Excerpts From My Paper, "Verse-by-Verse Studies Of Selected Prophecies From The Book Of Jeremiah," Part 2
by Karl Kemp

Part 2 continues where Part 1 ended. We will discuss the last two verses of Jer. 16:14-21. Then we will go on to discuss Jeremiah 23:1-8 and Jeremiah chapter 30.

I'll quote from the "New American Standard Bible," 1995 edition, unless otherwise noted. Frequently I'll make comments in the middle of quotations in brackets [ ] or [[ ]] to make them more obvious.

(20) Can man make gods for himself? Yet they are not gods! [[Compare, for example, Psalm 115:4-8; Isa. 37:18-20; 45:14-25; Jer. 2:11; 5:7; 10:1-16; Hos. 8:4-6; and Gal. 4:8. Men can make idols (and religions) for themselves, but idols are not gods. There were, however, evil beings (fallen angels and demons) behind the idols of the Gentiles (cf., e.g., 1 Cor. 10:19-22), but those beings were all in rebellion against the one true God (the God who created every being and everything else that exists; the fallen angels and demons were not created evil, but they rebelled against God), and it is totally inappropriate for men to worship anyone but God (including God the Son and the Holy Spirit). The worship of beings in rebellion against God certainly constitutes rebellion against God.]] (21) 'Therefore behold, I am going to make them know - This time I will make them know My power and My might; And they shall know that My name is the LORD [Yahweh].' " Compare, for example, Psalms 9:16; 83:18; and Ezek. 36:22, 23. God is going to make the people worldwide (very much including the people of Israel) know that He, and He alone, is God through His mighty works of judging and saving. The name Yahweh, which is translated LORD by the NASB and some other Bibles, and is used over 6,800 times in the Old Testament, includes the ideas that He, and He alone, is God and that He always existed as God and always will exist as God. Everything (including every being that exists) was created by Him and for Him. On the name Yahweh see at the beginning of my article titled, "The Name Yahweh and God the Father and God the Son: The Name Yahweh and a Listing of Some of the Large Number of Passages in the Hebrew Old Testament Where We Can See God the Son Along with God the Father."

From our new-covenant perspective we also know, of course, that many Gentiles have been repenting and turning to God and submitting (in faith) to His new-covenant plan of salvation throughout this present age. They all become part of God's true Israel.


