THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Jeremiah: Prophet Of Judgment Followed By Blessing

Part LVI: God's Restoration Of The Northern Kingdom Of Israel

(Jeremiah 31:2-22)

I. Introduction

A. When God's people face hard times, be they trials due to punishment for sin or persecution for the sake of righteousness, the Lord knows they need to be encouraged, so He provides it.

B. After predicting the Babylonian Captivity, but before its fulfillment, God had Jeremiah predict His promises of not only restoring His people from the Babylonian Captivity, but of restoring the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Land in Jeremiah 31:2-22. We thus view this passage for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. God's Restoration Of The Northern Kingdom Of Israel, Jeremiah 31:2-22.

A. The Lord spoke through Jeremiah saying that when the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel had survived the sword of Assyria to go into captivity, they will find rest by God's grace in her second Exodus from captivity due to God's everlasting love and faithfulness (to the Abrahamic Covenant), Jer. 31:2-3; Gen. 12:1-3.

B. God thus promised again to restore the Northern Kingdom of Israel to the Promised Land, Jeremiah 31:4-22:

1. Israel will again use musical tambourines to go forth in the joyful dance due to her restoration, Jer. 31:4.

2. She will again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria, her former capital, and those who planted the vineyards will enjoy their fruit versus seeing invaders harvest it for themselves, Jeremiah 31:5.

3. The watchmen will call to go to Zion, to the Lord their God where Israel will worship versus going to her past errant worship of Jeroboam's gold calves at Dan and Bethel, Jer. 31:6; 1 Kings 12:25-30; 13:33-34.

4. Israel would praise the Lord greatly for saving her, for He will bring her from the north country and gather her people from the farthest parts of the earth, even the vulnerable who were blind, lame, pregnant and in labor, bringing them as a great company back to the Promised Land, Jeremiah 31:7-8.

5. As they return in weeping over their sufferings of being without God's blessing, they will plead for the Lord's mercy and He will lead them back to Israel, making them walk by brooks of refreshing water in a straight path in which they will not stumble since the Lord was a Father to Israel, Ephraim, representing the whole Northern Kingdom of Israel being His firstborn, His favored son, Jeremiah 31:9.

6. God will call for the Gentile nations to declare His restoration of Israel, that He Who had scattered her in judgment will gather the nation and keep her as a shepherd keeps his flock, Jeremiah 31:10. God will have ransomed Jacob and redeemed him from Gentile hands too strong for him to help himself, Jer. 31:11.

7. The people will come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, being radiant over God's goodness, v. 12.

8. They will rejoice in their cultural dance as God turns their sorrow into gladness and the soul of the priests and the people will be satisfied with the spiritual goodness of the Lord, Jeremiah 31:13-14.

9. Though a voice was heard in Ramah as Rachel, who had longed to bear children but who died in sorrow bearing Benjamin and was buried nearby near Bethlehem (Gen. 30:22-24; 35:16-20; J. F. B., Com. on the Whole Bible, 1977, p. 634) typified Israel's women weeping for their children when the invaders used Ramah as "an assembly point" to take their children from them into captivity not to be seen again (Jer. 31:15; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Jer. 31:15; Matt. 2:17-18), God will bring them back in the restoration, Jer. 31:16-17. [The Matt. 2:18 allusion to the Jer. 31:15 reference of Rachel weeping for her children at Herod's murder of the Bethlehem infants is "part of the same broad picture" of Israel's suffering under Gentiles between the Babylonian Captivity and the Kingdom, Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Matt. 2:17-18.]

10. God claimed that He will have heard Israel's weeping in contrition for her apostasy and divine discipline and her petition for restoration to the Land (Jer. 31:18-19), and God will have heard His beloved child and will show mercy on him, Jeremiah 31:20. For this reason, God will call Israel to set up road markers and make guideposts for her return trip that She might return to her cities, Jeremiah 31:21.

11. Indeed, though it was the man who normally wooed the woman to marry him, Israel, pictured as a woman, will cease going wayward from God to return to embrace Him in her affection for the Lord, Jer. 31:22.

Lesson: In the Messianic Kingdom that occurs after the Babylonian Captivity, what we NOW know occurs after the Church era and the Great Tribulation when Israel finally repents as a nation, the Northern Kingdom of Israel will tearfully seek the Lord and be found of Him so that He will lead her back to the Promised Land in blessing.

Application: May we confess any sin that blocks our fellowship with God to enjoy His rich fellowship and blessing.