Jeremias 33
G. Campbell Morgan · Citado em PreceptAustin
Jeremias 33
Morgan - In 1932, Charles and Grace Fuller were overwhelmed with pressure. Their young son was near death, suffering pneumonia. The Great Depression had wiped out their financial support, and Charles desperately sought ways to remain solvent. He was forced to sell off his valuable orange groves and to exhaust his wife’s inheritance in order to meet his bills. Grace faced major surgery, and Charles was forced from his pastorate. A severe earthquake struck their home in Southern California, and their financial woes multiplied. Grace felt she could stand the strain no longer, and she cried out to God for help. Entering her husband’s study, she opened a book of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons, and found a message he had preached seventy years before from Jeremiah 33:3. She later said that God lifted her burden so remarkably that when Charles returned from another hard day with the lawyers, trying to find a way to ward off bankruptcy, she was able to tell him, "Never mind how black things look now. God has assured me that He has great and mighty things in store for us in the future—things which we can’t even imagine now." As time passed, Charles and Grace Fuller traced in that moment the faint beginnings of their work to come, an incredible ministry of radio, evangelism, and education. Ever after, Charles would pen this verse under his signature, and it became their life-verse. Adrian Rogers sermon on Jeremiah 33:3 - I want you to notice with me the command that God gives. I didn't say the request or even the invitation, but the command that God gave. God commanded Jeremiah to pray. He said to Jeremiah, "Call unto Me." Jesus said, "Man ought always to pray." Paul said, "Pray without ceasing." Now this is a command from Almighty God and it is God that takes the initiative. God says to Jeremiah, "Call Me." You ever have anybody give you a card with their unlisted number on it? I mean, an important person, and say, "Call me?" On one occasion, a president of the United States did that for me. He said, "Well, if you can do this, let me know. Here's a card; call me." And he put a number on it. I don't even know what I did with that card. I misplaced it. I've just thought about that. I don't know what happened to it. But you know if somebody who is very important gives you his unlisted number and says, "Call me," that is a great privilege....The great, the mighty God, the Lord of Hosts is His Name! Folks, that's the One who says, "Call on Me!" That's the One who has given us His private number. Jeremiah 33:3, there it is. Here's my number and I want you to call me. It is my invitation to you. Now most of us can't pick up the phone and call a lot of the big shots in government and business and entertainment, but there's not a one of us that cannot contact heaven. Don't ever say there is nothing you can do because you can pray. And prayer not only is something you can do, it's something all can do and because God has asked us to pray. Because God has invited us to pray. Because God has commanded us to pray. Failure to pray is a sin. But this is also an invitation and failure to pray is an insult. It's also a privilege, so failure to pray is folly. It's also an opportunity, so failure to pray is a tragedy. And when we don't pray, we sin against God, we insult God, we deny ourselves a privilege and we enter into a colossal tragedy and yet, sometimes we fail to pray. I want to tell you ten things that help me to pray. Ten little lessons that I've learned about prayer. And you can jot them down. I'm not going to stretch any of them out, but I just want to share with you, and I share them as a learner, not as a person who is a scholar or a graduate of the school of prayer. Number one, make prayer a habit. Habits are made by starting over when you fail day by day by day until prayer becomes a habit. Number two, designate a time and a place for your prayer. Now don't fail to pray if you're not at that time or at that place, but have a time and a place where you pray. Number three, make that time and that place the most optimum for you. Don't read some biography about somebody who prayed at a particular hour or the morning or night or something and try to emulate that person. Find that time when your mind is the keenest, when your attention is the strongest. For some of you, that may be right after you awaken. For some it may be after that first cup of coffee. For some, it may be after the children have gone off to school. But find that best time. Next, when you go pray, take some equipment with you. Take your Bible. Take your notebook. Take your pen. Take your devotional materials. It would be almost unthinkable for me to try to have a quiet time without a Bible and a notebook. I expect God to say something. When God says something, I want to write it down. I've told you before that the weakest ink is better than the best memory. Now begin your quiet time by reading God's Word. Don't pray and then read the Bible. Read the Bible and then pray. What God says to you is more important than what you say to God. And your prayer will be engendered and enlivened and enthused and instructed and guided when you get into the Word of God. Next, not only should you have that special time and place, an optimum time, but also, learn to pray about things all through the day. The Bible says, "pray without ceasing." One of the things that has blessed me about reading the lift of Dwight L. Moody who was the Billy Graham of his day, is this. His biographer said this, "He never made long prayers but he was never long without prayer." Isn't that beautiful? He was never long without prayer. Prayer was to him a way of life. And whenever a matter came up, he prayed about it. I have a habit of praying for churches when I drive past the church. Praying for individuals when I write them a letter. Answering my correspondence is also for me just a time of prayer. Opportunities—I pray over the newspaper many times. If I see where there's a crime that's been committed, I lay my hand on that newspaper, lift another hand to heaven and I say, God get that man. I tell Jesus on him. That's right, I do! And just pray through the newspaper. Pray through the magazines. As you read the Bible, you say, "Lord, what does that mean? Explain it to me." And talk to God. I find myself in the automobile just telling the Lord I love Him. Or just saying, "That's beautiful Lord, isn't it?" Talk to God constantly, but have a quiet time when you go into your closet and pray. Now, keep a record of your prayer requests and your answered prayers. I don't do this as well as some people, but I do it. I have a book and in that book I enter prayer needs and requests. Things that I prayed about. I got it down the other day and I began to go backward in it. And I looked back about ten years—a little more than ten years. Fifteen years, I suppose. I was incredibly blessed to see how many prayers God had answered, some of them I might have forgotten to thank Him for or perhaps thanked Him for then, but failed to continually be thankful for answered prayer. It will increase your faith if you keep a prayer journal. Record your request, record your answers. Another thing that will help you when you call upon the Lord is put on the whole armor of God as you pray because prayer is warfare. You know all of the artillery will come against you when you pray, isn't that true? I mean, the dog will bark, the beans will burn, the baby will cry, the doorbell will ring, you will get sleepy, your mind will go wandering, so you have to put on the whole armor of God when you pray. If you are by yourself, pray out loud. There's something about praying out loud, vocalizing your prayer, that keeps your mind from wandering. Pray out loud when you pray, if you're in private. I don't think it's a good subject to pray out loud if you're in a crowd. Somebody will think you're talking to yourself and lost your mind. Now, speaking of your mind, here's the tenth thing. If your mind is like my mind, your mind wants to run away when you pray. Sometimes it's hard to stay focused until you really break through—is that not true? And thoughts come to you and you will begin to pray, and when you begin to pray, you begin to think, "Well I need to do thus and such a thing." Well, here's a secret I read somewhere and I put it into practice and it works wonderfully. If the thing that draws your attention away from your prayer is that important, evidentially that is what is really on your mind, so pray about it. You see what I'm talking about? If, for example, I get down to pray and the Lord says, "You've got a sermon to prepare." Well, and I've been praying for the sick. Well, I'll just say, I'll pray for that sermon right now. And I pray about that. And get that down. And that thing that's gnawing at my mind and pulling my mind away becomes the very focal point of my prayer and evidentially, that's the thing that's in my subconscious and that's the thing that I really desire, and "what then whatsoever ye desire when ye pray, believe that you receive them and ye shall have them." So those are some things that will help you as you pray, I hope, very practically things to pray as you pray. And now, here's a second thing I want you to see. I've talked to you about the command to pray. God says in verse 3, "Call upon Me." Now with the command I want you to notice the confidence that comes with that command. Here's God's promise. Listen to it, "Call upon Me and I will answer thee." Now either that is true or it is not true. Which is it? It is true. God, Almighty God has said "I will answer thee." Not what's confidence, whether you understand it or not, it is true. God does answer. And He doesn't send someone else. He says, "I will answer thee." Suppose you send a request to Washington complain about