A RIGHTEOUS BRANCH Jeremiah 23:1-12

The Righteuos Branch

All of us need leaders in our lives.— But it can be tough to find good leaders to follow.— Often…the kind of people who are looking for followers end up being manipulative and selfish…our Hollywood heros and sports icons consistently let us down with scandal after scandal.— Politicians rarely follow through with all of their campaign promises.— Even our pastors and parents are imperfect and fall short sometimes.— We crave good leadership but have a hard time finding it.— This gap points to the need for a wise…righteous…and perfect leader.— We are going to see...Jeremiah not only critisizes the terrible leadership in Judah…he also tells about a future leader who will be everything God’s people need.

Jeremiah 23:1-8 Is an oracle of restoration...looking ahead to the future reign of the Messiah...who will live up to the ideals of Davidic kingship.— This oracle concludes...the series of prophecies against the house of David...with a hopeful outlook.— While the last few kings have deserved the judgment they received…God will raise up a righteous ruler...and bring Judah back from exile.

(Let’s Talk)

What qualities make a good leader?

What about a bad leader?

Have you ever had someone in your life who’s leadership really helped you?

Jeremiah 23:1-4 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.

(Verses 1-2)

Woe to the shepherds…these verses are a woe oracle…upon the shepherds responsible for scattering and destroying the sheep of God’s pasture.

Jeremiah 22:13 tells us...

“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

and his upper rooms by injustice,

who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing

and does not give him his wages,”

(“woe”) expresses pity...pain...or disappointment...and marks this as a particular type of prophetic saying.

The pronouncement of woe...accompanies an accusation or a description of the condemned behavior...and is followed by a declaration of judgment.

We can hear the accusation in Ezek. 13:3-7 where it says...

“Thus says the Lord God, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. 5 You have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel, that it might stand in battle in the day of the Lord. 6 They have seen false visions and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the Lord,’ when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word. 7 Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a lying divination, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the Lord,’ although I have not spoken?”

and the pronounced judgment in verses 8-9

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have uttered falsehood and seen lying visions, therefore behold, I am against you, declares the Lord God. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.”

The shepherds who destroy and scatter…were not only Zedekiah and the three godless Judaen kings mentioned in chapter 22…but all leaders of Judah…including spiritual and civil leaders.

These leaders did not show Israel the way to God...instead...they led Israel astray.

Their poor leadership resulted in judgment and scattering of the people.

The sheep of my pasture…my people and my flock…these phrases…are used by Jeremiah more than fourty times…pointing to the close relationship...between God and the people of Judah.

you have not attended to (my flock). behold, I will attend to you (the shepherds)

(paqad) paw-kad is a Hebrew word meaning “to care for” or “to chastise”…For those of us…who God has placed in leadership roles…we are going to be held accountable…for how we attend to those we are called to care for. (Verses 3-4)

shepherds…good leaders…that God would raise up… not only Zerubbabel...Ezra...and Nehemiah…but leaders far into the future.

God would take on the role of the shepherd…He would bring Israel and Judah back…out of all the countries…where He had driven them.

The remnant is a major theme in the book of Jeremiah…(mentioned nineteen times)…after God’s purging through punishment…He always allows a remnant of Israel to remain…to be fruitful and multiply.

Beloved…as leaders...are we feeding the sheep of God’s pasture...with His Word…or are we starving them of sound Doctrine?

Jeremiah 23:5-8 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ 7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 8 but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

(Verse 5)

the days are coming…refers to the days...of ultimate restoration in the messianic age…a future period of time on earth...in which the Messiah will reign...and bring universal peace and brotherhood.

I will raise up for David a righteous Branch…refering to the Messiah...

Isaiah 4:2 speaks of The Branch of the Lord Glorified...

“In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.”

Compare Jeremiah 23:5 to Matthew 1:1 The Genealogy of Jesus Christ where it says...

