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Jer. 29:1 ¶ Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;

Jer. 29:2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)

Jer. 29:3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

In this chapter we have the contents of a letter that Jeremiah sent to the captives in Babylon in the name of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel.” We are reminded that these captives included some of the most important in leadership as well as the most talented and skillful in areas that would benefit Babylon. Though it may appear that He has rejected them, the LORD is affirming that He has not rejected them; He is judging them for their sin.

Jeremiah’s letter was delivered by Elasah, another of the sons of Shaphan the scribe, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah the high priest. It seems that they were actually messengers from King Zedekiah to Nebuchadnezzar, but they also delivered Jeremiah’s letter.

Jer. 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

Jer. 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

Jer. 29:6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

Jer. 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

As Jeremiah begins to deliver God’s message to the people, he reminds them that it is the LORD that caused them to be taken captive to Babylon. YHWH's instruction—Settle down and make new lives for themselves in Babylon. They are to build houses, plant gardens, start new families and increase their numbers. They are to dwell in peace among their captors and seek God’s face to provide that peace. This would involve praying for those in authority over them as well as their Babylonian neighbors. Only by faith in God’s provision could they be assured of establishing such peace among their neighbors.

As I was reading through this section again, I noticed that the command was to “pray for the city” to which you were taken captive. This involves more than just prayer for the individuals; it includes prayer for the peace of the city as a whole—as represented by the government and its leaders.

I liked this quote from JFB pertaining to this section: “In all states of life let us not throw away the comfort we may have, because we have not all we would have.”

This section of scripture contains important truth. The LORD is a faithful Father and will follow through with what is best for us in spite of how it may appear to us. He knew that His people needed to understand that they could not trust in false gods. He knew that they needed to be placed in a position that would encourage them to seek Him in repentance and obedience. He knew that it would take time to accomplish a lifestyle change among His people.

Jer. 29:8 ¶ For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

Jer. 29:9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah goes on to warn the captives not to believe the false prophets or diviners that are prophesying to you according to your desires to return home. He declares point blank that their prophecies are lies even though they are declaring them in the name of the LORD. They are not declaring the true word of the LORD. They are responding to the desires of the people for their personal profit.

False prophets prosper when God’s people are ignorant of His word or choose to interpret God’s word in light of their own desires. It is so important for the child of God to be familiar with the whole counsel of God in order to be equipped to recognize false prophets.

Notice the warning against reading too much into dreams.  Yes, God sometimes speaks to people through dreams, but they can also be deceptive.  I strongly believe that if a dream is of God, He will ensure that the Holy Spirit will clearly reveal it to be truth; and it will never contradict His word.

Jer. 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

Jer. 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

The truth according to the LORD is that the captivity will last for 70 years. The good news—The people will be allowed to return home at the end of that 70 years. Of course, that will mean that many will die in captivity; but they can know that those that survive until that time will have the opportunity to go home. The LORD will personally see to it!

Verse 11 has been memorized by many as a word of encouragement and promise from the LORD. In context, these words are directed to the captives in Babylon regarding the LORD’s purpose concerning their captivity. This captivity is actually an action that will serve as a refining fire for those in Babylon. The LORD was angry with their continued sin and rebellion, but His actions were motivated by love and goodness to encourage them to turn from their wicked ways. His desire is for them to dwell in faith and submission to Him and experience His blessed peace.

Is it wrong for the believer to appropriate words of encouragement that in context are applied to Israel at a specific point in time? No. Though you always need to be aware of the context and purpose behind such verses, you can count on the fact that they reflect the unchanging character of God and His heart towards His people. I believe these words can honestly be applied to every child of God. His heart is always to bless His children with peace and deliverance from the captivity of sin. God’s thoughts toward us are always for good—not evil. They are always aimed towards accomplishing our sanctification before Him.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

Jer. 29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.

Jer. 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jer. 29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

The LORD goes on to provide hope for His people. At the end of the 70 years, they can seek His deliverance in prayer; and He will give them the answer they seek. The key is to seek God with “all your heart”—a heart that has willingly chosen to submit to God as LORD. If they pray with that attitude of submission, the LORD promises to bring them back home as a nation from all over the Babylonian empire.

