Jeremias 31
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Jeremias 31
Wiersbe - 428 ratings Chapter summaries. Good but resource above is more detailed. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel Isaiah 40-66 and Jeremiah by Cundall, Arthur Ernest Jeremiah and Lamentations; an introduction and commentary by Harrison, R. K. Rosscup - This famous Old Testament scholar, a conservative, concludes that we have here the basic teachings of Jeremiah under several kings. Lamentations is done by an eye-witness of Jerusalem’s fall. In both books, Harrison offers a brief but well informed commentary that is usually quite helpful in getting at what the text means and not substituting redactional theory from another era. Jeremiah : Prophet of judgment commentary by Jensen, Irving (132 pages) (Also has a self-study guide - Isaiah, Jeremiah : a self-study guide) Rosscup - Jensen has written a concise evangelical commentary for those who wish for a simple survey. The work is premillennial in its orientation, and is done by a man well-known for his helpful expositional works. Jeremiah (Bible Study Commentary) by Huey, F. B. 1981. 157 pp. James Rosscup - Conservative and concise, using a good outline and giving pastors, Sunday School teachers and lay people in general a quick look in a fairly able way. Dyer, Jensen, Kidner and Harrison do it better among the briefer works in overall helpfulness, though this is not to downgrade Huey. HCSB Study Bible : Holman Christian Standard Bible - Conservative. Literal. Brief but good notes. Holman's excellent maps. Believer's Bible Commentary - OT and NT - MacDonald, William (1995) 2480 pages. Conservative. Literal. Often has very insightful comments. John MacArthur, says "Concise yet comprehensive - the most complete single-volume commentary I have seen." Warren Wiersbe adds "For the student who is serious about seeing Christ in the Word." One hour limit. Rosscup - This work, originally issued in 1983, is conservative and premillennial, written to help teachers, preachers and people in every walk of life with different views, explanation and application. The 2-column format runs verse by verse for the most part, usually in a helpfully knowledgeable manner, and there are several special sections such as “Prayer” in Acts and “Legalism” in Galatians. The premillennial view is evident on Acts 1:6, 3:20, Romans 11:26, Galatians 6:16, Revelation 20, etc. The King James Study Bible Second Edition (2013) (Thomas Nelson) contributing editors (only first is listed) include Wayne A. Brindle. There is no restriction on length of time one can use, but there is no copy and paste function Life Application Study Bible: Old Testament and New Testament: New Living Translation. Has some very helpful notes especially with application of texts. 4,445 ratings NKJV Study Bible: New King James Version Study Bible (formerly "The Nelson Study Bible - NKJV") by Radmacher, Earl D; Allen, Ronald Barclay; House, H. Wayne (1997, 2007); 917 ratings Helpful notes. Conservative. KJV Bible Commentary Judges - Hindson, Edward E; Kroll, Woodrow Michael. This is not a study Bible per se, but a one volume commentary with over 3000 pages of comments covering the entire OT/NT. There is no restriction on length of time one can use, but there is no copy and paste function. These are excellent conservative comments that interpret Scripture from a literal perspective. User reviews - it generally gets 4/5 stars from users. ESV Study Bible - Good notes but not always literal in eschatology and the nation of Israel 6,004 ratings Zondervan NIV Study Bible - (2011) 2570 pages The David Jeremiah Study Bible - (2013) 2208 pages. Logos.com "Drawing on more than 40 years of study, Dr. David Jeremiah has compiled a legacy resource that will make an eternal impact on generations to come. 8,000 study notes. Hundreds of enriching word studies"50+ Essentials of the Christian Faith" articles." 2,272 ratings The Defender's Study Bible : King James Version by Morris, Henry M. Excellent notes by well known creationist. 45 ratings Ryrie Study Bible - Charles Ryrie (1978) 2142 pages. Conservative. Notes are brief. 216 ratings Wycliffe Bible Commentary - Charles Pfeiffer - 1560 pages (1962). 214 ratings Conservative. Notes are generally verse by verse but brief. Rosscup - Conservative and premillennial scholars here have been experts in their fields. The work contains brief introductions and attempts to give a verse-by-verse exposition, though it does skip over some verses. The treatments vary with the authors, but as a whole it is a fine one-volume commentary for pastors and students to use or give to a layman. Outstanding sections include, for example: Whitcomb on Ezra-Nehemiah-Esther; Culver on Daniel; Ladd on Acts; Harrison on Galatians; Johnson on I Corinthians; and Ryrie on the Johannine Epistles. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture Keener, Craig and Walton, John. Editors (2017) Jeremiah by Davidson, R Cyril
Jeremias 31
Wiersbe - The Old Covenant tried to control conduct, but the New Covenant changes character so that people can love the Lord and one another and want to obey God’s will. “By the Law is the knowledge of sin” (Ro 3:20), but under the New Covenant God promised “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jer 31:34). It is this covenant that the Jews will experience in the last days when they see their Messiah and repent (Zech 12:10–13:1). The basis for the New Covenant is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Mt 26:27–28; Mk 14:22–24; Lk 22:19–20). Because the church today partakes in Israel’s spiritual riches (Ro 11:12–32; Eph 3:1–6), anyone who puts faith in Jesus Christ shares in this New Covenant (Heb. 8:6–13; 10:14–18). It’s an experience of regeneration, being “born again” into the family of God (Jn 3:1–21). (Be Decisive) (Bolding added) I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt - Metaphorically speaking God took them by the hand when He redeemed them from bondage (Ex 6:6, 15:13) and brought them out of the land of Egypt (Ex 3:17, 7:4 Dt 26:8). My covenant which they broke (See Ex 24:6-8 for the cutting of this covenant inaugurated with blood as would be the New Covenant - Lk 22:20, 1Cor 11:25) - They could not keep the law because they had no inner power to keep the law. The New Covenant provided the energizing presence of the Spirit to enable them (and you and me) to obey the law (see Ezek 36:27-note, cp Phil 2:12-note and Phil 2:13-note). Remember that the Law was not given to save us but to show us that we are all great sinners in need of a greater (the greatest) Savior (Gal 3:21-23, 24, Ro 3:20-note). Delitzsch writes that "there is no period of the history of Israel before the captivity, in which more or less idolatry was not united with the worship of Jehovah, except the time of David and the first years of Solomon, during which the influence of Samuel still continued to be felt.” NET Note on not like the covenant - This refers to the Mosaic covenant which the nation entered into with God at Sinai and renewed on the plains of Moab. The primary biblical passages explicating this covenant are Ex 19–24 and the book of Deuteronomy; see as well the study note on Jer 11:2 for the form this covenant took and its relation to the warnings of the prophets. The renewed document of Deuteronomy was written down and provisions made for periodic public reading and renewal of commitment to it (Dt 31:9–13). Josiah had done this after the discovery of the book of the law (which was either Deuteronomy or a synopsis of it) early in the ministry of Jeremiah (2Ki 23:1–4; the date would be near 622 B.C. shortly after Jeremiah began prophesying in 627 [see the note on Jer 1:2]). But it is apparent from Jeremiah’s confrontation with Judah after that time that the commitment of the people was only superficial (cf. Jer 3:10). The prior history of the nations of Israel and Judah and Judah’s current practice had been one of persistent violation of this covenant despite repeated warnings of the prophets that God would punish them for that (see especially Jer 7, 11). Because of that, Israel had been exiled (cf., e.g., Jer 3:8), and now Judah was threatened with the same (cf., e.g., Jer 7:15). Jer 30–31 look forward to a time when both Israel and Judah will be regathered, reunited, and under a new covenant which includes the same stipulations but with a different relationship (Jer 31:32). (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) Although I was a husband to them - The point is that Jehovah was as near and dear to Israel as a husband is to his wife, but they still sought other "lovers," other gods or as the KJV says they went "whoring after their gods" (Ex 34:15KJV, Lev 17:7KJV, Dt 31:16KJV) NET Note on husband - The metaphor of Yahweh as husband and Israel as wife has been used already in Jer 3 and is implicit in the repeated allusions to idolatry as spiritual adultery or prostitution. The best commentary on the faithfulness of God to his “husband-like” relation is seen in the book of Hosea, especially in Hos 1–3. Several verses allude to Israel's relationship to Jehovah as her husband... Hosea 2:16 “And it will come about in that day (When Messiah returns and delivers Israel from ungodliness),” declares the LORD, “That you will call Me Ishi (0376) And will no longer call Me Baali (01180 derived from 01167 - see also Jer 3:14 below for related words) . 