something. Your doorbell rings and there was the president on your doorstep and said, "I came to answer your request." I mean, the president came. God Himself says, "I'm the one who's going to answer you. I personally am going to answer you." Now when God answers, He may it in one of four ways. That answer maybe specifically delivered. I like you, have asked God for things, and I have received the answer so instantaneously, so miraculously, so factually and real, that no one can convince me that it was mere happenstance or coincidence. I think all of us have prayed. Those of us who have been on the trail very long, we have prayed and the answer has been specifically delivered. But sometimes the answer maybe strategically delayed. God does not always answer immediately, that doesn't mean He's not going to answer. "Therefore will the Lord wait that He may be gracious unto you." And with God, timing is more important that time. So maybe strategically delayed. Sometimes the answer may be significantly different. You may ask God for one thing and He gives you something better. The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians Chapter 12 had a thorn in the flesh that he asked God to remove and God didn't remove it. But God answered his prayer not by giving Paul what he asked for, but for giving Paul something better than he asked for. What was better than the removal of the thorn? The added grace. And so sometimes we ask and we don't know what to ask for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered and sometimes the answer maybe sovereignly denied. You ask God and He says, "No. Not going to answer that prayer." Not because your heart is wrong, you just asked for something wrong. And God loves you too much to give you something that will hurt you. Now I think all of us have thanked God for answered prayer. I tell you what I have done, I have really done this. I have thanked God for unanswered prayer. Have you? You ought to. Mrs. Billy Graham said, "I thank God for unanswered prayer. If God had answered my prayer every time I asked, I would have married the wrong man five times." You know, we're praying for things, we say, "Lord, this is what I want, do this..." or "do that," and God says, "You don't know what you're asking. You don't know what You're asking." I can think of some prophets in the Bible who asked God to kill them. Moses asked God to kill him. Elijah asked God to kill him. Jonah asked God to kill him. We'd be in the soup if God always answered our prayers. I mean, answered "Yes." The answer maybe "No," but God says, "Call upon Me, and I will answer thee." Now here's the third and final thing. The command, the confidence, the conquest. Listen to it, "Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." You see, God has revealed Himself as a God Who is able to do anything that He wishes. Look again in 32:17, "Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:" Look again in verse 27. God gives His credentials. "Behold," This is 32:27, "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?" "I am the Lord! I can do whatever I want." We have people today who have difficulty with miracles. How can you have difficulty with miracles if you believe in creation. If you can get past Genesis 1:1, you're home free. People talk about the laws of nature. There are no laws of nature. They're God's laws that nature obeys. God doesn't obey nature's laws; nature obeys God's laws. It's God who made those laws. It's God who made the whole thing. And God Who made it can do with it as He wishes. Don't let anybody tell you that the age of miracles has passed. Genesis 18:14, asks the question—Is there anything too hard for the Lord? The problem is not with God and His ability. You might put in your margin, Matthew 17:19-21. "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?" Here was a demon-possessed boy. And the disciples had gone through their incantations and their contortions, and their pleadings and their cries and their shoutings. And the demon didn't budge. "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Nothing. "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Now Jesus said, "The reason for my Father's failure to answer is not because of His inability but because of your unbelief." Jesus said if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to a mountain, "skip away." The least amount of faith is greater than the greatest amount of difficulty. Well, God says to Jeremiah, "Call upon Me. I'll show you great and mighty things that you don't even know about." I think the idea is this is something you've never seen and something you cannot conceive. When I read that, the verse that came to me is a verse that I think would be a favorite of many of us. Ephesians 3:20-21. Paul thinking of the greatness of our Lord gives this pen of phrase when he says, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." There's no prayer too hard for God to answer. There is no problem too big for God to solve. There is no person too lost for God to save. There is no promise too difficult for God to keep. "Call upon Me and I will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." Well you say, "If I ask God something outside of His will, will He hear me?" Of course not. "This is the confidence we have in Him, if we ask Him anything according to His will He heareth us." It's wisely been said, "Nothing lies outside the reach of prayer except that which lies outside the will of God." You don't want anything that's not God's will for you, do you? You see, God's will is not something you have to do. It's something you get to do. God's will is what you'd want for yourself if you had enough sense to want it. God loves you. The only thing that lies outside the reach of prayer is that which lies outside the will of God. But there is no problem too big, no promise too difficult, no person too lost. There's nothing that God cannot do. And actually, when you look at this passage of Scripture where God says, "Call upon Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things," it's really in the context of national problems. Don't you have kind of an uneasy feeling about everything that's happening in the world today. Well, God had been telling Jeremiah, "Hey, Jeremiah, everything's in control." Now, there's Babylon. There's the captivity. All of these things are going to happen, and in Chapter 32, beginning in verse 36 and going on through verse 40, He begins to talk about His plan for Israel. He talks about the Babylonian captivity. Then He talks about their coming back to the land. Then He talks about the coming Kingdom of Christ. And then He tells Jeremiah to pray. In prayer, we unite with God in regulating the nations and operating the universe. I don't understand it all. God prophesies what He's going to do and nothing that we do can stop it. And yet we're told to pray for His Kingdom to come. We know it will come. Yet we're told to pray. We know there's going to be a captivity and a return and the coming Kingdom of Christ, and yet we're told to pray. I was thinking about prayer and I was thinking what a weapon prayer is in a time of national calamity. Or in any kind of calamity. I thought about our missile, prayer. The one we have can be fired from any spot. It travels undetected. It travels at the speed of thought. It hits the target every time. And it can have a delayed detonation. Jesus prayed in John Chapter 17 for me. He said, "Not only do I pray for these that believe on Me now that You give me, but I pray for them that will believe on Me through their word." He'd might as well put my name in there. You can begin to pray now if you've got little babies in your home, for the people they're going to marry. Pray a pray for delayed detonation. And it hits the target. And you can pray with delayed detonation. And here's the best thing, Satan has no defense against your missile. There is no anti-prayer missile. "Call upon Me." In time of trouble, in time of calamity. And I will hear you. Folks, I didn't make that promise. God said it. Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things." Things that you don't even know about. Things that are exceedingly, abundantly above all that we can even ask or think. Would you pray, Lord, teach me to pray. Not Lord, teach me how to pray but teach me to pray. To pray. We need to pray. These are desperate days and God's people need to pray. Jeremiah 33:4 "For thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword, THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM TIGHTENS KJV 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; NET For I, the LORD God of Israel, have something more to say about the houses in this city and the royal buildings which have been torn down for defenses against the siege ramps and military incursions of the Babylonians: ESV For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and against the sword: NIV 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 NLT For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: You have torn down the houses of this city and even the king's palace to get materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and swords of the enemy. YLT For thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, that are broken down for the mounts, and for the tool; Technical note - Jer 33:4-5 have many textual difficulties which are not discussed in this commentary. For more technical discussion see NET Note on Jer 33:4-5. The essence of this passage is that the inhabitants of Jerusalem will resort to using material from the houses in the city to help defend against the tightening noose of the Babylonian siege. But it will all be futile, for the LORD has decreed Jerusalem will fall and His Word and Will can never be thwarted by the machinations of men (cp Job 42:2, Jer 32:17-note)! Butler - Judgment is presented before the blessings