Restoration is Promised

Restoration Is Promised

Jeremiah 30

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the Lord."

These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: "This is what the Lord says:
s

"'Cries of fear are heard--

terror, not peace.

Ask and see:

Can a man bear children?

Then why do I see every strong man

with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,

every face turned deathly pale?

How awful that day will be!

None will be like it.

It will be a time of trouble for Jacob,

but he will be saved out of it.

s

"'In that day,' declares the Lord Almighty,

'I will break the yoke off their necks

and will tear off their bonds;

no longer will foreigners enslave them.

Instead, they will serve the Lord their God

and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

s
"'So do not fear, O Jacob my servant;

do not be dismayed, O Israel,' declares the Lord.

3

'I will surely save you out of a distant place,

your descendants from the land of their exile.

Jacob will again have peace and security,

and no one will make him afraid.

I am with you and will save you,' declares the Lord.

'Though I completely destroy all the nations

among which I scatter you,

I will not completely destroy you.

I will discipline you but only with justice;

I will not let you go entirely unpunished.'

3

"This is what the Lord says:

d

"'Your wound is incurable,

your injury beyond healing.

There is no one to plead your cause,

no remedy for your sore,

no healing for you.

All your allies have forgotten you;

they care nothing for you.

I have struck you as an enemy would

and punished you as would the cruel,

because your guilt is so great

and your sins so many.

Why do you cry out over your wound,

your pain that has no cure?

Because of your great guilt

and many sins I have done these things to you.

s

"'But all who devour you will be devoured;

all your enemies will go into exile.

Those who plunder you will be plundered;

all who make spoil of you I will despoil.

But I will restore you to health

and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord, '

2

because you are called an outcast,

Zion for whom no one cares.'

3

"This is what the Lord says:

3

"'I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents

and have compassion on his dwellings;

the city will be rebuilt on her ruins,

and the palace will stand in its proper place.

From them will come songs of thanksgiving

and the sound of rejoicing.

I will add to their numbers,

and they will not be decreased;

I will bring them honor,

and they will not be disdained.

Their children will be as in days of old,

and their community will be established before me;

I will punish all who oppress them.

Their leader will be one of their own;

their ruler will arise from among them.

I will bring him near

and he will come close to me,

for who is he who will devote himself

to be close to me?' declares the Lord.

c

"'So you will be my people,

and I will be your God.'"

c

See, the storm of the Lord

will burst out in wrath,

a driving wind swirling down

on the heads of the wicked.

The fierce anger of the Lord will not turn back

until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart.

c

In days to come you will understand this.

d

d

Life Application Bible Study Notes:

d

Like Isaiah Jeremiah associated events of the near future and those of the distant future. Reading these prophecies is like looking at several mountain peaks in a range. From a distance they look as though they are next to each other, when actually they are miles apart. Jeremiah presents near and distant events as if they will all happen soon. He sees the exile, but he also sees the future day when Christ will reign forever. The reference to David is not to King David, but to his famous descendant, the Messiah (Luke 1:69).

d

The medical language here conveys the idea that sin is terminal. Sinful people cannot be cured by being good or being religious. Beware of putting confidence in useless cures while your sin spreads and causes you pain. God alone can cure the disease of sin, but you must be willing to let him do it.

d

Judah protested its punishment, even though the sin that caused the pain was scandalous. But punishment is an opportunity for growth because it makes us aware of sin's consequences. The people should have asked how they could profit from this mistakes. Remember this the next time you are corrected.

d

This prophecy that Jerusalem would be rebuilt was not completely fulfilled by the work of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel. The city was indeed rebuilt after the captivity, but the final restoration will occur when all believers are gathered in Christ's kingdom. This restoration will include buildings (30:18), people (30:19), and rulers (30:21).

d

This promise is to all the clans (tribes) of Israel, not only to the tribe of Judah. The restoration will include all people who trust God.

d

God reaches towards his people with kindness motivated by deep and everlasting love. He is eager to do the best for them if they will only let him. After many words of warnings about sin, this reminder of God's magnificent love is a breath of fresh air. Rather than thinking of God with dread, look carefully and see him lovingly drawing us toward himself.