Jeremias 31
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Jeremias 31
Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Zuck, et al on I am bringing them - From all directions would come a great throng, including even those normally considered unable or unfit to travel (Jer 31:7–8). [Jeremiah’s description of the return from exile transcends the historical return of the sixth-fifth centuries BC; and includes the future restoration of the nation. It is typical of prophetic eschatology to blend chronologically distant events into one picture.] This mighty act of deliverance would make the nation forget about the ancient Exodus under Moses. No longer would they swear, “As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt.” Rather they would declare, “As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them” (cf. Jer 16:14–15; Jer 23:7–8). I am bringing...I will gather...they will return here - As discussed below, Jehovah first brought Nebuchadnezzar from the North to defeat Judah and to destroy the Temple and Jerusalem. Now Jehovah prophesies that He is bringing His chosen people back to their land (they will return here -Where? the land of Israel). Note that although this is clearly a prophecy (cf ESV translation = "I will bring"), the phraseology in the NAS of "I am bringing" (the Lxx leans us toward the NAS rendering because "bringing" in the Greek text is in the present tense) speaks as if it is already occurring so sure is the future fulfillment of this prophecy. As a side note, remember that prophecy is given not to be a platform for arguing the end times, but for encouraging our faith, assuring us that God will indeed accomplish all the intents of His heart (Jer 30:24). We can stake our life on that truth, in this short time on earth and forever with Him in the future! One might consider that there was a partial fulfillment of bring them back in the rebirth of the nation of Israel in May, 1948 after almost 2000 years without a country!
Jeremias 31
Spurgeon applies Jeremiah 31:12 - "Their soul shall be as a watered garden" (Jeremiah 31:12). Oh, to have one's soul under heavenly cultivation; no longer a wilderness but a garden of the LORD! Enclosed from the waste, walled around by grace, planted by instruction, visited by love, weeded by heavenly discipline, and guarded by divine power, one's favored soul is prepared to yield fruit unto the LORD. But a garden may become parched for want of water, and then all its herbs decline and are ready to die. O my soul, how soon would this be the case were the LORD to leave thee! In the East, a garden without water soon ceases to be a garden at all: nothing can come to perfection, grow, or even live. When irrigation is kept up, the result is charming. Oh, to have one's soul watered by the Holy Spirit uniformly -- every part of the garden having its own stream; plentifully -- a sufficient refreshment coming to every tree and herb, however thirsty by nature it may be; continually -- each hour bringing not only its heat, but its refreshment; wisely -- each plant receiving just what it needs. In a garden you can see by the verdure where the water flows, and you can soon perceive when the Spirit of God comes. O LORD, water me this day and cause me to yield Thee a full reward for Jesus' sake. Amen. They will never languish again - This describes the glorious conditions of the reign of Messiah on earth. The idea of languish is to lose vitality, to grow feeble, to waste away, to suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant situation. The NIV renders it "they will sorrow no more." Languish (01669)(daeb) means to become faint. The Lxx translates daeb with the verb peinao which means to hunger. While this description may be literally true (that they will never again be physically hungry), it is more true spiritually, for as Jesus declared (using the verb peinao) “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." (John 6:35)
Jeremias 31
Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" DAYS ARE COMING Days are coming - This phrase is found 21 times in the OT (NAS) and most (15x) are in the book of Jeremiah - 1Sa 2:31; 2Ki 20:17; Isa 39:6; Jer 7:32; 9:25; 16:14; 19:6; 23:5, 7; 30:3; 31:27, 31, 38; 33:14; 48:12; 49:2; 51:47, 52; Amos 4:2; 8:11; 9:13. This phrase always has eschatological overtones, in some cases giving a prophecy of the coming Babylonian destruction (near future) (Jer 7:32, 19:6), but most often giving a prophecy to be fulfilled in the end times (Jer 16:14; 23:5, 7; 30:3; 31:27, 31, 38; 33:14) NET Note on days are coming - This same expression is found in the introduction to the Book of Consolation (Jer 30:1–3) and in the introduction to the promise of a new covenant (or covenant; Jer 31:31). In all three passages it is emphasized that the conditions apply to both Israel and Judah. The LORD will reverse their fortunes and restore them to their lands (Jer 30:3), increase their numbers and build them up (Jer 31:27–28), and make a new covenant with them involving forgiveness of sins (Jer 31:31–34). (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) House of Israel and the house of Judah - This foreshadows that future day when Jehovah will reunite the 12 tribes into one nation. The last time the two houses were mentioned in the same verse was Jer 30:3. I will sow...with the seed of man and with the seed of beast - Clearly this speaks to divinely orchestrated growth of the population of the nation of Israel as well as growth in prosperity. This prophetic promise of multiplication is quite a contrast with Jer 4:27; 6:12, which had both foretold of depopulation. NET Note on sow...seed - The metaphor used here presupposes that drawn in Hos 2:23 which is in turn based on the wordplay with Jezreel (meaning “God sows”) in Hos 2:22. The figure is that of plant seed in the ground which produces a crop; here what are sown are the “seeds of people and animals.” For a similar picture of the repopulating of Israel and Judah see Ezek 36:10–11. The promise here reverses the scene of devastation that Jeremiah had depicted apocalyptically and hyperbolically in Jer 4:23–29 as judgment for Judah’s sins. (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) Compare Ezekiel's similar prophecy of this increase of men and beast... ‘But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel; for they will soon come. 9 ‘For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be cultivated and sown. 10 ‘And I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities will be inhabited, and the waste places will be rebuilt. 11‘And I will multiply on you man and beast; and they will increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as you were formerly and will treat you better than at the first. Thus you will know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 36:8-11-note) Jeremiah 31:28 "As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant," declares the LORD. As I have watched over them - Notice that it was the sovereign God Who watched over their destruction and will watch over their restoration. Just as Jehovah fulfilled His promise to pluck up (Babylonian exile), He would fulfill the prophecy to build them up. We see the opposite promise in Deut 28:63. Jeremiah was God's messenger of Israel's judgment in Jeremiah 1:10 = "See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant." Now Jeremiah's message is one of redemption and restoration. Jeremiah 31:29 "In those days they will not say again, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' MISINTERPRETATION OF A POPULAR PROVERB In those days - In the last days, the day in which Messiah returns to deliver the believing remnant of Israel (Ro 11:26-note). In context this phrase goes back to Jer 31:27 which had foretold that days are coming and which will continue through the end of this chapter. The father's have eaten... - This was a popular proverb of Jeremiah's day but in those days would no longer be repeated. Guzik on fathers...children -- Jeremiah quoted what apparently was a common proverb in his day that promoted the idea that God was punishing Judah for the sins of their forefathers, and they themselves were relatively innocent. God clearly denied this, showing that He will judge individuals for their own sins (Ezekiel 18:1-3). Ryrie - The people excused themselves by saying they were being punished for the sins of their fathers; in reality each person is punished for his own sins (cf. Deut. 24:16; Ezek. 18:2-4). Criswell - The Hebrews had accused God of injustice and cruelty in the punishment of children for the sins of their fathers. Actually, the children had surpassed their fathers in their wickedness. Under the New Covenant, there would be no misunderstanding because every individual must bear the responsibility for his own sins (cf. Jer 17:10; Deut. 24:16; Ezek. 18:2, 20).
Jeremias 31
Spurgeon adds hat "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah! In context, what is so important? The city of God, Jerusalem, will be built. Resource on this section - Read Scripture Literally if Possible Rise of Allegorical Interpretation Ray