Jeremiah 33 “The Gracious Promise”

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise that I have spoken to the house of Israel and the house of Judah:
      ‘In those days and at that time
       I will cause to grow up to David
      A Branch of righteousness;
      He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
      In those days Judah will be saved,
     And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
     And this is the name by which she will be called:
     THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’ (vv.14-16)

This is the “Gracious Promise,” the prophecy about the second coming of Jesus Christ. A descendant of David (Jesus Christ, see Matthew 1:6-16) will reign on the throne forever (Revelation 11:15). He will execute judgment and righteousness in the earth (Isaiah 9:7). Furthermore, Jerusalem will dwell in safety (Zechariah 2:4, 8:4, 8:8).

In His second coming Jesus will fulfill all the prophecies of His “Gracious Promise” and reign over all the earth. Be watchful, be ready, "For he comes as a thief in the night, when no man expects" (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

The Truth: “Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:7)

Jeremiah 32 “Jeremiah’s Act Of Faith”

‘You have said to me (Jerehiah), O Lord God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ” (v.25)

Here in chapter 32 God is testing Jeremiah to see if he believes what he is proclaiming. For God had told Jeremiah that even though the city will be given into the hands of the Chaldeans that later, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” ’ (v.15).

So Jeremiah bought the field of Hanamel (his Uncle’s son), which was in Anathoth, for seventy shekels of silver. He signed the deed, sealed it, called in witnesses, gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel his uncle’s son and told him to, “put them in an earthenware jar, that they may last a long time” (vv.9-14).

This faithful act in front of all these people represented Jeremiah’s belief that, even though they were about to be taken captive for 70 years, he believed God would eventually bring his people back to their land as He stated (vv.42-44). This speaks to us concerning how we should consider actions we may take in unclear circumstances. Jeremiah did not consider anything to difficult for God, he acted in faith, backed by conformation, and was obedient to God's call. Great example for us to follow.  

The Truth: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the gracious promise that I have spoken to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” (Jeremiah 33:14)

Jeremiah 31 “A New Covenant”

“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. “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.” (vv.33-34)

At the heart of God’s relationship with Israel was the covenant, begun with Abraham and renewed through Moses and David. The story of the Old Testament reveals that Israel’s history was plagued with covenant disobedience. That theme of God’s covenant, and Israel’s inability to keep it, dominates today’s reading.

The crux of today’s reading, however, and of the book of Jeremiah, comes in verses 31-34, a “new covenant.” This promise is found nowhere else in the Old Testament. The need for a new covenant lay not in any defect in the old, but rather in the people’s inability to keep it. But now, declared God, He would address that internal problem by writing His law on their hearts and minds. Through this covenant, there would be a new, intimate relationship between God and people.

Jesus said to His disciples at the last supper He had with them before His death, “This cup which is poured out for you is the “new covenant” in My blood” (Luke 22:20). This was (is) a passage of hope for us. Ultimately due to His own redemptive work, God promises to restore us. Therefore, the story does not end with times of trouble, but with His act of everlasting love, which will keep us to the end.

The Truth:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (v.3)
“We have been delivered from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not the old way of the written law.” (Romans 7:6)

Jeremiah 30 “Restoration, And Renewal”

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. For behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.’ ” (vv.2-3).

The prophetic Word of the restoration of God’s people (Judah and Israel) from idol worship should encourage us as to His “everlasting love” and “unfailing kindness” toward those who have fallen away. Just as God would act to restore and renew His people and His covenant with them, so He works in the lives of all His people, to restore and renew them back to Himself.

There is only one thing that can separate us from restoration and renewal with God, our refusal to repent and ask for forgiveness. In a word, “pride.” Therefore, if you find yourself in a place of separation from Him, you’ve gone your own way, done what was right in your own eyes, and you long for a renewed life, do something about it. For His desire is to have everlasting fellowship with you (see prayer to the right on this page). God Bless.

