing.  The Lord said “Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.”  Even though the nation had not fully experienced the Captivity yet, God prophesied a bright future for the nation.  He said “Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them.”  To the Lord, Judah’s sin was like bruises and wounds (see Jeremiah 30:12) and they needed national healing.  This healing would come with their future restoration to the land.  God used two medical terms to describe their healing.  The word “health” in Hebrew has the idea of closing a wound emphasizing the new skin that grows on the affected area.  The Hebrew word for “cure” simply means “healing” referring to the nation’s sins that had seemed incurable (see Jeremiah 8:15; 14:19).  Once the nation is healed and returned to their homeland, God said that He would also “reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.”  The term “peace” refers to the security, stability, and prosperity that Israel will once again enjoy in their own land.  The word “truth” refers to God’s faithfulness and trustworthiness to keep His covenants and promises (see Psalms 85:1, 10-11).  After they have been disciplined God will bless His people.
2. (vs. 7).  The Lord continued to say “And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.”  One of God’s blessings will be national restoration.  God said “And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return.”    Regardless of the location of Jews taken captive under the divided nation, God will end the captivity and return them home.  He will reverse the captivity which will include both “Judah” and “Israel.”  The divided kingdom will once again be a united nation.  The Lord also said that He would “build them, as at the first.”  This means that God will rebuild Israel to their original greatness as in the days of David and Solomon when it was one nation (see Ezekiel 37:15-22).  The rivalry between the tribes that led to the division under Rehoboam (see I Kings 12:12-20) will not exist (see Isaiah 11:13).  
B. Sins forgiven (Jeremiah 33:8-9).  
1. (vs. 8).  Not only did God promise to restore Israel to her original greatness, but the Lord said in this verse “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.”  Once Israel is restored, God said He will “cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me.”  This passage uses three words to describe Israel’s wickedness.  The term “iniquity” means to twist or distort God’s standard.  The word “sin” means “missing the mark” or “falling short of God’s standard.”  The term “transgression” means “to rebel” but is also sometimes translated as crossing a set standard.  Whatever evil Israel is guilty of, God will “cleanse them” from it.  In the Scriptures, cleansing is often an act of ritual purification (se Leviticus 13:1-7).  However, here cleansing refers to moral purity that God gives to those who repent (see Psalms 51:2, 7; Ezekiel 36:24-25).  Not only will God cleanse His people from their sins, He also promised to “pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.”  The word “pardon” means to forgive or to release someone from punishment.  Pardoning is always an act of divine forgiveness, not human forgiveness.  Unlike man, God is unique in His desire and ability to pardon our iniquities (see Micah 7:18-19).  When Christ sets up His millennial kingdom, God will forgive the remnant of Jews who repent and return to Him (see Jeremiah 31:34; 50:20).  Their forgiveness, like ours is based on Jesus’ atoning death.
2. (vs. 9).  In this verse God goes on to say “And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”  The word “it” in this verse refers to Jerusalem.  Once God has cleansed the remnant who returns to Him, the restored city of Jerusalem will be “a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth” for the Lord (see Isaiah 55:13; 62:3-4; Jeremiah 13:11).  God had always intended for Israel to be a witness to the world of His glory and perfection (see Exodus 19:5-6).  However up to this point Israel and Jerusalem had only been a disgrace to the Lord before their neighbors.  But that will change in the future kingdom when Jerusalem will honor God and “all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them.”  In other words, all the nations of the world will see all the good that God has done for Israel and Jerusalem causing those nations to honor the Lord.  In addition, the nations of the world “shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.”  This means that the nations will stand in awe at Jerusalem’s goodness and prosperity (see Jeremiah 3:17; 4:2).  Note:  The church, like Israel, was chosen by God to represent Him on earth, demonstrating His glory and redemption (see Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 2:14-15; I Peter 2:9).  However, too often we resemble the world around us so much that our testimony and profession become a mockery and Christ’s name is blasphemed.  We must do better!
C. Gladness restored (Jeremiah 33:10-11).
1. (vs. 10).  In this verse Jeremiah said “Thus saith the Lord; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast.”  The city of Jerusalem was under siege but God spoke of the city as if the Captivity had already taken place.  The phrase “Thus saith the Lord; Again there shall be heard in this place” actually introduces what the city will look like when God restores it after the return from Captivity.  But at the present time, the people were saying that land is “desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast.”  The city will become “desolate” or without inhabitants because they will either be killed or taken captive.  The livestock also will be missing because the enemy will have taken it all.  In essence, the land will be empty of both man and animal.  This situation will be so severe that it caused Jeremiah to weep over the fallen city (see Lamentations 1:1-4). 
2. (vs. 11).  The previous verse begins with “Thus saith the Lord; Again there shall be heard in this place” which should be followed by this verse where God says “The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.”  Even though the Captivity will cause the land to be desolate, God declared that once again there will be heard in Jerusalem, first “The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness.”  The city and the countryside will once again be filled with voices of happiness (see Isaiah 51:3).  Second, there will be “the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.”  This indicates that weddings will once again take place in the restored land.  Third, there will be the “voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”  Worshippers will give praise to God using the words that began several of the psalms, “the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever” (see Psalms 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:1).   And fourth, there will be the voice of “them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.”  This means that formal worship will also be reestablished and the voices of those who bring their offerings of praise to the house of the Lord will be heard.  This is a picture of the restored people bringing their sacrifices and praising God for His goodness (see Jeremiah 17:26).  For Christians, praise itself is a sacrifice (see Hebrews 13:15).  The phrase “the house of the Lord” indicates that the destroyed temple will be rebuilt during the millennial kingdom.  The temple was rebuilt when the exiles returned from Babylon, but it was destroyed again by the Romans in 70 A.D.  However, Ezekiel prophesied that a magnificent temple will again occupy Jerusalem during the millennium (see Ezekiel chapters 40-46).  Finally, in this verse God said “For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord.”  All this joy and excitement in the land of Israel will happen when the Lord restores them and they occupy the land as they did when God first gave it to their forefathers. 
                      