17 “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more. For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned (Hebrew = zakar = remembered) by their names no more. (See another example of God's gift of "spiritual amnesia" in Zech 13:2 which is in the context of the Messiah's return to set up His kingdom on earth). NET Note - There are wordplays on the terms אִישׁ ('ish) and בַּעַל (ba’al) here. The term אִישִׁי (’ishi, “my man, husband”) is a title of affection (Ge 2:23; 3:6, 16) as the counterpart to אִשָּׁה (’ishah, “woman, wife”). The term בַּעְלִי (baali, “my lord”) emphasizes the husband’s legal position (Ex 21:3; Deut 22:22; 24:4). The relationship will no longer be conditioned on the outward legal commitment but on a new inward bond of mutual affection and love....There is a wordplay on the terms בַּעְלִי (baali, “my master”) and הַבְּעָלִים (habbé’alim, “the Baals”) which are derived from the root בַּעַל (ba’al, “master; lord”). This wordplay is especially effective because the term בַּעַל can refer to one’s husband and is also the name of the Canaanite storm god Baal. Referring to a spouse the term normally means “husband; master.” It was a common, ordinary, nonpejorative term that was frequently used in an interchangeable manner with אִישׁ (’ish, “husband; man”). Due to its similarity in sound to the abhorrent Canaanite fertility god Baal, the repentant Israelites would be so spiritually sensitive that they would refrain from even uttering this neutral term for fear of recalling their former idolatry. The purpose of the exile is to end Israel’s worship of Baal and to remove Syncretism. (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) Hosea 2:19 “And I will betroth you to Me forever (NRSV = “I will take you for my wife forever.”); Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, NET Note - The text contains an allusion to the payment of bridal gifts. The LORD will impute the moral character to Israel that will be necessary for a successful covenant relationship. Isaiah 54:5 “For your husband is your Maker, Whose name is the LORD of hosts; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, Who is called the God of all the earth. Jeremiah 2:2 “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals (hesed/chesed/heced), Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. NET Note - The Hebrew word translated “how devoted you were” (The love of your betrothals) (חֶסֶד, hesed) refers metaphorically to the devotion of a new bride to her husband. In typical Hebraic fashion, contemporary Israel is identified with early Israel after she first entered into covenant with (= married) the LORD. The reference to her earlier devotion is not absolute but relative. Compared to her unfaithfulness in worshiping other gods after she got into the land, the murmuring and complaining in the wilderness are ignored. Jeremiah 3:14KJV 'Turn, O backsliding (refers to a people who are always turning away from the Lord, leaving their God, acting unfaithfully towards Him and His laws) children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you (or "I am your Husband", "I am a master to you" = verb means to marry as in Dt 24:2, Pr 30:23): and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: NET Note - There is a wordplay between the term “true master” (ba'al - 01166) and the name of the pagan god Baal (01168). The pronoun “I” is emphatic, creating a contrast between the LORD as Israel’s true master/husband versus Baal as Israel’s illegitimate lover/master. See 2:23–25. See related resource - Backsliding or Drifting Jeremiah 31:33 "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. THE LAW INTERNALIZED WRITTEN ON OUR HEART LXE For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. KJV But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. NET "But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land," says the LORD. "I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people. NET Note - The words “and minds” is not in the text but is supplied in the translation to bring the English psychology more into line with the Hebrew where the “heart” is the center both of knowing/thinking/reflecting and deciding/willing. ESV But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. NIV "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. NLT "But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the LORD. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Covenant (01285)(berit/berith/beriyth) was the most solemn, binding agreement that could be made between two parties in the OT and often referred to a compact made by passing between pieces of flesh. The Septuagint (Lxx) translates berit with the noun diatheke which literally conveys the idea of a testament, as in one's last will and testament. A covenant is an agreement between two parties that binds them together and conveys the associated ideas of very close fellowship (even oneness and identity as for example in the marriage covenant where two mystically become one flesh). Make (cut) (03772)(karath) literally means to cut, which alludes to the idea of passing between pieces of an animal cut in half (see Jer 34:15-17, 18). The house of Israel - Referring to all 12 tribes. NET Note adds that "All commentators agree that the term here refers to both the whole nation which was divided into the house of Israel and the house of Judah in Jer 31:30." Barry Horner adds that "Both the nations of Israel and Judah, their unification also being implicit (see Ezek 37:15-23), are here the primary objects of the Lord's saving design, not the Gentile Christian church." (Future Israel - Why Christian Anti-Judaism Must Be Challenged) After those days - What days? He began speaking of a "new" day for the house of Israel and the house of Judah in Jeremiah 31:27-28 and mentioned days again in Jer 31:29 and Jer 31:31. The clearest direct referent of "those days" is the reference to the New Covenant in Jer 31:31. NET Note on after those days - Commentators are generally agreed that this refers to the return from exile and the repopulation of the land referred to in Jer 31:27–28 and not to something subsequent to the time mentioned in Jer 31:30. This is the sequencing that is also presupposed in other new covenant passages such as Deut 30:1–6; Ezek 11:17–20; 36:24–28. (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) Fruchtenbaum on I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it - That conditional covenant (Mosaic Covenant) showed the standard of righteousness demanded by the law, but could never impart to the Jew the power to keep it. However, the New Covenant will rectify that problem (Jer 31:33) through regeneration, giving the internal power necessary to meet and to keep God’s righteous standards. NET Note says within them means to "in their inward parts.” The Hebrew word here refers to the seat of the thoughts, emotions, and decisions (Jer 9:8 [9:7 HT]). It is essentially synonymous with “heart” in Hebrew psychological