Jer 3:14-17 | KingComments | STEP | He would like them to return to Him. After all, He is “a master” to them, or: He married them (Dutch Translation [Darby Translation: ‘for I am a husband unto you’]). In these words, the passionate desire for their return to Him, a loving God, is evident. He calls them “faithless” and yet at the same time “sons”. Besides being in a relationship of a Father to His sons, He is also in a marriage relationship, that is, a covenant relationship, with them. They have given up both relationships, but He, for His part, does not want to give up those relationships. Therefore, He calls them to return to Him. Because He has married them, He will not completely cast them out. He will take “one from a city and two from a family”, that is, He will take a remnant to Himself and enter into the marriage bond with it. Here and in the following verses something shines through of the situation in the realm of peace. Once back in the land, the LORD will give them God-fearing leaders, shepherds after His heart. These are shepherds who resemble the true Shepherd, the great Son of David. David is “a man after His own heart” ( ; ), the Lord Jesus is that in a perfect sense. These shepherds, as under-shepherds, will represent the Lord Jesus as the Shepherd of His people ( ). They will feed the people “on knowledge and understanding” (cf. ). The people will then have entered into the blessing of the realm of peace. The expression “in those days” indicates this. That expression often looks ahead to the time of the realm of peace and the time immediately preceding it. They will multiply and increase in the land (cf. ). The ark will no longer be needed because He of Whom the ark speaks, Christ, the Messiah, will be in their midst ( ). That the ark will no longer be needed is a bold assumption for an Old Testament prophet. The ark is the center of the religious life of God’s people and the place where the high priest sacrifices the blood on the day of atonement. But the ark will no longer be needed as a symbol of God’s presence in the midst of the people because the glory of the LORD Himself will dwell in the midst of His people. We see the same thing in Ezekiel’s temple which will be in Jerusalem in the realm of peace (Ezekiel 40-43). In that temple there is also no ark, also because the glory of the LORD dwells in the temple. With that temple He also connects His throne ( ). The first time the ark is mentioned in the Bible is in the design of the tabernacle shown to Moses ( ). We see that the ark is also given its place in Solomon’s temple ( ). The last historical mention we have is during the reign of King Josiah ( ). Probably the ark was taken to Babylon along with all the other objects of the temple. Remarkably, it is not mentioned in a list of all that is carried away to Babylon ( ). It was lost in 586 BC and never found or replaced. The ark is the throne of the LORD ( ; ). In the future, “at that time” ( ; ), all of “Jerusalem” will be the new “Throne of the LORD” and not just the ark ( ). The city will bear the marks of His government. Therefore, all nations will go there and gather together ( ; ). They will come to the Name of the LORD which is most strongly associated with Jerusalem. His throne and His Name, His government and His Person are the center and foundation of the realm of peace. The nations will acknowledge that. In the past, their lives have consisted of walking after their hardened, wicked hearts. That will be over. They have in Him a totally new goal in their lives. Judah will return to the land “in those days” along with the remnant of Israel ( ; ). Here Jeremiah speaks of a return of Judah, meaning that Judah will also be taken out of the land. They are coming from the north, from the direction from which their enemies came, both Assyria and Babylon, and carried them away. In the realm of peace, the two realms will be reunited and they will be one people ( ). They will dwell in the land of the promises the LORD made to the fathers that they will possess as an inheritance.

‏ Jeremiah 3:14-17

Future Blessing

He would like them to return to Him. After all, He is “a master” to them, or: He married them (Dutch Translation [Darby Translation: ‘for I am a husband unto you’]). In these words, the passionate desire for their return to Him, a loving God, is evident. He calls them “faithless” and yet at the same time “sons”. Besides being in a relationship of a Father to His sons, He is also in a marriage relationship, that is, a covenant relationship, with them. They have given up both relationships, but He, for His part, does not want to give up those relationships. Therefore, He calls them to return to Him.

Because He has married them, He will not completely cast them out. He will take “one from a city and two from a family”, that is, He will take a remnant to Himself and enter into the marriage bond with it. Here and in the following verses something shines through of the situation in the realm of peace. Once back in the land, the LORD will give them God-fearing leaders, shepherds after His heart. These are shepherds who resemble the true Shepherd, the great Son of David. David is “a man after His own heart” (1Sam 13:14b; Acts 13:22), the Lord Jesus is that in a perfect sense. These shepherds, as under-shepherds, will represent the Lord Jesus as the Shepherd of His people (Jer 3:15). They will feed the people “on knowledge and understanding” (cf. Psa 78:70-72).

The people will then have entered into the blessing of the realm of peace. The expression “in those days” indicates this. That expression often looks ahead to the time of the realm of peace and the time immediately preceding it. They will multiply and increase in the land (cf. Gen 1:28). The ark will no longer be needed because He of Whom the ark speaks, Christ, the Messiah, will be in their midst (Jer 3:16).

That the ark will no longer be needed is a bold assumption for an Old Testament prophet. The ark is the center of the religious life of God’s people and the place where the high priest sacrifices the blood on the day of atonement. But the ark will no longer be needed as a symbol of God’s presence in the midst of the people because the glory of the LORD Himself will dwell in the midst of His people. We see the same thing in Ezekiel’s temple which will be in Jerusalem in the realm of peace (Ezekiel 40-43). In that temple there is also no ark, also because the glory of the LORD dwells in the temple. With that temple He also connects His throne (Eze 43:7a).

The first time the ark is mentioned in the Bible is in the design of the tabernacle shown to Moses (Exo 25:10-22). We see that the ark is also given its place in Solomon’s temple (1Kgs 8:6). The last historical mention we have is during the reign of King Josiah (2Chr 35:3). Probably the ark was taken to Babylon along with all the other objects of the temple. Remarkably, it is not mentioned in a list of all that is carried away to Babylon (Jer 52:17-23). It was lost in 586 BC and never found or replaced.

The ark is the throne of the LORD (1Sam 4:4a; 2Kgs 19:15). In the future, “at that time” (Jer 3:17; Jer 3:16), all of “Jerusalem” will be the new “Throne of the LORD” and not just the ark (Eze 48:35b). The city will bear the marks of His government. Therefore, all nations will go there and gather together (Isa 2:2-3 ; Isa 56:6-8 ; Isa 60:11-14; Mic 4:1-2). They will come to the Name of the LORD which is most strongly associated with Jerusalem. His throne and His Name, His government and His Person are the center and foundation of the realm of peace. The nations will acknowledge that. In the past, their lives have consisted of walking after their hardened, wicked hearts. That will be over. They have in Him a totally new goal in their lives.

Judah will return to the land “in those days” along with the remnant of Israel (Jer 3:18; Mic 2:12). Here Jeremiah speaks of a return of Judah, meaning that Judah will also be taken out of the land. They are coming from the north, from the direction from which their enemies came, both Assyria and Babylon, and carried them away. In the realm of peace, the two realms will be reunited and they will be one people (Eze 37:16-17). They will dwell in the land of the promises the LORD made to the fathers that they will possess as an inheritance.