IV. Conclusion.  In this week’s lesson we saw how God reassured Jeremiah concerning the future condition of Israel.  In place of silence, verbal testimonies of laughter and celebration will come from marriage celebrations.  Shouts of unending praise to God’s goodness and mercy will proceed from the lips of His worshippers.  As we face dark days and difficulties in our lives, the Lord sustains us too with the hope of a glorious future.  This will occur first in the millennial kingdom, with Israel as the head of the nations, and then in a new heaven and new earth (see Revelation 21:1).

 







 

 

 

 

A New Future

                                               Sunday School Lesson                                  

Lesson: Jeremiah 32:2-9, 14-15
                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land” (Jeremiah 32:15).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  God’s plan for the future includes the people of Israel.  He has not cast them off forever.  The nation has been set aside until the fullness of the Gentiles is accomplished (see Romans 11:25-26).  Then God has promised the restoration of Jerusalem and the reconciliation of its inhabitants.  God cannot lie.  His promise will be fulfilled.  When God dealt with His prophets, He often directed them to do actions that carried a lesson to Israel, or foretold events in their future.  The prophet Ahijah’s torn garment was a symbol of the division of the kingdom (see I Kings 11:29-38).  Isaiah’s sons’ names revealed the future of Judah (see Isaiah 7:3; 8:3).  In this week’s lesson, we will see how God required Jeremiah to perform symbolic acts that would depict Israel’s future.
II. BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON.  At the time of our lesson in 587 B.C., Zedekiah, who was appointed king by Nebuchadnezzar,  was in his tenth year as king of Judah, and Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon was in the eighteenth year of his reign (see Jeremiah 32:1).  This was the second year of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 32:2) which would last another year and then the city would finally fall to Babylon.  When the siege began, Jeremiah was able to move freely in Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 37:4).  But when the siege was temporarily lifted due to intervention by Egypt, Jeremiah tried to leave Jerusalem and return to his home in the territory of Benjamin (see Jeremiah 37:11-12).  However, he was arrested at the gate in Jerusalem and accused of deserting to the Babylonians.  Jeremiah denied the charges but was imprisoned anyway (see Jeremiah 37:13-15).  He was put in a dungeon (see Jeremiah 37:16), but when he was called before King Zedekiah, he begged the king to let him go (see Jeremiah 37:17-20).  Zedekiah did release Jeremiah from the dungeon, but kept him imprisoned in the court of the prison.  In Jeremiah 32:1, we are told that Jeremiah’s imprisonment took place, in the tenth year of King Zedekiah and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.  This is where our lesson begins.

