30:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah.

 

Jehovah introduced another new prophecy. These written words were not Jeremiah’s personal opinion.

 

30:2 “The Lord God of Israel says, ‘Write everything that I am about to tell you in a scroll.

 

The Hebrew word for “write” is katav-la (כְּתָב־לְךָ֗), meaning “to write to himself.” Jeremiah was to write to himself for his own personal benefit. Jeremiah was depressed, because he had given 29 chapters of negative messages about Jerusalem. This positive message was to encourage Jeremiah. Chapters 30-33 were to be written on a separate scroll for himself. Chapters 30-33 is one separate book which was written specifically for Jeremiah.

 

30:3 For I, the Lord, affirm that the time will come when I will reverse the plight of my people, Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring them back to the land I gave their ancestors and they will take possession of it once again.’ ” 

 

So far, Jeremiah had given 29 chapters of negative messages to Judah. In chapters 30-33, he would give a positive message to Judah. The time period that he was prophesying about is the future Millennial Kingdom. During the Millennial Kingdom, Jehovah will restore Israel back into her land.

 

The Hebrew for “I will bring” means “I will cause them to return.” Israel does not want to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, but Jehovah will cause her to do so by opening her eyes.

 

30:4 So here is what the Lord has to say about Israel and Judah.

 

At the time of this writing, Israel was captive to Assyria and Judah would soon go into captivity with Babylon.

 

30:5 Yes, here is what he says: “You hear cries of panic and of terror; there is no peace in sight. 

 

Before the birth of the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will enter into the Great Tribulation. During the Great Tribulation, there will be panic and terror in the streets. There will be no peace for the Jews, because the Antichrist will attempt to exterminate her so that she cannot cry out for her Messiah.

 

30:6 Ask yourselves this and consider it carefully: Have you ever seen a man give birth to a baby? Why then do I see all these strong men grabbing their stomachs in pain like a woman giving birth? And why do their faces turn so deathly pale? 

 

Israel is asked to consider Jehovah’s questions carefully. Men do not give birth to babies. During the Great Tribulation, men will be holding their stomachs like a woman with birth pangs. Their faces will be pale with horror.

 

30:7 Alas, what a terrible time of trouble it is! There has never been any like it. It is a time of trouble for the descendants of Jacob, but some of them will be rescued out of it. 

 

The Great Tribulation will be called “Jacob’s Trouble,” not the “Gentile’s Trouble.” The Gentiles will be effected by the Great Tribulation, but Israel will receive double punishment. Two thirds of the Jews will be exterminated during this future time period. However, 1/3 of the Jews will be rescued out of the Great Tribulation. They will enter into the Millennial Kingdom as Messianic believers. 

 

30:8 When the time for them to be rescued comes,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will rescue you from foreign subjugation. I will deliver you from captivity. Foreigners will then no longer subjugate them. 

 

At the end of the Great Tribulation, Jesus will return and deliver the believing Jewish Remnant from the Gentile armies of the Antichrist.

 

30:9 But they will be subject to the Lord their God and to the Davidic ruler whom I will raise up as king over them. 

 

The Hebrew word for “Davidic ruler” is דָּוִ֣ד מַלְכָּ֔ם (david melikim), meaning David their king. The Jewish Remnant will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. They will be subject to Jesus. They will also be subject to King David. King David will be raised from the dead. He will co-reign over Israel with Jesus, just as the church will co-reign with Christ over the Gentiles. 

 

Many amillenialists and postmillenialists spiritualize these passages to make it fit their own personal theology. They teach that God is finished with Israel and He is currently dealing only with the church. If taken literally, then David will be raised from the dead and he will co-reign over Israel with the Lord Jesus Christ. These same prophecies were also mentioned in Ezekiel 34:23–24; 37:24–25; and Hosea 3:5.

 

30:10 So I, the Lord, tell you not to be afraid, you descendants of Jacob, my servants. Do not be terrified, people of Israel. For I will rescue you and your descendants from a faraway land where you are captives. The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace. They will be secure and no one will terrify them. 

 

When the Messianic Jewish believers during the Great Tribulation see all of the horrors, then they are not to fear. They will survive. God will return Israel to her land in peace, just as He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. During the 1,000 years of the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will be secure. There will be no anti-Semitic nations around to attempt extermination of the Jews.

 

30:11 For I, the Lord, affirm that I will be with you and will rescue you. I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will indeed discipline you, but only in due measure. I will not allow you to go entirely unpunished.”

 

During the Great Tribulation, Jehovah will be protecting the Messianic Jewish believers. The Antichrist will establish a one-world global army from all nations to exterminate the Jews. However, this army will be destroyed. Israel will be disciplined double for all of her sins. She will not go unpunished, but she will not be destroyed. The reason that Israel still exists today is because of this divine promise.

