05-CHAPTER FIVE - When Jeremiah Saw the Kingdom

CHAPTER FIVE When Jeremiah Saw the Kingdom Age

JEREMIAH is known as the weeping prophet; yet he wrote of the Kingdom Age, an age not yet born. Where did he get his information? From GOD. GOD knows the end from the beginning and He calls it prophecy. Prophecy is history written in advance. In the midst of his awful persecutions and horrible sufferings, Jeremiah gives us a picture of the glories of the coming kingdom, and his predictions agree with all the others, though he lived in another generation, for they came from GOD.

Jeremiah is the prophet of gloom and judgment.

He predicts the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the Jewish people among the nations. (See Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 9:16; Jeremiah 13:19; Jeremiah 21:10.) All this was literally fulfilled. But then, too, he speaks of the regathering of the people and their ultimate glory. This also will be just as literally fulfilled. (See Jeremiah 16:14-16; Jeremiah 23:7-8).

Israel and Judah Return In Jeremiah 30:3 we have a very clear and emphatic statement. It reads as follows: "For, lo, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it."

Some two thousand five hundred years have gone by since GOD made that prediction and it has not yet been fulfilled. But just as surely as day follows night, it will be. The days will come, the days of which He speaks.

It was not fulfilled after the seventy years’ captivity, when the Jews returned from Babylon, for at that time the Northern kingdom did not return. As a matter of fact, only a few of the Babylonian captives came back; the bulk of the nation remained in exile. Nor has it been fulfilled in the return of the Jews in this twentieth century. Again only some of those of the tribe of Judah have gone back. Israel is still in exile. Moreover, they have not by any means inherited the entire land, and, according to GOD’s program, all others are to be driven out and they alone are to possess it. In this very verse it states that they are to possess the land of their fathers and I take it that that means the whole land. This they have never done. Only when they do will this prediction be fulfilled.

However, the time is coming when the days of which the Lord speaks in this prophecy will actually be here. Both Israel and Judah, all twelve tribes, will return to the land of their fathers and will possess it. But it will not be the work of politicians; GOD Himself will bring it about. This amazing prophecy has yet to be fulfilled. The Glories of the Kingdom

Turn now to Jeremiah 23:5-6 : "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."

We come now to the glories of the kingdom.

Again we are introduced to the Branch. He is of the line of David. He is a King. He reigns and prospers, and He executes judgment and justice in the earth. Not in Heaven, mark you, but right here on earth. Who is He? He is CHRIST the Messiah.

During the days of His reign, Judah and Israel are united and saved. At long last they dwell together, safe and secure. He is known as "THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (Jeremiah 23:6, Jeremiah 33:16)Was this amazing prophecy fulfilled at the time of the first advent? It was not - none of it. It will be fulfilled when He comes again; the time is still future.

After speaking of the Great Tribulation, "Jacob’s Trouble" (Jeremiah 30:5-7), the prophet tells of a day that follows when the people will serve "David their king," who will again appear, the Lord JESUS CHRIST, so often referred to as "David," when He comes again (Jeremiah 30:9).

David Their King

Let us read Jeremiah 30:10-11 : "Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee." When CHRIST, "David their king," has been raised up to govern them, they will never have reason to fear again. They will return from all the countries of the world and dwell in their own land once more. There they will be at rest. There they will be quiet. Other nations have and will perish; they will remain. The Jewish nation will never disappear (Jeremiah 46:27-28). Neither Hitler, nor anyone else, will ever be able to annihilate them.

Look at Jeremiah 31:33-34 : "After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." The old relationship between GOD and His people is again re-established. But now they do not obey because they are commanded to, but because they want to. GOD’s law is no longer on tables of stone; it is now in their hearts.

Universal Salvation

Here then, at last, is universal salvation - an entire nation obedient to GOD. All now ’know Him,’ old and young alike. No longer is it necessary to send out teachers and preachers to instruct the people; all have already been reached; all have a knowledge of GOD. Israel has at last been forgiven.

Note Jeremiah 32:37-41 : "Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their GOD:

"And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul."

GOD drove them out. GOD will bring them back. They were dispersed throughout all countries; they will be brought back to one. There they will be safe. GOD now becomes their GOD and they become His people. So completely does GOD possess their hearts that they now fear, love and serve Him perfectly, and never will they want to leave Him again. He settles them in the land of Palestine and rejoices over them with great joy. His wrath against them has subsided and His great purpose has been accomplished. The Branch of Righteousness

See Jeremiah 33:15-17 : "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. 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. For thus saith the Lord; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel."

I have chosen to quote these three verses, but I should like to quote the whole chapter, for chapter 33 presents a complete picture of the Davidic Kingdom of the future. It is one of Jeremiah’s greatest prophecies and every verse in it is important. Read it. Read of the joy of that day. Read of the glories of the Golden Age.

Here again is the Branch, the glorified, reigning Messiah, JESUS CHRIST.

He rules over Israel and executes judgment and justice on every side. "David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel," (Jeremiah 33:17) says GOD. But, unless David’s greater Son, the Lord JESUS CHRIST, comes back to occupy that throne, this prediction can never be fulfilled.

Make no mistake - He is coming back. He will rule. Jeremiah 33:19-26 prove it. CHRIST is Victor. He must reign as King. Do you know that CHRIST will come again some day To receive His Bride, His own, And to reign on earth for a thousand years As the King of David’s throne? Do you know that we shall share that wondrous reign If we suffer with Him here, If we bear the cross in this world of woe With our Lord we shall appear? Do you know that righteousness will flourish then, And that war will be no more, For the Prince of Peace will Himself be King, And the reign of sin be o’er?

- O - J - S ~ end of chapter 5 ~

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