of the restoration are given. This will help one appreciate much more the blessings of the restoration. (Ibid) NET Note on houses...which are broken down - This refers to the tearing down of buildings within the city to strengthen the wall or to fill gaps in it which had been broken down by the Babylonian battering rams. For a parallel to this during the siege of Sennacherib in the time of Hezekiah see Isa 22:10; 2Chr 32:5. These torn-down buildings were also used as burial mounds for those who died in the fighting or through starvation and disease during the siege. (NET Note relating the Jer 33:5 =) The siege prohibited them from taking the bodies outside the city for burial and leaving them in their houses or in the streets would have defiled them. Jeremiah 33:5 'While they are coming to fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness: JEHOVAH HIDES HIS FACE FROM JERUSALEM KJV 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. NET 'The defenders of the city will go out and fight with the Babylonians. But they will only fill those houses and buildings with the dead bodies of the people that I will kill in my anger and my wrath. That will happen because I have decided to turn my back on this city on account of the wicked things they have done. ESV They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans and to fill them with the dead bodies of men whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their evil. NIV in the fight with the Babylonians: 'They will be filled with the dead bodies of the men I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness. NLT You expect to fight the Babylonians, but the men of this city are already as good as dead, for I have determined to destroy them in my terrible anger. I have abandoned them (Ed: Not an accurate rendering - should be "the city") because of all their wickedness. YLT they are coming in to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the carcasses of men, whom I have smitten in Mine anger, and in My fury, and for whom I have hidden My face from this city, because of all their evil: Fill (Hebrew = male; Lxx = pleroo) them with corpses - Fill means means to fill or to be full, to complete, to fulfill, to finish, to satisfy. It depicts a large cache of corpses! It is a picture of the great slaughter of Jews at the hands of the Babylonians. I have slain in My anger and in My wrath (NET - "I will kill in my anger and my wrath") - Jehovah says He will slay or kill these men. Apparently the deaths are either the result of either (Babylonian) swords or pestilence, but both are sent by God. God is not capricious. He is just in giving the sinful city what they have sown. The immutable principle that the wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23-note) undergirds His actions. I have hidden my face - "The modern equivalent for this gesture of rejection is “to turn the back on.”" (NET Note) In this context the phrase means Jehovah has withdrawn His hand of protection because of all their wickedness. Sin always has a pay day beloved. When we sin (and we will), we need to quick to confess and repent of our sins. Judah's deceived state and the consequences remind us of John's teaching "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1John 1:6-7). Judah was in the darkness and not practicing truth, and were like those John described who "that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1Jn 1:8) Below are passages of Jehovah hiding His face... Isaiah 54:8 "In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you," Says the LORD your Redeemer. Isaiah 57:17 "Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, And he went on turning away, in the way of his heart. Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear. Jer 17:17 "For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. Deception of sin causes one to say "He says to himself, "God has forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it." (Ps 10:9) Ps 13:1 (For the choir director. A Psalm of David.) How long, O LORD? Wilt Thou forget me forever? How long wilt Thou hide Thy face from me? Ps 22:24 For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Neither has He hidden His face from him; But when he cried to Him for help, He heard. Ps 27:9 Do not hide Thy face from me, Do not turn Thy servant away in anger; Thou hast been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation! Ps 30:7 O LORD, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong; Thou didst hide Thy face, I was dismayed. Ps 44:24 Why dost Thou hide Thy face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? Ps 51:9 Hide Thy face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Ps 69:17 And do not hide Thy face from Thy servant, For I am in distress; answer me quickly. Ps 88:14 O LORD, why dost Thou reject my soul? Why dost Thou hide Thy face from me? Ps 102:2 Do not hide Thy face from me in the day of my distress; Incline Thine ear to me; In the day when I call answer me quickly. Ps 104:29 Thou dost hide Thy face, they are dismayed; Thou dost take away their spirit, they expire, And return to their dust. Ps 143:7 Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Thy face from me, Lest I become like those who go down to the pit. Isa 53:3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Not only has Jehovah hidden His face, but He has turned His back on them and set His face against them for harm... Jer 18:17 'Like an east wind I will scatter them Before the enemy; I will show them My back and not My face In the day of their calamity.'" Jer 21:10 "For I have set My face against this city for harm and not for good," declares the LORD. "It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire."' This judgment on Jerusalem and Judah should have come as no surprise, for Moses had clearly warned them in a prophecy he received from Jehovah "Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the harlot with the strange gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and will forsake Me and break My covenant (Mosaic Covenant) which I have made with them. Then (When? Ultimately when they break the Mosaic covenant into which they had entered by an oath!) My anger will be kindled against them in that day (metaphorically pictures a fiery destruction), and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they shall be consumed, and many evils and troubles shall come upon them; so that (terms of purpose) they will say in that day, 'Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?' (Rhetorical question calling for an affirmative reply) "But I will surely hide My face in that day because (term of explanation) of all the evil which they will do, for (term of explanation- explains the nature of the evil) they will turn to other gods." (Dt 31:16-18) Dt 32:15 "But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked-- You are grown fat, thick, and sleek-- Then he forsook God who made him, And scorned the Rock of his salvation. 16 "They made Him jealous with strange gods; With abominations they provoked Him to anger. 17 "They sacrificed to demons who were not God, To gods whom they have not known, New gods who came lately, Whom your fathers did not dread. 18 "You neglected the Rock who begot you, And forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 "And the LORD saw this, and spurned them Because of the provocation of His sons and daughters. 20 "Then He said, 'I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness. 21 'They have made Me jealous with what is not God; They have provoked Me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation, 22 For a fire is kindled in My anger, And burns to the lowest part of Sheol, And consumes the earth with its yield, And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. 23 'I will heap misfortunes on them; I will use My arrows on them. 24 'They shall be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust. 25 'Outside the sword shall bereave, And inside terror-- Both young man and virgin, The nursling with the man of gray hair. 26 'I would have said, "I will cut them to pieces, I will remove the memory of them from men," 27 Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy, Lest their adversaries should misjudge, Lest they should say, "Our hand is triumphant, And the LORD has not done all this."' 28 "For they are a nation lacking in counsel, And there is no understanding in them. Isaiah 1:15 "So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Isa 8:17 And I will wait for the LORD who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him. Isa 64:7 And there is no one who calls on Thy name, Who arouses himself to take hold of Thee; For Thou hast hidden Thy face from us, And hast delivered us into the power of our iniquities. Ezek 39:23 "And the nations will know that the house of Israel went into exile for their iniquity because they acted treacherously against Me, and I hid My face from them; so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and all of them fell by the sword. 