terms. (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) Heart (03820)(leb) most often is used figurative to refer to what I term the "control center" of our being. Think of an Air Traffic Controller and how dysfunctional, even destructive it is when the controllers fail to function as they should. NET Note adds that "the heart is the center both of knowing/thinking/reflecting and deciding/willing." NET Note on the phrase within them and on their hearts - Two contexts are relevant for understanding this statement. First is the context of the first or old covenant which was characterized by a law written on stone tablets (e.g., Ex 32:15–16; 34:1, 28; Dt 4:13; 5:22; 9:10) or in a “book” or “scroll” (Dt 31:9–13) which could be lost (cf. 2Ki 22:8), forgotten (Hos 4:6), ignored (Jer 6:19; Amos 4:2), or altered (Jer 8:8). Second is the context of the repeated fault that Jeremiah has found with their stubborn (Jer 3:17; 7:24; 9:14; 11:8; 13:10; 16:12; 18:12; 23:17), uncircumcised (Jer 4:4; 9:26), and desperately wicked hearts (Jer 4:4; 17:9). Radical changes were necessary to get the people to obey the law from the heart and not just pay superficial or lip service to it (Jer 3:10; 12:2). Dt 30:1-6; Ezek 11:17-20; 36:24-28 speak of these radical changes (Ed: These passages all are based on and represent effects of the New Covenant). The LORD will remove the “foreskin” of their heart and give them a circumcised heart, or take away their “stony” heart and give them a new heart. (Ed: See Excursus on Circumcision Of the Heart) With this heart they will be able to obey his laws, statutes, ordinances, and commands (Dt 30:8; Ezek 11:20; 36:27). The new covenant does not entail a new law; it is the same law that Jeremiah has repeatedly accused them of rejecting or ignoring (Jer 6:19; 9:13; 16:11; 26:4; 44:10). What does change is their inner commitment to keep it. Jeremiah has already referred to this in Jer 24:7 and will refer to it again in Jer 32:39. (Jeremiah 31 NET Notes) The IVP Bible Background Commentary has an interesting note regarding on their heart I will write it - Extispicy is the practice whereby diviners pose a question to deity and seek the answer by examining the entrails of sacrificed animals. When extispicy was being performed, the incantation priests asked the deity to write his revelation on the exta (entrails) of the sacrificed animal so that his will or instruction could be understood. Another frequent diviner’s prayer was to place the truth in the exta. Both the verbs of this verse (put, write) and the nouns (“mind” = entrails, specifically intestines; heart) are the same words as are used in extispicy omens in Akkadian literature. But if Jeremiah is using the language and concepts of omens, it is only as a convenient bridge to his message. God’s decrees and will are going to be made known through the careful examination of the heart of his people. Akkadian also uses the nouns (heart and mind) parallel to one another in reference to the center of reason and emotion. Criswell - There are some marked differences between the old and new covenants (Jer 31:32; cf. Ge 9:13). (1) The Sinai covenant demanded obedience, while the new covenant offers forgiveness of sin. (2) The old covenant was written on stone tablets, while the new covenant is carved on the hearts of God's people (cf. Ezek. 36:26, 27). (3) The old covenant was between God and the nation Israel, whereas the new covenant is between God and all believers. At the foundation of the new covenant is the fact that God is everything; He will make His people what they ought to be. This new covenant clearly is applicable to two distinct groups. The author of Hebrews recognizes certain fulfillment in those who are saved in the present dispensation (Heb. 8:7-13). However, the covenant as prophesied by Jeremiah must also see a fulfillment in national Israel during the millennial age. The connection between these double fulfillments is actually that of an extension. The new covenant came into force with the atoning death of Christ. All believers in the present church age are the recipients of its benefits. Eventually those benefits will also be extended to include a repentant and regenerate Israel (Rom. 11:25-29). A PRECIOUS PROMISE REPEATEDLY REPEATED! I will be their God, and they shall be My people - This is clearly the language of covenant and was a promise first given in the Abrahamic Covenant in Ge 17:8 = "And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." This promise is repeated several times in Jeremiah... Jeremiah 24:7 = "I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart." Jeremiah 30:22 'You shall be My people, And I will be your God.'" Jeremiah 32:38 = "And they shall be My people, and I will be their God" This promise is also recorded by other prophets... Ezekiel 37:23, 27-note = "And they will be My people, and I will be their God....."My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people." Zechariah 8:8 = "And I will bring them back, and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem, and they will be My people and I will be their God in truth and righteousness." Paul repeats this promise to the believers in the NT... Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. (2Cor 6:16) The writer of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah... "FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM UPON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE." (Hebrews 8:10-note) Jeremiah 31:34 "They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." EACH WILL POSSESS PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD LXE And they shall not at all teach every one his fellow citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more. KJV And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. NET "People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me," says the LORD. "For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done." Comment - No longer - This phrase is used several times in the book of Jeremiah with an eschatological meaning, specifically signifying the time of the end, when Messiah returns and supernaturally reverses Israel's fortunes - Jer 3:16, 16:14, (Jer 23:4NET), Jer 23:7, 30:8 (Jer 31:19NET, Jer 31:29NET, Jer 31:34NET - twice). See ESV and NIV below. ESV And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." NIV No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." NLT And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already," says the LORD. "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." They will not teach again....know the LORD - Why will they not have to teach this again? They will all know Jehovah. In short, all Israel (that believes) will be saved for Jehovah declares "I will forgive their iniquity." They will all know Me - This is a wonderful promise. Not only will they know (Hebrew - yada; Lxx = eido = know beyond a shadow of a doubt!) Jehovah, but He will know them! What a contrast to the tragic scene Jesus describes in Mt 7:21-23-note where many claim to know Him but He says to them "‘I never (absolutely not at any time) knew you; DEPART (aorist imperative = command to do this immediately!) FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (present tense = as the habit of one's life, not occasionally - every true saint sadly still sins occasionally) LAWLESSNESS.’ (Mt 7:23-note) Walter Kaiser comments that by using the description they will all know Me "Jeremiah does not mean possessing intellectual data only (Ed: "Head knowledge without heart change"), but in accordance with his usage in Jeremiah 22:15, 16 it is a knowledge which results in appropriate action and living. No doubt this is the explanation of the apparent contradiction of not needing teachers in Jeremiah 31:34 and the need for the Lord to teach in that day in Isaiah 2:3. No one will need to say “Get with it, don’t you know Yahweh is King.” All will know that and act accordingly!" Fruchtenbaum on they will all know Me - The New Covenant will provide for Israel’s total national regeneration (Jer 31:34). Every Jew will know the Lord, from the least to the greatest. God will forgive and forget Israel’s sins. The New Covenant is the basis for the first facet of Israel’s restoration, Israel’s regeneration. DIVINE FORGIVENESS AND FORGETFULNESS Forgive (05545)(salach) (See another study) 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). The Lxx translates salach in Jer 31:34 with the adjective hileos which BDAG says "pertains to being favorably disposed, with implication of overcoming obstacles that are unfavorable to a relationship, = gracious, merciful, in the wider lit. mostly—in our lit. and in Lxx always—of God." And their sin I will remember no more (contrast Jer 14:10) - This is wonderful news for Israel and for us beloved. We have a God Who forgives and does not hold a grudge! He gives a similar promise in Isaiah 43:25 declaring "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins." (Read these other passages on great is His forgiveness of our sins against Him - Micah 7:18-19, Ps 103:12, Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 44:22) I love Micah 7:19 for He says He will "Tread them under foot, cast them into the depths of the sea!" He in essence is telling us to put up a "No Fishing" sign as Corrie Ten Boom once paraphrased it! Remember (02142)(zakar) means to recall, call to mind or to be brought to remembrance. The first use of zakar is wonderful for it says "God remembered Noah" remembering His covenant (Ge 6:18), declaring later "I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 “When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Ge 9:15-16) Similarly we see "that God remembered Abraham" and for that reason (based on covenant), He spared Lot from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Ge 19:29). When Israel was in bondage in Egypt "God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." (Ex 2:24, 6:5, cp Lev 26:42, 45, Ps 98:3 [lovingkindness = covenant term] Ps 105:5, 106:45, 109:16, Ezek 16:60) Moses interceded for Israel asking God to "remember" the Abrahamic covenant and pass over their stubbornness, wickedness and sin (Dt 9:27) Thus we see these many of the early uses of zakar speak of God's good memory (so to speak - for His memory is perfect) is based on the fact that He is in covenant with those He recalls to mind. If you are like me and from time to time think God has forgotten you, recall to mind that you are in covenant with Him (New Covenant) and on that basis He will (forever) remember you! I love Hezekiah's prayer "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly." (2Ki 20:3) King David called on the people - "Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth...Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations." (1Chr 16:12, 15) Nehemiah repeatedly called on God to remember in his prayers (Neh 1:8, 4:14, 5:19, 6:14, 13:14, 13:22, 29, 31). I think Nehemiah gives us a good "template" to imitate when we make petition to the Most High God! I love David's prayer to God not to remember and then to remember (Ps 25:6-7). Korah gives us a great pattern to imitate when we are downcast in Ps 42:4, 6. Many of the psalms (see 49 uses below) speak of either men remembering God (often in form of a prayer) or of God remembering men (e.g., Ps 78:35, 39) Ps 78:42 is a warning to all believers = "They did not remember His power, The day when He redeemed them from the adversary." Have you been saved? Then you have experienced His power! And doubtless there are countless other instances we could all remember (if we chose to!) in which His great power has been palpably present to enable or deliver us! Lord, give us ready recall of Your past power in our life that we might apply it to our present circumstances. Amen Moses reminded Israel that it was important to "Remember (they were [as we too often are] a forgetful people) this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery (cp call to remember in Dt 5:15, Dt 16:12, 24:18, 22); for by a powerful hand the LORD brought you out from this place (cp Dt 7:18, 8:2). And nothing leavened shall be eaten." (Ex 13:3) Instead too often what did Israel remember? Nu 11:5 says "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic!" In Exodus 20:8 they were told to "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." Why? So they would not profane it. They were even to make blue tassels so that when they looked at them they would "remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot." (Nu 15:39, 40) Israel was even called to remember their sin of the golden calf (Dt 9:7, cp Lord's punishment of Miriam - Dt 24:9) Sadly in the almost 300 years of the times of the Judges "the sons of Israel did not remember the LORD their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side." (Jdg 8:34, cp Isa 17:10, Ps 106:7) Are we not just like Israel? We sin. God delivers us from evil. We forget His mercy, grace, deliverance and forgiveness and when we do we run back to the sin that so easily entangles us. The watchword for God's people should be REMEMBER! Remember Jehovah! Jehovah "remembered" Rachel and Hannah, which means that He opened their wombs and gave them children (Ge 30:22, 1Sa 1:19). In 2Sa 20:24 zakar describes a man who was the recorder (cp 1Ki 4:3, 2Ki 18:18, 37, 1Chr 18:15). Habakkuk makes one the great Biblical petitions - "LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known In wrath remember mercy." (Hab 3:2-note) Zakar translated in NAS as been mindful(1), boast(1), bring my to remembrance(1), bringing to mind(1), brings to remembrance(1), burns(1), call to mind(1), celebrate(1), certainly still remember(1), come to remembrance(1), confess(1), consider(2), extol(1), invoke(1), invoked(1), keep(1), make mention(2), mention(4), mentioned(5), mentioning(1), mindful(1), named*(1), preserve(1), put me in remembrance(1), recorder (9), remember (132), remembered (42), remembering(1), remembers(4), remind(1), reminder(1), report(1), surely my remembers(1), take thought(1), well remember(1). Zakar - 221v - Gen 8:1; Ge 9:15-16; Ge 19:29; 30:22; 40:14, 23; 41:9; 42:9; Ex 2:24; 6:5; 13:3; 20:8, 24; 23:13; 32:13; Lev 26:42, 45; Num 5:15; 10:9; 11:5; 15:39f; Deut 5:15; 7:18; 8:2, 18; 9:7, 27; 15:15; 16:3, 12; 24:9, 18, 22; 25:17; 32:7; Josh 1:13; 23:7; Jdg 8:34; 9:2; 16:28; 1 Sam 1:11, 19; 4:18; 25:31; 2 Sam 8:16; 14:11; 18:18; 19:19; 20:24; 1 Kgs 4:3; 17:18; 2 Kgs 9:25; 18:18, 37; 20:3; 1 Chr 16:4, 12, 15; 18:15; 2 Chr 6:42; 24:22; 34:8; Neh 1:8; 4:14; 5:19; 6:14; 9:17; 13:14, 22, 29, 31; Esth 2:1; 9:28; Job 4:7; 7:7; 10:9; 11:16; 14:13; 21:6; 24:20; 28:18; 36:24; 41:8; Ps 8:4; 9:12; 20:3, 7; 22:27; 25:6f; 42:4, 6; 45:17; 63:6; 71:16; 74:2, 18, 22; 77:3, 6, 11; 78:35, 39, 42; 79:8; 83:4; 87:4; 88:5; 89:47, 50; 98:3; 103:14, 18; 105:5, 8, 42; 106:4, 7, 45; 109:14, 16; 111:5; 115:12; 119:49, 52, 55; 132:1; 136:23; 137:1, 6f; 143:5; Prov 31:7; Eccl 5:20; 9:15; 11:8; 12:1; Song 1:4; Isa 12:4; 17:10; 19:17; 23:16; 26:13; 36:3, 22; 38:3; 43:18, 25f; 44:21; 46:8f; 47:7; 48:1; 49:1; 54:4; 57:11; 62:6; 63:7, 11; 64:5, 9; 65:17; 66:3; Jer 2:2; 3:16; 4:16; 11:19; 14:10, 21; 15:15; 17:2; 18:20; 20:9; 23:36; 31:20, 34; 44:21, 26; 51:50; Lam 1:7, 9; 2:1; 3:19f; 5:1; Ezek 3:20; 6:9; 16:22, 43, 60f, 63; 18:22, 24; 20:43; 21:23f, 32; 23:19, 27; 25:10; 29:16; 33:13, 16; 36:31; Hos 2:17; 7:2; 8:13; 9:9; Amos 1:9; 6:10; Jonah 2:7; Mic 6:5; Nah 2:5; Hab 3:2; Zech 10:9; 13:2; Mal 4:4 Jeremiah 31:35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name: THE CERTAINTY OF FULFILLING THE COVENANT PROMISES TO ISRAEL LXE Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and makes a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name: KJV Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: NET The LORD has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. He promises it as the one who is known as the LORD who rules over all. ESV Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD of hosts is his name: NIV This is what the LORD says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar-- the LORD Almighty is his name: NLT It is the LORD who provides the sun to light the day and the moon and stars to light the night, and who stirs the sea into roaring waves. His name is the LORD of Heaven's Armies, and this is what he says: This description emphasizes God's sovereignty over the universe as well as His wisdom and omnipotence. While even