Part 1). Anguish And Restoration (Jeremiah 30:1 to Jeremiah 31:40).
Part 1 is divided up into two Sub-parts (A and B) by the introductory words, ‘thus says YHWH (of hosts), the God of Israel' (Jeremiah 30:2; Jeremiah 31:23). Sub-part A describes the coming restoration, but with continued flashbacks to the present miserable state of Judah/Israel, while Sub-part B emphasises the absolute certainty of the fulfilment of God's final purpose for His people, including a glorious spiritual renewal.
Sub-part A). ‘Thus says YHWH the God of Israel.' Commencing with a promise of coming restoration, Jeremiah, in a series of three brilliant contrasts moving from one extreme to the other (Jeremiah 30:8-11; Jeremiah 30:12-17; Jeremiah 31:15-20), seeks to draw out in chapter 30 the miseries of the present in contrast with the hopes of the future, bringing out in the process the great necessity for the chastisement of the people prior to restoration. Jeremiah 31:1-22 then follows with expanded descriptions of that restoration, intermingled with a pathetic description of ‘Rachel' (Jacob's wife as representing Judah/Israel) weeping over the loss of her children (Jeremiah 31:15), a reminder that the joy of the future will arise out of the misery of the present.
Using Jeremiah's own markers we may divide up this sub-part as follows:
Analysis.
· An initial promise of restoration (Jeremiah 30:3).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' The period of ‘Jacob's trouble' is coming on them, a time of trembling and fear, a day so great that there will be none like it (Jeremiah 30:4-7). This will be followed by deliverance from the yoke of bondage and establishment ‘under YHWH their God and David their King', for YHWH will act to bring them back to the land, finally dealing severely with their enemies, but sparing Judah/Israel, although this will only be once they have suffered necessary chastening (Jeremiah 30:8-11).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' Meanwhile Judah/Israel's current state is like that of a fatally wounded warrior because of the greatness of their sins (Jeremiah 30:12-15). But in the end their enemy will be devoured and become a prey, and will themselves go into captivity, while Judah/Israel will be restored and healed in consequence of the derision of the nations at their seeming total rejection (Jeremiah 30:16-17).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' Full restoration is now described, with cities being rebuilt and joy and thanksgiving arising, as they are established under their own appointed rulers who will respond to YHWH, and they will be His people and He will be their God (Jeremiah 30:18-22), and all this will be due to the tempest of YHWH as He goes forth in wrath, not turning back until He has accomplished His will (Jeremiah 30:23-24). In consequence it is repeated that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 31:1). (It will be emphasised again in Jeremiah 31:33).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' The survivors are seen as like Israel in the wilderness, beloved of YHWH and having escaped from the Egyptian/Babylonian sword, whom YHWH will now restore to great rejoicing and fruitfulness, so that once more they will go up to Zion, to YHWH their God (Jeremiah 31:2-5).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' A paean of praise arises over the glory of YHWH's deliverance of His people as they return with weeping to YHWH their Father, and are delivered in a similar way to that in which Israel were delivered as they had once marched through the wilderness (Jeremiah 31:6-9). Let the nations witness how YHWH has restored His people so that the land blossoms and His people rejoice and make merry, and the firstfruits and tithes abound (Jeremiah 31:10-14). Note the continued emphasis on joy and merriment (Jeremiah 30:19; Jeremiah 31:13) in stark contrast with what now follows.
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' A voice is heard in Ramah, Rachel weeping for her children (Judah/Israel) because they are no more (Jeremiah 31:15). The future is sure but it must develop by God's grace out of the present misery.
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' But weeping may now cease because there is hope for the future. Ephraim, having confessed to their sinfulness, have turned back to YHWH in repentance, pleading to be brought back and restored. And YHWH will receive them back as a father his child because He loves them and will be merciful towards them (Jeremiah 31:16-20). They must thus set up the road signs that will bring them back to the land, and not hesitate because YHWH is doing a new thing (Jeremiah 31:21-22).
Sub-part B) is also introduced by the words, ‘Thus says YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel,' and a feature of this sub-part is the phrase ‘the days are coming, says YHWH, when --' (Jeremiah 31:27; Jeremiah 31:31; Jeremiah 31:38), with its emphasis on the glorious future for God's people. It may be analysed as follows:
· The fortunes of Judah and its cities will be restored and they will rejoice in YHWH's holy habitation. Both town and country will rejoice together, for YHWH will satisfy all hearts (Jeremiah 31:23-26).