 

30:12 Moreover, the Lord says to the people of Zion, “Your injuries are incurable; your wounds are severe. 

 

Israel’s injuries cannot be cured. Her wounds are too severe.

 

30:13 There is no one to plead your cause. There are no remedies for your wounds. There is no healing for you. 

 

There will be no medicine, balms, or remedies which will cure Israel’s wounds. There will be no Jewish doctors who can heal her wounds.

 

30:14 All your allies have abandoned you. They no longer have any concern for you. For I have attacked you like an enemy would. I have chastened you cruelly. For your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much. 

 

There will be no Gentile nations who will help Israel. God Himself will attack Israel and inflict these fatal wounds upon her.

 

30:15 Why do you complain about your injuries, that your pain is incurable? I have done all this to you because your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much. 

 

God will have to inflict wounds upon Israel, because of her wickedness. The Hebrew word for “your wickedness” is עֲוֹנֵ֗ךְ (aona-ka), meaning “your singular sin.” The singular sin of Israel was rejecting her own Messiah.

 

The Hebrew word for “your sin” is חַטֹּאתַ֔יִךְ (chtota-ka). meaning “your plural sins.” Once Israel committed the singular sin of rejecting her own Messiah, then her “plural sins” no longer could be atoned. 

 

30:16 But all who destroyed you will be destroyed. All your enemies will go into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered. I will cause those who pillaged you to be pillaged.

 

Zechariah predicted that all of the nations of the world will come against Israel during the Great Tribulation. This includes the United States (if she still exists). The Antichrist will lead a United Nations-type army against Israel. These nations will violate the Abrahamic Covenant, so they will receive the kind-for-kind curse. The Gentiles desire to destroy and plunder Israel, but it is the Gentiles who will all be destroyed and plundered.

 

30:17 Yes, I will restore you to health. I will heal your wounds. I, the Lord, affirm it! For you have been called an outcast, Zion, whom no one cares for.” 

 

God will use the Gentiles to wound the Jews. The wounds will be fatal, but God will heal and bandage Israel's wounds Himself. The reason that He will restore Israel to health is because the Gentiles called Israel “an outcast nation for whom no one cares.”

 

30:18 The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. 

 

The Hebrew word for “houses” is אָהֳלֵ֣י (ahali), meaning temporary abodes, such as tents. At the end of the Great Tribulation, many of the Jews will flee Jerusalem and live in temporary tents. God will save Israel while they are living in these temporary abodes.

 

The Hebrew for “former ruins” is תִּלָּ֔הּ (talah), meaning heaps, ruins, mounds, or tels. During the end of the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will step into the Jerusalem temple and declare that he is God. Many of the Jews will flee to Petra to escape the wrath of the Antichrist. During the Great Tribulation, many of the homes and cities of the Jews will be decimated. However, God will rebuild all of them on their tels during the Millennial Kingdom. Tels are man-made hills which are built and rebuilt by generations of people living on the same spot. These tells show the layers of historical destruction and development. 

 

30:19 Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised. 

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, all of the destroyed cities of Israel will be rebuilt. They will be repopulated. The cities will live in happiness, as joy will be heard from the cities.

 

30:20 The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them. 

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, Israel will receive her former privileges. She will receive the land, the leaders, and the priesthood. Any who attempt to oppress Israel will be punished by the stipulations of the Abrahamic Covenant.

 

30:21 One of their own people will be their leader. Their ruler will come from their own number. I will invite him to approach me, and he will do so. For no one would dare approach me on his own. I, the Lord, affirm it! 

 

During the Millennial Kingdom, the leader of Israel will be Jewish and not Gentiles. Notice that “the ruler” is singular. The only one who can approach Jehovah is the Messiah. Rabbis taught that this leader will be the Messiah. 

 

30:22 Then you will again be my people and I will be your God. 

 

At the end of the Great Tribulation, Israel will experience a national regeneration. All of Israel who survive the Great Tribulation will be saved. 

 

30:23 Just watch! The wrath of the Lord will come like a storm. Like a raging storm it will rage down on the heads of those who are wicked. 

 

Before Israel receives her national salvation, she must go through the Great Tribulation.

 

30:24 The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has fully carried out his intended purposes. In days to come you will come to understand this. 

There are two purposes of the Great Tribulation. One purpose is to bring Israel to her Messiah. The second purpose is to purge evil ones out of the world. Once Israel calls for her Messiah, and once the evil ones are purged out of the world, then the Millennial Kingdom will begin with 100% Jewish and Gentile believers.

In the latter days, Israel will understand that Jesus is their Messiah. They will understand that the purpose of the Great Tribulation will be to bring Israel to an experiential knowledge and loving relationship with her Messiah.