the sea may at times seem "out of control" the truth is that God is in control of every wave! As Christopher Wright puts Jer 31:35-37 in perspective observing that "The double metaphors in Jer 31:35–37 encompass the whole creation from top to bottom, as it were. Jer 31:35 points to the sky and the sea; Jer 31:37 points to the sky and the earth and beneath the earth. They affirm the sovereign governance of God not only over the orderly regularity of the heavenly bodies (sun … moon and stars), but also over the apparent chaos of the rowdy sea. The silence of the skies and the noise of the oceans—all obey the Lord of the universe. The metaphors also affirm that all that happens in creation and all that happens in human history both take place in the presence of God. The phrases, from My sight (creation) and before me (Israel), are identical—‘before my face’. All natural processes and all human actions are observed by God (cf. Ps. 33:1-22). As Isaiah and Jesus further affirm, we can read something of the character of God, and especially his dependability, from observing the works of His hands. So did Israel lack confidence in their future? Let them look above, around and beneath them. God their redeemer would prove as dependable as God the Creator. (The Message of Jeremiah - Bible Speaks Today - Christopher J. H. Wright) (Bolding added) Charles Dyer - To underscore Israel’s permanence because of this New Covenant, God compared her existence to that of the heavens and the earth. As God had appointed the sun to shine by day and the moon and stars to shine by night (cf. Gen. 1:14–19), so He had appointed Israel as His chosen nation. It would take a feat as fabulous as making these natural decrees vanish from nature to make Israel … cease to be a nation. The power God displayed in creating the universe was the power that He exercises in preserving Israel as a nation. Throughout history people have tried in vain to destroy Israel, but none have succeeded-and none ever will. (Bible Knowledge Commentary) Hindson and Kroll speak to the fact that the power and sovereignty of the God Who controls creation is able to preserve, sustain and restore the Jewish nation - The preservation of the Hebrew people over the centuries can only be attributed to the miraculous fulfillment of this divine promise to them. Over the centuries dictators, religious leaders, and entire nations have tried to eliminate the Jew; but God’s promise still remains. In A. D 70 Titus killed 1,300,000 Jews when he captured Jerusalem. In eighth-century France and Spain, Jews were persecuted and burned at the stake. With the establishment of Islam in 622, most Arabian Jews were killed. England banished all Jews in 1020 (Ed comment: Probably not correct date - see Edict of Expulsion in 1290) (History of the Jews in England 1066–1290) (See Map of Expulsion of Jews 1100-1600). The eleventh-century Crusaders were as cruel to the Jews as they were to the Muslims (For example - First Crusade - Attacks on Jews in Rhineland). Blamed for the European Black Plague (1350), over one-half of the Jews in Europe were murdered (Black Death). Thousands of Jews died in the Roman Catholic Inquisition (1411). Under the Russian czars, thousands of Jews were murdered (Anti-Jewish pogroms in the Russian Empire or Here). During World War I many European towns instituted local massacres of Jews. In the Ukraine alone over twelve hundred such pogroms took place. With Hitler’s slaughter of six million Jews, the most devastating genocide in world history occurred. The Jew today is one of the greatest proofs of the promises of God. (KJV Bible Commentary) Related Resources - Timeline of anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism Judensau (Jews' sow) - this is unspeakably sad! Michael Brown - From the vantage point of church history, however, the juxtaposition of vv. 35–37 with vv. 31–34 is significant, as though there is a divine anticipation that the days will come when another part of God’s family—meaning the primarily Gentile church—will say, “If there is a new covenant, then there must be a new people—us! And if the old covenant is no longer relevant, then the old people are no longer relevant.” This is supersessionism in its most basic, unrefined form. Related Resources - Supersessionism - Replacement Theology What is replacement theology - supersessionism? 12 Reasons Why Supersessionism - Replacement Theology Is Not a Biblical Doctrine Replacement Theology: Has the Church Superseded Israel as the People of God? - Michael Vlach - Excellent overview article As John Butler remarks this last section (Jer 31:35-40) "reassures the Israelites of two important things—their continuance and their city. Both are issues today but God’s Word will stand and the continuance of the Jews and the city of the Jews will thrive in spite of the attitudes and actions of their enemies." Lord of Hosts (title of God used 229x in the OT and 71x in Jeremiah = Jer 6:6, 9; 7:3, 21; 8:3; 9:7, 15, 17; 10:16; 11:17, 20, 22; 16:9; 19:3, 11, 15; 20:12; 23:15f, 36; 25:8, 27, 28, 29, 32; 26:18; 27:4, 18f, 21; 28:2, 14; 29:4, 8, 17, 21, 25; 30:8; 31:23, 35; 32:14, 15, 18; 33:11, 12; 35:13, 18, 19; 39:16; 42:15, 18; 43:10; 44:2, 11, 25; 46:18, 25; 48:1, 15; 49:7, 26, 35; 50:18, 33, 34, 51:5, 14, 19, 33, 57, 58) - Jehovah Sabaoth = LORD of the Armies (Hosts). Related Resources - Jehovah Sabaoth - LORD of hosts (of armies) Pt 1 Jehovah Sabaoth - LORD of hosts (of armies) Pt 2 NET Note on LORD of Hosts - Heb “the Lord Yahweh, [the God of] hosts.” For the title Lord GOD see the study note on 1:6. For the title “who rules over all” see the following study note. The title “the LORD who rules over all” is a way of rendering the title “Yahweh of armies.” It is an abbreviation of a longer title “Yahweh the God of armies” which occurs five times in Jeremiah (see, e.g., 44:7). The abbreviated title occurs seventy-seven times in the book of Jeremiah. On thirty-two occasions it is further qualified by the title “the God of Israel,” showing his special relation to Israel. On six occasions it is preceded by the title “Lord” (see, e.g., 46:10) and twice it is preceded by the title “the King” (see, e.g., 51:17). Both titles emphasize his sovereignty. Twice it is said that he is the maker of all things (10:16; 51:19), and once it is said that he made the earth and the people and animals on it and gives them into the control of whomever he wishes (27:4–5). On two occasions it is emphasized that he also made the heavenly elements and controls the natural elements of wind, rain, thunder, and hail (31:35; 51:14–16). All this is consistent with usage elsewhere where the “armies” over which he has charge are identified as (1) the angels which surround his throne (Isa 6:3, 5; 1 Kgs 22:19) and which he sends to protect his servants (2 Kgs 6:17), (2) the natural forces of thunder, rain, and hail (Isa 29:6; Josh 10:11; Judg 5:4, 5) through which he sends the enemy into panic and “gums” up their chariot wheels, (3) the armies of Israel (1 Sam 17:45) which he leads into battle (Num 10:34–35; Josh 5:14, 15) and for whom he fights as a mighty warrior (Exod 15:3; Isa 42:13; Ps 24:8), and even (4) the armies of the nations which he musters against his disobedient people (Isa 13:14). This title is most commonly found in the messenger formula “Thus says…” introducing both oracles of judgment (on Israel [e.g., 9:7, 15] and on the nations [e.g. 46:19; 50:18]; and see in general 25:29–32). It emphasizes his sovereignty as the king and creator, the lord of creation and of history, and the just judge who sees and knows all (11:20; 20:12) and judges each person and nation according to their actions (Jer 32:18–19). In the first instance (in the most dominant usage) this will involve the punishment of his own people through the agency of the Babylonians (cf., e.g., 25:8–9). But it will also include the punishment of all nations, including Babylon itself (cf. Jer 25:17–26, 32–38), and will ultimately result in the restoration of his people and a new relation with them (30:8; 31:35–37). (Jeremiah NET Notes) Jeremiah 31:36 "If this fixed order departs From before Me," declares the LORD, "Then the offspring of Israel also will cease From being