Daniel evidently cherished this letter from Jeremiah. Though he would not get to return to Jerusalem, he eagerly sought the LORD in prayer on behalf of his people when he recognized that the 70 years were coming to an end. The first 19 verses of chapter 9 provide a record of that prayer.

Daniel 9:2–6 “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.”

Daniel was seeking God with all his heart, and we are told that the angel Gabriel was dispatched to answer his prayer while he was still praying. The prophecy of the 70 weeks determined to bring about the final redemption of the Jewish people was given to Daniel as part of the answer to his prayer. (see Journal on Daniel 9.) This answer looked far further into the future than the return from the Babylonian captivity; it embraced the final return of the last dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the nations.

Jer. 29:15 ¶ Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;

Jer. 29:16 Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

Jer. 29:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

Jer. 29:18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:

Jer. 29:19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.

In these verses the LORD is declaring through Jeremiah that no matter what the prophets in Babylon are declaring, those who were left behind in Jerusalem, your relatives, are going to be destroyed by sword, famine, and disease. He compares them to worthless figs not fit to be eaten. Why? Because “they are so evil.”

Those who are carried captive to other kingdoms will be cursed, ruined, scorned, and treated shamefully. Again, the emphasis is on the fact that these actions are a result of God’s judgment against the nation. The heathen nations are only victorious against God’s people because it is according to His will. The people of Judah/Israel had refused to listen to God’s prophets, so they would now suffer the consequences.

The Jews had evidently assumed that they were guaranteed protection because of God’s covenant with David, but they obviously were ignoring the words of the Psalmist.

Psalms 89:29–36 “His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.”

David’s kingdom will endure forever, even though the throne will exert no authority during periods of judgment.

Neither did they regard the words of Moses.

Deuteronomy 28:15-25 “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee…. The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish….The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.”

Jer. 29:20 Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Jer. 29:21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;

Jer. 29:22 And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;

Jer. 29:23 Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD.

Though His people had refused to listen to His word as declared through His true prophets, the LORD is yet again sending a message by His faithful prophet Jeremiah to the captives in Babylon.

Interesting to note that he specifically identifies the false prophets—Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah. Those who name false prophets today are often berated and beaten verbally—often through the use of scripture. Yes, we are to speak the truth in love—love for God and with a heart of love for the sinner. Those who are spiritually more mature and discerning need to watch out for those who are weaker and less discerning. To allow false prophets to prosper with impunity does not show one’s love for the LORD or for those being

deceived by the false prophets. The LORD is very clear in declaring that He is  going to have these false prophets publicly killed by Nebuchadnezzar.  

Obviously, their deaths will be according to a perceived offense in the sight of the king, but the LORD is declaring that this will be a result of His purpose and authority.

God’s judgment against these two false prophets will result in their names being invoked to proclaim God’s curse against someone.  Why is the LORD going to kill them? Because they are adulterers and “have spoken lying words in My name.” God is very jealous for the honor of His name.

Leviticus 19:12 “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

Isaiah 48:11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.”

Malachi 2:2 “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.”

This is a truth that is lightly regarded in our culture today. The phrase “Oh My God” is widely used today—even among those who profess the LORD as Savior. There is nothing reverential or respectful to God in having His name so used.

The Psalmist provides us even more insight. Heeding the truth of God’s word is integral to honoring the LORD’s name.

Psalms 138:2 “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

Personally, I think this is directly tied to the truth that Jesus, the Son of God, is declared to be the Word incarnate.

John 1:1 & 14 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Jer. 29:24 ¶ Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,

Jer. 29:25 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,

Jer. 29:26 The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

Jer. 29:27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?

Jer. 29:28 For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

The LORD now goes on to single out another man, Shemaiah the Nehelamite, who has deceitfully presumed to act with the authority of the LORD. He had sent a letter to the people of Jerusalem and Zephaniah (“second” under the high priest) and all the priests. He had evidently previously declared that the LORD had granted him authority to appoint Zephaniah to replace Jehoiada. He further stated that this authority was to have been used to imprison crazy men representing themselves as prophets. In light of that fact, why hadn’t Jeremiah been put in prison. He then referenced the letter that Jeremiah had sent to the captives telling the people to establish homes there because they would not be going back to Israel any time soon.

