Jeremias 31

Jeremias 31

Gill says about the church is true, but he has completely "spiritualized" the passage and removed it far from it's original literal intent. As we have said pre-1900 commentaries are very questionable when it comes to interpretation of prophetic passages!)." (Jeremiah 31:40 Comment) It will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever - This description clearly excludes the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Jews returned from exile. Why? Because Jerusalem was overthrown in 70 AD by the Roman general Titus. (See Siege of Jerusalem) This prophecy therefore awaits a future fulfillment. There are really only two possibilities - (1) One interpretation is an earthly rebuilt Jerusalem in the Millennium, and the specific detail is that it will not be plucked up or overthrown forever. And that will be true in the Millennium even though Satan surrounds "the camp of the saints and the beloved city" in a futile attempt to overthrow or pluck it up. (Rev 20:7-10-note). The other possibility is the New Jerusalem which is discussed elsewhere. Jeremiah used the verb haras 7 times in both negative and positive contexts (regarding Israel and once Babylon) - 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 (Lxx = apollumi), To build and to plant.” Jeremiah 24:6 ‘For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow (Lxx = kathaireo = bring down, destroy), and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Jeremiah 31:28 “And it will come about that 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. Jeremiah 31:40 “And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, or overthrown (Lxx = kathaireo = bring down, destroy) anymore forever.” Jeremiah 42:10 ‘If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you; for I shall relent concerning the calamity that I have inflicted on you. Jeremiah 45:4 “Thus you are to say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, what I have built I am about to tear down, and what I have planted I am about to uproot, that is, the whole land.” Jeremiah 50:15 (Concerning Babylon) “Raise your battle cry against her on every side! She has given herself up, her pillars have fallen, Her walls have been torn down. For this is the vengeance of the LORD: Take vengeance on her; As she has done to others, so do to her. In Ezekiel haras is used in a prophecy that promises the land of Israel will be rebuilt in the Messianic Age - "They will say, 'This desolate land has become like the garden of Eden (); and the waste, desolate and ruined (haras) cities are fortified and inhabited. Then the nations that are left round about you will know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined (haras) places and planted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken and will do it." (Ezekiel 36:35-36) Overthrown (02040)(haras) basically means to destroy by tearing down (e.g., cities = 2Sa 11:25, 2Ki 3:25, 1Chr 20:1, Isa 14:17; Lam 2:2, altars - Jdg 6:25, etc). Haras means break down, break through, broken down, destroyed. In Ex 19:21, 24 the haras is used by God to warn the people not to break though into the area surrounding Mt Sinai and as a result perish. The first use of haras is in Ex 15:7, referring to the destruction of the Egyptian armies in the Red Sea. Israel was to destroy the Canaanites (Ex 23:24 = "utterly overthrow"; Lxx = suntribo = strictly rub hard together, hence smash or crush) and break up their idols. As Gideon was to begin his work as a deliverer of Israel, he was first to pull down his father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it (Jdg 6:25). In Elijah's day it was the Jewish people who had "forsaken" Jehovah's covenant and torn down His altars (1Ki 19:10, 14). Other objects of destruction included walls (Ezek 13:14), foundations (Ezek 30:4), barns (Joel 1:17), cities (2Ki 3:25; 1Chr 20:1) either by God (Lam 2:2; Ex 15:7) or by men (1Chr 20:1). The foolish woman pulled down her house by her sins (Pr 14:1). In ancient warfare cities which did not surrender were to be destroyed when their walls had been breached (1Chr 20:1; cf. Dt 20:10-14). The wicked ideas sinners advance in the cities bring about their destruction (Pr 11:11) by sapping morality and the will to resist the intruder. The slothful person's neglect can bring about the deterioration of the garden walls which mark off property (Pr 24:31). David lamented in Ps 11:3 "If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?" NAS translates haras - break down(2), break through(2), broken down(1), destroyed(2), destroyers(1), overthrew(2), overthrow(5), overthrown(1), overthrows(1), pull you down(1), pull down(1), ruined(2), shatter(1), tear them down(1), tear you down(1), tear down(5), tears it down(1), tears down(1), thrown down(3), torn down(7), utterly overthrow(1). Haras - 42v in the NAS - Ex 15:7; 19:21, 24; 23:24 (Lxx = suntribo); Jdg 6:25; 2Sa 11:25; 1Ki 18:30; 19:10, 14; 2 Kgs 3:25; 1 Chr 20:1; Job 12:14; Ps 11:3; 28:5; 58:6; Prov 11:11; 14:1; 24:31; 29:4; Isa 14:17; 22:19; 49:17; Jer 1:10; 24:6; 31:28, 40; 42:10; 45:4; 50:15; Lam 2:2, 17; Ezek 13:14; 16:39; 26:4, 12; 30:4; 36:35f; 38:20; Joel 1:17; Mic 5:11; Mal 1:4 NAMED GATES OF JERUSALEM The following is a complete list of the gates named in the Bible and by Josephus, with the reference to their occurrence: 1. Gate of Ephraim. 2 Chr 25:23; Neh 8:16; 12:39 This is probably the same as the-- 2. Gate of Benjamin. Jer 20:2; 37:13; Zech 14:10ff so, it was 400 cubits distant from the-- 3. Corner gate. 2 Chr 25:23; 26:9; Jer 31:38; Zech 14:10 4. Gate of Joshua, governor of the city. 2 Kin 23:8 5. Gate between the two walls. 2 Kin 25:4; Jer 39:4 6. Horse gate. Neh 3:28; 2 Chr 23:15; Jer 31:40 7. Ravine gate (i.e. opening on ravine of Hinnom). 2 Chr 26:9; Neh 2:13,15; 3:13 8. Fish gate. 2 Chr 33:14; Neh 3:13; Zeph 1:10 9. Dung gate. Neh 2:13; 3:13 10. Sheep gate. Neh 3:1,32; 12:39 11. East gate. Neh 3:29 12. Miphkad (Inspection) Gate. Neh 3:31 13. Fountain gate (Siloam?). Neh 12:37 14. Water gate. Neh 12:37 15. Old Gate. Neh 12:39 16. Prison gate. Neh 12:39 17. Potsherd Gate - Gate Harsith (perhaps the Sun; Authorized Version = East gate). Jer 19:2 18. First gate. Zech 14:10 19. Gate Gennath (gardens). Josephus B.J. v. 4, - 4. 20. Essenes' gate. Josephus B.J. 4, - 2. To these should be added the following gates to the temple: Gate Sur, 2 Kin 11:6 called also gate of foundation. 2 Chr 23:5 Gate of the guard, or behind the guard, 2 Kin 11:6,19; called the high gate. 2 Kin 15:35; 2 Chr 23:20; 27:3 Gate Shallecheth. 1 Chr 26:16 At present the chief gates are -- 1. The Zion's gate and the dung gate, in the south wall; 2. St. Stephen's gate and the golden gate (now walled up), in the east wall; 3. The Damascus gate and 4. Herod's gate, in the north wall; and 5. The Jaffa gate, in the west wall.