a nation before Me forever." THE MAINTENANCE OF CREATION ASSURES CONTINUANCE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL LXE if these ordinances cease from before me, saith the Lord, then shall the family of Israel cease to be a nation before me forever. KJV If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. NET The LORD affirms, "The descendants of Israel will not cease forever to be a nation in my sight. That could only happen if the fixed ordering of the heavenly lights were to cease to operate before me." ESV "If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever." NIV "Only if these decrees vanish from my sight," declares the LORD, "will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before me." NLT "I am as likely to reject my people Israel as I am to abolish the laws of nature!" How certain is the rising of the sun tomorrow morning? And can we be sure that the stars and moon will shine tonight? I ask these questions rhetorically of course, because we can be absolutely sure of both day and night "working" as it has since the beginning of creation! Creation stands as a steadfast, inviolable witness to the truth that God is NOT finished with the nation of Israel! Could Jehovah have stated the case any clearer? I think not. Therefore it behooves us to rightly divide the Word of Truth and let it say what it clearly and literally says! We need to do so lest we be ashamed in that day, for Paul wrote that we each must "Be diligent (command) to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth." (2Ti 2:15-note) Before Me - Literally before My face, which speaks of God's omnipresence. If this fixed order departs from before Me - It will not depart, so therefore Israel will never cease to be a nation. So much for replacement theology which makes the sad statement that the Church, the body of Christ, has replaced the literal nation of Israel in God's heart! To try and justify such an absurd belief one has to disregard and/or spiritualize so many passages that it is shocking that one would still hold such an untenable belief. And by the way, as of May, 1948, there is a literal nation of Israel, reborn after almost 2000 years of non-existence, a true modern miracle in our time! And believe it or not the replacement theologians even try to explain that away! It is amazing what one will do when they have been taught a certain system of theological belief, placing more faith in a system concocted by men then they place in the literal inerrant, inspired Word of God. Charles Dyer - The power God displayed in creating the universe was the power that He exercises in preserving Israel as a nation. Throughout history people have tried in vain to destroy Israel, but none have succeeded—and none ever will. Those who claim that the Church replaces Israel in God’s program, or who claim that the NT teaches this, fail to come to grips with promises such as these. (Moody Bible Commentary) J A Thompson comments - But it all operates according to Yahweh’s fixed order or “decrees” (huqqîm). If these should ever cease, which they will not, then the descendants (zera) of Israel will cease (šābat) to exist. It is an argumentum ad absurdum, and the saying would have given strong confidence to a people so beset by troubles as Israel. (A Book of Jeremiah The New International Commentary on the Old Testament) Wycliffe Bible Commentary - The survival of the Hebrew people, long after their neighbors have perished, is hardly explainable on any but Supernaturalistic grounds. F B Huey - Israel’s existence as a nation, the Lord says, is as permanent as creation itself, and his promise is as sure as the greatness of his power and the faithfulness of his character (cf. Jer 32:17–20; 33:2). The preservation of the Jewish people today is inexplicable apart from acknowledging that divine will has preserved them. (New American Commentary) Other passages also speak of the certainty with which Israel can expect Jehovah to fulfill His promises in this section. These promises are rock solid, because they are founded on the Rock (Ps 19:14), Christ Jesus, the One Who is called Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). Read similar assurances are given in Jer 33:17–22, 25, 26. Then - Here then is not so much a time word (marking sequence of what is next) but functions as more of term of conclusion. I would paraphrase it "If the universe explodes or implodes, then so too will the nation of Israel!" Nation (goy) is translated nation or nations 545x and only 4x as people in the NAS. It is notable also that Jeremiah uses the Hebrew word goy 77x (out of a total of 508x in OT) and they are all translated nation or nations. Notice also that in Jer 2:11, 6:22, 27:13, 28:11, 31;7 we see nation (goy) and people (am) used in the same verse. The point is that when Jeremiah uses goy he means nation not people. He is speaking of the literal nation of Israel! See Jeremiah's uses of goy - Jer 1:5, 10; 2:11; 3:17, 19; 4:2, 7, 16; 5:9, 15, 29; 6:18, 22; 7:28; 9:9, 16, 26; 10:2, 7, 10, 25; 12:17; 14:22; 16:19; 18:7-9, 13; 22:8; 25:9, 11-13, 17, 31-32; 26:6; 27:7-8, 11, 13; 28:11, 14; 29:14, 18; 30:11; 31:7, 10, 36; 33:9, 24; 36:2; 43:5; 44:8; 46:1, 12, 28; 48:2; 49:14-15, 31, 36; 50:2-3, 9, 12, 23, 41, 46; 51:7, 20, 27-28, 41, 44. Forever - Literally "all the days" Charles Feinberg - The survival of Israel through the centuries can be explained only on supernatural grounds (Jer 31:36; cf. Jer 33:20, 25). Scripture knows no greater guarantee for the validity and permanence of the covenant than that stated here. As unchangeable as the laws of nature is God’s covenant with the deathless nation. The concept of nation carries with it geographical location, government, and other ethnic features to be fully realized in the end time. In short, it is utterly impossible that Israel should cease to be a nation before God (Jer 31:37). National existence is assured, regardless of how God may have to deal with individuals in the nation. God regards his promises rather than their demerits. (Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1984 edition) Temper Longman - In verse 36 God assures the future remnant that the descendants of Israel will be a nation before him for as long as the sun, moon, and stars shine and the seas pound the shores with their waves. Thus God expresses his continual commitment to future restored Israel by likening it to his continual commitment to keep his creation working according to its normal rhythms (Gen. 8:22; 9:8–17). (Jeremiah, Lamentations- Tremper III Longman) Albert Barnes (1798-1870) makes what I regard as an erroneous comment on "a nation" in Jer 31:36 which is representative of what many of the older commentaries say (few of which frankly are of much value on clearly prophetic passages).
Jeremias 31
Wiersbe - Just as Jerusalem was rebuilt after the Babylonian Captivity, so it will be restored after the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer 30:7) and be holy to the Lord.....Jerusalem is called “the holy city,” but it will not truly be holy until the Lord restores it and reigns in glory at the end of the age. (Be Decisive) An older commentator Adam Clarke (1760-1832) reads the text literally (he does not always do so but this time he does) and comments "This cannot mean the city built after the return from Babylon, for two reasons: 1. This is to be much greater in extent; 2. It is to be permanent, never to be thrown down, Jer 31:40. It must therefore mean, if taken literally at all, the city that is to be built by them when they are brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles." (Jeremiah 31 Commentary) (Bolding added) Recommended Resource related to Jeremiah 31:38-40 - Expansion of Jerusalem in Jer 31:38-40: Never, Already, or Not Yet - Dennis Swanson The Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate - The Tower of Hananel was in probably in the northeast corner of Jerusalem (Hananel - 4x in OT - Neh 3:1, 12:39, Jer 31:38, Zech 14:10). It is notable that both the Tower of Hananel and Corner Gate are mentioned in Zech 14:10 which is clearly a description of Jerusalem in the Messianic Age. Jeremiah had earlier prophesied of rebuilding of the city (and introduced