· ‘The days are coming, says YHWH, when', rather than being broken down and destroyed, both the house of Israel and the house of Judah will be watched over by YHWH and built up and planted, with individuals responsible for their own sins. In other words they will no longer be a nation with joint responsibility for the covenant and suffering accordingly, but individuals each accountable for themselves (Jeremiah 31:27-30).
· ‘The days are coming, says YHWH, when' He will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not one like the old covenant which they broke, but one written in their hearts so that He will be their God and they will be His people. And all will know YHWH and enjoy total forgiveness (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' The continuation of Israel is as certain as the arrival of the sun by day and of the moon and stars by night and as YHWH's control of the seas (Jeremiah 31:35-36).
· ‘Thus says YHWH.' The fact that Israel will not be cast off for what they have done is as certain as the fact that the heavens cannot be measured, and the foundations of the earth explored (Jeremiah 31:37).
· The days are coming, says YHWH, when' the city will be rebuilt for YHWH, and the whole area, even the unclean valley of Hinnom, will be sacred to Him. They will be established for ever (Jeremiah 31:38-40). Something only possible in the eternal kingdom.
One question that will arise as we consider these passages is as to if and when YHWH is speaking of the northern kingdom only, under the name of Ephraim, or when reference is being made to the whole of Israel/Judah as ‘Ephraim' in order to bring out their fallen state, with Ephraim being intended to be symbolic of a fallen people. It is not quite as simple a question as might at first be thought.
If, as some claim, this prophecy was written in the days of Josiah, the question would not arise. During his reign there were no exiles from Judah, and therefore the exiles of northern Israel alone would be in mind, and ‘Ephraim' would simply indicate them. This would certainly be a good explanation for the four references to Ephraim in Jeremiah 31:9-20. But there are good reasons for in fact seeing that what is written here was written later than the reign of Josiah. For example, in Jeremiah 30:3 reference is made to ‘the captivity (exile) of My people Israel and Judah' which is clearly referring to a period later than Josiah when there were also Judean exiles resulting at least from the activities of Nebuchadrezzar in 605 BC and 598 BC. Furthermore this ties in with the fact that there are other verses which must be seen as undoubtedly all-inclusive. Jeremiah 30:4, for example, introduces what YHWH spoke ‘concerning Israel and concerning Judah' and refers to both under the joint title ‘Jacob' (e.g. in Jeremiah 30:7; Jeremiah 30:10; Jeremiah 30:18). Jeremiah 30:21 refers to the setting up of a new authority, honouring to YHWH, which in the context suggests one connected with the house of David (see Jeremiah 30:9), and that must include Judah. Jeremiah 30:22 is most naturally seen as referring to Israel/Judah as one people. That would suggest that Jeremiah 31:1 must therefore also be using ‘all the families of Israel' in an all-inclusive way (it is underlining what has been said in Jeremiah 30:22). Up to Jeremiah 31:1 then there are good reasons for seeing both Israel and Judah as in mind as becoming one people.
In Jeremiah 31:2; Jeremiah 31:4 ‘Israel' and ‘the virgin of Israel' are then spoken of as comparable with what happened in the wilderness at the Exodus. This again suggests all-inclusiveness because in the wilderness ‘Israel' included Judah. The fact that they will once more plant vineyards ‘on the mountains of Samaria', while certainly demonstrating that the exiles of the northern kingdom are included, must not necessarily be seen as exclusive of seeing the deliverance as applying to all. It is simply indicating that Israel will once more be part of the whole. The use of ‘Ephraim' in Jeremiah 30:6 is merely speaking of an area known as ‘the hills of Ephraim', and is seemingly indicating the reconciliation of Israel and Judah as joint worshippers of YHWH at the Temple. Meanwhile ‘Israel' and ‘Jacob' are used indiscriminately (Jeremiah 31:2; Jeremiah 31:4; Jeremiah 31:7; Jeremiah 31:9-11) as those who will sing in the height of Zion. Furthermore ‘Rachel' (Jeremiah 31:15) combines Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh (compare Psalms 80:2 where these three represent the whole of Israel) and thus includes both kingdoms. All this points to both kingdoms being in mind throughout, seen as one people.
We are therefore left with three references to consider which might be seen as suggesting otherwise:
· The reference in Jeremiah 31:9 to ‘Ephraim is my firstborn', seemingly as a part of Israel, or more likely paralleling ‘Israel'.
· The reference to Ephraim as repenting in Jeremiah 31:18.
· The reference to Ephraim as YHWH's ‘dear son' in Jeremiah 31:19.
It is certainly obvious from these references that Jeremiah wants it clearly recognised that the northern kingdom is included in the coming restoration, and as being equally precious to YHWH, but the question is, are we therefore to see Judah/Benjamin as not in mind in them? On the contrary, we have seen that the reference to ‘Rachel' (mother of both Joseph and Benjamin) would appear to emphasise that the southern kingdom are also in mind.