III. THE MESSAGE TO THE KING (Jeremiah 32:2-5)    

A. Jeremiah’s imprisonment (Jeremiah 32:2).  This verse says “For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.”  Here is confirmation of Jeremiah’s imprisonment in the “court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.”  With the exception of a brief period when Jeremiah was thrown into a muddy pit (see Jeremiah 38:1-13), he remained in the prison courtyard until Jerusalem fell to Babylon, also known as the Chaldeans (see Jeremiah 38:28).  The term “besieged” refers to a military strategy where an army would surround a city not allowing anyone in or out causing the city to surrender to prevent starvation.
B. Jeremiah’s offensive message (Jeremiah 32:3-5).
1. (vs. 3).  This verse goes on to say “For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it.”  The phrase “For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying” introduces the reason why Jeremiah was kept in prison.  The Lord had commanded Jeremiah to prophesy that He would soon give the city over to Nebuchadnezzar who would take possession of it (see Jeremiah 21:3-7; 32:28-29; 34:2; 38:17-18).  Hearing Jeremiah make this prophecy prompted the king to ask him why was he prophesying that the city of Jerusalem would be taken by the Babylonians and claiming that the message came from the Lord.  As far as Zedekiah was concerned, Jeremiah’s message was the same as treason, making him a traitor.  Things were so bad in Judah that God told Jeremiah to stop praying for the people (see Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11).  Jeremiah also told the people that surrendering would be the only way to save their lives (see Jeremiah 21:9; 27:6-13; 38:17-18).  The king and Judah’s rulers understood Jeremiah’s words as betraying his nation.
2. (vs. 4).  Jeremiah went on to say “And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes.”  Not only would Babylon take the city of Jerusalem, but Jeremiah also prophesied that “Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”  Zedekiah was actually a puppet king placed on David’s throne by Nebuchadnezzar after the last king in the Davidic line, Jehoiakin, Zedekiah’s nephew (see II Kings 24:17) was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar (see II Kings 24:15).  As predicted, the city fell and Zedekiah was captured (see Jeremiah chapter 39).  Once Zedekiah was captured by Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah also prophesied that he would “speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes.”  This actually happened when Zedekiah was captured and brought before Nebuchadnezzar for sentencing (see Jeremiah 39:5).  There may also be additional significance to the phrase “and his eyes shall behold his eyes.”  Not only did Zedekiah see Nebuchadnezzar when he stood before him for sentencing, but after being forced to watch his sons be killed, Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah’s eyes put out (see Jeremiah 39:6-7).
3. (vs. 5).  This verse goes on to say “And he (Nebuchadnezzar) shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.”  God said that Zedekiah would be led to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.  The phrase “and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord” doesn’t mean that God would eventually allow Zedekiah to be released from captivity, because he died in Babylon (see Jeremiah 52:11; Ezekiel 12:13).  This phrase most likely means that Zedekiah would die a peaceful, natural death, and be honored by his people like previous kings of Israel (see Jeremiah 34:4-5; II Chronicles 16:14; 21:19).  God’s last words in this verse were “though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.”  The term “Chaldeans” came to be synonymous with the Babylonians and is first mentioned in Genesis 11:28.  The Chaldeans were one of the ancient peoples that formed the dominant population in Babylonia, after Nebuchadnezzar set up his empire.  God told His people through Jeremiah that even if they tried to fight against the Chaldeans they wouldn’t be victorious.  The people really had only two choices: (1) they could stay in Jerusalem and die, or (2) they could surrender to the Babylonians and live.   Note:  The fate of the nation of Judah was sealed long before this because they were disobedient and unwilling to repent.  The point of no return for the nation was the reign of evil king Manasseh (see II Kings 21:10-16; 23: 26-27; Jeremiah 15:4).  Even the spiritual revival under King Josiah couldn’t prevent the fulfillment of God’s promise to remove the people from their land (see II Kings 22:15-20).     
IV. THE PURCHASE OF A FIELD (Jeremiah 32:6-9)      
A. The purchase of the field prophesied (Jeremiah 32:6-7). 
1. (vs. 6).  This verse says “And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying.”  This verse introduces what God wanted Jeremiah to do next.  It would involve a symbolic, yet real transaction involving land.
2. (vs. 7).  The Lord went on to tell Jeremiah what to expect next.  He said “Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.”  God told Jeremiah to expect a visit from his cousin “Hanameel” who will ask him to buy his field or land that he owned in “Anathoth.”  This city where the field was located was a priestly center set aside originally for the sons or descendents of Aaron (see Joshua 21:13-19; I Kings 2:26).  Hanameel would offer the property to Jeremiah because he said “for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.”  In other words, under the Mosaic Law, there were rules governing the redemption or reclaiming of family property that was sold (see Leviticus 25:25-34).  God was actually the owner of the land (see Leviticus 25:23) and those who lived on it were merely tenants and had no right to sell it permanently.  It was to remain in their hands forever.  However, the Law also recognized that the head of a family might have to sell his land because of poverty.  If this happened, it was his duty to ask a relative to buy it and hold it for him until he was able to buy it back (Leviticus 25:25; Ruth 4:1-6).  If the original owner could not redeem it, he could still get it back in the Year of Jubilee (see Leviticus 25:13-15, 28).  Therefore the land would never permanently change hands.  Since Jeremiah was a priest (see Jeremiah 1:1) and “Hanameel” was his cousin, this land came under the law concerning Levitical lands.  Any fields surrounding a city like “Anathoth”  which was reserved for priests, could only be sold to members of the priesthood or Levites (see Leviticus 25:32-34).
B. Jeremiah completes the transaction (Jeremiah 32:8-9).
1. (vs. 8).  In this verse Jeremiah said “So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.”  As Jeremiah tells what happened, he said that his cousin came to him while he was in the prison courtyard still in custody “according to the word of the Lord,” or just as God said he would.  Hanameel made the offer to Jeremiah just as God said he would.  Being from the tribe of Levi, according to the law of redemption (see commentary on verse 7), Jeremiah had “the right of inheritance” meaning he was from the same family and he also had the right of “redemption” meaning the right to purchase the property.  Therefore, Hanameel told Jeremiah to “buy it for thyself.”  At this point, when everything happened just as God told him it would in verse 7, Jeremiah declared “Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.”  In other words, Jeremiah had no doubt that the Lord was directing this transaction.
2. (vs. 9).  In this verse, Jeremiah continued to say “And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.”  Jeremiah tells us that when his cousin Hanameel offered the land to him located in Anathoth, he “weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.”  The amount Jeremiah paid for the field was “seventeen shekels of silver.”  The “shekel” was not a coin but a unit of weight.  It was a piece of silver weighed on a scale to determine its worth. .   

V. THE MEANING OF THE PURCHASE (Jeremiah 32:14-15).  Verses 10-13 are not part of our printed text, but need to be summarized to lead us into the remaining portion of our lesson.  After Jeremiah completed the sale, he subscribed (or signed) the evidence (the deed) and sealed the deed in the presence of witnesses, who also signed it.  Jeremiah also made a duplicate copy (see verses 10-11).  He then gave the deed to Baruch, his scribe (see Jeremiah 36:4; 45:1) in the presence of Hanameel and the witnesses (see verse 12).  What Jeremiah did was a matter of public witness and record. 