it with "Behold" - pay attention) - "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob And have compassion on his dwelling places; And the city shall be rebuilt on its ruin, And the palace shall stand on its rightful place." (Jer 30:18) For all that they have done - This refers to the sins the nation of Israel had committed against Jehovah. This is mercy - not giving them what they deserve. This is grace - giving them what they do not deserve, a future and a hope in the promises of the New Covenant, reconciliation, restoration and rebuilding of the city. Why did Jehovah do it? Because He had loved them with an everlasting love (Jer 31:3). His love would never fail them, no matter how often they failed Him! And the same is true in principle for each child of God who is safe in Christ by grace through faith. Jeremiah 31:39 "The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. SIZE OF REBUILT JERUSALEM LXE And the measurement of it shall proceed in front of them as far as the hills of Gareb, and it shall be compassed with a circular wall of choice stones. KJV And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. NET The boundary line will extend beyond that, straight west from there to the Hill of Gareb and then turn southward to Goah. ESV And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. NIV The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. NLT A measuring line will be stretched out over the hill of Gareb and across to Goah. For a very detailed description of the boundaries read Dennis Swanson's article on the Expansion of Jerusalem in Jer 31:38-40: Never, Already, or Not Yet. Hill Gareb...Goab - Both locations are uncertain. The point is not in knowing where they are today. God knows where they are! The fact that God would include specific geographic markers which are unknown to men makes it very clear that Jeremiah is describing a literal city with these unknown (now) borders. The New Jerusalem description does not remotely fit with the details Jeremiah gives! Unless you interpret them all allegorically, figuratively or spiritually (spiritualize)! "The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this!" (Isaiah 9:7) Measuring Line - One writer notes that Jeremiah's image of measuring serves to emphasize the reality and certainty of fulfillment! This phrase is found 7x in the OT (Isa 28:17; 44:13; Jer 31:39; Amos 7:17; Mic 2:5; Zech 1:16; 2:1) and its use in Zechariah 1:16 also refers to rebuilt Jerusalem (which is more fully described in Zech 14:8-21)- ‘Therefore, thus says the LORD, “I will return to Jerusalem with compassion (Second Coming); My house will be built in it (cp Zech 2:10-11),” declares the LORD of hosts, “and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.”’ 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 will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever." SANCTIFICATION AND SECURITY OF REBUILT JERUSALEM LXE And all the Asaremoth even to Nachal Kedron, as far as the corner of the horse-gate eastward, shall be holiness to the Lord; and it shall not fail any more, and shall not be destroyed for ever. KJV And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever. NET The whole valley where dead bodies and sacrificial ashes are thrown and all the terraced fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far north as the Horse Gate will be included within this city that is sacred to the LORD. The city will never again be torn down or destroyed." ESV The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the LORD. It shall not be uprooted or overthrown anymore forever." NIV The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished." NLT And the entire area-- including the graveyard and ash dump in the valley, and all the fields out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the Horse Gate-- will be holy to the LORD. The city will never again be captured or destroyed." Valley of the dead bodies - This presumably refers to the Valley of Hinnom. So even where dead bodies had been thrown will be sanctified (made holy) by Jehovah in the Messianic Kingdom. The mention of ashes would support this premise for the Valley of Hinnom was where bodies of children were burned which would result in residual ashes (2Chr 28:3, Jer 7:31, 19:1-6). Note - For much more discussion on the boundary markers see Swanson's article Expansion of Jerusalem in Jer 31:38-40 in which he describes every one of the seven markers in great detail. In addition Swanson then assesses the three schools of interpretation of Jeremiah 31:38-40 - (1) Never (John Calvin's view which has considerable fallacious reasoning), (2) Already (Anthony Hoekema), and (3) Not Yet. (future) NET Note on valley of dead bodies - It is generally agreed that this refers to the Hinnom Valley which was on the southwestern and southern side of the city. It was here where the people of Jerusalem had burned their children as sacrifices and where the LORD had said that there would be so many dead bodies when he punished them that they would be unable to bury all of them (cf. Jer 7:31–32). Reference here may be to those dead bodies and to the ashes of the cremated victims. This defiled place would be included within the holy city. The brook Kidron - This was east of Jerusalem. The Horse Gate - This was at the southeast corner of Jerusalem's city wall and opened to the Kidron Valley. NET Note adds "The Horse Gate is mentioned in Neh 3:28 and is generally considered to have been located midway along the eastern wall just south of the temple area." NET Note commenting on the boundaries of the rebuilt city - "The area that is here delimited is larger than any of the known boundaries of Jerusalem during the OT period. Again, this refers to the increase in population of the restored community (cf. Jer 31:27)." Recommended resource related to Jeremiah 31:38-40 (this is a very well documented and very detailed article) - Expansion of Jerusalem in Jer 31:38-40: Never, Already, or Not Yet - Dennis Swanson Swanson rightly observes that the "prophecy in Jer 31:38–40 which deals with the expansion of Jerusalem, has often been handled superficially (E.g., in Randall Price’s otherwise fine book, Jerusalem in Prophecy....Jer 31:38–40 is only quoted in part once and mentioned only once in passing) or simply overlooked in millennial discussions. This article seeks to enlarge the discussion by dealing with the prophecy of Jer 31:38–40 about the expansion of Jerusalem and examining details of the prophecy and three interpretative theories about its fulfillment." (Read entire article) What is so amazing about this aspect of Jeremiah's prophecy is that even the valley of dead bodies and ashes would one day be made holy to the LORD, because this valley was the site of unspeakable evil (2Ki 23:10, Jer 7:31) not to mention that in the OT dead things were associated with uncleanness and could not even be touched (e.g., Lev 11:8, 31, 32). The unclean would be made clean. The unholy would be made holy. This is clearly the doing of the LORD, who alone can accomplish such a miracle. Holy to the LORD (cp Jer 31:38 city "for the LORD") - Certainly (and sadly) this is not true of Jerusalem in the past nor in the 21st century, so neither the post-exilic rebuilt city or the modern city could hardly be the fulfillment of this prophecy! This holy quality of Jerusalem awaits a future fulfillment. It also awaits a holy people for in Jer 4:4 the people were commanded to circumcise themselves “to the LORD” which happens every time a Jewish person receives Messiah and will happen fully when Messiah returns (Zech 12:10, Ro 11:26). Just as the people would experience purification (Jer 31:18-22) so too would Jerusalem. This phrase holy to the LORD occurs 21 times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament. The idea is that it is devoted to Jehovah. Notice what was to be holy to the LORD - priests, atoning sacrifices, days (Sabbath), Israel, etc. Today believers are "holy to the LORD" because we are saints or holy ones. Do my thoughts, words and deeds authenticate my eternal identity as "Holy to the LORD?" Exodus 28:36 "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and shall engrave on it, like the engravings of a seal, 'Holy to the LORD.' Exodus 30:10 "Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD." Exodus 31:15 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall surely be put to death. Exodus 39:30 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and inscribed it like the engravings of a signet, "Holy to the LORD." Leviticus 23:20 'The priest shall then wave them with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering with two lambs before the LORD; they are to be holy to the LORD for the priest. Leviticus 27:14 'Now if a man consecrates his house as holy to the LORD, then the priest shall value it as either good or bad; as the priest values it, so it shall stand. 