Redemption: a new beginning (Jer. 30:1–24)

Jeremiah received the words recorded in 30:1–31:25 while he was asleep, God sometimes spoke to His servants through dreams. God instructed Jeremiah to write His words in a book (scroll) so the nation would have a permanent record of the promises God was giving to His people. In His instructions to Jeremiah, God stated the theme of His message: Israel (the Northern Kingdom, taken by Assyria in 722 B.C.) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom) will eventually return to their land as a united people (30:3). While this promise refers ultimately to the regathering of the Jews at the end of the age, it certainly was an encouragement to the exiles in Babylon, for if God can gather His people from all the nations of the world, surely He can deliver Judah from the captivity of one nation.

I. The broken yoke (vv. 4–11)

4 Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah. 5 “For thus says the LORD: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,But he shall be saved out of it. 8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king,Whom I will raise up for them. 10 ‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the LORD, ‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with you,’ says the LORD, ‘to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you,Yet I will not make a complete end of you.But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’

A. Again Israel and Judah are linked. As they both would experience God’s judgment.

Also they both would experience his blessing and together would be reunited and in their own land. The horrors of God’s judgment would cause even strong men to double up in pain “like a woman in labor.”

“that day,” (V.7) and similar expressions are found frequently in the OT for the “Day of the Lord.” Though the expression could refer to a few different things, but here it does contain two aspects—judgment and restoration. That day will be “awful,” a time of trouble for Jacob. Jacob is sometimes equated with the Northern Kingdom, but in the overall context it may include both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms—all Israel.

B. “In that day” now introduces a message about a time of hope (after judgment).

When the prophets used the phrase “in that day,” they were usually referring to the future time when God will judge the nations of the world and restore the Jews to their land. The promise in (V.9) applies to the future Kingdom Age, following the Tribulation, when the Messiah shall reign over His people.

When Jesus was here on earth, His people said, “We will not have this man to reign over us”, but in that day, they will recognize their Messiah-King and welcome Him.

II. The healed wound (vv. 12–17)

12 “For thus says the LORD: ‘Your affliction is incurable, Your wound is severe. 13 There is no one to plead your cause, That you may be bound up; You have no healing medicines. 14 All your lovers have forgotten you; They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased. 15 Why do you cry about your affliction? Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, Because your sins have increased, I have done these things to you. 16 ‘Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey. 17 For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the LORD,‘Because they called you an outcast saying: “This is Zion; No one seeks her.” ’

A. In Isaiah’s day, Judah was a “sick” nation, and thanks to the superficial ministry of the false prophets, the sickness became worse in Jeremiah’s day.

The imagery of injury and sickness occurs throughout the passage to describe Israel’s suffering for sin. Such imagery is common in the rest of Scripture as well to describe the effects of God’s wrath on individuals and nations.

The imagery is also extended to describe the forgiveness of God and its effects, the availability of which Jesus was to proclaim by miracles of healing. Though the injury was beyond healing, v. 17 says God would heal the wound. There is no contradiction in these statements. God is not a human being; his ways cannot always be understood.

B. The Lord anticipated that the people would ask why the incurable wound had been inflicted on them.

His answer was unequivocal. They were being punished because of their great guilt and many sins (repeated from v. 14). Therefore, what right did they have to complain about the suffering they had brought on themselves?

They were only receiving the penalties for disobedience set forth in the Mosaic covenant. Crying out was both useless and unjustified.

The one who had said there would be no healing (v. 15) now offers to be the healer who would “restore you to health” the image of new flesh forming on a wound as it heals. The Lord’s action to save is motivated by the insult of the nations who call Israel an outcast “for whom no one cares”. The Lord will not allow the nations to take credit for devastating Israel as if Israel’s God could not have stopped them. Both the judgment and the deliverance demonstrate his sovereignty.

III. The calm after the storm (vv. 18–24).

18 “Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents, And have mercy on his dwelling places; The city shall be built upon its own mound,And the palace shall remain according to its own plan. 19 Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 20 Their children also shall be as before, And their congregation shall be established before Me; And I will punish all who oppress them. 21 Their nobles shall be from among them, And their governor shall come from their midst; Then I will cause him to draw near, And he shall approach Me; For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the LORD. 22 ‘You shall be My people,And I will be your God.’ ”23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD—Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind;It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.24 The fierce anger of the LORD will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.

A. Judah would go through trying times of chastisement, but an era of blessing lay beyond.

God promised that Jerusalem and the cities of Judah will be rebuilt and that the fortunes of the people will be restored. Their mourning will turn to joy and their children will again enjoy a normal life.

Instead of being under oppressive Gentile rulers, the Jews will have the Messiah as their ruler—“one of their own” (v. 21, NIV), that is, a Jew. But here’s a surprising revelation: Not only will the Messiah be their King, but He will also be their Priest! “Then I will cause Him to draw near, and He shall approach Me” (v. 21, NKJV). This is language that applies especially to the Jewish high priest, who alone entered the holy of holies on the annual Day of Atonement (Lev. 16). Only Jesus Christ, who is both King and Priest (Heb. 7–8), can qualify to fulfill this prophecy.

B. To summarize: The people of Judah and Jerusalem will experience terrible trials at the hands of the Babylonians.

They will end up wearing the Gentile yoke, bearing the wounds caused by their sins, and having endured the storm of God’s wrath. But God would eventually deliver them, breaking the yoke, healing the wounds, and bringing peace after the storm.

All of this will be a foreshadowing of what will happen to the Jews in the end times as they go through the Tribulation, meet their Messiah-King, and enter into their kingdom.