Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 33:17

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The nation restored (33:1-26)

After this reassurance, God encourages Jeremiah to ask for further revelations of his plans for his people (3:1-3). Because of his imprisonment, Jeremiah may not know what is happening in and around the city. God shows him that the people of Jerusalem are desperate. They are demolishing houses and palaces in order to obtain materials to strengthen the city walls against the enemy’s battering rams. But they are wasting their time, as the city is going to be destroyed (4-5).
Nevertheless, God will not forsake his people. After he has cleansed them from their sin, he will bring them back and they will rebuild the city to God’s glory (6-9). In the cities of Judah there will be joy, in the pastures there will be peace, and in the temple there will be the sound of praise to God (10-13).
Once more a king of the dynasty of David will rule over Israel, and Jerusalem will be the city of God’s salvation. Both the king and the city will be true expressions of God’s righteousness (14-16; cf. 23:5-6). The Davidic dynasty and the Levitical priesthood will work together in perfect harmony, and worship will ascend to God perpetually (17-18). As certainly as night follows day and day follows night, God will fulfil his covenant promises to the dynasty of David and the tribe of Levi. Civil and religious power will work together for the good of his people as God intended (19-22).
When God punishes Israel and Judah, some people claim that he has rejected them. God tells Jeremiah that he has not. Despite their sin, they are still the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and they are still his people (23-26).

Note: After the time of exile, Zerubbabel, a descendant of David in the kingly line, became governor of Jerusalem (Haggai 2:20-23; Matthew 1:12,Matthew 1:17), and Joshua, a descendant of Aaron, became high priest (Haggai 1:1). There was peaceful cooperation between them and together they helped to reestablish Israel (Zechariah 6:13). But Israel did not maintain its loyalty to God. The nation never experienced fully all the blessings that Jeremiah pictures in this chapter. These blessings come in their fulness only through Jesus Christ, the messianic Son of David, the Great High Priest (Matthew 22:42-44; Acts 13:33-34; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 10:11-18).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

MESSIAH THE BRANCH IS PROMISED

"Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will perform the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby she shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness. For thus saith Jehovah: David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; neither shall the priests of the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt-offerings, to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually."

As noted in the chapter introduction, the only difficulty here is the apparent promise of the perpetual succession of his descendants upon the throne of David and also that of the permanent, unending restoration of the Levitical priests with their animal sacrifices, events which are denied absolutely by other passages of the Word of God. We have rejected the device which would remove this passage from God's Word; and the best explanation of the true meaning, as we see it, is that of Payne Smith.

"The solution is probably as follows. It was necessary that the Bible should be intelligent to the people at the time when it was written, and in some degree to the writer. Neither writer nor the reader needed to know the whole meaning, but it must have had some meaning to them. But language can never rise above the ideas of the time; for words are merely symbols, taken at first from external objects, but gradually elevated and made to express mental emotions and spiritual conceptions. The Jew therefore could use only such symbols as he possessed; and in describing the perfections of the Christian Church, he was compelled to represent it as the state of things under which he had lived, freed from all imperfections. Thus we can form no idea of Deity except as a man freed from all human weakness… So here; the Davidic kingdom and the Levitical priesthood are symbols that represented to the Jew all that was most dear to his heart in the state of things under which he lived."Scribner's Bible Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1898), p. 489.

The limitation of language itself has been frequently mentioned in my series of commentaries. "The waters above the firmament" in the Creation narrative, for example, actually refer to "moisture in the atmosphere, or clouds"; but the Jews had no word for "vapor"; therefore, the waters (liquid) were beneath the firmament, and the waters (vapor) were above the firmament.

Also, read the description of the New Jerusalem in Revelation's last two chapters. "Transparent gold" is an impossibility.

Language often breaks down as an inadequate vehicle for the conveyance of the thoughts of God; and so we believe is the case here. The continuity of a succession of rulers on the literal throne of David and the perpetual ministrations of the Levitical order in their offerings of burnt-offerings, etc., represented to the Jew the full and perpetual restoration of his national life, along with freedom from oppressive foreign rule, and restoration of all the rights and privileges of his holy religion: Furthermore, it was impossible for the Jewish mind to have comprehended such marvelous blessings apart from such promises as are found in these five verses.

Nevertheless, we believe that the words are also literally true when properly understood. How about all of those "kings" and "priests" which are promised here? They are those who have been loosed from their sins and cleansed in the blood of Christ. "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins, in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6, KJV).

KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD

These are Christians, called by the apostle Peter "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9), and of whom the prophecy declares that "They live and reign with Jesus Christ a thousand years!" (Revelation 20:6). And just who are these? They are those who participated in the "first resurrection." They are those who experienced the new birth (Revelation 20:5).

And how about those "sacrifices" which are to be offered perpetually? "Ye (Christians)… are a spiritual house, a royal (or holy) priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5).

And the burnt-offerings… what about them? When the true sacrifice for sins, even Christ our Lord, died upon Calvary, the whole institution of animal sacrifices perished forever, never to be renewed. Therefore the perpetual sacrifices mentioned here refer not to burnt offerings, etc, but to "spiritual sacrifices," as indicated in the above paragraph. And exactly what are those spiritual sacrifices? They are the songs, the prayers, the charities, the good deeds, the faithful lives of true Christians. They are described in Hebrews.

"Through him (Christ) then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips that make confession to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:15-16).

These New Testament passages clear up completely any problems that are alleged to appear in these verses. Again we have proof that when radical critics wish to expunge some verse or some chapter from the Bible, it is merely because they cannot understand the passage; and for many of them, their failure is due to their apparent ignorance of everything in the New Testament.

THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH

"I will cause a Branch of righteousness to arise unto David" This prophecy parallels that of Jeremiah 23:1-8. (See notes on this above). It is amazing that "Jehovah Our Righteousness," which is given there as the name of the Righteous Branch (The Messiah), appears here as the name of Jerusalem. This is no contradiction, because the New Jerusalem is the Church of God, completely identified with the True Israel who is Jesus Christ, a truth which becomes crystal clear in the New Testament. This designation of Jerusalem as "Jehovah Our Righteousness" makes it mandatory to read "Jerusalem" here as "The New Jerusalem." All will admit the total impropriety of associating a name like that with the literal earthly Jerusalem.

Although his prophecies of the Messiah are not as extensive as those of Isaiah, Jeremiah nevertheless often spoke of the coming of the Messiah. "He spoke of the Messiah as `The Spring of Living Waters' (Jeremiah 2:13), `The Good Shepherd' (Jeremiah 23:4; Jeremiah 31:10), `The Righteous Branch' (here and in Jeremiah 23:5 f), `The Redeemer' (Jeremiah 50:34), `The Lord Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6), `David the King' (Jeremiah 30:9), and as `The Agent of the New Covenant' (Jeremiah 31:31-34)."R. K. Harrison, Jeremiah in the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, p. 144.

Thus, we find no fault whatever with what the holy prophet has written here; and we believe that the full understanding of it is clear enough in the marvelous words of the New Testament. The literal interpretation which sees here a promise, not of One Davidic King alone, namely the Messiah, "but a series of Davidic descendants to occupy the throne of David"Anthony L. Ash, Psalms (Abilene, Texas: A.C.U. Press, 1987), p. 240. is incorrect. As Jellie noted, "It was impossible, and now is impossible, to restore: (1) either a literal reign of David's descendants or (2) the Levitical priesthood, for two reasons: (a) Their genealogical tables have been irrecoverably lost, and (b) nothing short of a direct decision from God Himself could distinguish the descendants of David or Levi from the descendants of any other of the twelve tribes of ancient Israel."W. Harvey Jellie, Jeremiah, in the Preacher's Complete Homiletic Commentary (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company), p. 555.

Furthermore, it should be particularly noted that this chapter says nothing at all about any "succession" of Davidic kings, or any series of such rulers, but that he shall have "a son to reign upon his throne." That son is the Son of God, the Messiah. But how about the plurality that seems to be here implied? Well, Christ himself said of the Twelve Apostles, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28), a reference, of course, to the spiritual authority of the Apostles in God's Church.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Read literally, these verses promise the permanent restoration of the Davidic throne and (of the Levitical priesthood. As a matter of fact Zedekiah was the last king of David’s line, and the Levitical priest-hood has long passed away. Both these changes Jeremiah himself foretold Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 3:16. In what way then is this apparent contradiction (compare Isaiah 66:20-23; Ezek. 40–48) to be explained? The solution is probably as follows. It was necessary that the Bible should be intelligible to the people at the time when it was written, and in some degree to the writer. The Davidic kingship and the Levitical priest-hood were symbols, which represented to the Jew all that was most dear to his heart in the state of things under which he lived. Their restoration was the restoration of his national and spiritual life. Neither was so restored as to exist permanently. But that was given instead, of which both were types, the Church, whose Head is the true prophet, priest and King.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