JEREMIAH 23:1-8

" 'Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!' declares the LORD [Yahweh]. [[Compare Isa. 56:9-12; Jer. 10:21; 50:6, 7; and Ezek. 34:1-24. The "shepherds" are the leaders of the people of God, starting with the kings (I had a footnote in the original paper: Jeremiah chapters 21, 22 speak much of the unrighteous reigns of the last few kings of Judah [Shallum/Jehoahaz, Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah].), but the prophets and priests also bore much responsibility for destroying and scattering the sheep (see Jer. 23:9-40). Since Judah and Israel are both mentioned in verse 6, we should probably think of the faithless shepherds of both Judah and Israel here.]] (2) Therefore thus says the LORD [Yahweh] God of Israel [Apparently "Israel" here (and "My people" and "My flock" later in this verse) includes the northern and southern kingdoms.] concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: 'You have scattered My flock [see verse 1] and driven them away [They had "driven them away" in the sense that their sinful, inadequate leadership had been a key factor in the backslidden condition and exile of God's people, which came as judgment for their persistent sin, without serious repentance.] and have not attended to them; behold, I am about to attend to you for the evil of your deeds [cf. Jer. 21:11, 12],' declares the LORD [Yahweh]. [Verses 3-8 show that the primary fulfillment of these prophetic words will come to pass at the end of this age when God judges the world (including Israel and Judah) and saves the repentant remnant of Israel and Judah with new-covenant salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, as in Jer. 3:15-18; 30:3-31:40; 32:37-40; and 50:4, 5, for example.] (3) 'Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them [cf. Deut. 28:64] and bring them back to their pasture [[cf. Isa. 11:11, 12, 16; 27:12, 13 (I had a footnote: Isaiah chapters 11 and 27 are discussed in my paper titled, "Verse-by-Verse Studies of Selected Eschatological Prophecies from the Book of Isaiah."); Jer. 16:14, 15; 30:3, 10, 18; 31:2, 7-24; 32:37; 46:27, 28; and Mic. 2:12, 13]], and they will be fruitful and multiply [cf., e.g., Ezek. 36:1-38; Amos 9:11-15; and Zech. 8:1-23 (Zechariah 8:1-23 are discussed in my paper titled, "Verse-by-Verse Studies of Zechariah Chapters 1-8 and Malachi 2:17-4:6.")]. (4) I will also raise up shepherds over them [The ultimate Shepherd that God the Father will raise up is the Lord Jesus Christ (see verse 5)] and they will tend them [cf. Isa. 32:1-8; Jer. 3:15; 23:5; 30:9, 21; Ezek. 34:23, 24; and Zech. 10:1-12]; and they will not be afraid any longer [cf. Jer. 30:10; 46:27, 28], nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD [Yahweh]. (5) 'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD [cf. Jer. 33:14], When I [[Yahweh is speaking. The name Yahweh refers to God the Father here, as it typically does throughout the Old Testament. The name is used of God the Son several places in the Old Testament too, but not in a way that confuses Him with the Person of God the Father. See my article titled, "The Name Yahweh and God the Father and God the Son."]] will raise up for David a righteous Branch ["Lit. sprout" (margin of NASB); cf. Isa. 4:2; 11:1, 10; 53:2; Jer. 30:9; 33:15, 16; Zech. 3:8; and 6:12, 13]; And He will reign as king and act wisely ["Or succeed" (margin of NASB). Compare, for example, Isa. 9:2-7; Ezek. 34:23, 24; and Luke 1:32, 33, 69] And do justice and righteousness [cf., e.g., Psalm 72:2; Isa. 9:7; 32:1; and Dan. 9:24] in the land. [[The "righteous Branch," this descendant of King David who "will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land [and universe wide]" is the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Son. The reign spoken of here will not begin until His second coming (cf., e.g., Rev. 11:15, 17). For one thing, Israel/Judah rejected Christ at His first coming.]] (6) In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely [They will be saved spiritually, which will lead to their being saved in every other way too (cf., e.g., Jer. 30:9, 10; Zech. 14:11; and Rom. 11:25-27).]; And this is His name by which He will be called [cf. Isa. 7:14; 9:6; Matt. 1:21-23], "The LORD [Yahweh] our righteousness." [[Compare, for example, Isa. 45:24; 53:11 (On Isa. 53:11 see pages 26-29 of my book "Holiness and Victory Over Sin."); Jer. 31:31-34; 33:16; Ezek. 36:25-27; 37:24-28; Dan. 9:24; Rom. 1:16, 17; 3:22; 10:3, 4; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 1:30; Phil. 3:9; and 1 Pet. 2:24. See under Jer. 33:16 in this paper. The Lord Jesus Christ will make the repentant end-time remnant of Judah/Israel righteous through new-covenant salvation, which includes imputing and imparting the righteousness of God to them. And it was understood that with the full righteousness of God comes the full blessings of God. Everything in God's eternal kingdom will be in divine order and saturated with the righteousness of God.]] (7) [Compare Isa. 11:11, 12; 27:12, 13; 43:14-21; 51:9-11; Jer. 16:14, 15; 23:3; Ezek. 34:11-16; and Amos 9:14, 15.] Therefore behold, the days are coming,' declares the LORD [see verse 5], 'when they will no longer say, "As the LORD [Yahweh] lives, who brought up the sons of Israel [including Judah] from the land of Egypt," (8) but, "As the LORD [Yahweh] lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them." Then they will live on their own soil.' "


JEREMIAH CHAPTER 30

This chapter is very important, so I didn't want to skip it here, but I want to say that the format used here (without my being able to use bold lettering for the verses that we are studying, or footnotes, italics, underlining, etc.) may make it difficult to read for some readers. For one thing I had quite a few footnotes in the original paper, and I get into a lot of details. You can go to my website (Google to Karl Kemp Teaching) and read this chapter (or the entire paper) in a format where I was able to use bold lettering, footnotes, italics, underlining, etc.

