By Eugene Garner

JEREMIAH - CHAPTER 33

AN ASSURANCE OF RESTORATION

    While Jeremiah is still being held captive in "the court of the guard" the word of the LORD comes to him again with a word of reassurance which is set forth in this chapter.

      Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

    1. First, the One who comes to Jeremiah identifies Himself as Jehovah, the Creator, whose purposes are so dearly established that they will not fail, (vs.2; 32:42; Isa. 40:12-13, 26; Jer. 10:16; Ex. 3:14-15; 6:3; 15:1-18).
    2. He invites the perplexed prophet to "Call on me" and learn things that are "withheld" - inaccessible, unattainable, or hidden, (vs. 3; 29:12; Psa. 50:15; Isa. 48:6; comp. Jer. 32:17, 27).
      a. Jeremiah believes God, yet, he cannot understand how God is going to do what he promised concerning His people BECAUSE OF THEIR SIN!
      b. God reveals His secrets to those who seek them, that they may rejoice and walk in His way, (Matt. 7:7; Jn. 7:17).
    3. The scriptures furnish numerous illustrations of men who have honestly stood before the Lord with frustrations and doubts; nor was one of them rebuked for so doing, (Job 12:6; 21:7; Psa. 73:14; Eccl. 7:15; Jer. 12:1; Hab. l2-3).

    4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; 5 They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city. 6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

    1. Under the desperation of a terrible siege, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have torn down the royal buildings to build barricades and to reinforce the walls of the city against the embankments which the Babylonians have raised to the height of the city walls, (vs. 4; comp. Isa. 32:13-14; Jer. 32:24; Ezek. 4:1-3; 21:22-23; Hab. 1:5-10).
    2. Because of her great wickedness, the Lord will bring an end to Jerusalem. (vs. 5a; 21:4-7; 32:5).
      a. He will hide His face from her for a time, (vs. 5b; 21:10; Isa. 59:1-2; Micah 3:4).
      b. She will be filled with the bodies of those whom He slays in His furious wrath against her long accumulated iniquities.
      c. It is often necessary for God to "pull down" and "destroy" before He can heal and build up!
    3. But, God answers Jeremiah that He will bind up and heal the wound of His people, (vs. 6a; comp. 17:14; 30:17; Hos. 6:1-3) - revealing to them an abundance of peace and prosperity, (vs. 6b; Isa. 48:18; 66:12; Psa. 72:3-7).
    4. It is always God's desire that His people know joy, peace and gladness of heart (Jn. 14:27; 16:33; Gal. 5:22-23), and He takes such steps as are necessary to the ultimate experience of such in our lives.

    And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. 8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. 9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. 10 Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, 11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

    1. From the lands of their captivity, the Lord will restore His people to their own land, (vs. 7a, 26; 32:44; comp. Psa. 85:1-2) - building them as at the first, (vs. 7b; 30:18; 31:38; Amos 9:14-15).
    2. Then they will find pardon and cleansing from all their sins, iniquities and transgressions, (vs. 8; 50:20; Isa. 44:21-22; Ezek. 36:25, 33; comp. Heb. 9:11-14).
    3. Jerusalem will then be a city of renown - bringing joy, honor and praise to Jehovah before all nations, (vs. 9a; 13:11; Isa. 62:2-4); hearing of Jehovah's goodness toward Israel, and of the great prosperity that He has given her, the nations will fear and tremble, (vs. 9b; 3:17-19; 4:1-2; 32:42; Neh. 6:16; Hosea 3:5).
    4. When the captivity of Israel is ended, and she is restored to the land that has long been desolate and without inhabitant, the voice of joy and gladness, of the bridegroom and his bride, and the sacrificial voice of praise for Jehovah's goodness and mercy will again be heard in His house. (vs. 10-11: Isa 35:10; 51:3, 11).

    12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.

    1. When the blessings of God rest upon His people and the land of promise, it will again become a habitation of shepherds who will cause their flocks to lie down in peace. (vs. 12; 31:12-14; Isa. 65:10; Ezek. 34:12-14; Zeph. 2:6-7).
      a. It is not SAFE for men to prosper until they are cleansed and joyful in the Lord!
      b. Though we manipulate and scheme, in order to obtain prosperity, it never abides unless rooted in such joy as enables men to dwell together in a mutuality of love and respect.
    2. Throughout the land productive flocks will pass under the hand of faithful shepherds who, each evening, make sure that all are safely in the fold, (vs. 13; comp. 17:26; Lk. 15:3-7).

    14 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. 17 For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; 18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

    1. Here is re-assurance that the Lord will perform all He has promised to Israel and Judah, (vs. 14; comp. 32:42; Isa. 32:1-2; Ezek. 34:23-25).
    2. The "Branch of Righteousness", which He wilt raise up unto David, is THE CHRIST - Who will execute judgment and righteousness in the land, (vs. 15a; 23:5-6; 30:9; Isa. 11:1-5; Lk. 1:31-33).
    3. Though not giving as full a picture of the coming Messiah as was set forth by Isaiah, Jeremiah does provide numerous glimpses of him as:
      a) The Fountain of Living waters, (2:13); b) the Good Shepherd, (23:4; 31:10); c) the righteous Branch, (23:5); d) the Redeemer, (50:34); e) the Lord our Righteousness, (23:6); and f) David the King, (30:9).
    4. It is through Him that Judah will be delivered, and Jerusalem will be a city of peace, (vs. 16a; comp. 23:6; Isa. 45:17, 22); under the rule of "the LORD our righteousness" she will, henceforth, be called by His name, (vs. 16b; comp. I Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil 3:8-9) - being transformed by His righteous rule and power!
      a. Those in a position to rejoice in such blessedness NOW are described by Paul as "Jerusalem which is above", and "free" - the church, which he further describes as "the mother of us all", (Ga. 4:26).
      b. This is in contrast to Hagar - "Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children: - the nation in its present rebellion and unbelief, (Gal. 4:25).
      c. If we claim to be a "covenant people" - identifying ourselves with the New Jerusalem - then we ought to be manifesting divine holiness (Eph. 1:4; 5:27; I Thes. 4:3; I Pet. 1:15) and bearing witness to the righteousness of Christ in our daily walk.
    5. Neither the throne of David nor the priesthood will lack a man to, faithfully, execute those offices again; the messianic David will be a priest upon His throne, (vs. 17-18; comp. 23:5-6; Psa. 110:4; Heb. 5:5-10; Rev. 5:9-13; I Pet. 2:9-10).
      a. Verse 18 does not seem to require the restoration of literal blood sacrifices, upon a literal altar, in a literal temple, in Jerusalem.
      b. As the restoration of the Davidic King and kingdom are to be fulfilled in the Christ, it seems reasonable to interpret this priesthood also finding its fulfillment in Him who sits as a priest upon His throne, (Heb. 7:23-28; Zech. 6:13).

    19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, 20 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; 21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. 23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. 25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; 26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

    1. This section is, basically, a repetition of the principle that has already been stated (31:35-37) - that God is absolutely faithful and true to His promises.
    2. The stability of the cosmic order is urged as a basis of assurance that His promise concerning the Davidic house and throne, and the blessings awaiting those who minister before Him in priestly service, will not fail, (vs. 20-22).
    3. As sure as tomorrow's sunrise is God's faithful adequacy to meet the needs of all those who place their trust in Him! (vs. 25; 31:35-36).
    4. Thus, the house of David, and the whole house of Israel, may rest assured that their captivity will be turned to blessing; God WILL have mercy on them, (vs. 23-26; comp. 31:20; Isa. 14:1; 54:8; Ezek. 39:25).