SESSION 8
JEREMIAH 31:23-34
MEMORY VERSE: JEREMIAH 31:33
Many people love redeeming coupons. They clip them from a magazine or receive them in the mail and apply them against the cost of items they want to buy. The merchant gets to sell the item, and the buyer makes a discounted purchase by redeeming the coupon. Our God is in the redeeming business, too—but He redeems people, not coupons.
(In PSG, p. 73)
Bible scholars often call Jeremiah 30–33 “the Book of Consolation.” Jeremiah’s prophecies contain many words of judgment, but they also announce exciting days of redemption and restoration.
God told Jeremiah to write down His assuring words (30:1-3). Trouble loomed ahead, but after that, God would free His people, restore King David’s line, and bring them home (30:4-11). God’s people had suffered greatly, but He would judge their enemies and bring healing (30:12-22). The Judeans would rebuild their cities and experience good leadership as their relationship with God was restored.
Jeremiah further described the day when God would restore His people (31:1-6). His everlasting love for them prompted His plan for redemption, and they would celebrate as they saw a renewed land and people. God would gather His people from all nations and bring them home (31:7-16). Exile had brought much lamentation, but God’s redemption was at hand. He would deal compassionately with His repentant people, and Judah and its cities would celebrate the renewal God brought (31:17-30).
God announced a new covenant with Israel and Judah (31:31-34). He would put His law within His people’s hearts, establish a personal relationship with each member of the covenant, and usher in lasting forgiveness. God assured His people the day would come when they would see their homeland become a place that was holy to the Lord (31:35-40).
Jeremiah continued to announce judgment as the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem (32:1-5). Surprisingly, the Lord told Jeremiah to redeem his uncle’s property in the territory of Benjamin (32:6-25). Jeremiah purchased the land, then confessed his confusion about why God asked him to do such a thing with the Babylonians bearing down. The Lord replied that Jeremiah’s actions prophetically testified to a time when God’s people would return to the land and buy and sell land as before (32:26-44).
The time of Judah’s judgment was at hand (33:1-5). However, blessing and restoration would follow, and God’s people would praise Him as all Judah’s citizens again lived well (33:6-13). God would raise up a Branch of David who would reign righteously and bring peace between the offices of king and priest forever (33:14-18). Some must have struggled to believe such exciting news, but God affirmed its truth (33:19-26).
EXPLORE THE TEXT
23 This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “When I restore their fortunes they will once again speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities: ‘May the LORD bless you, righteous settlement, holy mountain.’”
Jeremiah did not speak his own ideas, but the words of the LORD of Armies. This familiar title affirms God’s sovereignty over His creation. Meanwhile, God of Israel probably anticipates the time when God would reunite the Northern Kingdom of Israel with the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The rest of the passage supports this interpretation.
The Lord spoke of the day when He would restore their fortunes. To this point, much of Jeremiah’s preaching had focused on the coming disaster. However, Jeremiah 30–33 heralds the dawn of redemption after the exile.
God promised that in that great day, the people would again speak a blessing in Judah and in its cities. The introduction may the LORD bless you occurs throughout Scripture (Num. 6:24; Ruth 2:4; Ps. 128:5), but the amazing part was that Judah and Jerusalem were called a righteous settlement and a holy mountain. God’s touch had renewed them. Righteousness now characterized their towns and villages instead of the injustice and evil against which Jeremiah and other prophets had railed (Isa. 1:21-23; Jer. 7:30-31; Amos 2:6-8). God’s mountain would feature a rebuilt temple, and the worship of God would continue there with prayer and offerings.
24 “Judah and all its cities will live in it together—also farmers and those who move with the flocks— 25 for I satisfy the thirsty person and feed all those who are weak.”
God proclaimed that His people be unified in Judah and all its cities. Everyone would experience the blessing of God’s redemption. Farmers and shepherds guiding flocks accounted for most common people and the two major elements of the Jewish economy. Farming included raising crops like wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, and olives (Deut. 8:8). Shepherds tended to work to the east of Jerusalem toward the Jordan River. Crops did not grow as well there, but shepherds found all they needed to sustain their sheep and goats. Sheep provided milk, meat, wool, and skin, while goats provided tent hair, skin, milk, and related dairy products. And of course, they also provided more sheep and goats!
The Lord affirmed the blessing came from Him. He would satisfy the thirsty and feed the weak. The exile had brought the people exceedingly low. Now, God would provide for them abundantly, and they would not lack. The Hebrew wording implies the abundant meeting of someone’s need. In this case, God would provide everything His people needed. The word translated weak denoted either physical or emotional weakness, but God would fill such gaps.