A. The details of the transaction (Jeremiah 32:14).  In this verse Jeremiah said “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.”  According to verse 13 (not part of the printed lesson) these words from Jeremiah were directed to Baruch.  Jeremiah was about to give Baruch directions on what to do with the deed and he wanted Baruch to know that these instructions came directly from “the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.”  God is described as the Lord of armies indicating His control over the entire universe, and also as the God of Israel.  Even though the nation had been divided into Israel and Judah, God still saw the people as one nation.  Jeremiah told Baruch to “Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open.”  The term “evidences” refers to both copies of the deed.  The original was sealed and the copy was open.  Note:   In Jeremiah’s time, it was customary that two copies of a deed were made on one continuous scroll with a short space separating the original from the copy.  The original, signed by the prophet and the witnesses was sealed and left attached to the copy, which was left open and unsealed for inspection.  The open copy, with the sealed copy attached was usually placed in custody of the court.  However, God intended to preserve this deed in a different way as we shall see.  After giving the deed to Baruch, Jeremiah instructed him to “put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.”  The purpose for doing this was to preserve the documents.  In order to preserve something of value like these documents, it was a common practice to put them in an “earthen vessel” or clay jars.  The jars would then be sealed with pitch to protect the contents from dampness and other conditions that could cause decay.  The phrase “that they may continue many days” means that these documents would have to be protected and preserved for a long time.  Jeremiah knew that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed and that the servitude to the Babylonians would last for seventy years (see Jeremiah 29:10).  However, he also believed God’s promise of a return to the land, and the restoration of the nation.  Note:  The storage of the documents in the jar indicated that the exile and Captivity wouldn’t last long, and would someday end.  At that time those who survived from Hanameel’s family could return and reclaim the land they sold to Jeremiah.
B. The divine explanation of the transaction (Jeremiah 32:15).  In our final verse Jeremiah says “For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.”  Jeremiah prophesied that even though the nation would be taken captive, there will again be a possession of houses, fields and vineyards.  The people could have confidence that they would eventually return to their own land, because the promise was made by “the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel.”   Again, the phrase “Lord of hosts” means “Lord of armies.”  At this time the Chaldean, or Babylonian army was occupying the land, but they would eventually be put down by God’s superior army of might, and power, leading to Judah’s rescue and return.  Possession of the land was part of the ancient promise to Abraham (see Genesis 12:1).  Jeremiah’s purchase of the field, even though it was in enemy hands at the time, was confirmation of his faith in the promise, and an act of direct obedience to God’s Word.
               
VI. Conclusion.  Jeremiah’s confinement in prison within the besieged city of Jerusalem must have been personally depressing to the prophet.  The sale of land by his uncle’s son couldn’t have made Jeremiah happier.  But God used the sale of the land to provide an illustration of hope for His people and His prophet.  Jeremiah’s trust in the Lord and His promises not only sustained him during difficult times, but also provided comfort for the whole nation.  We too, are sustained through difficulties in our own lives when we look toward the glorious and certain future the Lord has prepared for us.

 

Restoration

                                 Sunday School Lesson                                          

Lesson: Jeremiah 31:31-37                                                                                                 
Golden Text: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” (Jeremiah 31:31).

I.  INTRODUCTION.  Jeremiah prophesied in Judah during dark days of apostasy.  God’s judgment was inevitable because the nation failed to repent.  This impending judgment would come with the invasion by Babylon and the nation being carried into captivity.  Even though Jeremiah’s message was primarily one of judgment, it also included hope.  Mixed in with the threat of judgment was the promise of mercy and restoration.  God promised to establish a new covenant with His people. 
II. A NEW COVENANT (Jeremiah 31:31-34).  After Solomon’s death, Israel and Judah became a divided kingdom and two separate nations under king Rehoboam and Jeroboam (see I Kings 11:43-12:1-33).  This division occurred around 931 B.C.  During the long period of the divided kingdom, Israel, the northern kingdom and Judah, the southern kingdom often fought against each other instead of uniting against their common enemies.  The northern kingdom of Israel was eventually conquered by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.  The southern kingdom of Judah would later be taken into captivity in Babylon in 586 B.C.  Since the northern kingdom or Israel had already been conquered by the Assyrians more than a century earlier, Jeremiah’s prophecy given about 587 B.C. was primarily to the southern kingdom, Judah.  A year later, Judah would be invaded and conquered by Babylon.  However, in our text, God wanted His people to be encouraged for He would restore them to their homeland and also make a new covenant with them.
A. The new covenant announced and contrasted with the old (Jeremiah 31:31-32).
1. (vs. 31).  Our first verse says “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”  Of course this prophecy is from God (see Jeremiah 31:27) through Jeremiah.  The phrase “Behold, the days come” points to the time of Israel’s final restoration to her promised land.  When that time comes, the Lord said that “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”  A covenant is an agreement or contract entered into by two or more persons or parties to do or not to do something specific.  The new covenant is also called “the new testament” (see II Corinthians 3:6).  The fact that this would be a “new covenant” indicates that there was an old covenant that the new one would replace.  The old covenant was the Mosaic covenant given through Moses at Mount Sinai (see Exodus 19:3-8; 20:1-24:8) and it promised the nation of Israel God’s blessings as long as they obeyed the divine commands of the law.  This was a conditional covenant because the blessings it contained were dependent upon obedience to its commands.  In other words, God would keep His end of the covenant with blessings only if the people kept their end by being obedient.  If the people failed to fulfill their obligations in the law, dreadful judgments culminating in removal from their land would fall upon the Israelites (see Deuteronomy 28:15-68).   The “new covenant” would be made with both “the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”  At this time, the nation was divided, but both Israel and Judah will be restored to their land and established as one people again.  However, in God’s sight they were still one people.  They will be reunited with their God through the “new covenant.” 

