This chapter seems to start at the end of Chapter 30 and seems to relate to the end times.
Jeremiah Chapter 30 was a chapter of hope for those from Judah who found themselves hauled off to Babylon.
However , there seems to be a vibe shift in the last two verses, 23-24. I'm adding this here as they seem to be related to Chapter 31:1.
Chapter 30:22 seems to close out with the every hopeful and beautiful promise: ‘You shall be My people,
And I will be your God.’”
Here's Chapter 30: 23-24
Behold, the tempest of the Lord!
Wrath has gone forth,
A sweeping tempest;
It will burst on the head of the wicked.
The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has performed and until He has accomplished
The intent of His heart;
In the latter days you will understand this.
So...like I said... huge vibe shift.
We've moved from beautiful promise to the wrath of God and the heads of the wicked bursting. And the key phrase, latter days.
And the Chapter 31:1 should be the giveaway that the person who added in the artificial chapter and verse numbers made an error here:
"At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
At what time? The time in the content closest to the reference. Cut off from the end of previous chapter. Latter days.
But let's not miss the headline here. In the latter days the Lord will be God of all families of Israel. Beautiful. And I checked in Blue Letter Bible, when He says families, the word is mišpāḥâ, it can mean tribe, but it's primary definitions are clan, and family, as well as people and nation. I mention this because I think He means all tribes of both Israel and Judah, but also the newest members of the family- all of the gentiles graphed in to the vine, adopted and made sons and daughters of God. We can look forward to the best family dinner in history.
It's not lost on me that we are discussing His wrath, wicked heads bursting, and happy family time together; but those are all components of the end times. The final death and separation of evil and the finally coming together of the body of the bride for her Groom. Finally.
The Lord expands his message of restoration starting in verse 31:2. Thus says the Lord...
His first message is for Israel, meaning the northern tribes that we all believed were lost. Even when it appears He has completely given up on His people, we are promised here that they have a future.
- Verse 2 promises that those who survive the sword found grace in the wilderness and found rest. Usually the wilderness is a reference to the time after being freed from slavery in Egypt but before entering the Promise Land. And even my Ryrie Study Bible footnote describes it this way. But I wonder if it's more correct to see this as a metaphor. Israel has again found itself under foreign and hostile rule since final captivity. And definitely under the sword, a word I don't think is associated with Egypt. But in the end times, the Lord is bringing them out of that worldly persecution and rule and then out of the wilderness into His true final rest in His Kingdom. They have been wandering for a very long time, with a hope of being drawn home in their future. This seems to be the lost tribes and I wonder if they know who they are. Or has He hidden them among the world, even from themselves to keep them for the final days?
- Verse 3 may answer my question by stating that the Lord appears to them from afar, letting Israel know of His love and Hi call of everlasting kindness.
- Verse 4 He will rebuild them and He refers to a virgin among them, so they will be completely redeemed and restored after all types of sexual perversion in their former lives. What a hopeful message for all of us. Now they will be back to dancing and making music!
- Verse 5 promises new vineyards planted and producing in Samaria, making this perfectly clear that we're talking about the northern tribes.
- Verse 6 speaks of a watchman in the hills of Ephraim calling them to Zion. (More confirmation about the northern tribes and God's frequent reference to Ephraim.) It also establishes that the previously rebellious northern tribes will return to Jerusalem to worship, as required, instead of their idolatrous worship in the north started by Jeroboam.
- Verse 7 The Lord calls on them to sing and shout and proclaim the salvation by the Lord to the nations. I may be getting ahead of myself, but as I understand it, the 144,000 mentioned in Revelations are Jewish evangelicals who bring people to salvation after the Rapture.
- In verse 8 He describes that it will be a large group coming from all over the world, including the blind, lame, and those with child.
- Verse 9 I have to just quote. It's too beautiful to summarize:
“With weeping they will come,
And by supplication I will lead them;
I will make them walk by streams of waters,
On a straight path in which they will not stumble;
For I am a Father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My firstborn.” Jeremiah 31:9
Continuing with His restoration speech to the northern tribes of Israel:
- Verse 10 He tells the whole world to take note. He scattered them, but He will gather them, as their Shepherd.
- Verse 11- He ransomed them and He will redeem them.
