FRAMEWORKS:
Jeremiah 33: The
Lord's Promise of Restoration Again
[Preliminary
Comment: This is another in this series of chapters about
restoration. Again it starts with the warning that Judgment WILL
come [v.1-5] but that is quickly followed with a promise of restoration
following that [v.6-9]. Yes, they will see a desolate land but
it will be repopulated and rebuilt [v.10-13]. Then comes, for
a second time the promise of the coming Messiah [v.14-16] but
this time it is followed by a declaration from the Lord that Davidic
kingship and the Levitical priesthood will remain for ever [v.17,18].
This is then followed by a double set of guarantees from the Lord
that these two will continue [v.19-26]. In the light of the book
of Hebrews in the New Testament, Christians believe these two
promises are fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Priest-King over the
kingdom of God.]
v.1-5
The Lord reiterates that death is coming to Jerusalem
v.1
While
Jeremiah was still confined in the courtyard of the guard,
the word of the Lord came to him a second time:
v.2
‘This
is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed
it and established it – the Lord is his name:
v.3
“Call
to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable
things you do not know.”
v.4
For
this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses
in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn
down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword
v.5
in
the fight with the Babylonians: “They will be filled with the
dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I
will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.
v.6-9
Despite that the Lord will restore them
v.6
‘“Nevertheless,
I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and
will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.
v.7
I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity
and will rebuild them as they were before.
v.8
I
will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against
me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me.
v.9
Then
this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honour before
all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for
it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity
and peace I provide for it.”
v.10,11
Although it appears desolate at present, joy and gladness WILL
return
v.10
‘This
is what the Lord says: “You say about this place, ‘It
is a desolate waste, without people or animals.' Yet
in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,
inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once
more
v.11
the
sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,
and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house
of the Lord, saying,
‘Give
thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;
his love endures for ever.'
For
I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,”
says the Lord.
v.12,13
The currently desolate country will be reinhabited
v.12
‘This
is what the Lord Almighty says: “In this place, desolate and without
people or animals – in all its towns there will again
be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.
v.13
In
the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of
the Negev, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around
Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again
pass under the hand of the one who counts them,” says the Lord.
v.14-16
The Righteous Branch prophecy of 23:5 restated
v.14
‘“The
days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfil the good
promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.
v.15
‘“In
those days and at that time
I will make a righteous Branch sprout
from David's line;
he will do what is just and right in the
land.
v.16
In
those days Judah will be saved
and Jerusalem will live in safety.
This is the name by which it will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Saviour.”
v.17,18
Davidic Kingship & the Levitical Priesthood will always remain
[?Jesus]
v.17
For
this is what the Lord says: “David will never fail to have a man
to sit on the throne of Israel,
v.18
nor
will the Levitical priests ever fail to have a man to stand before
me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings
and to present sacrifices.”'
v.19-22
The Lord's guarantee of those two things
v.19
The
word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
v.20
‘This
is what the Lord says: “If you can break my covenant with the
day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer
come at their appointed time,
v.21
then
my covenant with David my servant – and my covenant with
the Levites who are priests ministering before me – can be
broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on
his throne.
v.22
I
will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites
who minister before me as countless as the stars in the sky and
as measureless as the sand on the seashore.”'
v.23-26
That guarantee reiterated
v.23
The
word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
v.24
‘Have
you not noticed that these people are saying, “The Lord has rejected
the two kingdoms he chose”? So they despise my people and no longer
regard them as a nation.
v.25
This
is what the Lord says: “If I have not made my covenant with day
and night and established the laws of heaven and earth,
v.26
then
I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and
will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and
have compassion on them.”'
Continue
to Chapter 34