The Prophet had spoken of the restoration of the Church; he now confirms the same truth, for he promises that the kingdom and the priesthood would be perpetual. The safety of the people, as it is well known, was secured by these two things; for without a king they were like an imperfect or a maimed body, and without a priesthood there was nothing but ruin; for the priest was, as it were, the mediator between God and the people, and the king represented God. We now, then, perceive the object of the Prophet, why he speaks expressly here of the kingdom and the priesthood, for the people could not otherwise have any ground to stand on. He therefore declares that the condition of the people would be safe, because there would always be some of the posterity of David, who would succeed to govern them, and there would always be some of the posterity of Levi, to offer sacrifices.

But this passage ought to be carefully noticed, for we hence gather, that though all other things were given to us according to our wishes, we should yet be ever miserable, except we had Christ as our head, to perform the office of a king and of a priest. This, then, is the only true happiness of the Church, even to be in subjection to Christ, so that he may exercise towards us the two offices described here. Hence also we gather, that these are the two marks of a true Church, by which she is to be distinguished from all conventicles, who falsely profess the name of God, and boast themselves to be Churches. For where the kingdom and priesthood of Christ are found, there, no doubt, is the Church; but where Christ is not owned as a king and a priest, nothing is there but confusion, as under the Papacy; for though they pretend the name of Christ, yet, as they do not submit to his government and laws, nor are satisfied with his priesthood, but have devised for themselves numberless patrons and advocates, it is quite evident that, notwithstanding the great splendor of the Papacy, it is nothing but an abomination before God. Let us, then, learn to begin with the kingdom and the priesthood, when we speak of the state and government of the Church.

Now we know that in David was promised a spiritual kingdom, for what was David but a type of Christ? As God then gave in David a living image of his only-begotten Son, we ought ever to pass from the temporal kingdom to the eternal, from the visible to the spiritual, from the earthly to the celestial. The same thing ought to be said of the priesthood; for no mortal can reconcile God to men, and make an atonement for sins; and further, the blood of bulls and of goats could not pacify the wrath of God, nor incense, nor the sprinkling of,water, nor any of the things which belonged to the ceremonial laws; they could not, give the hope of salvation, so as to quiet trembling consciences. It then follows, that that priesthood was shadowy, and that the Levites represented Christ until he came.

But the Prophet here speaks according to the circumstances of his own time, when he says, Cut off shall not be from David a man, who may sit on the throne of the house of Israel; and then, cut off shall not be from the priests, the Levites, a man who may kindle burnt-offerings burn an oblation, etc. ⁽⁹²⁾ Why does he not speak in general of the whole people? Why does he not promise that the twelve tribes would be saved? for this would be, a matter of greater moment. But as we have said, we ought to understand this principle, that every kind of blessing is included here, so that men are always in a miserable state unless they are ruled by Christ and have him as their priest.

But it may be asked here, how does this prophecy agree with facts? for from the time Jeremiah promised such a state of things, there has been no successor to David. It is true, indeed, that Zerubbabel was a leader among the people, but he was without a royal title or dignity. There was no throne, no crown, no scepter, from the time in which the people returned from their Babylonian exile; and yet God testified by the mouth of Jeremiah that there would be those from the posterity of David, who would govern the people in continual succession. He does not stay that they would be chiefs or leaders, but he adorns them with a royal title. Some one, he says, will ever remain to occupy the throne. I have said already that there has been no throne. But we must bear in mind what Ezekiel says, that an interruption as to the kingdom is not contrary to this prophecy, as to the perpetuity of the kingdom, or continued succession,(Ezekiel 21:27) for he prophesied that the crown would be cast down, until the legitimate successor of David came. It was therefore necessary that the diadem should fall and be cast on the ground, or be transverted, as the Prophet says, until Christ was manifested. As, then, this had been declared, now when our Prophet speaks of kings succeeding David, we must so understand what he says as that that should remain true which has been said of the cast down diadem. God, then, did cast down the diadem until the legitimate successor came. Ezekiel does not only say, “Cast ye it down transverted,” but he repeats the words three times, intimating thereby that the interruption would be long. There was, therefore, no cause of stumbling, when there was no kind of government, nor dignity, nor power; for it was necessary to look forward to the king, to whom the diadem, or the royal crown, was to be restored.