- Verse 12 assures us that they will come running and shouting to Zion and find a radiant bounty of food, wine, medicine, and bounty over their young. Their life will be like a watered garden and they will never languish again. Wow. These are people rooted deeply in deception, wickedness, and sin; but God will fully redeem them, provide for them, and give them a secure future. We are so blessed. Although I don't understand it, I have come to expect antisemitism from liberals on the left. I was shocked by their callous and delusional response to the grotesque attack of Israel on October 7, 2023 by terrorists; but because they have already been captured by demonic forces on issues such as abortion, there was a logic there. But I'm starting to hear antisemitism from prominent voices on the right. Conservatives that I used to respect I have to just stop listening to when I hear them trotting out tropes that are utterly absurd. I guess I'm grateful for a litmus test that separates godly Christians from charlatans, but it still breaks my heart. Jews are hated because demons hate God and Jews are His people. I look forward to the day that this disgusting war against them is finally and permanently over.
- Verse 13 continues in these promises with images of the virgins dancing, young and old together. He turns their mourning to joy, providing comfort and joy for their sorrow. (Come, Lord Jesus, come!)
- Verse 14 offers another promise long in need- He will fill the souls of the priests with abundance. No more leading His flocks astray!!!
- Start w/ verse 15
His restoration speech continues with this imagery:
Thus says the Lord,
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because they are no more.” Jeremiah 31:15
A footnote in my Ryrie Study Bible explains that Ramah was just north of Jerusalem ans was the assembly point for taking captives to Babylon. So Rachel is weeping for all of her children who were lost to dispersion and captivity. Verse 16 tells her to stop cry; they will come back. What a powerful promise. Verse 17 offers the phrase "hope for you future" to the same promise.
Similarly, in verse 18 He references Ephraim grieving. Ephraim (northern tribes) understands that he is being chastened and asks to come home. Ephraim repents in humiliation. In response, the Lord remembers Ephraim's sin, but also remembers His delight in Ephraim in his youth and promises mercy for him.
The words "chastened" and "humiliation" bring to mind I Peter 5:6-10:
6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. I Peter 5:6-10, NASB, emphasis mine
I cringe every time I remember that the root of the word humility is humiliation. Sometime I consider the forgiveness of God and can't believe He provides this priceless gift for free; but it wasn't free for Him. He was humiliated and tortured. And then He was exalted. We get to take part in His suffering AND in His resurrection. But humility comes at the recognition of our humiliation. He had to pay because I ran up a big sin bill. You see Ephraim coming to that conclusion is genuine repentance. Not a casual prayer for forgiveness; but repentance. I'm working hard to make better choices for my health, to undo years of denying the reality of my choices. It's humiliating. But it is so encouraging to read of God's mercy when we genuinely repent and turn the other way from our sin.
Then, in starting in verse 21 the Lord encourages Israel to leave markers and guidepost so they can find their way home. When they return they will speak His words and He will restore their fortunes. This extends to Judah and all of her cities.
Verse 26 tells us that then Jeremiah woke from his prophesy and found pleasant sleep. What a blessing to the one know as the weeping prophet. For him to know that it all turns out ok, even though that's not until the end times.
Verse 27 starts a new paragraph and a new word from the Lord.
- Bad days are coming when Judah and Israel will be overgrown and overrun with other men and animals.
- They may blame their parents for the punishment, but it will be their own sin that brings it about. Everyone pays for their own sin!
- Then a day will come when there is a new covenant with Israel and Judah. Not like the broken covenant with the people of Israel coming out of Egypt.
“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. Jeremiah 31:33
Did you catch that? He's going to put His law within us? How? The Holy Spirit!! Hallelujah. It's going to be different this time. Israel, coming out of Egypt had a chance to be faithful to the covenant. We all do. But it is impossible.
But God.
Waymaker.
Verse 34 goes on to tell us that this transformation will happen at the person level, from Him inside us. And it will bring about forgiveness.
This reads like a New Testament passage from Paul. This is how redemption happens. Christ died and rose again for us. The Holy Spirit prompts us pursue the righteousness of Christ. And then, through His indwelling, we are sealed and sanctified until we go home to our final salvation.
Amen, Hallelujah, and Amen.
We get all of this now, but Israel will also receive this when the Lord returns. Praise God.
Just so we remember Who is making this promise, starting in verse 35, we are reminded of the things over which He has sovereignty: the sun, moon, stars, and the sea. He can sustain all of that, so He can sustain His nation forever. (Hallelujah!!!)
The Lord of hosts is His name! (verse 35)
He knows the heavens and the foundation of the Earth. therefore, we can be confident that He can fully restore all of Israel and make it holy.
Are God is the King of the Universe and it sinks deeper and deeper into my bones Who He is and what is sovereignty means to my life today, tomorrow, and all the days to come.
Hallelujah. Praise to the only One who is worthy.
Amen.