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

Christ meaning “anointed”…points back to David the anointed king of Israel…and to the promise of an “anointed one”…the Messiah... who would rule God’s people.— Son of David...points to his royal lineage…Jesus the King!

Zechariah 3:8 speaks of “my servant, the Branch”…compare this to Mark 10:45 where it says...

”For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The ransom of Christ’s life was paid to God the Father…who accepted it as just payment for the sins of many…(all those who would be saved)…Jesus as the servant!

Zechariah 6:12 speaks of the man whose name is the Branch…compare this to Luke 23:46-47 where it tells us...

“Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”

I commit my spirit…Jesus’ own human spirit returned to the presence of God the Father

The centurian praised God...saying...“Certainly this man was innocent!”…Jesus in his human aspects.

Again Isaiah 4:2 the branch of the LORD…compare this to John 20:31 where it shows us...Jesus being from God

“but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Jesus’ identity…as the Christ…the Messiah…the living Son of God.

The sovereign Creator...and ruler of the universe…God’s Son existed eternally with God…the Father…and the whole creation was made through Him.

He is the merciful Provider of His peoples needs…and He will reign wisely...He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions...

“Behold, my servant shall act wisely;

he shall be high and lifted up,

and shall be exalted.”… Isaiah 52:13

(Verse 6)

The Lord is our righteousness…this is a play on Zedekiah’s name, which means “the Lord is my righteousness.”

Nebuchadnezzar…installed Zedekiah on the throne as a puppet king…and made him swear an oath…that he would remain loyal.

Zedekiah’s original name was Mattaniah…Nebuchadnezzar renamed him…to demonstrate his authority over him.

Zedekia reigned in Jerusalem for 11 years…he was never fully accepted as their king...by the people of Judah…Zedekiah was a weak and indecisive ruler.

The Messiah...“The LORD is our righteousness” fulfills...the expectation...embodied in the role of the Davidic king.

(Verses 7-8)

from the land of Egypt...Yahweh’s redemption of Israel from slavery in Egypt was an important component of His identity and how He revealed Himself to Israel.

Lev 11:45.

“For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Deut 6:12.

“then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

2 Kgs 17:36.

“but you shall fear the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice.”

The previous manifestations...of His power...will pale in comparison...with the coming salvation.

vv. 7–8 parallel Jeremiah 16:14–15. “The Lord Will Restore Israel

 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ 15 but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.”

God’s deliverance of His people...from Egypt...would be surpassed...in a future worldwide regathering.

God had made a covenant…a binding promise...with David…that his descendance…would always rule over Israel.

God promised...a “righteous branch” would come from David’s family tree.— The Messiah…The Anointed One of God…who would rule...Israel and the nations...with justice forever...

Jeremiah 23:9-12. “Lying Prophets”

“Concerning the prophets:

My heart is broken within me;

all my bones shake;

I am like a drunken man,

like a man overcome by wine,

because of the Lord

and because of his holy words.

10  For the land is full of adulterers;

because of the curse the land mourns,

and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.

Their course is evil,

and their might is not right.

11  “Both prophet and priest are ungodly;

even in my house I have found their evil,

declares the Lord.

12  Therefore their way shall be to them

like slippery paths in the darkness,

into which they shall be driven and fall,

for I will bring disaster upon them

in the year of their punishment,

declares the Lord.”

(Verse 9) The KJV reads...

Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets…The false prophets…this is directed to them by the prophet.

Jeremiahs’s heart was broken within him…with grief and sorrow…because of their false doctrine and wicked lives.

This wickedness...brought ruin upon themselves...and the people.

all my bones shake…with horror...at the iniquities committed…and the judgment to come.

Jeremiah could not speak…he was confused and astonished…like a drunken man overcome by wine.

This can be compared to Hannah speaking in her heart in 1 sam 1:13-15 where it tells us...

“Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord.”

(Verse 10)

The physical and spiritual immorality...of a land…full of adulterers…had produced a godless society