24 "According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them."'" 25 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Now I shall restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I shall be jealous for My holy name. 29 "And I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel," declares the Lord GOD. Micah 3:4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time, Because they have practiced evil deeds. Jeremiah 33:6 'Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth. A FUTURE PROMISE TO JERUSALEM AND THE JEWS... HEALTH, HEALING, PEACE AND TRUTH KJV Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. NET But I will most surely heal the wounds of this city and restore it and its people to health. I will show them abundant peace and security. ESV Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. NIV "'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. NLT "Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem's wounds and give it prosperity and true peace. YLT Lo, I am increasing to it health and cure, And have healed them, and revealed to them The abundance of peace and truth. ASV Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them; and I will reveal unto them abundance of peace and truth. Recall the context of Jeremiah 33:3 - The great and unsearchable things that Jehovah will bring about are now revealed in this and subsequent passages! And that is one reason Jehovah begins the verse with "BEHOLD!" Charles Simeon preached the following message in the 1800's (so he was not a dispensationalist) and clearly did not espouse the false teaching of replacement theology as the following introductory words demonstrate... THE more fully the subject of the restoration and conversion of the Jews is considered, the more important it will appear. The prophetic writings are full of it; and the obscurity of those writings arises in a great measure from the gross perversion of them, of which even pious ministers have been guilty, through a long succession of ages. Those whose office has been to interpret them, have almost universally applied them spiritually to the Gentiles; overlooking the plain literal meaning of them, as addressed to the Jewish people: and by this means, not only has the attention of the Christian world been drawn from the Jews, but it has been drawn also even from the prophecies themselves, because of the impenetrable veil that has been cast over them. That the passage before us relates to that subject, no one can entertain a doubt. And that it has never yet been fulfilled, is equally clear; not only because the ten tribes of Israel are (not) combined with Judah, but because the effects which are here announced as to be produced by the event, were never, in any degree, produced by the return of the Jews to Babylon. The different nations of the earth were never led to fear and tremble by reason of the goodness and prosperity which were then procured unto the Jewish nation. We must therefore, of necessity, look forward to a future period for the full accomplishment of this prophecy. (Jeremiah 33:6-9 Conversion of the Jews - A Matter of Importance to God and Man) Feinberg - Past trials will yet be turned into blessings. So Jeremiah sets forth promises of prosperity. Behold - Listen up! Pay attention! Why? Because instead of terrible words of judgment in Jeremiah 33:4-5 we abruptly encounter incomparable promises from Jehovah, the covenant keeping God, to His Chosen People Israel - health, healing, peace, truth. It really does not get much better than that beloved! In the midst of wrath God remembers mercy! What follows is a description of the great and hidden things (Jer 33:3) which Jehovah promised to reveal. And this is a truth all believers can apply - remember that our Great and Mighty God is able to bring bountiful blessings even out of the deepest despair! See Related Resource - GOD IS ABLE Behold (02009)(hinneh) is an interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. "It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context." (Baker) Hinneh directs one's mind to the text, imploring the reader to give it special attention. In short, the Spirit is trying to arrest our attention! As
Jeremias 33
Morgan says that "Cleansing removes guilt, pollution, defilement, morally. Pardon brings the offender back into relationship of favour and fellowship. God never pardons polluted souls; He first cleanses them. Pardon, apart from the communication of purity, would perpetuate pollution, and so violate the moral order beyond remedy." As A C Gaebelein says some of the great and mighty things (cp Jer 33:3) Jehovah promised included "Health and cure, abundance of peace and truth, a complete return from the captivity of both Judah and Israel, cleansing from all their iniquity, complete forgiveness, all are promised; and let it be remembered none of these promises has been realized." (Ref) (Bolding added) Iniquity ('avon)...sinned (chata')...transgressed (pasha' cp verb pesha') - 'Avon is a twisting of the standard or deviation from it. Chata' means to miss the mark or to fall short of the divine standard. Pesha' (pasha') is indicates revolt against the standard. Cleanse...all...pardon...all - ALL not a portion but all which reminds us of John's words "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness." (1Jn 1:9-note) Against Me - This phrase appears three times. It serves as a good reminder to all of us that when we sin thinking that our sin is a light thing ("O, I will just confess it tomorrow."), we forget that we sin against Jehovah, against His perfect holiness and righteousness and in so doing we deserve His righteous wrath! Father by Thy Holy Spirit and for the glory of Thy Lamb convict and convince our wayward hearts of the truth that our sin is not something with which to trifle but is always serious because it is against You. Amen They have sinned...they have sinned...they have transgressed - When we ponder this repetition, it reminds us how glorious and great was Your cleansing and pardon in light of the darkness and depth of Israel's depravity! And remember, beloved, that Israel in the OT is a good picture of our bad flesh (cp 1Cor 10:6, 11). As Calvin said "The favor of God, then, would never have been appreciated by the Jews had not the atrocity of their guilt been clearly made known to them....These (repetitive) words confirm....that the Jews were severely reproved by the Prophet, in order that they might first consider and reflect on what they deserved; and secondly, that they might extol the favor of God according to its value." I will cleanse them from all their iniquity - This is a metaphorical way to describe God forgiving their sins when they by grace through faith enter into the New Covenant (see Jer 31:31-34). In Ezekiel Jehovah declares "Then (When is "then?" see Ezek 36:24 = has not been fulfilled!) I will sprinkle clean (tahor) water on you, and you will be clean (); I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." (Ezek 36:25-27) Zechariah (quoting the LORD of hosts) alludes to Jehovah's future cleansing of Israel writing "In that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for impurity." (Zechariah 13:1-commentary) Paul uses the same metaphor in reminding the saints at Corinth "And such were some of you (To what does Paul refer? See 1Cor 6:9-10!); but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified (declared righteous, in right standing before the Holy God, by grace through faith - cp Jude 1:24-note) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (1Cor 6:11) And the writer of Hebrews explains how "deep" this cleansing will be - "how much more (More that what? See Heb 9:13) will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Heb 9:14-note) He adds "let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb 10:22-note) John writes "from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us (or washed us in Rev 1:5KJV) from our sins by His blood." (Rev 1:5-note) John describes saints saved out of the great tribulation - And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Rev 7:14-note) So thorough will be Jehovah's "cleansing" that "'In those days and at that time,' declares the LORD, 'search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I shall pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.'" (Jer 50:20) The phrase "cleanse them" reminds us of God's call "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil." (Isa 1:16) As David cried "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin....7 Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." (Ps 51:2, 7) Cleanse (purify) (02891)(taher) commonly refers to ritual purity or cleanness in the OT. In fact except for Job 37:21 and Mal 3:3, taher almost exclusively of ritual or moral purity. To be cleansed is to be be made pure and innocent. Taher is the antonym of the Hebrew word " tame" (unclean) and those who contracted impurity (tame) were not permitted to participate in the rituals until they were purified (Lv 22:4-7). The only other use of taher in Jeremiah is found in chapter 13 - "wilt thou not be made clean?" (Jer 13:27KJV) The Septuagint (Lxx) translates taher in Jeremiah 33:8 with the verb katharizo which describes cleansing from ritual contamination or impurity (Acts 10:15). Katharizo was used of cleansing lepers from ceremonial uncleanness (Mt 8:2-3, et al) Pardon (Forgive) (05545)(salach) means to free from or release from something and so to pardon, to forgive, to spare. God's offer of pardon and forgiveness to sinners. Salach is never used of people forgiving each other but used of God forgiving. Jehovah Himself announces, in response to Moses' prayers for Israel, that He has forgiven Israel at two of their darkest moments, the golden calf incident and the murmuring at Kadesh Barnea (Ex 34:9; Nu 14:19-20). Salach occurs 6x in Jeremiah - Jer 5:1, 7, Jer 33:8, 36:3, 50:20 with the most famous use in Jer 31:34-note which gives details of the New Covenant cut with Israel and to be fulfilled with the Messenger of the Covenant, the Messiah, returns and declares "I will forgive (salach) their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more." Jehovah alludes to this great and glorious promised future day again in chapter 50 writing.... ‘In those days and at that time (cp Jer 50:19 - those days cannot refer solely to the return from exile because of what the rest of this passage teaches),’ declares the LORD, ‘search will be made for the iniquity ('avon) of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah (Note - mention of Israel and Judah speaks of the reunited nation as will occur in the last days), but they will not be found; for I shall pardon those whom I leave as a remnant (cp Zech 13:8-note, Da 12:10-note).’ The Septuagint has an interesting way to translate the Hebrew verb salach in Jeremiah 33:8 = "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned against me, and will not remember their sins, whereby they have sinned against me, and revolted from me." Jehovah will not remember their sins throughout eternity! That calls for a chorus of Hallelujah's! (Sing it out brothers and sisters - join in Handel's great Hallelujah Chorus) Jeremiah 33:9 'It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.' KJV 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. NET All the nations will hear about all the good things which I will do to them. This city will bring me fame, honor, and praise before them for the joy that I bring it. The nations will tremble in awe at all the peace and prosperity that I will provide for it.' ESV And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. NIV Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor 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.' NLT Then this city will bring me joy, glory, and honor before all the nations of the earth! The people of the world will see all the good I do for my people, and they will tremble with awe at the peace and prosperity I provide for them. YLT And it hath been to Me for a name of joy, For praise, and for beauty, to all nations of the earth, Who hear of all the good that I am doing them, And they have feared, And they have trembled for all the good, And for all the peace, that I am doing to it. BBE And this town will be to me for a name of joy, for a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth, who, hearing of all the good which I am doing for them, will be shaking with fear because of all the good and the peace which I am doing for it. It - He is referring to the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah writes "And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth." (Isaiah 62:7) A name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth - The name of the city, Jerusalem, will elicit these God glorifying emotions from the Gentiles, because they will see what great and might things (Jer 33:3) Jehovah has accomplished in that city and will clearly recognize that this all came to pass only as a result of God's power! God's plan for His Chosen People had always been that they might be "a name of joy, praise and glory." This is the global reaction that God had desired declaring... "For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they did not listen.’ (Jer 13:11) In Deuteronomy Moses had explained to Israel "that He (Jehovah) shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame, and honor; and that you shall be a consecrated people to the LORD your God, as He has spoken.” (Dt 26:19) What a dramatic contrast with the description of the nations' reaction who "called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.”’ (Jer 30:17) Ultimately since the city of Jerusalem bears the LORD's name (Jer 25:29, cp Jer 33:16 with Jer 23:5), when it is restored in the Messianic Age, it is Jehovah who will receive the joy, praise and glory! They (Gentiles) will fear - While a few commentators feel this as a reference to Israel's fear and trembling, the context makes it much more likely a description of the reaction of the Gentiles who witness this miraculous transformation of Jerusalem. Bible translations that paraphrase the text agree with this interpretation (see above - NET, NLT, BBE). Fear was certainly the reaction of the nations when the nation was first born and they witnessed Jehovah's military victories (Ex 15:14-16, 2Chr 20:29). What a contrast - the Jews were in fear because of the siege of the Gentiles (Babylonians) but one day it would be Gentiles would would fear the God of the Jews! Charles Feinberg - The future for the Jews will be so glorious that the nations will stand in awe of them and tremble at their greatness Jamieson comments that "The Gentiles shall be led to "fear" God by the proofs of His power displayed in behalf of the Jews; the ungodly among them shall "tremble" for fear of God's judgments on them; the penitent shall reverentially fear and be converted to Him (Ps 102:13; Ps 102:15; Isaiah 60:3)."(Ref) Micah records a similar prophecy of a coming day of "shame" on the nations... Nations will see and be ashamed Of all their might. They will put their hand on their mouth, Their ears will be deaf. They will lick the dust like a serpent, Like reptiles of the earth. They will come trembling out of their fortresses; To the LORD our God they will come in dread And they will be afraid before You. (Micah 7:16-17-note) Through Ezekiel Jehovah describes this future day declaring When I bring them (Israel) back from the peoples (Gentiles) and gather them from the lands of their enemies, then I shall be sanctified through them in the sight of the many nations. (Ezekiel 39:27-note) Jeremiah 33:10 "Thus says the LORD, 'Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, "It is a waste, without man and without beast," that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, HAPPY SOUNDS WILL AGAIN RESOUND IN ISRAEL KJV 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, NET "I, the LORD, say: 'You and your people are saying about this place, "It lies in ruins. There are no people or animals in it." That is true. The towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem will soon be desolate, uninhabited either by people or by animals. But happy sounds will again be heard in these places. ESV "Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, 'It is a waste without man or beast,' in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again NIV "This is what the LORD says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without men or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither men nor animals, there will be heard once more NLT "This is what the LORD says: You have said, 'This is a desolate land where people and animals have all disappeared.' Yet in the empty streets of Jerusalem and Judah's other towns, there will be heard once more YLT Thus said Jehovah: Again heard in this place of which ye are saying, Waste it is, without man and without beast, In cities of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem, That are desolated, without man, And without inhabitant, and without beast, NET Note on thus says the LORD - The phrase here is parallel to that in Jer 33:4 and introduces a further amplification of the “great and mysterious things” of Jer 33:3. This place - Jerusalem and Judah. Yet again ("once again") there will be heard in this place - The Hebrew word for again ('od) usually has a sense of repetition and/or permanence (continuance). This depicts the coming time which will contrast with the present (in Jeremiah's day) sounds of cries, screams, moans and laments in the city as the siege wore on and the populace began to starve to death (the sword, the famine, and the pestilence - Jer 32:24-note)! Yet again (05750)('od form verb 'ud = to repeat or do again) is an adverb (and can also function as a substantive) meaning again, still, more, longer, also, yet, a going around, beside. 'Od as noted above indicates repetition and/or continuance of something ("Adam had relations with his wife again" = Ge 4:25, "Take again some of them" Ezek 5:4; "I shall again praise Him" - Ps 43:5, 42:5, cp Ps 42:11). Most frequently 'od has a temporal sense to indicate the continuance of a past or present event (Ge 18:22), of a custom (1Ki 22:44), of an attribute (Josh 14:11). 'Od expresses constancy (Ps 84:4, 104:33, 146:2; "God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day" = Ge 48:15). 'Od means addition or repetition "another seven days" (Ge 8:10), "another seven years" (Ge 29:30). When 'od is used with the Hebrew negative (lo') it means "not yet" ("the people had not yet directed their hearts to the God of their fathers" = 2Chr 20:33, " Jeremiah was still not going back" = Jer 40:5) or "no more" ("no longer shall your name be..." = Ge 17:5, "when she could hide him no longer" = Ex 2:3, "there was no spirit in them any longer, because of the sons of Israel." = Josh 5:1, "sons of Israel no longer had manna" = Josh 5:12). 'Od can mean still (indicates continuance of an action or condition) (Ge 29:9, "my life still lingers in me" = 2Sa 1:9; 1Ki 1:22, 42, 2Ki 6:33, Esther 6:14). Caleb says "I am still ('od) strong." (Josh 14:11). David says "when I awake, I am still ('od) with You." (Ps 139:18) 'Od can refer to doing something more than once and thus doing it again as in (Ge 4:25, 9:11, 18:29). 'Od is used frequently in Isaiah to signify there is no "other" God beside Jehovah (Isa 45:5, 6, 45:14, 18, 45:21, 22, 46:9, Dt 4:35, 39, Joel 2:27-note). Clearly God wants His people Israel and His children in the NT to know that He alone is God, lest we be prone to wander and be seduced by the false "gods" of this fallen world. 