21 and when it reverts in the jubilee, the field shall be holy to the LORD, like a field set apart; it shall be for the priest as his property. 23 then the priest shall calculate for him the amount of your valuation up to the year of jubilee; and he shall on that day give your valuation as holy to the LORD 28 'Nevertheless, anything which a man sets apart to the LORD out of all that he has, of man or animal or of the fields of his own property, shall not be sold or redeemed. Anything devoted to destruction is most holy to the LORD. 30 'Thus all the tithe of the land, of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S; it is holy to the LORD. 32 'For every tenth part of herd or flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the LORD. Numbers 6:8 'All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD. Joshua 6:19 "But all the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD." 2 Chronicles 35:3 He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. Ezra 8:28 Then I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD, and the utensils are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD God of your fathers. Nehemiah 8:9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Jeremiah 2:3 "Israel was holy to the LORD, The first of His harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them," 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 will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever." Ezekiel 48:14 "Moreover, they shall not sell or exchange any of it, or alienate this choice portion of land; for it is holy to the LORD. Zechariah 14:20 In that day there will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, "HOLY TO THE LORD." And the cooking pots in the LORD'S house will be like the bowls before the altar. 21 Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and in Judah will be holy to the LORD of hosts; and all who sacrifice will come and take of them and boil in them. And there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts in that day. Luke 2:23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD "), The city will be rebuilt - If we read this literally (and there is no reason not to), Jerusalem will be rebuilt. The question then arises as to when will this prophecy be fulfilled? Below are three of the more commonly noted interpretations. I have excluded interpretations such as those of John Calvin which totally jettisons any semblance of literal interpretation writing that "this passage teaches us that the Church will be perpetual." This is a sad approach to the text because it suggests that the literal words had no real meaning. (1) REBUILT JERUSALEM IN MESSIANIC KINGDOM - Literal Jerusalem rebuilt on earth when Messiah returns to reign and set up His Messianic Kingdom. This is the interpretation which I favor. (a) Thomas Constable interprets this city as a literal city of Jerusalem - The description of rebuilt Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s day does not coincide with this picture. Furthermore the temple that the restoration community rebuilt did not continue to exist (cf. Jer 31:40); the Romans destroyed it in A.D. 70. That this is a description of a heavenly city is unlikely in view of the large amount of literal detail. Contextual considerations also demand an eschatological rebuilding of the city on the ancient site. Ezekiel 40-48 and Zechariah 2:1-13 and Zechariah 14:1-21 also describe this future city. (Jeremiah 31 Commentary) (b) MacKane quotes Jewish writers - "Kimchi assumes that the rebuilding programme would include the provision of a third temple which, unlike the first and second, would never suffer destruction and it is on this third temple that he focuses the final promise of the verse. The prediction (so Rashi) looks to a far future and a final redemption and it was not fulfilled in the times of the first and second temple." (As Swanson says this explanation fits well with what what Jer 31:38-40 states!) (c) Dennis Swanson - Jeremiah, facing the destruction of Jerusalem—either an accomplished fact or an imminent threat as he received this prophecy—predicts a future time when the city will be rebuilt. The city will be changed in almost every way....As the future capital of the Messiah’s earthly kingdom, it will be rebuilt and enlarged, a necessity from the severe damage which will occur during the tribulation (e.g., Rev 11:13-note). The city’s topography will be altered so that the city is elevated (Zech 14:10)(See Diagram of Rebuilt Jerusalem in the Millennium). This enlarged and elevated city will be sanctified and become “holy to the Lord.” The city will be inviolable, never again falling victim to the destruction of war or natural disaster. Even when Satan, during his short release from the bottomless pit (Rev 20:7-note), rallies the nations to march against the city, the city itself will suffer no harm. Before the rebels can launch their attack, God will intervene and “fire [will come] down from heaven and devour them” (Rev 20:9-note). J. Barton Payne, late professor of Old Testament at Covenant Theological Seminary, was correct in assigning the fulfillment of Jer 31:38–40 to the period of the future “millennial kingdom.” (d) Charles Feinberg (Jewish believer) - A permanent nation calls for a permanent capital. The rebuilding of the city envisioned here cannot be that effected in Nehemiah’s day because (1) the contextual considerations demand the end time for Israel (cf. “days are coming” [Jer 31:27, 31]) and (2) the temple rebuilt by Zerubbabel was thrown down thereafter and again destroyed (cf. Mt 24:1–2; Lk 21:20–24). Finally, in the broader context of prophecy, this passage will not permit an interpretation that applies it to a spiritual, heavenly, or symbolic Jerusalem. If that were possible, why is it so full of literal detail? (e) Holman OT Commentary - The fulfillment...rests in the future...in an earthly reign of Christ for one thousand years with His throne at Jerusalem. In support of this position is the contention that God made a promise to Israel that has never been fulfilled (Ed: He is speaking of the land promised to Abraham and never fully occupied by Israel in her history). A further contention of this school is that the promise God made to Abraham was unconditional and has never been canceled. Therefore, a period exists in the future when Israel will once more occupy her land exclusively. This will be accompanied by unprecedented material prosperity and unparalleled fertility. (cp Jer 31:27-28, Amos 9:13-15, Hos 2:21-23, Joel 3:18) (f) One of the strongest arguments for taking Jer 31:38-40 literally is comparison with Zechariah's prophecy of the city of Jerusalem in Zech 14:8-21. Zechariah describes a secure Jerusalem which other nations are to go up to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. This section is very difficult to spiritualize or allegorize into a description of the heavenly New Jerusalem. Pray and read the description in Zech 14:8-21 asking God to show you the truth revealed in these passages! (g) Michael Brown (Jewish believer) - While the geographical details of the city’s physical restoration may appear unnecessary and even mundane to the modern reader, they point to the importance of the literal fulfillment of the words and rule out the possibility of a spiritualizing interpretation that robs this prophecy from the city itself (and its people!), seeking instead to apply it to the church (as has been done with similar verses such as Isa 62:7). (h) John