"The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD [Yahweh], saying, (2) 'Thus says the LORD [Yahweh], the God of Israel, "Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book. ((I had a footnote: "The word translated book (sepher) has a wider meaning, denoting a document of some kind. In any case Jeremiah's words were recorded on a roll (megillah, 36:2, 4, 20, 21, 23, 28, 32)" (J. A. Thompson ["Book of Jeremiah," 1980], page 553). The NASB and NIV translate "scroll" in Jer. 36:2, 4, 20, 21, 23, 28, and 32.)) [[Cf. Isa. 30:8; Jer. 25:13; and 36:2, 4, 17, 18, 28, 32. I'll quote part of what Charles Feinberg says under verses 1-3 ("Expositor's Bible Commentary," Vol. 6 [Zondervan, 1986], page 558). "These verses constitute the introduction to chapters 30-31 and in all probability for chapters 32-33 as well (so Harrison). They strike the hopeful theme of the nation's restoration. ... ...the words 'the days are coming' look toward eschatological times (cf. 3:16; 16:14; 23:5; 31:27, 31)." I'll also quote two sentences from what Charles Dyer says under verses 1-3 ("Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament" [Victor Books, 1985], page 1167). "This day has an eschatological perspective. It is the day when God will fulfill the blessings of restoration promised in Deuteronomy 30:1-10."]] (3) For behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD [Yahweh], 'when I will restore the fortunes of My people [[cf. Jer. 30:18; 31:23; 32:44; 33:7, 11, 26; Ezek. 39:25; Joel 3:1 (I had a footnote: Joel 3:1 and Zeph. 3:20 mention only God's restoring the fortunes of Judah, not Judah and Israel.); Amos 9:14; and Zeph. 3:20]] Israel [the elect end-time remnant of the northern kingdom] and Judah." [[(I had a footnote: The reader should also be aware that God delivered Judah from the Babylonian captivity [when Babylon was overthrown by the Persians and Medes in 539/538 BC] and that He had Cyrus [the Persian king] permit [and even help] the Jews return to Judah and Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.) Those "days are coming" at the end of this age when Israel and Judah are saved through the Lord Jesus Christ, as in Jer. 3:15-18 and 23:3-8.]] The LORD [Yahweh] says, "I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it [cf., e.g., Jer. 3:18; 16:14, 15; 23:3, 7, 8; Ezek. 20:41, 42; and 36:24]." ' (4) Now these are the words which the LORD [Yahweh] spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah: (5) 'For thus says the LORD [Yahweh], "I have heard a sound of terror, Of dread, and there is no peace. [Verses 6-24 show that verses 4, 5 speak (at least for the most part) of the intense shaking that Israel and Judah will experience in the last days, before God saves them through the Lord Jesus Christ.] (6) Ask now, and see If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth [cf. Jer. 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 22:23; 49:24; and 50:43]? And why have all faces turned pale? (7) Alas! for that day is great [cf. Joel 2:1, 2, 11], There is none like it [cf., e.g., Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21]; And it is the time of Jacob's [Jacob here undoubtedly includes Israel and Judah, who are mentioned in verses 3, 4.] distress [[(This double bracket continues for about four pages.) The Hebrew noun ("tsarah") translated "distress" here is also used in Dan. 12:1, where it is translated distress by the NASB; NIV. It could be translated tribulation here (Jer. 30:7) and in Dan. 12:1. There is widespread agreement that the great tribulation of Matt. 24:21 builds on the unequaled tribulation of Dan. 12:1. I believe "Jacob's distress [tribulation]" of Jer. 30:7 will take place (in large part) during the time of the great tribulation of Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21 (which will begin about the time of Antichrist's abomination of desolation [cf. Matt. 24:15]), but it is important to see that the great tribulation will involve the nations and not just Israel/Judah. The great tribulation will be centered in that part of the world that includes Israel/Judah (and Jerusalem) and Israel/Judah will be directly involved, but the great tribulation involves Antichrist and intense warfare of nations against nations.

The warfare of the great tribulation will be so intense that if God didn't cut those days short mankind would apparently annihilate mankind on the earth (cf. Matt. 24:22). I believe we can see this intense warfare in Dan. 11:44 (cf. Dan. 11:40-45), Joel 2:30, 31, and in Rev. 9:13-21 (the warfare of the sixth trumpet of the book of Revelation, warfare that kills one third of mankind in a short period of time, warfare that undoubtedly uses weapons of mass destruction). (I had a footnote: For a start see under Dan. 11:40-12:1 on pages 137-161 of my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture.")

There is widespread agreement that the great tribulation will begin about the time of Antichrist's abomination of desolation (see Matt. 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20) and that it will continue to the end of Daniel's 70th week. I agree that the great tribulation will begin about the time of Antichrist's abomination of desolation, but I believe Dan. 12:11 (and other considerations) shows that Antichrist will initiate the abomination of desolation about a month before the middle of Daniel's 70th week. And I believe that the short great tribulation (of Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:30, 31; Matt. 24:21; and Rev. 9:13-21; cf. Zech. 14:1, 2; Rev. 7:14) will be finished before the Lord Jesus Christ returns and the rapture takes place right in the middle of Daniel's 70th week (cf. Matt. 24:29-31). (I had a footnote: For a start see pages 129-132 of "The Mid-Week Rapture.")

