◄ What Does Jeremiah 30:9 Mean? ►

'But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

Jeremiah 30:9(NASB)

Verse of the Day

For three glorious chapters, Jeremiah the prophet, who mourned deeply for the destruction of the Holy City, writes of Israel's eventual deliverance from their enemies. He speaks of a glorious future that God has prepared for those that love Him.

The Lord knows the plans he has for His chosen people, Israel, and they are plans for good and not for evil. They are plans to give them a future and great hope. And in the midst of this short, edifying section, we read of Israel's future deliverance and God's promise to make a New Covenant with His chosen people. In this passage, Jeremiah delivers a very precious promise to God's faithful remnant: "But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them."

Jeremiah was a youth when God called him to prophesy to His people. He was warned many times that although they would hear his words, they would not listen to his warning nor obey the Lord's commands. They were a stiff-necked people who would not accept discipline nor receive instruction, and throughout his lifetime, Jeremiah's prophetic injunctions fell on deaf ears.

Despite his extensive warnings of the wrath to come and Israel's impending exile from the land, Jeremiah predicted a wonderful future for the people of God, which became to them an anchor of hope for the soul, and a rock of salvation on which to stand. He proclaimed a future day when Israel would be delivered and serve their God, and David, the shepherd-king of God's people, would be raised up. David was a man after God's own heart, for he trusted in Him - and David was a picture of Christ.

Jeremiah prophesied of their future redemption and the coming kingdom of peace and prosperity, which will be placed under the authoritative sceptre of their promised Messiah. It will be a time when the earth will be filled with the glory of God. It will be a day when the wolf will lie down with the lamb, but it will follow a time of tremendous Tribulation.

These three little chapters present an oasis of refreshment for the people of God, in a dry and dusty desert wilderness where Jeremiah thunders his warnings to turn the people from their sin and return to the Lord. Those who had ears to hear would respond, while those who refused his message would suffer the consequences.

This precious passage promises of Israel's eventual deliverance and a glorious future. It also demonstrates the long-suffering goodness of their covenant-keeping God; His mercy, faithfulness, goodness, and grace. The shackles that enslaved them would one day be removed. The restraints that hindered would one day be loosed, and instead of remaining estranged from God and slaves to sin, they would eventually be set free to serve their Messiah; their God and their King.

Although there was a partial fulfilment of Israel's release from their captivity in Assyria and Egypt, the full and final fulfilment of this passage, where the kingdoms of Israel and Judah will unite to serve the Lord their God, and David their king, will take place after Israel, as a nation, cries out to the Lord for redemption during the coming 'time of Jacob's Trouble'. They will call out those wonderful words of the sweet Psalmist of Israel: "BLESSED is HE Who comes in the name of the Lord. HOSANNAH! SAVE US!"

Although Old Testament saints, including David the king, will partake in the resurrection of the dead at Christ's Second Coming, the One Whom the Lord will raise up to govern His people, is the Lord Jesus Christ; the Messiah of Israel, the Son of the most High God, great David's greater Son.

God has not finished with His chosen people, and part of their grand future will occur when Israel, as a nation, serves the Lord their God in the beauty of holiness. Because of His grace and mercy, they shall serve the Lord their God and honour David their king, whom the Lord will raise up at the last day.

Today, Israel has been set aside and God is working His work of redemption through the Body of Christ, which is the Church. Today it is Christians (Jews and Gentiles in one united body), who are God's ambassadors on earth. Today, the Church is that great cloud of witnesses that speak of God's tender mercy and everlasting grace. Today, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are the ones who are being used to testify to the truth of the glorious Gospel of grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

But a future day is coming when God will fully and finally ratify the New Covenant He made with His people Israel; a covenant which was cut at Calvary, a covenant of which we are blessed recipients and for which we are all called to be ministers, a covenant that will be fully and finally ratified at Christ's Second Coming.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, as I ponder the amazing prophecies of Jeremiah the prophet which not only predict the punishment of Israel for her sin but also their wonderful restoration and redemption, I praise and thank You for Your tender mercies and great goodness to me and all people. Thank You that You are a covenant-keeping God, and that my eternal salvation and blessed redemption does not rely on my goodness, but is founded on the blood of Christ shed at Calvary, such that whosoever believes on HIM will not perish but have everlasting life. Protect Your people, Israel, in these increasingly hostile times, and fulfil Your Word to them. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.