The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah 33
Chapter XXXIII · Vol. III, pp. 1272–1274
1 God promiseth to the captivity a gracious return, 9 a joyful state, 12 a settled government, 15 Christ the Branch of righteousness, 17 a continuance of kingdom and priesthood, 19 and a stability of a blessed seed.
1 Moreover, thea word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet bshut up in the court of the prison, saying,
a ch.13.2,8; 14.1; 16.1; 18.1; 24.4; 25.1; 26.1,12; 27.1; 30.1; 32.1,26.
b ch.32.2,3,8; 37.21; 38.28.
2 Thus saith cthe LORD, the Maker1 thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD2 is dhis name;
c Is.37.26. ch.32.36,44, with Mat.16.18. He.11.10.
1 'The doer thereof'—that is, he that is about to promise is the same that is able to perform: 'the Lord that formed it' as a rule of his government, that, when men call upon him in faith, he will surely answer them.—C.
A.M. cir. 3415. B.C. cir. 589.
2 JEHOVAH.
3 Calle unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty3 things, which thou knowest not.4
4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are throwng down by the mounts,5 and by the sword;6
5 Theyh come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men,7 whom I have slain in mine anger, and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness iI have hid my face from this city.
h ch.21.4-10; 32.5; 37.7-10. Is.55.25; 10.5.
7 'They (the people of the city) come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them (their dilapidated houses) with the dead bodies of men,' &c.—C.
i ch.18.17; 21.10. Eze.39.23,24; 15.7. Is.8.17; 64.7.
6 Behold,j I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them,8 and kwill reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
7 Andl I will cause the captivity of Judah, and the captivity of Israel, to return, and nwill build them as at the first.
8 And oI will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.
o ch.31.34; 50.20. Mi.7.18,19. Eze.36.25-27. Is.40.2; 43.25; 44.22; 55.7. Zec.13.1. He.9.11-14. Ro.5.20,21. 1 Jn.1.7,9; 2.2. Re.1.5.
9 And pit shall be to me a name of joy, a praiseq and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they rshall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity, that I procure unto it.9
p Ezr.1.2; 6.12. Is.62.7; 2.3. Zec.8.21-23. Ps.126.3,4.
q ch.13.11.
r Is.60.5. Ex.15.14-16. 2 Ch.20.29. Es.8.17.
9 The restoration of the Jews viewed in relation to the preceding circumstances, the wondrous event itself and all its varied consequences, must form a new epoch in the history of the world, and irresistibly attract the attention of 'the nations' to the subject of fulfilled prophecy, the nature of divine providence, and the glorious character of Jehovah. And 'they shall fear and tremble,' not as before an enemy; but they shall learn that fear which is the beginning of wisdom, and 'join trembling with their mirth,' when 'they kiss the Son,' and acknowledge him 'Lord of all.'—C.
10 Thus saith the LORD, Again there shall be heard in this place, which sye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,1
11 Thet voice of joy, and the voice of gladness; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; the voice of them that shall say, uPraise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: vand of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For xI will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first,2 saith the LORD.
t ch.7.34; 16.9; 25.10. Re.18.23. Ho.2.15. Zec.9.17; 10.7.
u 1 Ch.16.8,34. 2 Ch.5.13; 7.3; 20.21. Ps.cxxxvi. cvii. Is.xii. xxv. xxvi. Ezr.3.11.
v Le.7.12. Ps.107.22; 116.7. Ne.12.31,38,40. He.13.15.
x ver.7,26; ch.32.37,44. Is.11.11,12; 43.6; 49.12. See ch.23.3; 29.14; 30.3,20.
2 As at the first, when, with a mighty hand, and many signs and wonders, I brought them out from Egypt.—C.
12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Again in this place, which is desolate3 without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shally be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.
y ch.31.24; 50.19. Is.65.10. Eze.34.12-14.
3 See ch.32.43. The land is prophetically pronounced 'desolate' in the days of king Zedekiah, though a part only of the inhabitants had yet been carried captive—the LORD describing as done, that which he had judicially determined to do.—C.
13 Inz the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks apass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.
14 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, bthat I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
b ch.31.31-34; 32.42; 29.10. 2 Co.1.20. Tit.1.2. He.6.12-18; 10.23. Nu.23.19. Is.55.8-13; 54.7-10. Zec.1.13-17.