We now then see how it was that there have been always those of David’s posterity who occupied the throne; though this was hidden, yet it may be gathered from other prophetic testimonies. For Amos, when he speaks of Christ’s coming, makes this announcement,

“There shall come at that time one who will repair the ruins of the tabernacle of David.” (Amos 9:11)

It was therefore necessary that the kingdom should be, as it were, demolished when Christ appeared. We further know what Isaiah says,

“Come forth shall a shoot from the root of Jesse.”
(Isaiah 11:1)

He does not there name David, but a private person, who was content with a humble, retired, and rustic life; for a husbandman and a shepherd, as it is well known, was Jesse the father of David. In short, whenever the Prophets declare that the kingdom of David would be perpetual, they do not promise that there would be a succession without interruption; but this ought to be referred to that perpetuity which was at length manifested in Christ alone. We have said elsewhere, how the time of return ought to be connected with the coming of Christ. For it is not necessary nor expedient to introduce an anagogical sense, as interpreters are wont to do, by representing the return of the people as symbolical of what was higher, even of the deliverance which was effected by Christ; for it ought to be considered as one and the same favor of God, that is, that he brought back his people from exile, that they might at length enjoy quiet and solid happiness when the kingdom of David should again be established.

(92) It is better to adopt the secondary meaning of the verb, rendered “cut off,” as it is done by the Syr. and the Targ., which is that of failing or wanting, —

17.For thus saith Jehovah, — Not wanting to David shall be a man, Sitting on the throne of the house of Israel;

18.And to the priests, the Levites, Not wanting shall there be a man before me, Burning a burnt-offering, And perfuming an oblation, And making a sacrifice all the days.

— Ed.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 33

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Thus saith the LORD the maker, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee ( Jeremiah 33:1-3 ),

Well now, he's just been calling unto the Lord. But God says, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee."

and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not ( Jeremiah 33:3 ).

So here is God's invitation, challenge to Jeremiah, "Call unto Me." The promise is, "If you will call unto Me, I will answer." Now this is after he has been calling. You say, "Well, I've been praying about it." He had been praying about it, but then God said, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things, which you know not." Glorious promise of God. A promise in prayer. If you just call upon the Lord, He will show you great and mighty things.

For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honor before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 33:4-11 ).

So God's promises now of restoration of the nation of Israel. It's going to happen. God has said, "I'm going to do it. This land that you say is desolate is going to be filled with voices of joy and happiness, voices of the bridegroom and of the bride." Voices of praise unto the Lord as they come into the temple again offering the sacrifices of praise.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land ( Jeremiah 33:12-15 ).

Who is that Branch of righteousness growing up out of David? Jesus Christ. So he's talking about when Christ comes again and establishes the kingdom that God is going to cause the nation Israel to be again in the land and to be nurtured by the Lord.

In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness. For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; Neither shall the priests and the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meal offerings, and to do sacrifice continually ( Jeremiah 33:16-18 ).

Wait a minute. Why are they having sacrifices after Christ has returned? Wasn't Christ sacrificed once and for all? Yes, for our sins. Notice there's no mention here of sin offerings. That has been fully taken care of. But the burnt offerings were offerings of consecration where you would bring a lamb unto the priest and they would butcher it. And then they would barbecue it and the priest would take that part for him and for the Lord and then you sit and feast on the rest of it. But the parts of it they would offer, the fat and all, they would offer and burn up to the Lord as a burnt offering unto God which was an offering of consecration. "God, I consecrate my life to You." And it's just an offering of fellowship with God as I just give my life to You, God, and the eating of it signifies that oneness with God and the fellowshipping with God. So the meal offering, the same thing. It was just an offering of fellowship. No more sin offerings--that has been complete. But during the Kingdom Age, there will be offerings in Jerusalem. We'll be going there for big barbecues and having a great time as we offer the sacrifices and as we sit and eat with the Lord in that glorious fellowship with Him.

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 33:19-20 );

Now is God going to turn off Israel? Has God turned off Israel? Is God through with Israel? These guys who are telling you the church is going through the Tribulation have told you that He is, but listen to what God says about it.

Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers. As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me. Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, Consider thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? ( Jeremiah 33:20-24 )

That's what people are saying today. God chose, but He's cast them off.

thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them. Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them ( Jeremiah 33:24-26 ).