'Od can indicate the period of time in which something will happen = "Within 3 more days" (Ge 40:13, 19), "within 3 days" (Josh 1:11), "within another 65 years" (Isa 7:8). ESCHATOLOGICAL USES OF 'OD In Jeremiah 23:4 the Hebrew word 'od is used in an eschatological (prophetic) sense to describe a future promise given to Israel- "I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer ('od) nor be terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD." See multiple uses in Jeremiah of 'od in descriptions of future prophecies related to Israel = Jer 23:7, Jer 30:8-note, Jer 31:4-5-note, Jer 31:12-note, Jer 31:23-note, Jer 31:29-note, Jer 31:34-note, Jer 31:40-note, Jer 32:15-note, Jer 33:12,13-note, Jer 33:24-note Other uses of 'od in the context of future prophecy - And never again will they learn war. Isaiah 2:4 “Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Isaiah 6:13 Ephraim will be shattered, so that it is no longer a people Isa 7:8 "again choose Israel" = Isa 14:1; Ezek 36:15, 30, 37, "they will no longer be two nations and no longer be divided into two kingdoms" = Ezek 37:22, "They will no longer defile themselves with their idols" = Ezek 37:23; "I will not let My holy name be profaned anymore" = Ezek 39:7, 28; "I will not hide My face from them any longer for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel," = Ezek 39:29; Ezek 43:7, 45:8, Hos 2:16-17, And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. Joel 2:19-note, 27, “Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the LORD your God, And there is no other; Joel 2:27-note Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, Dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain. So Jerusalem will be holy, And strangers will pass through it no more. Joel 3:17-note "I will also plant them on their land, And they will not again be rooted out from their land" = Amos 9:15, Micah 4:3, Zeph 3:15, "The LORD will possess Judah as His portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem." = Zech 2:12; "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem" = Zech 8:4, while the inhabitants of Jerusalem again dwell on their own sites in Jerusalem. Zech 12:6-note It will come about in that day,” declares the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land. Zech 13:2-note “And if anyone still prophesies, Zech 13:3-note "People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security" = Zech 14:11-note And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day. - Zech 14:21-note 'Od is translated in NAS as - added(1), again(92), again*(9), again...more(1), all the more(1), all*(2), also(3), another(2), another*(1), any longer(15), any more(1), anymore(21), anymore*(1), back(1), besides(4), continue(1), continued(1), else(5), even(2), ever(1), farther(1), further(6), furthermore(3), life(2), long(1), long time(1), long*(2), longer(76), longer any(1), longer*(7), more(39), more*(5), moreover(2), never*(9), once more*(3), once*(1), other(8), since that time(1), soon(1), still(84), still more(1), while(6), while i was still(1), while the remains(1), within(3), yet(43), yet again(1), yet more(1). 'Od - 444 verses - Gen 4:25; 7:4; 8:10, 12, 21f; 9:11, 15; 17:5; 18:22, 29; 19:12; 24:20; 25:6; 29:7, 9, 33ff; 30:7, 19; 31:14; 32:28; 35:9f, 16; 37:5, 8f; 38:4f, 26; 40:13, 19; 43:6f, 27f; 44:14; 45:3, 6, 11, 26, 28; 46:29f; 48:7, 15; Exod 2:3; 3:15; 4:6, 18; 9:2, 17, 29; 11:1; 14:13; 17:4; 36:3, 6; Lev 13:57; 17:7; 25:51; 27:20; Num 8:25; 11:33; 18:5, 22; 19:13; 22:15, 30; 32:14f; Deut 3:26; 4:35, 39; 5:25; 10:16; 17:13; 18:16; 19:9, 20; 31:2, 27; 34:10; Josh 1:11; 2:11; 5:1, 12; 14:11; Judg 2:14; 6:24; 7:4; 8:20; 9:37; 11:14; 13:8f, 21; 18:24; 20:25, 28; Ruth 1:11, 14; 1 Sam 1:18; 3:6; 7:13; 10:22; 13:7; 16:11; 18:8, 29; 20:3, 14; 23:4, 22; 26:21; 27:1, 4; 28:15; 2 Sam 1:9; 2:22, 28; 3:11, 35; 5:13, 22; 6:1, 22; 7:10, 19f; 9:1, 3; 10:19; 12:23; 14:10, 29, 32; 18:14, 22; 19:28f, 35; 21:15, 17ff; 1 Kgs 1:14, 22, 42; 8:60; 10:5, 10; 12:2; 20:32; 22:7f, 43; 2 Kgs 2:12, 21; 4:6; 5:17; 6:23, 33; 12:3; 14:4; 15:4, 35; 24:7; 1 Chr 12:1; 14:3, 13f; 17:9, 18; 19:19; 20:5f; 29:3; 2 Chr 10:5; 13:20; 14:7; 17:6; 18:6f; 20:33; 27:2; 28:17; 32:16; 33:17; 34:3, 16; Neh 2:17; Esth 2:14; 6:14; 9:12; Job 1:16f; 2:3, 9; 6:10, 29; 7:10; 8:12; 14:7; 20:9; 24:20; 27:3; 29:5; 32:15f; 34:23; 36:2; Ps 10:18; 37:10; 39:1; 42:5, 11; 43:5; 74:9; 78:17, 30, 32; 83:4; 84:4; 88:5; 92:14; 103:16; 104:33, 35; 139:18; 141:5; 146:2; Prov 9:9; 11:24; 23:35; 31:7, 15; Eccl 3:16; 4:13; 7:28; 9:5f; 12:9; Isa 1:5; 2:4; 5:4, 25; 6:13; 7:8; 8:5; 9:12, 17, 21; 10:4, 25, 32; 14:1; 23:10, 12; 26:21; 28:4; 29:17; 30:20; 32:5; 38:11; 45:5f, 14, 18, 21f; 46:9; 47:8, 10; 49:20; 52:1; 54:4, 9; 56:8; 60:18ff; 62:4, 8; 65:19f, 24; Jer 2:9, 31; 3:1, 16f; 7:32; 10:20; 11:19; 13:27; 15:9; 16:14; 19:6, 11; 20:9; 22:10ff, 30; 23:4, 7, 36; 28:3, 11; 30:8; 31:4f, 12, 23, 29, 34, 39f; 32:15; 33:1, 10, 12f, 24; 34:10; 38:9; 40:5; 42:18; 44:22, 26; 48:2; 49:7; 50:39; 51:33, 44; Lam 4:17; Ezek 5:4, 9; 7:13; 8:6, 13, 15; 12:23ff, 28; 13:21, 23; 14:11; 15:5; 16:41f, 63; 18:3; 19:9; 20:27, 39; 21:5; 23:27, 38; 24:13, 27; 26:13f, 21; 28:24; 29:15f; 30:13; 32:13; 33:22; 34:10, 22, 28f; 36:12, 14f, 30, 37; 37:22f; 39:7, 28f; 43:7; 45:8; Dan 9:20f; 10:14; 11:2, 27, 35; Hos 1:4, 6; 2:16f; 3:1; 11:12; 12:9; 14:3, 8; Joel 2:19, 27; 3:17; Amos 4:7; 6:10; 7:8, 13; 8:2, 14; 9:15; Jonah 3:4; Mic 1:15; 4:3; 5:13; 6:10; Nah 1:12, 14f; 2:13; Hab 2:3; Zeph 2:15; 3:11, 15; Hag 2:6, 19; Zech 1:17; 2:12; 8:4, 20; 9:8; 11:6, 15; 12:6; 13:2f; 14:11, 21; Mal 2:13 The streets of Jerusalem that are desolate - The sound of anguish would soon be turned to silence as the city was devastated by the Babylonians. And yet that was not to be the end of the city. In Jer 33:10-11 Jehovah foretells of a future day when Jerusalem will no longer be desolate but will be filled with better sounds of joyful voices. Such a great and might thing (Jer 33:3) could only have been wrought by a God for Whom absolutely nothing is too difficult (Jer 32:17-note, Jer 32:27-note). Desolate (08074)(shamen/samen) describes a desolation caused by some great disaster, usually a result of divine judgment and stresses the horror caused by the desolation of judgment. NET Note on Jer 33:10-11 - What is predicted here is a reversal of the decimation caused by the Babylonian conquest that had been threatened in Jer 7:34; 16:9; 25:10. Jeremiah 33:11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, "Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting"; and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,' says the LORD. THE VOICE OF JOY AND PRAISE IN RESTORED JERUSALEM: THE LORD IS GOOD AND HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING KJV 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. NET Once again there will be sounds of joy and gladness and the glad celebrations of brides and grooms. Once again people will bring their thank offerings to the temple of the LORD and will say, "Give thanks to the LORD who rules over all. For the LORD is good and his unfailing love lasts forever." For I, the LORD, affirm that I will restore the land to what it was in days of old.' ESV the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD: "'Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!' For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the LORD. NIV 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 forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD. NLT the sounds of joy and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will be heard again, along with the joyous songs of people bringing thanksgiving offerings to the LORD. They will sing, 'Give thanks to the LORD of Heaven's Armies, for the LORD is good. His faithful love endures forever!' For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the LORD. YLT Is a voice of joy and a voice of gladness, Voice of bridegroom, and voice of bride, The voice of those saying, Thank Jehovah of Hosts, for Jehovah is good, For His kindness is to the age, Who are bringing in thanksgiving to the house of Jehovah, For I turn back the captivity of the land, As at the first, said Jehovah. LORD of hosts (See also Jehovah Sabaoth: Part 2) Play Paul Wilbur's joyous Up to Jerusalem For (in the phrase "for the LORD is good...") - Term of explanation. What is Jehovah explaining? Clearly He is explaining why Judah and Jerusalem will experience such a glorious time of blessing (Jer 33:10-11a). He is good and His lovingkindness is everlasting. Feinberg - This verse is the closing part of the benediction in the Jewish marriage ceremony today. The voice...the voice...the voice...the voice...the voice - Because Jehovah loves Israel "with an everlasting love" (Jer 31:3-note) He will bring about this dramatic reversal of fortunes in contrast to His earlier judgments Jeremiah 7:34 “Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin. Jeremiah 16:9 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I am going to eliminate from this place, before your eyes and in your time, the voice of rejoicing and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. Jeremiah 25:10 ‘Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting - In place of anguish would be adoration for Jehovah's goodness and mercy which one day in the future will be clearly manifest for the entire world to see when the Messiah returns to set up His kingdom based in Jerusalem! The LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting - These words are a repeated refrain in Old Testament worship and frequently uttered by the priests - See 1Chr 16:34, 2Chr 5:13, 2Chr 7:3, Ps 106:1, Ps 107:1, Ps 118:1, Ps 118:29, Ps 136:1. THE ARK BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM - When "they brought in the ark of God and placed it inside the tent which David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God." (1Chr 16:1). "Then on that day David first assigned Asaph and his relatives to give thanks to the LORD." (1Chr 16:7) And in 1Chr 16:8-36 is one of the most beautiful praise and worship services in Scripture. In part of this service they proclaimed "O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting." (1Chr 16:34) THE TEMPLE OF GOD DEDICATED - Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. And all the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the LORD, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting." (2Chr 7:1-3) THE SECOND TEMPLE REBUILDING BEGINS - And they sang (When? When the builders laid the foundation for the second temple - Ezra 3:10), praising and giving thanks to the LORD, saying, "For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever." And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations. (Ps 100:5) Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Ps 106:1) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.