Jeremiah 30

Clearly these verses look forward to the Messianic age; Jeremiah’s words here were only partly fulfilled when the exiles returned to Judah. But even in Jeremiah’s day, God’s people could know that though they would face DISCIPLINE (verse 11), they would never be destroyed completely (Jeremiah 4:27).

12–15 Here the Lord speaks specifically to Judah. There is no remedy . . . no healing for Judah; the Lord’s judgment on those who refuse to submit to Babylon is final (see Jeremiah 24:8–10).

16–17 Then the Lord speaks to the exiles, the remnant. The nation that devoured them will soon be devoured itself. But the exiles themselves will be healed, both physically (by returning to the land) and spiritually (by returning to the Lord). They will receive true healing, not the fake “healing” promised by the false prophets. The exiles had been called outcast (verse 17), cast out by God. Now God would prove to the nations that He had not abandoned His people.

18–24 In these verses, the Lord describes the restored Israel. Basically, the Lord invites Israel back into its former covenant relationship with Him, which had been temporarily suspended because of the Israelites’ disobedience. Their children (the generation that returns from exile) will be as in the days of old (verse 20)—as in the days of Solomon. Their leader will be one of their own (see Deuteronomy 18:15,18); that leader will be close to God (verse 21). He will be as a priest, one entitled to stand in God’s presence. He will be greater than David; he will be the mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5). And then in verse 22, God repeats the covenant formula, which signals that the covenant is renewed (see Leviticus 26:12), and the nation is restored to fellowship with God. It is important to emphasize that all these covenant blessings are only for those who return to God (see Exodus 19:5–6 and comment).

Verses 23–24 are repeated from Jeremiah 23:19–20. At first it seems odd that these frightening words of judgment should follow such beautiful words of blessing. But God emphasizes here that before blessing can come, sin must be punished. The punishment is to be carried out by Nebuchadnezzar. By repeating these verses here, God is indicating that the time of punishment has arrived. Only after the punishment has taken place will the people understand God’s purposes (verse 24).

Notice the alternating messages contained in this chapter and throughout the book of Jeremiah: messages of judgment alternate with messages of hope. Is God inconsistent? Of course not. The messages of judgment are meant to lead people to repentance. The messages of hope are meant to encourage the faithful to persevere. That is why Jeremiah delivers these messages of hope just as Jerusalem is about to fall. God communicates with us according to our needs at any particular time. As one modern preacher has said: “I have been called to afflict the comfortable and to comfort the afflicted.”