08/13/08: Jeremiah 50-51
Jeremiah 50 & 51 are prophetic of the downfall and overthrowing of Babylon. Many prophecies in Scripture have dual events of fulfillment. One might say that the first one of these is the "dress rehearsal" and the second one is the "real deal." This is one of those cases.
Ancient Babylon eventually was overthrown by the Medo-Persian Empire (see Nebuchadnezzar's statue). Babylon is in present-day Iraq, and Persia is present-day Iran. Jeremiah wrote about "an alliance of great nations from the land of the north" which would come against Babylon (Jeremiah 50:9).
We know that this ultimate battle will happen at the end of the age, for two reasons:
1) At that time, Israel no longer will be found guilty of their sins, because God will forgive the remnant that is remaining (Jeremiah 50:20).
2) After Babylon is destroyed, no man or animal will live it in it anymore, because it will be desolate forever (51:61,62).
Neither of these things has happened before. Israel cannot be completely forgiven of her sins until her Messiah comes to forgive them. Furthermore, after Jesus returns, Babylon never will be inhabited again. Many of the points in Jeremiah 50 & 51 are amazingly similar to Revelation 18, which without a doubt is the fall of Babylon that will take place at the very end of the age. More about the destruction of Babylon, and how it probably will occur, can be found at Gog vs. Antichrist.
Ancient Babylon eventually was overthrown by the Medo-Persian Empire (see Nebuchadnezzar's statue). Babylon is in present-day Iraq, and Persia is present-day Iran. Jeremiah wrote about "an alliance of great nations from the land of the north" which would come against Babylon (Jeremiah 50:9).
We know that this ultimate battle will happen at the end of the age, for two reasons:
1) At that time, Israel no longer will be found guilty of their sins, because God will forgive the remnant that is remaining (Jeremiah 50:20).
2) After Babylon is destroyed, no man or animal will live it in it anymore, because it will be desolate forever (51:61,62).
Neither of these things has happened before. Israel cannot be completely forgiven of her sins until her Messiah comes to forgive them. Furthermore, after Jesus returns, Babylon never will be inhabited again. Many of the points in Jeremiah 50 & 51 are amazingly similar to Revelation 18, which without a doubt is the fall of Babylon that will take place at the very end of the age. More about the destruction of Babylon, and how it probably will occur, can be found at Gog vs. Antichrist.
08/07/08: Jeremiah 33
Ted: Messianic and Millennial prophecy: "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will fulfill the gracious promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David's line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness. For this is what the LORD says: 'David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, nor will the priests, who are Levites, ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices'" (Jeremiah 33:14-18).
At the end of the age, all of the promises that God made millennia ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will come to pass, because God cannot lie. The "righteous Branch" that will "sprout from David's line" is Jesus, a direct descendant of David. He will sit as King in Jerusalem and "will do what is just and right in the land." Jerusalem, in the region of Judah, will "live in safety" and will be known throughout the world as "The Lord Our Righteousness."
Jesus will sit on the throne of the house of Israel forever. Most people believe that there will be no need for burnt offerings and the presenting of sacrifices once Jesus returns. This actually is not the case, as the Levite priests will do this continually. In fact, this is described in much greater detail in Ezekiel 40:38-43, 43:18-27, 44:11-16, 45:13-25, 46:2-7,11-15. The reason for this is that there will be sin during the Millennium, and it will need to be atoned for on a regular basis. Not until the brand new Creation comes (Revelation 21:1,5) will sin, and thus the required atonement for it, be gone.
"I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore" (Jeremiah 33:22). Evidently, during the 1,000-year period, the population of Judah and Israel will thrive and grow into the billions, due to the extreme prosperity that Jesus will provide for them. Jesus will be the "son" of David who will "rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (33:26).
At the end of the age, all of the promises that God made millennia ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will come to pass, because God cannot lie. The "righteous Branch" that will "sprout from David's line" is Jesus, a direct descendant of David. He will sit as King in Jerusalem and "will do what is just and right in the land." Jerusalem, in the region of Judah, will "live in safety" and will be known throughout the world as "The Lord Our Righteousness."
Jesus will sit on the throne of the house of Israel forever. Most people believe that there will be no need for burnt offerings and the presenting of sacrifices once Jesus returns. This actually is not the case, as the Levite priests will do this continually. In fact, this is described in much greater detail in Ezekiel 40:38-43, 43:18-27, 44:11-16, 45:13-25, 46:2-7,11-15. The reason for this is that there will be sin during the Millennium, and it will need to be atoned for on a regular basis. Not until the brand new Creation comes (Revelation 21:1,5) will sin, and thus the required atonement for it, be gone.
