Jeremiah 30, A Promise of Restoration

The next three chapters form one prophecy, sometimes called the Book of Consolation, because these prophecies foretell Israel’s restoration to the land as a mighty kingdom under Davidic rule. This, of course, has yet to happen. This prophecy is about the Messianic age.

^30:1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh: ² “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. ³ The days are coming,’ declares Yahweh, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says Yahweh.”

“Days are coming” is code speak for the Messianic age. Yahweh will restore Israel’s captivity. Of course, their current captivity is in Babylon, and they were restored from that captivity after Babylon’s defeat by Medo-Persia, but this seems to be speaking of a yet future restoration from captivity.

⁴ These are the words Yahweh spoke concerning Israel and Judah: ⁵ “This is what Yahweh says: “‘Cries of fear are heard—terror, not peace. ⁶ 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? ⁷ How awful that day will be! No other will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it.

Israel will go through a time of terrible “trouble,” something Daniel prophesied (Daniel 12:1) as did Jesus (Matthew 24:21), the Great Tribulation. But Jacob will be saved from it.

⁸ “‘In that day,’ declares Yahweh Almighty, ‘I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them. ⁹ Instead, they will serve Yahweh their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. ¹⁰ “‘So do not be afraid, Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel,’ declares Yahweh. ‘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. ¹¹ I am with you and will save you,’ declares Yahweh. ‘Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’

Jacob’s trouble, the Great Tribulation, will be followed by a breaking of the control other nations have had over Israel. This domination by other powers will never be repeated. David, that is, the Davidic Messianic king, will rule her and there will be unending peace and security. Israel must first be punished, the time of great trouble, but then she will be restored.

¹² “This is what Yahweh says: “‘Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing. ¹³ There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you. ¹⁴ 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. ¹⁵ 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.

Yahweh will be the only remedy for Israel’s woundedness, a wound that Yahweh Himself has inflicted because of Israel’s great sin and guilt.

¹⁶ “‘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. ¹⁷ But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares Yahweh, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’ ¹⁸ “This is what Yahweh says: “‘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. ¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ Their children will be as in days of old, and their community will be established before me; I will punish all who oppress them. ²¹ 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 Yahweh. ²² “‘So you will be my people, and I will be your God.’”

 ²³ See, the storm of Yahweh will burst out in wrath, a driving wind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. ²⁴ The fierce anger of Yahweh will not turn back until he fully accomplishes the purposes of his heart. In days to come you will understand this. (Jeremiah 30)

Yahweh will restore Israel to health, cursing all who cursed her, destroying all her oppressors. Yahweh will care for her, the one none cared for, rebuilding the destroyed Jerusalem in its “proper place.” As in days of old she will prosper in every way. Her ruler will draw near to Yahweh, and He to him. And the covenant relationship will be reaffirmed: He will be their God and they His people. But first, the judgment must come.

Why would Yahweh make a promise that is so far away from being fulfilled? Israel must be prepared to receive her Messiah, and that has yet to occur.

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Discussion Questions:

1. What does this prophecy about Israel have to do with us, the Church?
2. How does being “in Christ” tie us with the prophetic expectations for Israel?
3. Why do you think Yahweh peppers in reminders of Israel’s judgment to come with promises of restoration?
4. What does all this have to say about how God deals with us?