It is sadly quite evident even in America today that those who represent the truth of God’s word are judged by the unbelieving masses to be crazy and dangerous to society instead of as voices of truth and salvation.

You would think that the captivity itself was evidence enough to validate Jeremiah as God’s true prophet, just as you would think that the many evidences of the truth of the prophecies of God’s word in evidence today would validate the teaching of those who faithfully declare His word. One of the most obvious truths in evidence today is the rebirth of the nation of Israel.

Jer. 29:29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

Jer. 29:30 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,

Jer. 29:31 Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:

Jer. 29:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.

Shemaiah’s letter did not produce the intended result. Zephaniah took the letter and read it to Jeremiah. This priest evidently did understand that the reality of their situation validated Jeremiah as God’s true prophet.

The LORD gave Jeremiah a response to declare in a letter to the captives. Because Shemaiah was a hypocrite and had inspired the people to believe his lies, he would be punished. He would be left without descendants to carry on his family name, and he would not live to experience God’s blessing on those who responded in repentance and obedience. It is clear that this was meant to be a warning to others who had chosen rebellion rather than submission.

McGee:  “When you and I approach the Word of God, we must come to the place where we are ready to lie in the dust….we must be willing to lay into the dust our opinions, our self-will, and our own viewpoints—to put it all down and listen to what God has to say."

Jer. 30:1 ¶ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

Jer. 30:2 Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.

Jer. 30:3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

This chapter begins with the LORD instructing Jeremiah to make a formal record of all his prophecies. The reason—God wants this record to be available to the captives who will one day return home to reestablish their nation. The record will encourage them to remember that God is true to His word and in turn should strengthen their faith.

I am reminded that the LORD often encourages His people to “remember.”

Numbers 15:38–40 “Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.”

Deuteronomy 7:17–19 “If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.”

Deuteronomy 8:2 “And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”

The ability to remember is important to our spiritual growth. The LORD instructed the people to put fringes in the hems of their garments to serve as a constant reminder that God is faithful to His word. Every spiritual victory provides a memory to help us understand that we have nothing to fear with God on our side. Memory is important to strengthening one’s faith during times of testing to understand that God will be just as faithful to provide in the present as He has in the past.

Jer. 30:4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

Jer. 30:5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

Jer. 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Jer. 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 

At this point Jeremiah clarifies that his message is for the whole of Israel, both Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

As I read through this chapter, it became clear to me that the prophecy jumps forward in reference to a time yet future regarding the nation of Israel. The LORD declares that He has heard a voice full of great fear and pain that He likens to a woman in childbirth.

Note that in reference to the future, the LORD’s perspective is one of omniscience and foresight. As Isaiah informs us, He knows the end from the beginning.

Isaiah 46:9–10 “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.”

It also stood out to me that the LORD declares “We” have heard; I believe this is a direct reference to the Trinity.

The time being referenced is described as a time of “Jacob’s trouble,” a time that is like no other. Yet, it is a time from which “he,” Jacob, will be saved. It is obvious to me that this is a reference to the people of Israel as a whole. I believe that both Daniel and the LORD Jesus referenced this same period of time.

Daniel 12:1 “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Matthew 24:15 & 21 “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)….For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

It is because Jesus directly connected this time to the words of Daniel that the tribulation, the 70th week of Daniel, is also often called the time of Jacob’s trouble.

Daniel 9:24–27 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: [leaving one week yet future] the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Jer. 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:

Jer. 30:9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

Jeremiah continues with the LORD’s wonderful words of hope for the future of Israel. The time is coming when the Jewish people will no longer have to endure abuse and mistreatment (from the Hebrew root for yoke) at the hands of strangers or foreigners. God is going to personally deliver them from the Gentile nations that have used them as pawns to their own advantage. God is going to deliver them, and they will then serve “the LORD their God, and David their king.” Ezekiel also prophesies about this time in chapter 37. This is the chapter in which Ezekiel is given the vision of the dry bones that come together again to form a great army and are identified as representing the rebirth of the nation of Israel after many years.

Ezekiel 37:21–24 “And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all: Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.” (See journal on Ezekiel 37.)