"I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless as the stars of the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore" (Jeremiah 33:22). Evidently, during the 1,000-year period, the population of Judah and Israel will thrive and grow into the billions, due to the extreme prosperity that Jesus will provide for them. Jesus will be the "son" of David who will "rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" (33:26).
08/05/08: Jeremiah 30-31
Ted: Millennial and Messianic prophecy: "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their forefathers to possess,' says the LORD. ... 'In that day,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'I will break the yoke off their necks and will tear off their bonds; no longer will foreigners enslave them. Instead, they will serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. ... Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?' declares the LORD'" (Jeremiah 30:3,8,9,21).
At the end of the age (that is, at the end of the 70th Week), those in Israel and in Judah whom God will have sent into captivity will return to their land. This land, promised millennia ago to their forefathers, will be theirs during the Millennium. They will be free, and no one ever again will persecute them, harass them, nor enslave them.
They will serve the Lord, Jesus, who will sit in Jerusalem as King of the world. They also will serve their King David, whom God will resurrect to be there king again (see David, the king). "I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD [Jesus] will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken" (Ezekiel 34:23,24). David will be "one of their own," since he has been their king before. He will be very close to the Lord, Jesus, and will devote himself only to Him. David will be the "prince" who will be "the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the LORD [Jesus]" (44:3).
Before all of this, though, Israel must endure the "time of Jacob's trouble," which will be during the last half (Great Tribulation period) of the 70th Week. However, Jacob (Israel) will be saved out of it, when their Messiah, Jesus, returns. "Cries of fear are heard—terror, not peace. Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:5-7). The first half of the 70th Week will be like "the beginning of birth pains" (Matthew 24:5-8). The last half, especially near the end, will be like a "woman in labor" (Isaiah 13:8, 21:3), who will endure extreme suffering before bringing forth her children of freedom (66:8)--the Israelites who will enter the glorious Millennium.
Millennial prophecy: "'At that time,' declares the LORD, 'I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people.' This is what the LORD says: 'The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel'" (Jeremiah 31:1,2). Only after Jesus comes again will all of Israel turn completely to God, and they will be His chosen people. They finally will rest from millennia of turmoil and persecution.
The remainder of Jeremiah 31 describes how it will be for Israel when Jesus returns. Many believe that death will end when Jesus returns, and that it will not be present during the Millennium. Not so (for instance, Jeremiah 31:30). Not until the end of the 1,000 years will death be tossed into the lake of fire and destroyed (Revelation 20:14). Throughout the Millennium, people will continue to die for their sins, just as the always have (Romans 6:23). The difference is that, after Jesus returns, all sins performed by mortal people will be uncovered, exposed, and dealt with speedily.
At the end of the age (that is, at the end of the 70th Week), those in Israel and in Judah whom God will have sent into captivity will return to their land. This land, promised millennia ago to their forefathers, will be theirs during the Millennium. They will be free, and no one ever again will persecute them, harass them, nor enslave them.
They will serve the Lord, Jesus, who will sit in Jerusalem as King of the world. They also will serve their King David, whom God will resurrect to be there king again (see David, the king). "I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD [Jesus] will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken" (Ezekiel 34:23,24). David will be "one of their own," since he has been their king before. He will be very close to the Lord, Jesus, and will devote himself only to Him. David will be the "prince" who will be "the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the LORD [Jesus]" (44:3).
Before all of this, though, Israel must endure the "time of Jacob's trouble," which will be during the last half (Great Tribulation period) of the 70th Week. However, Jacob (Israel) will be saved out of it, when their Messiah, Jesus, returns. "Cries of fear are heard—terror, not peace. Ask and see: Can a man bear children? Then why do I see every strong man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor, every face turned deathly pale? How awful that day will be! None will be like it. It will be a time of trouble for Jacob, but he will be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:5-7). The first half of the 70th Week will be like "the beginning of birth pains" (Matthew 24:5-8). The last half, especially near the end, will be like a "woman in labor" (Isaiah 13:8, 21:3), who will endure extreme suffering before bringing forth her children of freedom (66:8)--the Israelites who will enter the glorious Millennium.
Millennial prophecy: "'At that time,' declares the LORD, 'I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people.' This is what the LORD says: 'The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel'" (Jeremiah 31:1,2). Only after Jesus comes again will all of Israel turn completely to God, and they will be His chosen people. They finally will rest from millennia of turmoil and persecution.