2. (vs. 32).  God continues to say in this verse “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord.”  The Lord stated that the new covenant would not be “according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.”  In other words, the new covenant would not be like the old covenant or the Mosaic covenant God made with Israel when He led them out of Egypt.  The phrase “in the day” refers to the time period of the Exodus, not any literal day.  In addition, God said that He “took them by the hand” to bring them out of Egyptian bondage.  This phrase expresses God’s personal love and care for Israel during the Exodus (see Deuteronomy 1:31; 32:10-12; Hosea 11:1-3).  But in all of this, God said “my covenant they brake.”  After all the love He showed to them, they still broke this first covenant.  While Moses was getting the law from God, the people were already breaking it by worshipping a golden calf (see Exodus 32:1-6).  From that day until Jeremiah’s day they had repeatedly disobeyed God’s law.  The sad part of all this is that the people broke this covenant even though God said He was “an husband unto them.”  At Sinai, with the old covenant, the Lord united Himself with Israel in spiritual marriage, but they broke their vows and a new covenant was needed.  The husband-wife relationship also is used in Hosea 2:2 and Isaiah 54:1-6 to show the relationship between God and Israel.  God the Husband, faithfully lived up to the terms of the covenant, but Israel was an unfaithful wife.  Note:  The need for a new covenant was not because the old one or the Mosaic Law was defective.  There was nothing wrong with the law.  It came from a perfect God, so it was perfect, holy, just, and good (see Romans 7:12).  The problem was with the people.  They lacked the inner spiritual resources needed to keep the law.  The law revealed God’s will, but it didn’t provide the power for sinners to obey it, neither did the law have the power to enable sinners to overcome temptation (see Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:10-12, 21).  The law was perfect, but the people weren’t.  The law could only expose sin (Romans 7:7).  The problem couldn’t be resolved by changing the moral standards of the law.  Instead, the people needed to be changed so they could obey God.  The new covenant will do that as we shall see in the next verse.