As I understand these prophecies, Israel/Judah will be reduced to a repentant remnant (for the most part) during the very intense days of the short great tribulation. Zechariah 13:8 shows that some two-thirds of the Israelites living in Israel/Judah will be "cut off and perish" in the last days. I believe that most of that cutting off will take place during the days of the short great tribulation. Daniel 12:1 mentions that the elect remnant of the Israelites will escape - they will escape being killed and will remain to receive the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes in the middle of Daniel's 70th week (cf., e.g., Zech. 12:10-13:1; 14:3-6), but they will not be saved in time to be taken in the rapture. Joel 2:32; Zech. 14:1, 2 mention this same remnant. (I had a footnote: These verses [and others] are discussed in some detail under Dan. 12:1 in "The Mid-Week Rapture.")

Romans 9:27-29 (with Isa. 10:20-23) and 11:25-27 are important New Testament verses regarding Israel's being reduced to a repentant remnant through intense shaking in the last days and then being saved through new-covenant salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Malachi chapters 3, 4 have a lot to say about God's purifying Judah in the last days through the ministry of Elijah the prophet before He comes to judge His people. (I had a footnote: These verses from Isaiah and Romans are discussed in my paper titled, "Verse-by-Verses Studies...from the Book of Isaiah" and "A Verse-by-Verse Study of Romans Chapters 9-11." Malachi chapters 3, 4 are discussed verse-by-verse in my paper titled, "Verse-by-Verse Studies of Zechariah Chapters 1-8 and Malachi 2:17-4:6.")

It seems that Rev. 16:19 serves as an important cross-reference for the cutting-off of two-thirds of the people of Israel/Judah in the last days, which will leave a repentant remnant that will be ready to receive the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns in the middle of Daniel's 70th week. I'll quote the first sentence of Rev. 16:19, "The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell." I believe the "great city" is Jerusalem (cf. Rev. 11:8). The fact that Jerusalem is split into three parts, whereas the cities of the nations (totally) fall, communicates the idea that though the people of Israel/Judah experience great shaking in God's end-time judgment of the world, the city (which represents the nation and the people of the nation) still stands to some extent when God's end-time judgments are finished. That is, some one-third of the people remain as a remnant for God. Zechariah 13:8 fits the idea that two of the three parts into which Jerusalem splits will fall, but the one part (the one-third) stands and remains as a repentant saved remnant for God. (I had a footnote: Revelation 16:19 is discussed with Zech. 13:8 on page 227 of "The Mid-Week Rapture.")

Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:32; Zech. 13:8; and 14:1, 2 (verses where we can see the elect end-time remnant of Israel/Judah [cf. Matt. 24:15-22]) speak (at least for the most past) of the remnant of Israel/Judah living in the land of Israel/Judah at the time of the end. It is quite possible though that a similar two-thirds reduction of the people of Israel/Judah to a repentant remnant will take place during the same period of time worldwide. Note that Jer. 30:1-11 (and many other prophetic passages) deal, at least to some significant extent, with the people of Judah and Israel who are scattered across the world (and not living in the land of Israel/Judah).

I have expressed the viewpoint that Israel/Judah will (at least for the most part) be reduced to the repentant end-time remnant during the days of the short great tribulation and that they (at least many of them) will be ready to receive Christ by the time He returns in the middle of Daniel's 70th week (but that they will not become Christians until after the rapture). But won't this elect end-time remnant of Israel/Judah experience great travail/tribulation/distress during the reign of Antichrist throughout the second half of Daniel's 70th week? It is clear that they will experience significant travail, and refining fires (cf. Isa. 66:8; Dan. 7:21, 25; 12:7; Zech. 13:9; Rev. 12:6, 13-17; 13:5, 7-10; and 15:2), and that there will be martyrs (cf. Rev. 20:4) during the three and one-half year reign of Antichrist, but those three and one-half years will be very different for the end-time elect remnant of Israel/Judah than the terrible shaking that will take place for Israel/Judah during the short great tribulation that will cut off some two-thirds and leave the repentant remnant.

