CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Jeremiah 33
Chapter 33 of 52
Chapter Overview
What happens in Jeremiah 33
While still in prison, God speaks to Jeremiah a second time. He promises to heal the city, restore peace, cleanse the people from sin, and bring back joy. God will fulfill his promise to raise a righteous Branch from David's line. His covenant with David and the Levites is as unbreakable as the laws of day and night.
Scripture
Jeremiah 33
Call to Me and I Will Answer
Study note
While Jeremiah is still confined in the courtyard of the guard, God speaks to him again. God says, 'Call to me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Though houses have been torn down during the siege, God will bring health, healing, and abundant peace. He will cleanse them from all their sin.
1 While Jeremiah was still locked up in the courtyard of the guard, the Lord gave him a second message: Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying,
2 "The Lord who made the earth, who shaped it and set it in place — the Lord is his name — says this:" Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name;
3 "Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
4 "The Lord, the God of Israel, says this about the houses in this city and the royal palaces. The people have torn them down for materials to strengthen the walls against the siege ramps and enemy attacks." 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 thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword;
5 "The people here are fighting the Babylonians. But all they will do is fill those buildings with dead bodies. I am going to kill these people because of my anger. I have turned away from this city because of all its wickedness." They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.
6 "But watch! I will bring this city health and healing. I will heal its people and give them peace and security beyond anything they can imagine." Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
7 "I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and rebuild them as they were before." And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.
8 "I will wash away all the sin they committed against me. I will forgive every sin and every act of rebellion." And I 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.
Joy Will Return
Study note
Jerusalem will become a source of joy, praise, and glory before all nations. In the desolate streets, the sounds of joy and gladness will return: the voices of brides and grooms, and songs of praise to the Lord. Shepherds will again tend their flocks in the land.
9 "This city will bring me joy, fame, praise, and honor before every nation on earth. When they hear about all the good things I do for Jerusalem and all the peace I bring them, the nations will tremble with awe." And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.
10 "The Lord says: You keep saying this place is a wasteland with no people or animals. But in the towns of Judah and the empty streets of Jerusalem — where no people or animals are left —" Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye 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,
11 "the sounds of joy and celebration will be heard again. There will be happy voices of brides and grooms, and the voices of people bringing thank offerings to the Lord's Temple, singing: 'Give thanks to the Lord of Armies, because the Lord is good and his faithful love lasts forever!' I will bring this land back from ruin," says the Lord. The 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, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
12 The Lord of Armies says this. "This land is empty now. No people or beasts live here. But one day, in every town, shepherds will rest their flocks in green pastures again." Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.
13 "Flocks will pass under the shepherd's hand again. This will happen in the hill towns, the western slopes, and the southern desert. It will happen in Benjamin's land, around Jerusalem, and in Judah's towns," says the Lord. In 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 pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.
The Righteous Branch
Study note
God will fulfill the good promise he made to Israel and Judah. He will cause a righteous Branch to grow from David's line, one who will do what is just and right. Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. David will always have a descendant on the throne, and the Levitical priests will always have someone to serve before God.
14 "The days are coming," says the Lord, "when I will keep the wonderful promise I made to Israel and Judah." Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
15 "In those days and at that time, I will cause a righteous Branch to grow from David's family line. He will do what is just and right throughout the land." In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
16 "In those days, Judah will be rescued and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name the city will be called: 'The Lord Is Our Righteousness.'" In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.
17 "The Lord says: David will never fail to have a descendant sitting on the throne of Israel." For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;
18 "The Levite priests will always have someone serving me. They will always offer burnt offerings, grain offerings, and other offerings." Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
An Unbreakable Covenant
Study note
God's covenant with David is as certain as his covenant with day and night. If anyone can break the pattern of day and night, only then could God's covenant with David be broken. He will multiply David's descendants like the stars of the sky and the sand of the sea. God rejects the idea that he has abandoned the two families he chose.
19 The Lord gave Jeremiah this message: And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,
20 "The Lord says: Suppose you could break my agreement with the day and my agreement with the night. Suppose daylight and darkness no longer came at the right times." Thus saith the LORD; If 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 "only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken, so that he would have no descendant to reign on his throne. Only then could my covenant with the Levitical priests who serve me be broken." Then may also my 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.
22 "The stars in the sky cannot be counted. The sand on the shore cannot be measured. In the same way, I will grow the line of my servant David. I will also grow the Levites who serve me." As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.
23 The Lord gave Jeremiah one more word. Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
24 "Have you noticed what these people are saying? They claim, 'The Lord chose two families but has now rejected them both.' They look down on my people and no longer consider them a real nation." Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.
25 "But the Lord says: If I had not created the laws that govern day and night and the fixed patterns of heaven and earth," Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;
26 "only then would I turn away from the children of Jacob and my servant David. Only then would I stop picking rulers from his family line for the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I will bring them back from being held captive and treat them with kindness." Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Key Themes
Themes in Jeremiah 33
Calling on God and receiving revelationHealing and restoration promisedThe righteous branch from DavidGod's unbreakable covenantJoy returning after sorrow
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Jeremiah Jeremiah 33:15-16 Luke 1:69-75; Acts 13:22-23
The reiteration of the Righteous Branch promise from David's line is connected to the New Testament proclamation that Jesus is the fulfillment of God's covenant with David, bringing righteousness and salvation.
Apply This Today
Living Jeremiah 33
God invites us to call upon Him with the promise that He will answer and show us great and mighty things. Even in our most confined and restricted moments, God is still speaking. His covenants are as reliable as the laws governing day and night, giving us absolute certainty of His faithfulness.
Go Deeper
Study Jeremiah in Covenant Path
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