B. Transforming the people (Jeremiah 31:33-34).
1. (vs. 33).  In this verse God said “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”  It was necessary for God to make a new covenant with Israel, one that would change them so they could obey God.  Unless God transformed the hearts of His people, their sinful condition would continue to get worse.  This new covenant would come for Israel “After those days, saith the Lord.”  This phrase seems to point to the millennial age, after Israel accepts the Messiah (see Zechariah 12:10).  At that time God said He “will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.”  The old covenant or the law was written on stone tablets (see Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:13), but under the new covenant God promised to put His law “in their inward parts.”  The two phrases “their inward parts” and “in their hearts” both refer to a person’s inner being, or the center of the emotions.  The old covenant, or the law was written on stone tablets (see Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:13), but under the New Covenant God promised to put His law “in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.”  When God’s requirements become a part of Israel’s’ very being, they will obey God.  Under the old covenant, the law was set before Israel meaning that it was only on stone (see Deuteronomy 4:8; 11:32).  But under the New Covenant the law will be placed within them by the Holy Spirit (see II Corinthians 3:3, 6-9).In the last part of this verse God said that after He has put the law in Israel’s heart, He “will be their God, and they shall be my people.”  This of course was always God’s intention (see Genesis 17:8; Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 29:13).  The nation of Israel has never lost its place as God’s people.  However, they continued to wander into sin which has kept this from being a reality in practice (see Hosea 1:9).  The New Covenant will bring Israel back into fellowship with God and they will recognize Him as “their God” (see Ezekiel 11:19-20).
2. (vs. 34).  The Lord goes on to say here “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”  When the Jewish remnant accepts the New Covenant at Christ’s return there will no longer be the need in Israel to encourage neighbors or brothers to “Know the Lord.”  This phrase refers to gaining personal knowledge of the Lord through evangelism that leads to salvation (see John 6:45; I Corinthians 2:9-12; I John 2:27).  There won’t be any need for evangelism because God said “for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.”  Since God will have already placed spiritual truth in every Jew’s heart or mind, evangelizing won’t be necessary.  The phrase “from the least of them unto the greatest of them” means that this knowledge or spiritual understanding of God won’t just be limited to the intellectual elite, or a spiritual inner circle, or to members of a high social class.  The entire Jewish remnant will have an intimate knowledge of God (see Isaiah 11:9).  All Israelites who enter the millennial kingdom of Christ will be saved for they all will have trusted Jesus for salvation (see Romans 11:25-27).  God also said in this verse that “I will forgive their iniquity.”  When the restored people know the Lord, their sins will be forgiven just as any believers’ sins are forgiven.  Not only will God forgive Israel of her sins, but the Lord also said “and I will remember their sin no more.”  The old covenant couldn’t save anyone and it was not intended to do so.  It only condemned those who broke it.  But in the New Covenant sin will not only be forgiven, it will also be blotted out from God’s memory forever (see Hebrew 10:16-17).  This doesn’t mean that God has overlooked Israel’s sins.  He demands punishment for all sin, but the penalty for Israel’s sin, as well as ours was paid by a divine Substitute, Jesus Christ (see Isaiah 53:5-6).  This enabled Christ to say at the Last Supper, “This is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (see Matthew 26:28).  Jesus’ death and resurrection brought in the New Covenant and only He alone can forgive sins and provide access to a holy God (see Matthew 9:2-6; Luke 5:20; John 14:6).   
III. AN ETERNAL COMMITMENT (Jeremiah 31:35-37)    
A. God, the One making the commitment to the covenant (Jeremiah 31:35).  This verse says “Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name.”  This verse reveals the Person who is guaranteeing that the covenant will be fulfilled.  Jeremiah declared that “The Lord of hosts is his name.”  Jehovah is the Lord of armies which includes His entire creation.  His creation is a guarantee that the covenant will be fulfilled.  He is the God who gives the sun to light up the day and the moon and the stars to light of the night (see Genesis 1:14-15).  He also divided the sea into waves that roar (see Genesis 1:9-10).  After the Flood, God brought the waters back to their original places and they are still there today (see Job 38:8-10; Proverbs 8:29).  If God can do all of this, certainly He can be depended on to fulfill His covenant.
B. The extent of God’s commitment (Jeremiah 31:36-37).
1. (vs. 36).  God continued to say “If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.”  The term “ordinances” refers to the fixed order of the heavenly bodies God mentioned in the previous verse.  In other words, the Lord was saying that if the sun, moon, stars and the seas would ever “depart from before me” or cease to exist, then the descendants of Israel “also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.”  Nothing is more certain than the regularity of the sun, moon, stars, and seas; and nothing is more certain than the fact that the Lord’s people will endure before Him forever (see Psalms 89:34-37).  God’s commitment to the New Covenant and to Israel is everlasting.  As sharers of the benefits of this covenant, believers today can rejoice that God’s commitment to us is equally permanent.
2. (vs. 37).   In our final verse, God continues to say “Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.”  Again using nature as an example, God in essence declared that just as heaven can’t be measured and the earth’s foundations can’t be located, Israel will never stop being His people, and He will never reject the descendants of Israel for their sins.

                                

IV. Conclusion.  God promised to help His children obey Him by taking His law that was once written on stone tablets and writing it on human hearts.  This is the basis of the New Covenant which believers today share in.  As believers in Christ, we already have the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation, and the Spirit enabling that still awaits Israel.  And nothing shall ever separate us from the love of Christ (see Romans 8:38-39).

 







 

 

