1. Jeremiah 30. Is there a difference in this restoration prophecy from others in the book so far?

Yes, the clues are all there. Like Isaiah, Jeremiah sees the problem as beginning with Babylon, but ending with Jesus on the Throne of David ruling the world. Much happens in between, including the first return of the exiles, but that is not in focus here. Look again at clues:

• “… that day is great, there is none like it; it is the time of Jacob’s distress.” Jacob’s trouble is widely known as the Great Tribulation. Unprecedented trouble on the earth and to Israel. Jesus saw it as still future in His day. So did John the revelator.
• “…[Israel] will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” A theme carried on in Ezekiel’s prophecy as well. Will this be the “Son of David” or will Jesus allow King David Himself to be raised to rule under Him as the “prince” of Ezekiel?
• “…Jacob will return and be quiet and at ease, and no one will make him afraid.” No Muslims. No Russians. When has Israel lived like this?
• “You shall be My people, and I will be your God.” This just is not the case in our day, and has not been since the first Babylonian invasion. The mystery continues and will be fulfilled only when Jesus returns.
• “In the latter days you will understand this.” Aha! No need for further evidence!

2. Jeremiah 31:22. “A woman will encompass a man.” What could this mean?

There seems to be general disagreement about this one. Does it have to do with the idea of protection, or love? Is the Lord saying that the relationship between Israel and Jehovah will be such that the woman (Israel) will actually pursue the man (Jehovah)? Jehovah normally has come after Israel, but now that she has become aware of His love, will things be reversed? The context would, I think, allow such an interpretation.

Many church fathers have seen the Virgin Mary encompassing the man-child Jesus. Though the words could fit, there seems to be no context for such an abrupt entry of the idea of Messiah here. Why bring up the incarnation in this discussion?

Perhaps the most literal usage of the word “encompass” would have to do with protection, standing around someone so that they will not be harmed. A time is coming when women will be protectors of men, certainly a new thing in the world of Jeremiah. Yet, where is the context for this idea? And when was this fulfilled?

No dogmatic statement about this one, for sure. If you have trouble figuring it out, at least you know you are not alone.

3. Jeremiah 31:31-34. How could there be a time when people will not be called to know the Lord?

Of course, the answer is in the text itself: They will all know Me. That is, everyone in the covenant will not have to be told to know the Lord. It will be obvious to covenant members who they are. Like telling someone he is married, or he is employed. He already knows it. Even in our day, we do not go to the born again and tell them to know the Lord. All the born again know the Lord already.

How is this different than the Old Covenant? Theoretically, circumcision placed a man in covenant relationship with God. Being born into a Jewish family, offering sacrifices etc. Any number of external factors could identify a Jew as a Jew. But how many of those so identified actually knew the Lord, walked with Him?

But in the New Covenant, circumcision of the heart is the requirement. And such a procedure involves knowing the Lord. To be in the covenant means to know the Lord. Hence the superiority of the New to the Old.

In our day there are new Judaisms around us. Being “baptized” into the Catholic system makes one a covenant partner with God, forever. Islam demands only the repeating of some words to be brought in. Oh how different is the message we preach!

4. Jeremiah 32:6-15. Why is such a big deal made of Jeremiah’s purchase of some land in Benjamin?

Jeremiah is expressing faith in the Return, by buying this property. God’s promises are true. Yes, we must leave here, we are being punished, says Jeremiah. But we are coming back! Don’t forget that part of God’s Word. This was an illustrated sermon.

Jeremiah proceeds to question what God has asked him to do, and God’s answer is yet another promise of restoration, which covers the rest of this chapter and all of the next (33).

5. Jeremiah 33: 14-26. Will the promised restoration be fulfilled by the Return of the exiles recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah, accomplished through Cyrus of Persia.

Evidently not. Again, the clues that Jeremiah is taken from the here and now to what is still future in our day:

• The Righteous Branch of David [Messiah Jesus] will execute justice and righteousness in all the earth.
• Judah and Jerusalem will be called “The Lord is our righteousness”
• Jerusalem will dwell in safety.

6. Jeremiah 33: 17-18. Will there be priests and sacrifices in the last Kingdom, Messiah’s?

Live with it. The coming Kingdom will be very Jewish. “But the sacrifices don’t mean anything!” Flash! The sacrifices never took away sin! Only Jesus’ sacrifice does that. The old Jewish sacrifices looked ahead to Calvary. The ones coming will look back to that same hill.

Yes, the Descendant of David will sit on the Throne. And just as surely, Levitical priests will offer burnt offerings.

7. Jeremiah 35:1. Who are the different kings with whom Jeremiah is dealing?

Back to 2 Kings, where we can review some history. Josiah’s good reign was abruptly ended by a foolish act of his own and his untimely death at the hands of Pharaoh Neco.

Jehoahaz, Josiah’s son, was made king immediately, but he was captured by the same Egyptian ruler, and taken to Egypt, where he eventually died.

Next came the brother of Jehoahaz, another of Josiah’s sons, Eliakim (aka Jehoiakim). He was made king by Pharaoh Neco and served as a “puppet” of the Pharaoh. This was the king who was ruling when Nebuchadnezzar made his successful move on Judah.

Upon his death, young Jehoiachin, son of Jehoiakim, grandson of Josiah, took the throne. During his reign, Nebuchadnezzar finished his work in Judah, and led Jehoiachin captive into Babylon along with the multitudes of Israel.

Nebuchadnezzar chose then yet another puppet king, Mattaniah, whom he named Zedekiah. So far in the book we have been dealing with this king. He was the uncle of Jehoiachin. Zedekiah died in peace in Babylon, after a short-lived rebellion against the Emperor. Nebuchadnezzar had his eyes put out, and then took him to his own land.

Gedaliah, no relation to Josiah, then became “governor” of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar’s appointment. But he was murdered by one Ishmael. The story of Kings and Chronicles is actually picked up again in Jeremiah’s 40^th to its 44^th chapters.

There we learn that Ishmael, wanting to defect with the remnant to Ammon, is overtaken by Johanan, who decides to take all the remnant Israelites to Egypt.

Jeremiah gives a severe warning about going to Egypt, is ignored, and is taken by force to that land himself, where he continues to confront the ill-fated refugees with the word of the Lord: they are nearly all going to be destroyed for their disobedience!