NOTES ON JEREMIAH

Notes from the Jewish Study Bible

For the next few days I am going to publish some notes taken from the Jewish Study Bible on Jeremaih and overlay them with their meaning from a follower of Yeshua perspective.


If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 1 Corinthians 15.19


The books of the prophets are types and shadows of the coming millennial kingdom. Within the historial context of Israel's rebellion and punishment we are seeing the coming end of the age. When Paul said the above quote he was looking towards the resurrection and the coming kingdom. Our present troubles are preparation for something much greater to come. As God's people we need to have a vision of the world to come in order to sustain us in times of trouble. Read on!

 

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD…Thus hath the LORD God of Israel spoken, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book. For, Behold, the days come, said the LORD, that I will turn the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, said the LORD, and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Jeremiah 30.1-3

Jeremiah is told to write down all the words the Lord has spoken to him in a book. The word is that Israel and Judah will return to the land and possess it. This is a dual prophecy. It was partially fulfilled when the people returned 70 years later. Those who returned at that time were mostly from the house of Judah--those taken captivity into Babylon. Small numbers of the house of Israel returned over the centuries but the two kingdoms were never reunited. That part of the prophecy will be fulfilled at the end of the age when God re-gathers His people to Israel (Jews and Gentiles). This was written for our instruction.
 

 

For I shall be with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee; and I shall make a full end in all Gentiles among whom I scattered thee, yet I will not make a full end of thee: but I will chastise thee with judgment and will not cut thee off altogether. Jeremiah 30.11


This oracle indicates that Israel will be punished, but not destroyed, following the typical prophetic idea of a remnant that survive and prosper. This is the idea in the book of Revelation on a world-wide prophetic scale. It is a shadow of the end of the age--the wicked (unbelieving) are judged and the righteous (true believers) redeemed.

 

Behold, the days come, said the LORD, in which I will make a new covenant with the house of Jacob and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt because they invalidated my covenant although I was a husband unto them, said the LORD; But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, said the LORD, I will give my law in their inmost being and write it in their hearts and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall no longer teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, said the LORD, for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31.31-34

For Christians this scripture describes the new covenant and God writing His law/Torah on our hearts in the rebirth of accepting Yeshua as Messiah. For Jews it is about the rebuilding of the Temple after Babylonian captivity. It is not the content of the new covenant which will be different--but how it is learned.
 

God places the Torah in the inmost being or heart of the people so that the covenant cannot be broken again. This is rebirth in Yeshua and the grace that saves us. Jewish mysticism maintains that all persons have a divine spark within. Since it is inscribed on our hearts their will be no need for the Torah to be taught. What it really means is that we are saved by grace in Yeshua’s complete work of salvation on the cross. The Torah then is written on our hearts--we obey out of pure love of God. We are no longer under the curse of the Torah. We still must meditate on the law in order to understand how to live righteously and not practice sin.

 

…because of all the evil of…Israel and…Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they have turned to Me the back, and not the face; though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. But they set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah 32.32-35

The sins of Israel and Judah are great--and they refuse to receive correction/instruction/chastisement. Their sins and abominable behavior has caused the Lord to take drastic action. We need to have a heart that can receive chastisement and receive correction from the Lord. Those who are obedient to the Lord are blessed! Those who disobey always have sin working in their lives and have a difficult time walking in the blessings--things always seem to go wrong for them. Maybe they are not listening to what God wants for them.


Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in my anger, in my fury and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their sons after them: and I will make an eternal covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good, and I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me. And, I will rejoice with them doing them good, and I will plant them in this land with truth, with my whole heart and with my whole soul. Jeremiah 32.37-41


Once punishment is over there is complete restoration. God promises an everlasting covenant in which the people will look to God and He will ensure their security in the land. Obedience is placed into their hearts--one heart and one way--something that will begin to come forth in the MK.


Now is the time to allow the Lord to work in your life. Rebellion or disobedience will only lead to an unfulfilled life. Jeremiah was speaking to the chosen--the so called "believers."

 

And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to turn and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, with which they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their sins, with which they have sinned against me and with which they rebelled against me. And it shall be unto me a name of joy, of praise and of glory among all the Gentiles of the earth, who shall have heard all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I shall do unto them. Jeremiah 33.7-9

After chastisement/punishment the Lord cleanses His people and pardons them. First they were severely punished, now they are lovingly restored. Both houses, Judah and Israel (Jews and Joes), share in this promise. The nations/gentiles are also included in the restoration. Jeremiah is seeing far into the future and the MK.
 

 

This is the Biblical pattern. We often do not understand how this works in our daily lives. If we refuse to listen and yield to the Lord we have an unsettled walk. When we obey and yeild our walk bears fruit in many ways! Not all believers are walking in obedience. There is a price to pay.

 

Next: More Notes on Jeremiah