The fact that the end-time remnant of Israel/Judah will be right with God and partakers of new-covenant salvation in Christ Jesus when they are attacked by the devil and Antichrist (cf. Rev. 12:12-13:18) throughout the second half of Daniel's 70th week will make all the difference. Revelation 12:6, 14-16; Zech. 12:3-13:6; and 14:3-5, 12-15; and other verses show that God will care for and protect those saints in spectacular ways throughout those three and one-half years. They will know that they are suffering (to the extent they do suffer) in the will of God and that they are glorifying God; they will be so thankful to be saved at the last minute that their trials will seem relatively trivial, and they be glad to suffer for Him.

They will know that this time of trial will be relatively brief and that eternal glory is very close at hand. They will understand that the refining fires will work for the glory of God and for their good. (All faithful Christians know something of God's refining fires; trials/testings come throughout our Christian lives, but the saints who live on the earth during the second half of Daniel's 70th week will have intense refining fires for a brief time.) They will understand that they are victorious (right in the center of the will of God, which is the only safe place to be, as were the three Jewish young men in the fiery furnace or Daniel in the lion's den, for example), not defeated, very much including those who die as martyrs, glorifying God in their deaths (cf., e.g., Rev. 14:12, 13; 20:4).

Revelation 15:2-4 picture the end-time remnant of Israel/Judah (speaking of people who become Christians after the mid-week rapture; the multitude pictured in these verses is not limited to martyrs) as they arrive in eternal glory about the time of the end of Daniel's 70th week. (They will join the rest of the glorified members of God's true Israel, who were caught up to eternal glory and began to reign with Christ in the middle of Daniel's 70th week, when He returns at the time of the sounding of the 7th trumpet.) Revelation 15:2 refers to them as "THOSE WHO HAD BEEN VICTORIOUS over the beast [Antichrist] and his image and the number of his name." They were victorious (not defeated) in that they stayed faithful to God and lived in His truth and righteousness (by grace through faith) for His glory.

Who are the people of the ancient northern kingdom of Israel that God will save in the last days?

Most of the people from the northern tribes of ancient Israel had already been assimilated with the Gentiles long before the days the Lord Jesus Christ lived on the earth, and now another two thousand years have passed. After all the years of intermarrying with the Gentiles and living as Gentiles how can they (at least most of them) be meaningfully distinguished from the rest of the Gentiles? Of course God knows who the descendants of those people are.

Under Zech. 10:6 on page 200 of my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture," I SUGGESTED that many of the people that constitute the end-time remnant of Israel from the northern tribes that will be saved in the last days could be Gentiles (Gentiles who are not necessarily limited to descendants of the northern tribes of ancient Israel), Gentiles who respond to God's call to repent and submit (in faith) to the Lord Jesus Christ after the rapture and thus become part of God's true Israel. They would be part of the Christians pictured in Rev. 12:6 through 13:10, for example. Apparently many Gentiles will answer the gospel call in the days after the rapture (cf. Rev. 14:6, 7), and it is clear, I believe, that that they are part of God's true Israel, even as we Gentiles who become Christians in the days before the rapture are part of God's true Israel (cf., e.g., Rom. 11:17-24).

I'll quote two paragraphs from what I said under the words "Because I have had compassion on them; and they will be as though I had not rejected them" of Zech. 10:6 (on page 200 of "The Mid-Week Rapture"). Hosea 1:2-9 speak of God's (temporary) rejection of the northern kingdom. In Hos. 1:6 God said: "I WILL NO LONGER HAVE COMPASSION ON THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL [referring to the northern kingdom]...." And in Hos. 1:9 He said to them: "YOU ARE NOT MY PEOPLE AND I AM NOT YOUR GOD." But He also gave them hope [for the future], telling them in Hos. 2:23 (cf. Hos. 1:10, 11; 2:21, 22) that the time would come when He would "HAVE COMPASSION ON HER WHO HAD NOT OBTAINED COMPASSION" and when He would "say TO THOSE WHO WERE NOT [HIS] PEOPLE, 'YOU ARE MY PEOPLE!' And they will say, '[THOU ART] MY GOD!' " Hosea chapters 1 and 2 also show that the people will come back to the land.

In their present state (since the time they have been rejected), these sons of the northern kingdom are in a state very similar to that of the Gentiles. In fact, the apostle Paul could apply Hos. 1:10 and 2:23 to the Gentiles who were called into fellowship with God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 9:24-26). Many Gentiles are probably included with those of the northern kingdom in Zech. 10:6-12. We can probably say that all those who respond to the invitation of Zech. 10:1, 2 become part of God's true Israel (see under Zech. 10:1, 2 in "The Mid-Week Rapture").