A Vision of the Future

                                                                   Sunday School Lesson
                                            

Lesson: Jeremiah 30:1-3, 18-22
                                                                                               
Golden Text: “For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it” (Jeremiah 30:3).
I.  INTRODUCTION.  In Jeremiah chapters 30 and 31, the prophet spoke of hope and consolation as well as trouble and gloom.  In 721 B.C. the Northern Kingdom of Israel had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians who were later conquered by the Babylonians in 612 B.C.  Eventually, Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom would fall to the Babylonians as well.  However, the people would one day be restored to their land, and God would make a new covenant with them to replace the one they broke.  Our lesson this week reveals a glorious prophecy of Israel’s future.  As we will see, parts of this prophecy have been fulfilled, and others will be fulfilled at the Second coming of Christ.
II. A PROMISE OF NATIONAL RESTORATION (Jeremiah 30:1-3).  As we study the lessons from Jeremiah, we must remember that promises and prophecies are made to Israel that are meant only for Israel.  The church may enjoy some of the benefits of those promises, but the complete fulfillment of them will be in Israel.  The promises and prophecies meant for the church are mostly given in the New Testament, and likewise are meant for the church and do not include Israel as a nation until a remnant is saved.
A.  A divine declaration (Jeremiah 30:1-2).
1. (vs. 1).  Our first verse says “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying.”  Jeremiah wanted the people of Judah to know that the “word” or message he was about to give to them “came to him (Jeremiah) from the Lord.”  It was important for them to know that this prophecy came from God because there were false prophets as well.  The proof that a prophet was true or false was whether the prophecy actually came true (see Deuteronomy 18:21-22; Jeremiah 28:9).  For those who falsely claimed to speak for God the punishment was death (see Deuteronomy 18:20).  Note:  We cannot stress the importance of only speaking what we know is God’s message.  Anything else will be judged by the Lord.  There are false prophets today who claim to speak for God but really don’t.  As Jeremiah prophesied God’s judgment upon the nation for her sins (see Jeremiah 3:6-11), false prophets contradicted him, declaring that no harm would come to Judah giving them false hope (see Jeremiah 5:31; 14:13-15; 23:25-34).  Hananiah was one of those false prophets who prophesied that the oppression of the Babylonians would come to an end soon, and any prisoners and treasures they had already taken would be returned to Judah in two years of the beginning of Zedekiah’s reign as king (see Jeremiah 28:1-4).  However, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah revealing that everything Hananiah prophesied was false and even prophesied Hananiah’s punishment for lying which would be death (see Jeremiah 28:1-4, 15-17).  This led Jeremiah to tell the people that they should prepare to be exiled in captivity for seventy years (see Jeremiah 29:1-10), but he also gave the people hope for the future (see Jeremiah 29:11-14).  Jeremiah prophesied both hope and doom for Judah but each would take place in God’s own time.
2. (vs. 2).  This verse says “Thus speaketh the Lord God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.”  In this verse, Jeremiah goes on to say what the word that came to him was.  The Lord God of Israel commanded Jeremiah to “Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.”  Jeremiah was to write everything that God told him in a book or scroll.  Putting God’s message in writing would make it permanent and available to both the Jews already in captivity as well as preserving it for future generations.
B. A return to the land (Jeremiah 30:3).  The message from God began with “For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.”  Of course, the phrase “For, lo, the days come” refers to the time when God would bring His people Israel and Judah back from captivity.  Jeremiah often used this expression to refer to a future time when prophecy would be fulfilled (see Jeremiah 16:14; 23:5; 31:27, 31).  Notice that this promise is made to both “Israel and Judah.”  At this particular time the Northern Kingdom, called Israel, had been taken captive by Assyria over a century earlier.  Therefore, Jeremiah was prophesying only to Judah, the Southern Kingdom.  At this time Judah was being oppressed by Babylon, but the exile to Babylon was not yet complete.  However, God promised that both nations would be freed and He would “cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.”  In other words, God will bring His captive people back to the land that He gave to their forefathers or ancestors (see Genesis 12:7; 13:15; 15:18).  This will also be a fulfillment of the promise God made to Israel under Moses (see Deuteronomy 30:1-10).  Note:  This prophecy was only partially fulfilled when the Jews returned to Judah from Babylon to rebuild their temple and Jerusalem.  The Jews experienced another dispersion when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D., so a final return is still future.  However, that final restoration will be preceded by the tribulation period which will be a time of terrible suffering (see Matthew 24:21-28; Jeremiah 30:4-7).  After the great tribulation, Israel will finally be restored at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ as King under the Davidic Covenant (see II Samuel 7:16; Jeremiah 30:8-11; Ezekiel 37:21-25; Luke 1:30-33).
III. A PROMISE OF NATIONAL BLESSING (Jeremiah 30:18-22)         
A. The city rebuilt (Jeremiah 30:18).  This verse says “Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.”  Here the Lord’s promise of restoration of Israel’s people and the city of Jerusalem included three things.  First, He said “I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces.”  The word “tents” here is a poetic way of describing places of habitation (see II Chronicles 10:16; 31:2).  It’s the same thing as “dwellingplaces.”  Both terms “tents” and “dwellingplaces” refer to the Jews’ former homes in Israel that were now desolate because of the Captivity.  The Lord said that He would have “mercy” on their former homes meaning He would restore them to His people once again.  Second, God said that “the city shall be builded upon her own heap.”  The word “city” here refers especially to Jerusalem, but can also include any city that the returning exiles would rebuild.  The word “heap” refers to a large mound or hill that covers the ruins of a town or city.  The idea here is that the Lord promised that Jerusalem would be rebuilt in the same place where it originally was before being destroyed by the Babylonians.  Note:  At the time Jeremiah wrote this, Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed, but it soon would be.  So the current inhabitants of Jerusalem had much to think about.  But even after her destruction, Jerusalem would be rebuilt on its original site (see Ezra 1:2-4; Nehemiah 2:5, 11; 11:1).  This prophecy was not completely fulfilled by the work of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel.  Yes, the city was rebuilt after the captivity, but the final restoration will happen when all believers are gathered in Christ’s kingdom (see Jeremiah 31:38-40).  Third, in restoring the city God also promised that “the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.”  The word “palace” indicates that a king will reign in the restored Jerusalem.  This has to be a reference to the future complete restoration during the millennial reign of Christ (see Jeremiah 23:5-6), because there were no Jewish kings in Jerusalem that was rebuilt under Nehemiah and Ezra.  The word “remain” can mean “be establish” or “to stand.”  The phrase “after the manner thereof” means “in its proper place.”  Therefore, the last phrase of this verse “the palace shall remain after the manner thereof” can be translated as “the palace will stand in its proper place.”