Jer. 30:10 ¶ Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

Jer. 30:11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

The LORD once again tells Israel to “fear not,” words that are often found prefacing the word of God to His people. I think it is important to note that in verse 10 Israel is addressed as “my servant Jacob.” This points to a time when the people of Israel have once again repented and turned back to God in faith and obedience.

The LORD promises that He is going to bring all the Jewish people back to the land of Israel from all the places they have been captive. Note that Israel will be delivered when “thy seed,” future generations, are regathered.

When this regathering occurs, the people of Israel will finally experience rest from the threat of danger from the nations. No one will be able to incite fear among the people because the LORD will be with them. The nations that have mistreated them will be destroyed, but Israel will emerge from the refining fires of judgment as a nation in submission to the LORD.

This again refers back to the prophecy in Daniel referenced above, a time when Israel will be restored to “everlasting righteousness,” a time when the LORD Jesus takes His place on the throne of David.

Isaiah 9:6–7 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.”

Luke 1:31–33 “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Jer. 30:12 For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

Jer. 30:13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.

Jer. 30:14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.

The sad reality is that before this wonderful time of restoration, Israel will not go unpunished. The people of Israel were guilty of great sin that could only be purged by experiencing God’s hand of judgment. It seems that they had developed a spiritual wound that would not heal without intervention.

One of the main reasons the nation suffered spiritually was that those with responsibility for spiritual leadership were corrupt. In general, the priesthood had become a business, a means of profit for those claiming to be serving in the name of the LORD. They were in no way concerned about the spiritual health of the people.

The nations that they had turned to for protection against their enemies had proven unreliable and impotent. Why? Because God had intervened in judgment against His people. He had come against them through their enemies and judged them harshly in response to their great sin.

Jer. 30:15 Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

The LORD notes that the Jewish people will cry out in suffering because of God’s hand of judgment against them. He emphasizes again, however, that this judgment is necessary because of the greatness of their sin.

Jer. 30:16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel however. The nations that have tried to destroy Israel, every one of her enemies will find themselves in captivity. They will reap what they have sown.

I believe that this prophecy will find ultimate fulfillment through the rule of the Antichrist. Until that time those that mistreat Israel do so to their own peril because of God’s promise to Abraham, and history gives evidence to the truth of God’s word.

Genesis 12:1–3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Jer. 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. 

Though the nations may have treated Israel like an Outcast, the LORD is going to heal her spiritual wounds and make her spiritually healthy once again.

It is interesting that though the nations have treated the Jewish nation of Israel as outcasts, they have coveted the land of Israel. I think that possession of the land of Israel is motivated by hatred for the Jewish people, God’s chosen people. I also think that hatred of the Jewish people is a result of the influence of the god of this world—Satan, the arch enemy of God.  He knows that Israel is integral to God’s plan and his own ultimate destruction.

Jer. 30:18 ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.

Jer. 30:19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

At this point the LORD reiterates His promise that the people of Israel will once again be restored to the land of Israel to experience peace and prosperity. The LORD will bless them with many children, and they will grow into a great nation. This again reminds me of more of God’s promise to Abraham.

Genesis 22:15–18 “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”

Jer. 30:20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

Jer. 30:21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

Jer. 30:22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

The LORD is declaring His intent to bless Israel as He did in the past under David and Solomon. The people will be established in faith before God. Any who seek to harm them will suffer God’s punishment.

The people of Israel will once again form their own government. Their governor will be a committed servant of God. The promise to Abraham will finally find fulfillment. His children will be established in everlasting righteous as the children of God. I can’t think of this truth without thinking of the words of Paul.

Romans 11:26–27 “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.”

I decided to look at the Hebrew for “engaged” and was intrigued by the phrase “give to be a security.” In my mind this has to be a reference to Jesus, the only One qualified to pledge that type of security before Almighty God on behalf of His people. The Hebrew for the word “governor” is just another word for ruler, and Jesus will be ruling from the throne of David.

Jer. 30:23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

Jer. 30:24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

These verses are a declaration that God will have His day of wrath against the wicked. They once again affirm that God’s word always accomplishes His will. Those who doubt will come to understand this truth when they see His word fulfilled in every detail. Again I am reminded of the words recorded by the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 14:24 “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:”

Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”