Jer 33:13 | KingComments | STEP | Then suddenly the word of restoration and healing sounds ( ). The LORD Himself will work that. The result will be an abundance of lasting peace. It will not be the case that after a period of rest the people will turn away again, as has so often been the case in the history of Israel and as we see for example in the book of Judges. This promise is a wonderful grace. God is indeed the God of all grace. We too have lasting peace if we walk in fellowship with Him in His way and surrender all our needs and concerns to Him, trusting that He will make it well ( ). The LORD will work that reversal ( ). A small pre-fulfillment is the return from Babylon, but there is no lasting peace then. The full fulfillment will take place in the realm of peace. Then the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel will be over and they will be built up as before, in the days when they entered the promised land. There are two captivities here, one of Judah and one of Israel. Both empires have been in captivity in diverse ways. Judah has been in Babylon and Israel has been in the scattering. In order to bring them into that blessing, the LORD must first cleanse them from all their iniquity (singular) with which they have sinned against Him ( ). We can think here of the sinful nature, the source from which all their iniquity sprang. He will cleanse them by pardoning them all their iniquities (plural) with which they have sinned against Him and rebelled against Him. They are two forms of iniquity: that of sin and that of rebellion. Both are sins against God. One is more general, doing one’s own will in a way of unbelief and disobedience. The other is more violent, rejecting any correction. The city will then become to the LORD a name of joy, praise and glory ( ). Now Jerusalem is still a name that brings shame and causes sorrow to the LORD. That will change. Jerusalem means “foundations of peace”. All the nations of the earth will praise the city for its splendor. They will hear all the good that the LORD will do to it. Also, they will fear and tremble, precisely because of all the good and all the peace that the LORD provides for His people. They have always thought they could oppress Israel and always tried to wipe it out. Now they see the LORD blessing the people. They see themselves facing the power of the LORD, Who is on the side of the people they wanted to destroy. The LORD goes on to speak of the profound change that the city and the land will undergo in that time of good and peace ( ). A partial fulfillment of this we see in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, but the final, full fulfillment takes place again in the millennial realm of peace. All kinds of sounds of joy will again be heard in the ruined and desolate city. It is now no joy without the LORD. All this joy is expressed in praising the LORD, that He is good because His lovingkindness is everlasting. This is the characteristic expression for the realm of peace. The praise of the LORD will be expressed in the offering of a thank offering in the house of the LORD, the temple. All this will happen through the reversal that the LORD will bring to the captivity of the land. As a result, the land will become as it was at first, says the LORD. Not only the people has been in captivity, but also the land has been in captivity. The land is the LORD’s land, but it has been in foreign hands because He had to surrender it to them because of the unfaithfulness of His people. This will also come to an end in the reversal that He is working. Then the land and all that it yields and everyone who lives in it will be completely dedicated to Him. The LORD points out again that all these glorious things will happen in the place that is now desolate and waste ( ). In Jerusalem and in all the cities of Judah, there will again be pasture land where shepherds rest their flocks. It shows a scene of care and peace, rest and security. All the sheep that are there will be counted ( ). Not one will be missed. That is what the LORD will do to His people. It will happen, because the LORD says so. Each time we read “says the LORD” as a confirmation that it will definitely come because He has said so.

‏ Jeremiah 33:13

Days of Return and Joy

Then suddenly the word of restoration and healing sounds (Jer 33:6). The LORD Himself will work that. The result will be an abundance of lasting peace. It will not be the case that after a period of rest the people will turn away again, as has so often been the case in the history of Israel and as we see for example in the book of Judges. This promise is a wonderful grace. God is indeed the God of all grace. We too have lasting peace if we walk in fellowship with Him in His way and surrender all our needs and concerns to Him, trusting that He will make it well (Phil 4:6-7).

The LORD will work that reversal (Jer 33:7). A small pre-fulfillment is the return from Babylon, but there is no lasting peace then. The full fulfillment will take place in the realm of peace. Then the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel will be over and they will be built up as before, in the days when they entered the promised land. There are two captivities here, one of Judah and one of Israel. Both empires have been in captivity in diverse ways. Judah has been in Babylon and Israel has been in the scattering.

In order to bring them into that blessing, the LORD must first cleanse them from all their iniquity (singular) with which they have sinned against Him (Jer 33:8). We can think here of the sinful nature, the source from which all their iniquity sprang. He will cleanse them by pardoning them all their iniquities (plural) with which they have sinned against Him and rebelled against Him. They are two forms of iniquity: that of sin and that of rebellion. Both are sins against God. One is more general, doing one’s own will in a way of unbelief and disobedience. The other is more violent, rejecting any correction.

The city will then become to the LORD a name of joy, praise and glory (Jer 33:9). Now Jerusalem is still a name that brings shame and causes sorrow to the LORD. That will change. Jerusalem means “foundations of peace”. All the nations of the earth will praise the city for its splendor. They will hear all the good that the LORD will do to it.

Also, they will fear and tremble, precisely because of all the good and all the peace that the LORD provides for His people. They have always thought they could oppress Israel and always tried to wipe it out. Now they see the LORD blessing the people. They see themselves facing the power of the LORD, Who is on the side of the people they wanted to destroy.

The LORD goes on to speak of the profound change that the city and the land will undergo in that time of good and peace (Jer 33:10-11). A partial fulfillment of this we see in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, but the final, full fulfillment takes place again in the millennial realm of peace. All kinds of sounds of joy will again be heard in the ruined and desolate city.

It is now no joy without the LORD. All this joy is expressed in praising the LORD, that He is good because His lovingkindness is everlasting. This is the characteristic expression for the realm of peace. The praise of the LORD will be expressed in the offering of a thank offering in the house of the LORD, the temple.

All this will happen through the reversal that the LORD will bring to the captivity of the land. As a result, the land will become as it was at first, says the LORD. Not only the people has been in captivity, but also the land has been in captivity. The land is the LORD’s land, but it has been in foreign hands because He had to surrender it to them because of the unfaithfulness of His people. This will also come to an end in the reversal that He is working. Then the land and all that it yields and everyone who lives in it will be completely dedicated to Him.

The LORD points out again that all these glorious things will happen in the place that is now desolate and waste (Jer 33:12). In Jerusalem and in all the cities of Judah, there will again be pasture land where shepherds rest their flocks. It shows a scene of care and peace, rest and security. All the sheep that are there will be counted (Jer 33:13). Not one will be missed. That is what the LORD will do to His people. It will happen, because the LORD says so. Each time we read “says the LORD” as a confirmation that it will definitely come because He has said so.