(Ps 107:1) Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Oh let Israel say, "His lovingkindness is everlasting." (Ps 118:1) Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Ps 118:29) Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Ps 136:1-2) The NET Note explains that these words represent "a common hymnic introduction to both individual songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 118:1) and communal songs of thanksgiving (e.g., Ps 136:1-26 where it is a liturgical refrain accompanying a recital of Israel’s early history and of the LORD’s continuing providence)." Charles Feinberg adds that "Joy and gladness will not only mark the relationships of God’s people but will also mark their worship in his temple. The liturgical words were those used by the Levitical singers in the temple service (Ps 106:1) and showed that the temple would be rebuilt and the ministry restored as in pre-exilic days. Joy will be accompanied by security." I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first (Click main discussion of restore the fortunes) - What land? The Eretz, the Land of Israel the Land of Israel promised to the patriarchs, a promise that was never fully realized. The only way to ignore that this clearly foretells of the coming Messianic Age is to spiritualize or allegorize the passage and give it some hidden meaning which obscures or replaces the literal meaning! The Reformation Study Bible note skirts the issue of having to explain the land by saying "These circumstances will be brought about by the new covenant." When yes, that is true, but the question is when will the New Covenant be fully fulfilled to the house of Israel and with the house of Judah? It will come about when they are once again united at the return of the Messiah. Yes, Messiah inaugurated the New Covenant at His first coming, but He will not fulfill it (to the literal nation of Israel, the ) until He returns as Paul clearly explained in Ro 11:26-27 declaring "thus all Israel will be saved (the "all" of those who believe in the Messiah and these are believing Jewish remnant); just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER (Messiah) WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. AND THIS IS MY COVENANT (What covenant? The New Covenant promised in Jer 31:31-34) WITH THEM (Who is "them?" From the context this is clearly not the Church! In fact it is the reunited house of Israel and house of Judah, the very ones to whom Jehovah originally made the promise in Jer 31:31!), WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” NET Note on as they were at first - This phrase simply means “as formerly” (BDB 911 s.v. רִאשׁוֹן 3.a). The reference to the “as formerly” must be established from the context. See the usage in Jdg 20:32; 1Ki 13:6; Isa 1:26. Reference is to the reunification of Israel and Judah to the state that they were before the division after Solomon. Compare Jer 3:18; 30:3; 31:27 and see the study note on Jer 30:3 (Here is the Study Note on Jer 30:3 = As the nations of Israel and Judah were united in their sin and suffered the same fate – that of exile and dispersion – (cf. Jer 3:8; 5:11; 11:10, 17) so they will ultimately be regathered from the nations and rejoined under one king, a descendant of David, and regain possession of their ancestral lands. The prophets of both the eighth and seventh century looked forward to this ideal (see, e.g., Hos 1:11 (2:2 HT); Isa 11:11–13; Jer 23:5–6; 30:3; 33:7; Ezek 37:15–22). This has already been anticipated in Jer 3:18.) Jeremiah 33:12 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'There will again be in this place which is waste, without man or beast, and in all its cities, a habitation of shepherds who rest their flocks. ISRAEL'S FUTURE PROPHESIED: PEACE, TRANQUILITY & PROSPERITY KJV Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. NET "I, the LORD who rules over all, say: 'This place will indeed lie in ruins. There will be no people or animals in it. But there will again be in it and in its towns sheepfolds where shepherds can rest their sheep. ESV "Thus says the LORD of hosts: In this place that is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. NIV "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In this place, desolate and without men or animals-- in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks. NLT "This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says: This land-- though it is now desolate and has no people and animals-- will once more have pastures where shepherds can lead their flocks. YLT Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Again there is in this place -- that is waste, Without man and beast, And in all its cities -- a habitation of shepherds, Causing the flock to lie down. LORD of hosts (of armies) - What the Commander foretells will come to pass in His time. NET Note on thus says the LORD of hosts - Jer 33:4, 10, 12 introduce three oracles, all under the answer to the LORD’s promise to Jeremiah to show him “great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.” There will again - This phrase "will again" is found in Jer 33:10, 12, 13. A place which is waste - At the time of this chapter, Jerusalem has been besieged but not yet sacked and laid waste. Nevertheless Jehovah speaks of it's destruction in the past tense, so certain is His divine wrath and righteous judgment to fall upon the city. And beloved, just as Jehovah has fulfilled these prophecies of past judgment on Jerusalem and Judah, rest assured He will fulfill the prophecies of future restoration of Jerusalem and Judah! A habitation of shepherds who rest their flocks - A dramatic contrast of pastoral peace in place of desolation and depopulation after the defeat by Babylon. Jeremiah 33:13 'In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who numbers them,' says the LORD. THE ENTIRE LAND TO BE RESTORED KJV In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD. NET I, the LORD, say that shepherds will once again count their sheep as they pass into the fold. They will do this in all the towns in the southern hill country, the western foothills, the southern hill country, the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, and the towns of Judah.' ESV In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the LORD. NIV 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. NLT Once again shepherds will count their flocks in the towns of the hill country, the foothills of Judah, )the Negev, the land of Benjamin, the vicinity of Jerusalem, and all the towns of Judah. I, the LORD, have spoken! YLT In the cities of the hill-country, In the cities of the low country, And in the cities of the south, And in the land of Benjamin, And in the suburbs of Jerusalem, And in the cities of Judah, Again doth the flock pass by under the hands of the numberer, said Jehovah. These six specific geographic locations are mentioned for the third time in this book (Jer 17:26, Jer 32:44). It is as if God wants to make sure that the reader understands He is speaking of a literal land in the Messianic Age and that this is not describing the New Heavens and the New Earth! Jamieson on the one who numbers them - Shepherds, in sending forth and in bringing back their sheep to the folds, count them by striking each as passes with a rod, implying the shepherd's provident care that not one should be lost (Leviticus 27:32; Micah 7:14 : cf. John 10:28-29; John 17:12). Charles Feinberg - There may be an allusion here to Leviticus 27:32. Strangely, the Targum has a messianic interpretation here and substitutes the word “Messiah” (cp mashiach) for “the one who counts them.” (Ed: Compare Jesus' description in John 10:1-17). NET Note on flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who numbers them - Heb “Sheep will again pass under the hands of the counter.” This appears to be a reference to counting the sheep to make sure that none was missing as they returned to the fold. See the same idiom in Lev 27:32 and in the metaphor in Ezek 20:37. Warren Wiersbe astutely observes that "Since these blessings (Ed: Enumerated in Jer 33:6-13) didn’t come during the post-exilic period, we have to believe they’ll be realized when the Lord returns and restores His people and their land." (Be Decisive - Jeremiah- Taking a Stand for the Truth) Jeremiah 33:14 'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. JEHOVAH WILL FULFILL HIS GOOD WORD TO ISRAEL Behold (02009)(hinneh) - see comments on Jer 33:6. This interjection is used to call attention to the phrase days are coming. God will fulfill His promises to His Chosen People, restoring them to the promised land and reuniting the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. A C Gaebelein on days are coming notes that "The delay may be long and still deferred according to His eternal purposes; but at the appointed time these days will surely come." (Ref) Feinberg points on that "This beautiful passage (Jeremiah 32:14–26) is not in the Septuagint (Lxx) and has therefore been suspect to many commentators....But this passage is perfectly compatible with the revelation in Jeremiah 23 and with Jeremiah 30–33. As a whole, Jeremiah is declaring that monarchy and priesthood, interrupted by the Exile, will coexist permanently. He proclaims the perpetuity of the Davidic dynasty and the Levitical priesthood without equivocation. The predicted restoration (“the days are coming”) is not, however, to be looked for in the immediate time of the return from the Captivity. Only in a limited and preliminary way were these promises fulfilled in Zerubbabel and Sheshbazzar after the Captivity (cf. Ezra 1:8; 2:2; also Ezra 2:40–54; 8:15–20). Ultimately, they are combined in the highest sense in Christ (cf. Ps 110:4) and are yet to be fulfilled in the reign of Messiah on earth. Scalise agrees that "This passage is absent from LXX, but it is well integrated into MT. Like the rest of chap. 33, these verses restate