The Truth: “The LORD is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

Jeremiah 29 “Seek Peace”

“Seek the peace of the city where I caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” (v.7)

All too often we allow the future to be colored by how we understand our current situations. We believers have a tendency to become so absorbed in our current difficulties that we forget how faithful God has been to us over the years we have served Him, and can't see the forrest through the trees.

In today’s Scripture reading, God told the people of Israel, who were held captive in Babylon, to “seek the peace of the city,” and to “pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace, you will have peace.” In other words, instead of sitting around lamenting their current circumstances and wishing they were somewhere else, they were to be faithful where He had them, pray for their surroundings, and look to His future promises (vv.10-14)

This speaks to us in that, while we can’t always choose our circumstances in life, we can be at peace in difficult situations by being faithful where God has us, and praying for peace in the current environment we find ourselves. This will change our attitude and thereby change the attitudes of those around us.  For He has "Good thoughts towards us, thoughts of peace not of evil, to give us a future and a hope" (v.11). All we must do is "seek peace."

The Truth: “Serve with good will, as unto the LORD and not to man.” (Ephesians 6:7)

Jeremiah 28 “Hananiah’s False Prophecy”

“Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Even so will I break within two full years the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’” (vv.10-11)

God told Jeremiah to wear a wooden yoke on his shoulders to symbolize that Judah would be servants to Babylon. After about a year of wearing it, Hananiah, the son of a prophet from the priestly city of Gibeon, came with a very different message from the one God had given Jeremiah. He said, “God’s going to rescue us and all is well, and the breaking of this yoke symbolizes what’s going to happen to Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.” He then physically broke the wooden yoke off Jeremiah. That was exactly what the people wanted to hear, so they accepted the “positive message.”

Jeremiah then came back with a new message. Since they were ignoring God, it was going to be even worse than they had first heard; the wooden yoke was going to be replaced with an iron one (v.13), and Hananiah would die within the year for counseling rebellion against the LORD (v.16).

Never a good idea to lead God’s people astray, nor claim you are speaking in His name when you’re not.

The Truth: “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” (Deuteronomy 18:20)

Jeremiah 27 “The Sovereignty of God”

“I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight.” (v.5)

Today’s passage presents the sovereignty of God, that nothing is beyond His knowledge or control. God created all things, and “will give dominion of them to anyone He (I) pleases” (v.5). Even Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was not a freelance ruler moving about on his own, but is described by God as, “my servant” (v.6).

At God’s bidding Babylon would retain power for generations, but then it too would be subjugated to other powers. Everything that was happening to Judah, no matter how difficult, was still within God’s control. Submitting to Babylon was submitting to God, who had orchestrated Babylon’s rise, its conquering of Judah, and eventual demise.

We, like Judah, may not agree with all that comes our way, but one thing is clear, God is in control, and we must trust in His plan and control, even in the face of great difficulty.

The Truth: “Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will.
I call a bird of prey from the east,
a man for My purpose from a far country.
Yes, I have spoken; so I will also bring it about.
I have planned it; I will also do it.” (Isaiah 46:9-11)

Jeremiah 26 “Stand And Deliver”

“Now it happened, when Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You must die!" (v.8)

Messages of judgment in an age of tolerance are about as welcome as rain at a ball game. Yet Jeremiah, even with his countrymen threating to kill him, stood in the court of the house of the LORD, to speak to all the citizens of Judah the words the LORD commanded him to speak (vv.7-9). And the LORD protected him through the elders of the city who said, “This man does not deserve to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God” (v.16).

And so it may be with us when we “stand and deliver” the message God has placed on our hearts for others. While in this country no one will try and put us to death for delivering it (not yet anyway), we could face any number of negative reactions. Does that mean we should be silent and ignore the prompting of the Spirit in our lives? Absolutely not! For just as the LORD protected his servant Jeremiah from death, he will protect you and I from harm as well.

Therefore, when the Holy Spirit is prompting you, stand and deliver God’s message in love and do not be ashamed, for the LORD your God will be with you.

The Truth: “So shall My Word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)