26 At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been most pleasant to me.
Jeremiah stated that he awoke and looked around. This indicates the Lord speaking through a dream. Indeed, the Lord sometimes spoke to people through dreams in Scripture. God gave Joseph special dreams, along with the ability to interpret them (Gen. 37:5-11; 40:5-19). He also communicated to rulers such as Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar (Gen. 41:1-7; Dan. 2:1-3,26-45; 4:4-37). Later, God revealed His will to Joseph, Jesus’s earthly father (Matt. 1:20-21; 2:13-14,19-21), and to the wise men (Matt. 2:12).
However, we should not assume God speaks to us through every dream we have. We now have the Bible to guide us, and we can discover from it everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). God used dreams to guide people more prior to the completion of His written revelation.
Jeremiah affirmed his sleep had been most pleasant. God had provided details of a coming day of blessing after the prophet had spent much of his ministry warning of disaster. He awoke refreshed after dreaming about pleasant images rather than words of judgment.
The promise of restoration should bring believers peace and pleasure. God has promised to be with His people through each challenge life brings (Matt. 28:20). Sometimes those challenges come from our own sinful choices, but the promise of restoration provides the certainty of His redemption, which is available to all who turn to Him in faith.
(In PSG, p. 76)
27 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the LORD’s declaration—“when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of people and the seed of animals.”
Jeremiah’s opening words Look, the days are coming anticipated exciting news. He used the same expression to introduce verses 31 and 38 as he proclaimed Judah’s future blessing. These words of restoration comprise some of the most uplifting words in Jeremiah’s prophecies.
The expression this is the LORD’S declaration occurs frequently in the book of Jeremiah. In today’s core passage alone, it occurs five more times (vv. 28,31,32,33,34)! Judah soon would experience Jerusalem’s destruction and a seventy-year exile. The question was whether they would embrace Jeremiah’s message of redemption. They should, of course, because it came directly from God.
Through Jeremiah, God announced that He would sow both Israel and Judah using the seed of people and the seed of animals. Verse 24 continued the agricultural theme as the Lord announced a future day of blessing for farmers. It was as if the God was planting fields of “people seeds” and “animal seeds,” which eventually would populate the entire land. Society would flourish when God’s day of redemption came.
28 “Just as I watched over them to uproot and to tear them down, to demolish and to destroy, and to cause disaster, so will I watch over them to build and to plant them”—this is the LORD’s declaration.
God had dealt with His people’s disobedience. He used strong words to describe His actions as He watched over Judah’s demise: uproot, tear them down, demolish, destroy, and cause disaster. Every verb pointed to God’s judgment. This combination of verbs also occurs in Jeremiah 1, when God called him to a prophetic ministry (1:10). Together, they describe the extreme destruction God brought against Judah. The word translated watched over emphasizes His careful attention to His purpose.
However, the second part of the verse highlights God’s restoration. After overseeing their judgment, He would watch over them to build and to plant them. This language also reflects back to Jeremiah’s call. In addition, Isaiah proclaimed how God would rebuild the land and reveal His glory (Isa. 40:3-5). Many interpreters believe the messages of Isaiah and Jeremiah looked far ahead to the perfect kingdom Christ would establish, but it would still have implications for the exiles living in Babylon.
29 In those days, it will never again be said, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” 30 Rather, each will die for his own iniquity. Anyone who eats sour grapes—his own teeth will be set on edge.
In those days designates the time of God’s restoration and a time when a particular proverb will never again be said. A common saying in Judah’s last days was the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge. The proverb suggested the children were suffering the consequences of their ancestor’s sins. The generation that ultimately faced Jerusalem’s final destruction apparently had such a victim’s mentality, blaming earlier generations instead of taking responsibility themselves. It’s an attitude the prophet Ezekiel also referenced (Ezek. 18:2).
Today, lots of people play the “blame game.” They excuse their sin by saying, “This is just the way I am” or “I had a terrible upbringing.” While our past experiences can influence our situation, God’s Word still affirms we are responsible for our actions.
Jeremiah confirmed the truth of personal responsibility: each will die for his own iniquity. The word translated iniquity indicates a willful defiance of God and His ways. Jeremiah’s words did not imply that this was not the case in the past because the Mosaic law always affirmed personal accountability (Deut. 24:16). Jeremiah simply validated God’s original commands and revealed the twisted logic that had taken root in Judah. He affirmed that anyone who eats sour grapes—his own teeth will be set on edge. Defiant sinners would bear the consequences of their own sins.
God’s attention to His people gives them a reason for hope. Indeed, knowing God always sees us may provide a helpful deterrent from sin, but He also knows who is following Him faithfully and who is not. And even those who are not may still return to Him in repentance and faith to experience His redemption.