The first problem requiring solution is as to what ‘Ephraim is my firstborn' signifies. Can this be seen as referring only to the northern kingdom, or is there good reason for seeing it as applying to both? For the fact is that Ephraim was neither the firstborn of Jacob/Israel, nor of Joseph. The only way in which he could have been seen as YHWH's firstborn, unless ‘Ephraim' was a synonym for ‘Israel', would be because YHWH had chosen him to be above his brother (Genesis 48:10-12), i.e. had declared him to be His firstborn in status. But if that was in mind here it would mean that here Ephraim was being seen as distinguished from the rest of Israel, which would appear to be unlikely. The alternative is either to see ‘Ephraim is My firstborn' as paralleling the wider ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn' which is found in Exodus 4:22, which included all the tribes, with ‘Ephraim' thereby indicating all the tribes, including Judah and Benjamin, or to see it as signifying that ‘Ephraim is an essential part of my firstborn' with ‘firstborn' indicating Israel/Judah's status as ‘chief among the nations' (Jeremiah 31:7). Either way we must see ‘my firstborn' as all-inclusive. But it may be asked, if that is so, why then alter ‘Israel' to ‘Ephraim'? We may well see as the answer to that question that YHWH was by ‘Ephraim' seeking to signify an ‘all-inclusive Israel in its fallen state as illustrated by Ephraim'. Everything then would seem to point to Ephraim here as, in one way or another, signifying all-inclusive Israel.
This interpretation would appear to be supported by the fact that it is extremely unlikely that YHWH could have been intending to give Ephraim as the northern kingdom a superior position to Judah, for it was from Judah that the supreme ruler was to come. And the same can be seen as applying to His reference to Ephraim as His dear son (Jeremiah 31:19). Again He was certainly not intending thereby to exclude Judah. Rather He was emphasising that the northern kingdom were included along with Judah as His son, and will share the same ruler (and the same Temple). Note also how the virgin Israel's cities in Jeremiah 31:21 become the cities of Judah in Jeremiah 31:23-24. Thus we may see both Israel and Judah as being equally in mind in all references although with different emphases being made at different points.
If then we take the whole passage as a united prophecy (which Jeremiah 30:2 suggests) then it would appear to have been made after the monarchy had ceased in Judah, for reference is made in it to the restoration of the Davidic king (Jeremiah 30:9; Jeremiah 30:21). An alternative possibility is that the prophecies occurred towards the end of the reign of Zedekiah, with troubles pressing upon them and the coming destruction now certain, and with Zedekiah being looked on as only really a regent, and as Nebuchadnezzar's appointee. The idea would then be that Jehoiachin in Babylon was still seen as king and as the true Davidic representative chosen by the people, who needed to be restored (an idea, however, that Jeremiah has previously rejected - Jeremiah 22:30).
Note. Attempts to relate these prophecies to the current position in Palestine totally ignore the fact that modern self-named Israel did not return in repentance but in belligerence, are not ruled by a son of David, and are in fact the unbelieving part of Israel which was ‘cut off from Israel' because of their rejection of the Messiah and their continuing unbelief (Matthew 21:43; Romans 11:17-28). In God's purposes they are thus no longer Israel, although any who wish can become Israel by truly responding to the Lord, Jesus Christ (Romans 11:23), for ‘there is no other Name under Heaven given among men by which we can be saved' (Acts 4:12).
The passage here is therefore rather describing the building up of the land after the return from exile, resulting in the true combined Israel, which is finally summed up in Jesus Christ (and came out of Egypt in Him - Matthew 2:15), and in the true Jewish remnant which responded to the Messiah when He came. It is those who responded to the Lord Jesus Christ who were the true Israel, ‘the Israel within Israel', the repentant remnant. They were then supplemented by believing proselytes from among the Gentiles who united with them in Christ, and are together called the ‘Israel of God' (Galatians 6:16), and the ‘Israel within Israel' (Romans 9:6). This new Israel in which Jews and Gentiles have been made one is established on Jesus Christ and His Apostles and Prophets (Ephesians 2:11-22; Revelation 21:10-27). In other words it is the ‘true congregation of Israel' referred to in Matthew 16:18, the ‘true Vine' of John 15:1-6, which was being established by Jesus Christ as making up the true remnant of Israel. It is the olive tree, named as such by God (Jeremiah 11:16), and with amplifying details described in Romans 11:17-28, which is now the true Israel..
End of note.
A). We will now consider sub-part A. verse by verse.