B. Social well-being restored (Jeremiah 30:19-20).  
1. (vs. 19).  In this verse the prophecy continues saying, “And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.”  The words “out of them” refers to the city and its buildings mentioned in the previous verse.  Out of the restored city of Jerusalem and other cities “shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry.”  The future inhabitants of the dwellings and the palace will give thanks and be merry.  The Lord also promised to “multiply them, and they shall not be few.”  Once full restoration takes place, God will multiply His people.  The Lord had made a covenant with Abraham to make his descendents as numerous as the stars and the sand on the seashore (see Genesis 22:17).  However, because Abraham’s descendents failed to be obedient to God’s will, they were cursed with sickness, death and invading armies causing their population to be small (see Deuteronomy 28:18, 62-63).  In addition, God said “I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.”  The word “glorify” here means to “bring honor.”  From the moment that God called Israel to be His own and to be a special people (see Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 7:6), He promised that if they obeyed Him, He would bring them honor from other nations and make them the “head” and not the “tail” and place them “above” and not “beneath” those nations (see Deuteronomy 28:1, 13).  But they continued to disobey Him and became the “tail” instead of the “head” (see Deuteronomy 28:43-44) being made servants to other nations.  But one day, God’s promise to Abraham will be fulfilled and Israel’s population “shall not be small” and they will finally be exalted or honored among the nations of the world (see Isaiah 45:14: 60:14: Zechariah 8:23).
2. (vs. 20).  We must remember that even though portions of Jeremiah’s prophecy may have been fulfilled with the exiles’ return from Babylon, the majority of it still awaits a future fulfillment.  This verse continues to say that in that future time “Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.”  The words “Their children” refers to the people of the nation of Israel also identified as “Jacob” in Jeremiah 30:18.  The people of restored Israel will enjoy the same prosperity as those under Solomon and David enjoyed.  This is the meaning of “shall be as aforetime.”  The “congregation” is also a reference to the people who will occupy the restored nation.  God said that He would “establish” them meaning they will never again be moved.  This has to refer to the future millennium, because the Jews experienced another dispersion by Rome in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was once again destroyed.  God also said that in that future day He will “punish all that oppress them.”  In other words, God will one day punish everyone who mistreats His people, the Jews.  Note:  By Jeremiah’s time Israel had been oppressed many times by many nations.  The Northern Kingdom of Israel had already been oppressed by the Assyrians, and soon the Southern Kingdom of Judah would be oppressed by the Babylonians, Persians and the Romans.  Since Roman oppression, the Jews have suffered repeated anti-Semitism around the world.  But the Lord will even stop current anti-Jewish sentiments.  He has already punished those nations who oppressed Israel in the past, and He will do the same to Israel’s enemies in the last days (see Isaiah 49:26; Ezekiel 38:14-23; Daniel 7:24-27).  God will finally fulfill His promise to Abraham that He would curse those who cursed him (see Genesis 12:3).
C. Self-government renewed (Jeremiah 30:21).  This verse goes on to say “And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.”  Most scholars agree that the term “nobles” should be singular and translated “leader.”  This makes sense since the other nouns and pronouns in this verse are singular referring to one person.  However, the plural may be correct and could refer to the twelve apostles who will sit on twelve thrones in the millennium judging the twelve Tribes of Israel (see Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:28-30).  The phrase “And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them” means that restored Israel will have a ruler from within the nation.  Finally, Israel will be ruled by one of their own and not by foreign despots as in the past.  We know that this refers to the future restoration because even after the Jews returned from Babylonian Captivity, Nehemiah stated that they were still under the control of foreign rule (see Nehemiah 9:36-37).  However, when Christ returns, that will all change because He will be their Ruler (see Micah 5:2).  The phrase “I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me” undoubtedly is a reference to the Messiah just as “governor” is also.  This phrase was often used to describe the privilege the Old Testament priests had to approach God directly without a mediator (see Exodus 19:22; Leviticus 21:17).  Note:  Kings in Israel didn’t have this same privilege as the priests and were punished by death if they acted in place of the priests in approaching God (see II Chronicles 26:14-21).  However, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, like Melchizedec (see Genesis 14:18) will hold the office of both king and priest (see Psalms 110:4).  After His resurrection, Jesus Christ entered into His priesthood (see Hebrews 5:6; 6:20) and now is able to be a mediator between man and God as a result of His sacrificial death (see Hebrews 7:24-28).  He will enter the fullness of His kingly reign when He returns to rule over all earthly kingdoms.  In the last phrase of this verse, God asked the question “for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me?”  The Amplified Bible translates this question like this: “for who would have the boldness and would dare (on his own initiative) to approach Me?”  In Old Testament times, an ordinary person would be risking his life if he approached God without a mediator or priest.  However, God has given His Son Jesus Christ the authority to “draw near” to Him as a high priest.
D.  Divine fellowship enjoyed (Jeremiah 30:22).  Our final verse says “And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”  These were God’s words of comfort and assurance.  After hearing about the eminent captivity by Babylon, the people needed encouragement and assurance.  God had always intended for Israel to be His people (see Leviticus 26:12; Hosea 2:23).  Israel has yet to fully live up to this relationship because of their continued to sin.  However, one day in the future, when Christ returns as Priest-King, Israel will finally enjoy being God’s people and the Lord being their God.
                      
IV. Conclusion.  A visionary is an individual who proclaims from his or her heart a message that God will perform His will.  This week’s lesson has taught us that the Prophet Jeremiah, a true biblical visionary, faithfully proclaimed God’s intentions for His people, Israel.  God sent His word by Jeremiah, His messenger, telling the people that after they had spent a long and difficult seventy years in Babylon, He would restore them to their land.  The Lord fulfilled that promise, but complete restoration to the land of promise is still future.  It will see its fulfillment when the Priest-King, Jesus Christ returns to set things right.