Personal and Political Redemption in Christ

I. Introduction

Jeremiah 30

Not dated, but Ch’s 32-33 are dated to the very end of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry, in the year before Nebuchadnezzar’s final destruction of Jerusalem. Perhaps these happen in a similar time, but there is no knowing.

Structure

Vs 1-3, Prologue

Vs 4-11, Personal restoration

vs 4-7, Personal travail as a consequence of persecution (Great Tribulation)

vs 7-10, Personal salvation through the ministry of the Son of David (Millennial Kingdom).

Vs 11, Epilogue of judgement on those not under the protection of the Lord and discipline of His saints.

Vs 12-24, Political restoration

Vs 12-15, Political distress due to judgment (Present distress & Great tribulation)

Vs 16-22, Political restoration through the ministry of the Son of David (Millennial Kingdom)

Vs 23-24, Epilogue of Judgement of those not under the protection of the Lord and discipline of His saints.

II. Body

Prologue:

Reminiscent of the personal arrival of the “Word of the Lord” in 1:4, 11, 13; 2:1.

Different grammar, but close enough given the multiple references in this chapter to the Son of David.

Christ is the minister of this restoration, why should he not be it’s herald?

Jeremiah is told to record the words in a book, as he is in Jer 36:1-3 and Jer 51:60.

These prophetic words are ment to be accessible as a unit.

A “best of” mix tape of hope for the people going through the seige?

vs 10-11 are also 46:27-28.

Vs 23-24 are also 23:19-20.

Chapters 30-33 are called a “book of consolation” in the middle of Jeremiah.

Very different tone.

Some skeptical scholars have said that this is not authored by Jeremiah but is pseudopigraphical, as they claim Isa 40-66 are as well.

Jeremiah’s authorship is directly asserted in the text several times.

More likely a compendium of hopeful words consolidated in one place.

Again, this is addressed to both houses of Israel, despite Israel having already gone into captivity.

Continues in Ch 31: 4, 6, 9, 20, 21, 23, 27.

Faithful refugees theory expressed earlier.

Supported by Neh 11:3, 20.

“Restore the Fortunes” (vs 3) is the redcurrant theme of these chapters.

Shows up 31x in the OT, but 7 of those occurrences are in Jeremiah 30-33.

Both words are based on the same root word.

Sub (shuv), To turn back.

“turn the turning.”

Sometimes having to do with material wealth returning.

Sometimes having to do with captivity being released.

Sometimes having to do with sins being forgiven.

The subject in all 31 occurrences is always God. The object is always His covenant people.

What has been broken is repaired. What has been twisted is made straight.

Creates an inclusio

Jer 30:4-11.

Beginning of the oracle, vs 4.

This is later clarified as being a dream (Jeremiah 31:26 “At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.” )

The travail here is being observed on an individual basis, “every man.” vs 6.

The main symptom of the distress is fear.

“panic” and “terror in vs 5.

“fear” and “affraid” in vs 10.

Fear, “the overwhelming psychological urge to alter one’s actions or situation in response to an outside person or reality.”

If anything other than God is the object of our fear, it is sin.

Those who make something other than God the object of their fear end up falling victim to fear.

Ironically, as he does in vs 10, God’s solution to being fearful is to refocus our fear on him.

His presence, his rightful place as the object of fear in our lives, drives out fear of everything else.

Many commentators have seen in verse 7-8 a reference to the great tribulation.

“Day of Jacob’s Trouble” is a common catchphrase for the tribulation.

The “Day of the Lord” is used throughout the OT to point to the final judgment, which includes both horrible wrath and salvation, specifically for the Jews.

Joel 2:11 “The Lord utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome; who can endure it?”

Zephaniah 1:14 “The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.”

Daniel 12:1 ““At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

At the conclusion of the Great Tribulation is the Millennial Kingdom. This is modeled by the presence of “David their King, whom I will raise up for them.”

Could be the ideal Davidic King, Jesus.

Or it could be a literal resurrection David who will function as a client-King under Jesus over restored Israel.

Hosea 3:5 “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”

Ezekiel 34:23 “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.”

Jeremiah 23:5 ““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.”

This section ends with a reiteration of God’s judgment and mercy in vs 11.

Nations destined for wrath will receive it and will be utterly destroyed (tribulation).

While an intense time of discipline and hardship for Israel, their result will be salvation, not destruction.

Jer 30:12-24.

The complaint here is collective and political.

“Lady Zion” is the implied subject of the conversation, as all the pronouns are feminine singular, agreeing with “Zion” in vs 17, “Zion for whom no one cares.”

Medical terminology is used as a metaphor throughout the section.

The picture is of someone who has been beaten and left for dead.

Most surprisingly, God is the assailant. Vs 14, 15.

Just as the source of the great tribulation is the wrath of God, so is the source of Zion’s wound.

Vs 14, “other lovers.”

Rather than trusting in God, Judah of Jeremiah’s day trusted in other nations. These nations did not support her when Nebuchadnezzar came.

Political alliances (with antichrist) will not save tribulation Israel either.

God’s wrath falls unilaterally. So does his mercy.

Vs 16-22, “I will...” 8x. Renewal.

Those who are saved initiate nothing. No “they shall” with a salvific effect.

They only respond in worship.

One of the “I will” statements is vs 18, “I will restore the fortunes.” Turn their turning.

Repentance of the crooked is the work of the Lord.

John 6:65 “And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.””

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Just as the hope of the fist section hangs on the Son of David, so does the restoration of this second section.

Vs 21: “Their prince” … “their ruler” in ESV. In Hebrew, “His noble one”...”his ruler.” Reference to “Jacob” in vs 18.

This person is both prince and priest. Judah and Levi.

The conundrum is only answered in Christ.

Hebrews 5:1–6 “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.””

God alone appoints his priests (Num 16:5).

“Who is he who would of his heart draw near to me?” NET

Isaiah 63:1 “Who is this who comes from Edom, in crimsoned garments from Bozrah, he who is splendid in his apparel, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.””

Matthew 21:10 “And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?””

This section ends with a restatement of the political goal of Israel throughout the Bible, to be God’s people (vs 22).

Exodus 29:45 “I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.”

Deuteronomy 27:9 “Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 26:12 “And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”

The section concludes with an epilogue of wrath, as did the first section (vs 23-24).

Wrath and destruction for all the Lord’s enemies.

Explicit statement of salvation is not here, but the fact that the latter-day Jews will understand this implies that they will not all be destroyed.

III. Conclusion/Application

God’s target audience here is clearly Jewish.

Their trials and their salvation in this chapter are theirs.

We don’t have an a-priori reason to think that this concerns us at all.

Abraham’s covenant promise, though was for salvation for the nations (Gen 12:1-3).

Part of the restoration of the people of God promised here is a great increase in children (vs 20).

They will be numerous “as they were of old.”

Not just before the hard times of Jeremiah’s seige or the tribulation.

Looking all the way back to the promise of innumerable offspring in Gen 12.

Included the nations.

We are among the children of Jer 30:20 as assuredly as we are among the children of Gen 12:3.

We are grafted in to their messiah (Rom 11) and their promises.

If we are among the children of vs 20, let’s make sure we are also among the worshipers of vs 19.

The Jews of Jeremiah’s day were headed into wrath, and their worship would come later.

Our worship and thanksgiving ought to flow out of hearts that know what Christ has done for us by enduring God’s wrath on our behalf.