Jeremiah 30-31

[wolfpurplemoon]

God says, take dictation Jeremiah.

Soon the people will be able to prosper again and anyone who tries to oppress them will be punished, once they're done with being oppressed by the people God allows to do such things.

The people of Israel are the children that God takes delight in, he's fond of them and has pity for them even though he has to punish them occasionally. Which is like a parent of course, but if God made the whole planet and all the people, why are the people of Israel the only ones he sees as his children?

People will die for their own sins under the new covenant that God will make. Comforting, I guess?

Jerusalem will be bigger and better than before and will never be torn down or destroyed again. What's the definition of destroyed, exactly?

Comments

[zteccc.livejournal.com]

God has sent the people of Judah into exile. He hasn't disowned them, but they will experience a different life in Babylon than they would under God's protection in Israel. God will still protect them there, but will allow them to experience some of what they would suffer if God wasn't providing protection for them. At a future time, God will release them and return them to Israel (after they've learned how much better they had it with God's protection).

There will be a new covenant between God and his people. This new covenant will not rely on written laws or rules to be followed, but will be something people will intuitively know. Forgiveness of sins will be part of this covenant.

The people of Israel are special. God made a covenant with Abraham, one that Abraham honored, and from Abraham came the people of Jacob (Israel). The end result is that Israel will be the people that will produce the future King (Messiah; Christ). No matter which people were chosen, God had to choose some people somewhere for Jesus to be born, and if God had chosen a different people, we'd be asking the same question about them, why they were the special ones. Israel is also held to a higher/tougher standard because of the covenant. All other people are special to God as well. Certainly God chose the Babylonians to rule over Judah. God chose the Persians to deliver Judah from the Babylonians generations later. God chose the Assyrians to conquer the northern kingdom and God sent Jonah to Nineveh (the capital of Assyria) to warn them to change their ways in preparation for their conquest of Israel. All nations have seen periods of prosperity and peace and have suffered periods of war and oppression.

Destroyed, in this context means a desolate city. After Babylon finished their conquest of Jerusalem, it literally became a ghost town. Nobody lived in the city, all buildings were damaged and uninhabitable. The prophecy is that this won't happen again. That said, this is often considered a prophecy of the last days (after Jesus' second coming).

thoughts of a believer

[(Anonymous)]

I really love reading your replies zteccc, I'm learning as I go as well, you are very insightful. May God bless you

Re: thoughts of a believer

[zteccc.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you appreciate my efforts. I endeavor only to be a reasoned analysis of the same scriptures that Amy (WolfPurpleMoon) has been reading.

-- Jeff