The remainder of Jeremiah 31 describes how it will be for Israel when Jesus returns. Many believe that death will end when Jesus returns, and that it will not be present during the Millennium. Not so (for instance, Jeremiah 31:30). Not until the end of the 1,000 years will death be tossed into the lake of fire and destroyed (Revelation 20:14). Throughout the Millennium, people will continue to die for their sins, just as the always have (Romans 6:23). The difference is that, after Jesus returns, all sins performed by mortal people will be uncovered, exposed, and dealt with speedily.
08/05/08: Jeremiah 25-26
Ted: Seventy years were prophesied for Judah to remain in captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11). After seventy years in Babylon, Daniel read this prophecy, written by Jeremiah (Daniel 9:2) and knew that the time for his people to return to their land was at hand.
Messianic prophecy: "The LORD will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD will bring charges against the nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword" (Jeremiah 25:30,31).
The Lord (Jesus), Himself, will return, shouting like those treading the grapes" as He "tramples" those in the "great winepress or God's wrath"; furthermore, He will put the wicked to the sword (His sharp Word) that comes out of His mouth (Revelation 14:19,20, 19:15). "At that time those slain by the LORD will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other" (Jeremiah 25:33). Only the wicked will be slain; all the rest will survive and continue on into the Millennium.
Messianic prophecy: "The LORD will roar from on high; he will thunder from his holy dwelling and roar mightily against his land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD will bring charges against the nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword" (Jeremiah 25:30,31).
The Lord (Jesus), Himself, will return, shouting like those treading the grapes" as He "tramples" those in the "great winepress or God's wrath"; furthermore, He will put the wicked to the sword (His sharp Word) that comes out of His mouth (Revelation 14:19,20, 19:15). "At that time those slain by the LORD will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other" (Jeremiah 25:33). Only the wicked will be slain; all the rest will survive and continue on into the Millennium.
08/05/08: Jeremiah 23
Messianic prophecy: "'I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD. 'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:3-6).
At the end of this age, God will scatter those in Israel and Judah to other places, as He did long ago when He sent them into captivity into Assyria and Babylon, respectively. But then, when Jesus returns, He Himself will regather them back into their land again.
At that time, the shepherds He will place over them will be the believers who have been given their imperishable, incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52-54). The "righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land" (Jeremiah 23:5) is Jesus, who was from the lineage of David. He literally, physically will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule over not only Israel but the world. He will be known as "the LORD Our Righteousness" (23:6).
At the end of this age, God will scatter those in Israel and Judah to other places, as He did long ago when He sent them into captivity into Assyria and Babylon, respectively. But then, when Jesus returns, He Himself will regather them back into their land again.
At that time, the shepherds He will place over them will be the believers who have been given their imperishable, incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:52-54). The "righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land" (Jeremiah 23:5) is Jesus, who was from the lineage of David. He literally, physically will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule over not only Israel but the world. He will be known as "the LORD Our Righteousness" (23:6).
07/28/08: Jeremiah 3
Ted: End-time Prophecy: "'Return, faithless people,' declares the LORD, 'for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD'" (Jeremiah 3:14,15,17).
After Jesus returns, God will be through punishing Israel for being so unfaithful to Him in the past. The "shepherds" God will give Israel at that time, who will lead the people with knowledge and understanding, probably will be those who have been raptured and glorified, never to be corrupted again. At that time (during the Millennium), the throne of the Lord (Jesus) will be in Jerusalem, and representatives will travel to Jerusalem to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16).
Jeremiah spoke of disaster and terrible destruction coming from the north (Jeremiah 2:6). Most likely, this is the armies of Gog/Magog (Ezekiel 38:2,3,15,16, 39:1,2) which will come, from the north, against Israel at the end of the age (I suspect near the end of the final seven years). This is described in much more detail in my Final Battles commentary.
After Jesus returns, God will be through punishing Israel for being so unfaithful to Him in the past. The "shepherds" God will give Israel at that time, who will lead the people with knowledge and understanding, probably will be those who have been raptured and glorified, never to be corrupted again. At that time (during the Millennium), the throne of the Lord (Jesus) will be in Jerusalem, and representatives will travel to Jerusalem to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16).
Jeremiah spoke of disaster and terrible destruction coming from the north (Jeremiah 2:6). Most likely, this is the armies of Gog/Magog (Ezekiel 38:2,3,15,16, 39:1,2) which will come, from the north, against Israel at the end of the age (I suspect near the end of the final seven years). This is described in much more detail in my Final Battles commentary.