and extend promises found elsewhere in the book." (Word Biblical Commentary) Days are coming - This exact phrase occurs 23x in 23 verses, and is clearly an important phrase in Jeremiah where it is found most often in the Bible (15 times). In fact every occurrence of this phrase in Jeremiah is preceded by a behold, so clearly God wants us to pay very special attention to this phrase! - 1Sa 2:31; 2Ki 20:17; Isa 39:6; Jer 7:32; Jer 9:25; Jer 16:14; Jer 19:6; Jer 23:5, 7; Jer 30:3; Jer 31:27, 31, 38; Jer 33:14; Jer 48:12; Jer 49:2; Jer 51:47, 52; Amos 4:2; 8:11; 9:13; Luke 23:29; Heb 8:8. Declares the LORD - Jehovah said it. That settles it, whether I believe it or not! This phrase occurs 170 times in 165 verses in Jeremiah out of a total of 334 verses (almost 50% of all uses in Scripture in one book!). It follows that "declares the LORD" is clearly a key phrase in the prophecy of Jeremiah! Add to that 158 uses in 157 verses (out of a total of 503 uses) the phrase "says the LORD" in Jeremiah . Declares the LORD - Jer 1:8, 15, 19; 2:3, 9, 12, 19, 22, 29; 3:1, 10, 12ff, 16, 20; 4:1, 9, 17; 5:9, 11, 15, 18, 22, 29; 6:12; 7:11, 13, 19, 30, 32; 8:1, 3, 13, 17; 9:3, 6, 9, 24f; 12:17; 13:11, 14, 25; 15:3, 6, 9, 20; 16:5, 11, 14, 16; 17:24; 18:6; 19:6, 12; 21:7, 10, 13f; 22:5, 16, 24; 23:1f, 4f, 7, 11f, 23f, 28ff; 25:7, 9, 12, 29, 31; 27:8, 11, 15, 22; 28:4; 29:9, 11, 14, 19, 23, 32; 30:3, 8, 10f, 17, 21; 31:1, 14, 16f, 20, 27f, 31ff, 36ff; 32:5, 30, 44; 33:14; 34:5, 17, 22; 35:13; 39:17f; 42:11; 44:29; 45:5; 46:5, 23, 26, 28; 48:12, 25, 30, 35, 38, 43f, 47; 49:2, 5f, 13, 16, 26, 30ff, 37ff; 50:4, 10, 20f, 30f, 35, 40; 51:24ff, 39, 48, 52f I will fulfill the good word - This promise echoes Jeremiah 29:10 "For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place." Beloved, did He fulfill Jeremiah 29:10? Indeed He did and just as surely will He fulfill Jeremiah 33:14-16 (days...in those days...in those days)! Dyer comments on good word - The “good word,” a phrase that captures the entire breadth of the glorious promises made to both parts of the nation (Jer 16:14-15; 23:3-6; 29:10-14; 31:1-14, 27-40; 32:37-44; Hosea 1:10-11; 2:14-23; Am 9:11-15; Micah 7:18-20; Zeph 3:10, 14-17; Zech 8:3-8, 10:6, 14:9-20) will be fulfilled in the Messianic Age." (Moody Bible Commentary) NET Note on I will fulfill... - This refers at the very least to the promises of Jer 23:5–6, 7–8; 30:3; 31:27, 31 where the same formula “The time will certainly come (Heb “Behold the days are coming”)” occurs. Reference may also be to the promises through the earlier prophets of what is alluded to here, i.e., the restoration of Israel and Judah under a Davidic ruler and the revival of the offerings (cf. Hos 1:10–11; 3:4–5; Amos 9:11–12; Isa 11:1–5, 10–16; Jer 30:9, 21 for the former and Jer 31:14; 33:11 for the latter). House of Israel...house of Judah - The united nation is clearly depicted. The rebirth of the nation is not the fulfillment of this prophecy as is clear from the context describing circumstances in Israel that simply do not exist at present. This has not yet occurred but will transpire when Messiah returns to rule as described in the following passage (Jer 33:15). Even if one believed that the Church had replaced Israel in God's program, this genre of false teaching would have great difficult explaining how the Church also replaces the "house of Judah." Replacement theology is simply nonsense as there are too many passages that must be spiritualized or interpreted allegorically to make the square peg of supersessionism into the round hole of literal Biblical truth! And before you accuse me of being a dispensationalist, pause, because I am not a dispensationalist (I don't really even understand what if means and refuse to look it up lest I become biased!) but a "literalist." Jeremiah 33:15 'In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH SPRINGS FORTH KJV 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. NET In those days and at that time I will raise up for them a righteous descendant of David. "'He will do what is just and right in the land. ESV In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. NIV "'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. NLT "In those days and at that time I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David's line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. YLT In those days, and at that time, I cause to shoot up to David a shoot of righteousness, And he hath done judgment and righteousness in the earth. ASV In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. BBE In those days and at that time, I will let a Branch of righteousness come up for David; and he will be a judge in righteousness in the land. While the promises in Jeremiah 33:6-13 are wonderful, Jehovah now reveals the greatest blessing of all, the personal presence of the Messiah, the Righteous Branch of David. Earlier Jeremiah had recorded a similar prophecy directed to His Chosen People, a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled. Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I shall raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ 7 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.” (Jeremiah 23:5-8) Comment: Mention of Judah (2 southern tribes taken into Babylonian exile in 605, 597 and 586BC) and Israel (10 northern tribes taken into Assyrian exile in 722BC) together indicates this is a reference to the united nation of Israel, which awaits a future fulfillment in His days (when Messiah returns). This cannot refer to the reborn (May, 1948) nation of Israel for it clearly does not dwell securely. I love the Name for it speaks of what He will accomplish in the believing remnant of Israel when He returns -- they will become righteous by grace through faith and recognize that it is not their works based righteousness that makes them acceptable to the Father, but it is as they will proclaim the "LORD our righteousness." Not their righteousness but His. They are safe forever in Christ and His perfect righteousness as is every believer whether Jew or Gentile. NET Note on Jer 23:5 - This passage and the parallel in Jer 33:15 are part of a growing number of prayers and prophecies regarding an ideal Ruler to come forth from the Davidic line Who will bring the justice, security, and well-being that the continuing line of Davidic rulers did not. Though there were periodic kings like Josiah who did fulfill the ideals set forth in Jer 22:3 (see Jer 22:15), by and large they were more like Jehoiakim who did not (see Jer 22:13). Hence the LORD brought to an end the Davidic rule. The potential for the ideal, however, remained because of God’s promise to David (2Sa 7:16). The Davidic line became like a tree which was cut down, leaving only a stump. But from that stump God would bring forth a “shoot,” a “sprig” which would fulfill the ideals of kingship. See Isa 11:1–6 and Zech 3:8, 6:12 for this metaphor and compare Da 4:14–15, 23, 26 for a different but related use of the metaphor. The epithet “Branch” (צֶמַח, tsemakh) derives from the verb used in Zech 6:12 (יִצְמָח, yitsmakh, “will sprout up” ["will branch out"]) to describe the rise of the Messiah, already referred to in this manner in Zech 3:8 (cf. Isa 11:1; 53:2; Jer 33:15). In the immediate context (of Zech 6:12) this refers to Zerubbabel, but the ultimate referent is Jesus (cf. Jn 19:5). In those days and at that time - These are important time phrases. To what time do they refer? To answer this question, one needs to carefully observe the context. What has Jehovah just promised in the previous passages (Jer 33:6-14)? And notice that in Jer 33:16 the promise is that Jerusalem will dwell in safety. Was Jerusalem secure when the Jews returned from Babylon after their 70 year exile? Clearly not. Was Jerusalem secure in Jesus' day? Clearly not as the Romans ruled and eventually destroyed the city in 70AD! So has this happened in the re-birth of the nation of Israel in May, 1948? All we have to do is watch the news from the Middle East to see Jerusalem is not dwelling in safety. And so in those days and at that time must speak of a future time. And this passage says this time will coincide with a righteous Branch of David to spring forth. This can be no one other than the Messiah, who will "spring forth" at His Second Coming to set up His Kingdom on earth! I will cause ( I will raise up = NET, NLT; I will make = NIV) - Jehovah is clearly in charge of the timing of this event! He will one day in the future give the world the Ideal King. This will come about in those days and at that time. Glory! Hallelujah! The Apostle John describes the springing forth of the Righteous Branch... And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (Who are the armies? Some say angels and there might be some angels, but in truth the saints will follows as confirmed by comparing the parallel description in Rev 17:14-see commentary which clearly does not describe angels) 15 And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Rev 19:11-16-see commentary) A Righteous Branch...to spring forth ("germinate") - The Messiah, the greater son of David, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah will return. Isaiah expounds on Messiah's Name the Branch... In that day (What day? Checking the context [always the key to accurate interpretation] this expression of time is clearly the Messianic Age or Millennium and the Messiah's Reign) the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. (Isaiah 4:2-see note) Then (When is then?) a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:1-2-see note) Zechariah adds... Then say to him ("Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest" Zech 6:11), 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD. "Yes, it is He who will build the temple of the LORD, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices."' (Zechariah 6:12-13) John