Jeremiah 30

CHAPTER 30THEME: The coming Great TribulationChapters 30-39 form the fourth major section of the Book of Jeremiah, and they contain prophecies concerning the future of the twelve tribes of Israel and the near captivity of Judah. The prophecies in this section are not in chronological order. The message in these chapters comes from Jeremiah to Judah in the darkest days she has ever had. It never got so dark that he didn’t have a wonderful message of encouragement, however. This is the situation: the army of Nebuchadnezzar is outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem, and they mean business. This time Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the city and burn the temple. Jeremiah has been arrested and shut up in the courtyard. Literally, he is in jail. It has been seven years since he had his conflict with the false prophets. Events have moved along rather quietly, but every day reveals the accuracy of Jeremiah’s message.

The false prophet Hananiah had said that the power of Babylon would be broken within two years. Seven years have gone by, and Nebuchadnezzar is outside the city wall. His power is not going to be broken; instead he is about to break Jerusalem. The vessels of the Lord’s house are not going to be restored to the temple. Jeconiah will not be returned to the city. Things have gone from bad to worse.

They are out of the frying pan into the fire. The life of the nation of Judah has gone down. With Jerusalem already under the shadow of Babylon, God’s prophet is held captive by the rebellious spirit of a sinning nation which refuses to hear the Word of the Lord. Can any hour be darker? Can any circumstances be more calculated to fill the heart with despair? Yet it is at this time that the prophetic note of Jeremiah’s message goes all the way from the basement to the top floor of the Empire State Building. He is no longer singing low bass; now he’s going to sing high tenor, if you please. He is going to reach the heights. He has come all the way through darkness into the light. The night cometh, but also the morning is coming.

Jeremiah 30:1

He is writing his prophecy now. After all, he’s in jail; he won’t be in the pulpit on Sunday morning.

Jeremiah 30:3

Believe me, the people had gotten the message from Jeremiah that there would be no peace. The false prophets had said, “Peace, peace,” and there was none.

Jeremiah 30:6

Jeremiah sees the great Day of the Lord coming of which the other prophets, including Isaiah, also spoke. They said it is to be a day of darkness and not of light, that the people will go through the night of the Great Tribulation period before they will see the brightness of day. In effect God is saying, “You haven’t seen anything yet. The Great Tribulation period will be far worse than what you are going through now.”

Jeremiah 30:8

THE COMING KINGDOMOut of that awful time of trouble, the people of Israel will return to the land. David will be raised from the dead and will rule over them as they enter the Kingdom Age.

Jeremiah 30:18

This is the sure promise of the Lord. When will these things take place?

Jeremiah 30:24

“In the latter days"this is a prophecy which is to be fulfilled in the future. It refers to the Kingdom Age which is, of course, still future in our day.