Revelation 7:1-8 serve to confirm the idea contained in many Old Testament prophecies that God will save the remnant of the northern kingdom of Israel in the last days by mentioning twelve tribes of Israel, obviously including those of the northern kingdom. Also, significantly, the book of Revelation mentions in several places that God will fulfill the covenant promises He made to Israel (the entire nation), which would include the salvation of the remnant of Judah and Israel (and the salvation of the remnant of the nations) in the last days (cf. Rev. 10:7; 11:19; 15:2-4; 16:19; 20:2, 3; 21: 2, 10 (here we see new Jerusalem), 12, 24; 22:2). (Now we continue in the middle of Jer. 30:7.)]], But he will be saved from it. [The repentant end-time remnants of Judah and Israel will be saved spiritually when they submit to the Lord Jesus Christ, starting right after the mid-week rapture (cf., e.g., Jer. 31:31-34; Zech. 12:10-13:1; Rom. 11:25-27; Rev. 11:13; and 12:6-17). They will have been saved in every sense, including being saved from all trials and being glorified to reign with the Lord Jesus Christ forever by the time the millennial kingdom begins.] (8) It shall come about on that day," declares the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts, "that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds [cf. Isa. 9:4; Jer. 2:20; and Ezek. 34:27]; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves. [The last words of this verse (and the next verse, etc.) demonstrate that these prophetic words deal with the end-time salvation of Israel and Judah. Breaking the yoke of the nations from Israel and Judah will come to pass through God's end-time judgment of the nations (see verse 11).] (9) But they shall serve the LORD [Yahweh] their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. [["David their king" refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, as in Ezek. 34:23, 24; 37:24, 25; and Hos. 3:5 (cf. Isa. 9:7; Jer. 30:21; 33:15, 16; Luke 1:32, 33, 69; Acts 2:30-36; and 13:22, 23). ((I had a footnote: "The [Jewish] Targum, though interpretative, is correct in identifying this ideal King as 'Messiah, the son of David.' Among the Jews the name David came to be used of royalty, much as Pharaoh, Caesar, or Czar, but only in the highest and final sense" (Charles Feinberg, "Expositor's Bible Commentary," Vol. 6, page 561). And I'll quote part of what C. F. Keil says under verse 9, "...and David the king who will be raised up to them, i.e, the Messiah, the righteous sprout that Jahweh [Yahweh] will raise up to David; cf. Jer. 23:5. The designation of this sprout as 'David their king,' i.e. the king of the Israelites, points us back to Hos. 3:5" ["Commentary on the Old Testament," Vol. 8], page 7.))]] (10) Fear not, O Jacob [Jacob here (and later in this verse) undoubtedly includes Israel and Judah, as in verse 7 (see verses 3, 4).] My servant [cf. Isa. 41:8; 42:19; 43:10; and 44:1, 2]," declares the LORD [cf. Isa. 41:10, 13, 14; 43:5; 44:2; and Jer. 46:27, 28], "And do not be dismayed, O Israel [Israel here undoubtedly is the equivalent of Jacob used earlier in this verse.]; For behold, I will save you from afar And your offspring from the land of their captivity [cf., e.g., Jer. 3:18; 16:14, 15; 23:3, 7, 8; 29:14; and 30:3, 8]. And Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease, And no one will make him afraid [cf. Jer. 33:16; Hos. 2:18; and Mic. 4:4]. (11) For I am with you," declares the LORD [Yahweh], "to save you; For I will destroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you [Compare Jer. 46:28. A large number of prophetic verses show, however (including in the book of Jeremiah), that God will save a remnant of the nations after His end-time judgment of the world (cf., e.g., Jer. 3:17; Rev. 15:2; 20:3).], Only I will not destroy you completely [cf. Amos 9:8]. But I will chasten you justly And will by no means leave you unpunished [cf., e.g., Jer. 30:4-7]." '

This is the end of Part 2. We will continue the study of Jeremiah chapter 30 with verse 12 in Part 3.

Copyright by Karl Kemp

http://www.karlkempteachingministries.com Karl Kemp worked as an engineer in the space field throughout the 60s. He became a born-again Christian in 1964. He received an MA in Biblical Studies in 1972. He has been a Bible teacher for 45 years. See the website for more info on his books, papers, etc.

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