15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the cBranch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he dshall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.4
c Is.4.2; 11.1. ch.23.5. Zec.3.8; 6.12,13. Eze.17.22,23.
d Is.9.7; 11.2-5; 52.13; 61.8,11; 42.21. Ps.45.4,7; 72.1-5. Jn.5.22-29.
4 The 'days' and the 'growth' assigned to 'the Branch of Righteousness,' show that the prophecy embraces a series of events from the birth of Messiah, till the establishment of Jerusalem in safety.—C.
16 In those days eshall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and 5this is the name wherewith she shall be called, 6The gLORD our Righteousness.7
e Is.45.17,22. De.33.27-29. Jn.3.14-17.
5 Heb. he who shall call her is Jehovah our righteousness.
6 Jehovah-tsidkenu.
g ch.23.6. 1 Jn.2.1,2. Is.45.24,25. 1 Co.1.30. 2 Co.5.21. Phi.3.9. Ro.5.11,19.
17 For thus saith the LORD, David shall never hwant8 a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;9
h 2 Sa.7.14-16. 1 Ki.2.4. Ps.89.29,36. Lu.1.32,33. Is.9.7.
8 Heb. There shall not be cut off from David.
9 David's Son, the Branch of Righteousness, still sits upon the throne of the universe, waiting till his enemies be made his footstool, 1 Co.15.25.—C.
18 Neither ishall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings, and to kindle meat-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.1
i Is.19.19; 56.7; 66.23. Ro.15.10,16; 12.1. 1 Co.9.13,14. Mat.28.19,20. 1 Pe.2.5,9. Re.1.6.
1 The Levitical priesthood also 'never wants a man before the LORD,' having Christ himself 'made a priest for ever,' He. 6. 20; 7. 15-28. This prediction is farther verified in the glorious fact, that all believers are consecrated by the Spirit 'an holy priesthood (1 Pe. 2. 5), to offer up spiritual sacrifices' (the spiritual realities, whereof the ceremonial sacrifices were but shadows), 'acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.'—C.
19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,
20 Thus saith the LORD, jIf ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;
21 Then may also kmy covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.
k 2 Sa.23.5.
22 Asl the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so nwill I multiply the seed of David2 my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
l Ge.13.15; 15.5; 22.17. ch.31.37.
n Ps.89.4,29. 1 Ch.3.18-24. Ne.xi. xii. Ps.22.27-30; 72.8-14. Is.53.8,10,12. Da.7.14. Re.7.4,9,10; 11.15.
2 Even those who are 'born of the Spirit;' who are born 'not of corruptible, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,' 1 Pe.1.23. 1 Jn.3.9.—C.
23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, oThe two families3 which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? pThus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
o ver.21,22,10; ch.32.36,43. Israelites and Jews.
3 Two families. The statement in ver. 17, 18, 21, 22, would lead to the families of David and Levi, the royal and the priestly. But, from considering ver. 25, 26, 'the two families' seem to be Judah and Israel; the two kingdoms into which the nation was divided.—C.
25 Thus saith the LORD; qIf my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;
q See ver.20,22. Ge.8.22. Ps.74.16,17.
Notes
Ver. 8. And I will cleanse. How wonderful! They shall be 'cleansed from all their iniquity,' by the very blood which their wicked fathers murderously shed: for it is 'the blood of Jesus,' and that alone. 'that cleanseth from all sin,' 1 Jn. 1. 7. 'O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!' Ro. 11. 33. C.
Reflections.—God's power and goodness in creation and providence should encourage us to believe his promises; and fervent prayer is an excellent means of obtaining divine and marvellous instructions. Dreadful is the ruin procured by sin! but where sin abounded, grace can much more abound. Saving instructions and gracious forgiveness must introduce all other new-covenant favours. No case on this side hell is so deplorable but God's mercy can relieve from it. And the greater the salvation which he works, the more will he be glorified in it. Yea, all the abundant joys of his people, after their nights of grief, will tend to his praise. But it is Jesus Christ alone that is the substance of all divine favours, that communicates sweetness, value, and usefulness to them; and notwithstanding all opposition and contempt, his kingdom shall be established and flourish. Not only while Judea lies in desolations, but when the earth, and all the works therein, shall be burned up, it shall stand and flourish in its perfect and everlasting glory.