(In PSG, p. 78)
31 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the LORD’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”
Look, the days are coming echo Jeremiah’s words from verse 27. Verses 27-30 highlighted how God was preparing to restore the nation. Verses 31-34 announced an even greater spiritual renewal. Interestingly, the words this is the LORD’S declaration occur in each of these four verses to emphasize that God’s people could count on His promise!
The Lord promised to make a new covenant with both Israel and Judah. In verse 23, Jeremiah had described the Lord as “the God of Israel,” a title that anticipated a future reunification of God’s people. The prophet’s words here also heralded that idea. Both the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom would experience God’s blessings under this new covenant.
A covenant is a solemn agreement between two parties that articulates how they will relate to one another. The term first appears in Genesis, when God established His promise to Noah (Gen. 9:8-11). God also initiated covenants with Abram (Abraham) and his family (Gen. 15:18-21). He later made a covenant with all of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai—a covenant that outlined how His people should live (Ex. 24:3-8).
32 “This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”—the LORD’s declaration.
The Lord stressed that the new covenant will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors after the exodus from Egypt. Exodus records how God humbled the Egyptians through a series of plagues, eventually convincing Pharaoh to let the people go. When the Egyptians changed their minds and pursued them, God parted the Red Sea, and His people crossed on dry ground. However, when the Egyptians pursued them into the sea, God closed it on them and drowned them all (Ex. 14:3-31). The Old Testament writers often highlighted this event as a powerful demonstration of Israel’s relationship with God
(Ps. 106:7-12; 136:10-15). Yet, Jeremiah suggested God’s new covenant would surpass this event and even the Mosaic covenant established at Mount Sinai.
The Lord noted that Israel broke the old covenant, even though He was their master. The word broke is a strong term that suggests willful disobedience. The word translated master also can mean “husband.” Interpreters differ on exactly how to render this word, but all agree the expression denotes God’s care for His people despite their rejection of Him.
33 “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the LORD’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
The words instead, this is the covenant I will make introduce the new covenant’s features. The Hebrew wording gently contrasts the two covenants, suggesting that we should not view the old covenant as bad and the new covenant as good. The law showed God’s people how He wanted them to live. No other nations had such wise commands (Deut. 4:6-8). Many psalmists also exalted how the law brought blessings to their lives (Ps. 19:7-11; 119:105). Yet, God’s new covenant would bring a new level of intimacy with Him. Jeremiah only mentioned the house of Israel, reinforcing the implied reunification from verse 31.
The Lord declared a significant feature of the new covenant: I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. The word translated teaching is the Hebrew torah, which is sometimes translated “law.” This was God’s instructions to His people. To write it on their hearts meant helping the people internalize His words so they would more completely shape the people’s lives. Most interpreters believe Jeremiah was suggesting that this was God’s design for this new covenant.
I will be their God, and they will be my people emphasized the close relationship God and His people would share. This close relationship will attain its ultimate fulfillment when God ushers in His everlasting kingdom (Rev. 21:3,7).
34 “No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the LORD’s declaration. “For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin.”
The opening words of verse 34 at first seem puzzling: The people would no longer spend time teaching friends and neighbors to “Know the LORD.” Why would people not encourage one another to know God personally? The Lord answered: they would already know me, from the least to the greatest of them. Under the old covenant, people within the Israelite community did not necessarily know God, but His new covenant would include everyone who had placed their faith in Him. The idea of least and greatest highlights how everyone, regardless of social, economic, or personal status, would have a place in God’s new order.
The Lord then introduced the most significant aspect of His new covenant: forgiving iniquity and refusing to remember their sin. People under the new covenant experience God’s complete forgiveness. He does not actually forget sin, but He never holds those sins against us. The Old Testament “remember” often contains the nuance of taking action on what one remembers (Ex. 2:24; 3:1-10; 1 Sam. 1:19-20).
God will redeem those who turn to Him in faith. During the Passover meal, Jesus told His disciples that His blood would establish the new covenant Jeremiah had foretold (Luke 22:20). His blood secured the salvation of all who place their faith in Him—without exception.
(In PSG, p. 80)
Salvation
Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. (See Rom. 5:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:3-5.)
Use other Scripture to help understand a Bible passage.
Read aloud Jeremiah 31:31-34. Also read Luke 22:20 and Hebrews 8:7-13, which reference Jeremiah’s words. How do the New Testament passages illuminate Jeremiah’s meaning? Ask the Lord to lay on your heart people who need to experience God’s redemption; pray for them and consider how you might share God’s love with them.