So God declaring over and over His continued work upon Israel.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The restoration of David’s dynasty and the legitimate priesthood 33:14-26

This section consists of a small collection of messianic prophecies.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

From then on there would always be a Davidic king ruling over the nation of Israel (cf. 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 8:25; 1 Kings 9:5). [Note: See Douglas K. Stuart, "The Prophetic Ideal of Government in the Restoration Era," in Israel’s Apostasy and Restoration: Essays in Honor of Roland K. Harrison, pp. 283-92.]

That King has appeared, but His subjects, the Israelites, refused to accept Him as their King. Therefore, He returned to heaven-but He will return to earth to restore and rule over Israel in the future, at the Second Coming. Christ’s present rule over the church today, from heaven, is not the same rule as the one promised here. The one promised here is a reign over the Israelites at the time of their future restoration.

Covenant premillennialists and "progressive" dispensationalists take a slightly different position. They believe that Christ’s present rule from heaven is the first phase of His reign as the Davidic King, and the second phase will begin with His return to the earth to rule over Israel and the whole world. [Note: For further discussion of this view, see Craig A. Blaising, "The Kingdom of God in the New Testament," in Progressive Dispensationalism, pp. 257-62, 282.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

For thus saith the Lord,.... Confirming the above promise concerning the Messiah; giving a reason why his coming may be expected; and why the salvation, justification, and final perseverance of his church and people, are certain things, and to be depended upon:

David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; or, "there shall not be cut off unto David a man" a; and this is not to be understood of the temporal kingdom of David, which has been at an end long ago: Jeconiah, that was carried captive into Babylon, was written childless, and left no issue; and Zerubbabel, the only one of David's seed that made any figure after the captivity, was not a king; this is only true of the man Christ Jesus, of the seed of David, and is his son, to whom has been given the throne of his father David; and who reigns over the house of Jacob for ever; and of whose kingdom there is no end, Luke 1:32; and as long as he is King of saints, which will be for ever, David will not want a man to sit upon his throne. David's earthly kingdom was but a typical and shadowy one; a type of Christ's spiritual kingdom, which has succeeded it, and in which Christ is David's son and successor, and whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.

a לא יכרת לדוד איש "non exscindetur Davidi vir", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Schmidt.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      17 For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;   18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.   19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying,   20 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;   21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.   22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.   23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,   24 Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.   25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth;   26 Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

      Three of God's covenants, that of royalty with David and his seed, that of the priesthood with Aaron and his seed, and that of Peculiarity with Abraham and his seed, seemed to be all broken and lost while the captivity lasted; but it is here promised that, notwithstanding that interruption and discontinuance for a time, they shall all three take place again, and the true intents and meaning of them all shall be abundantly answered in the New Testament blessings, typified by those conferred on the Jews after their return out of captivity.

      I. The covenant of royalty shall be secured and the promises of it shall have their full accomplishment in the kingdom of Christ, the Son of David, Jeremiah 33:17; Jeremiah 33:17. The throne of Israel was overturned in the captivity; the crown had fallen from their head; there was not a man to sit on the throne of Israel; Jeconiah was written childless. After their return the house of David made a figure again; but it in the Messiah that this promise is performed that David shall never want a man to sit on the throne of Israel, and that David shall have always a son to reign upon his throne. For as long as the man Christ Jesus sits on the right hand of the throne of God, rules the world, and rules it for the good of the church, to which he is a quickening head, and glorified head over all things, as long as he is King upon the holy hill of Zion, David does not want a successor, nor is the covenant with him broken. When the first-begotten was brought into the world it was declared concerning him, The Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever,Luke 1:32; Luke 1:33. For the confirmation of this it is promised, 1. That the covenant with David shall be as firm as the ordinances of heaven, to the stability of which that of God's promise is compared, Jeremiah 31:35; Jeremiah 31:35. There is a covenant of nature, by which the common course of providence is settled and on which it is founded, here called a covenant of the day and the night (Jeremiah 33:20; Jeremiah 33:25), because this is one of the articles of it, That there shall be day and night in their season, according to the distinction put between them in the creation, when God divided between the light and the darkness, and established their mutual succession, and a government to each, that the sun should rule by day and the moon and stars by night (Genesis 1:4; Genesis 1:5; Genesis 1:16), which establishment was renewed after the flood (Genesis 8:22), and has continued ever since, Psalms 19:2. The morning and the evening have both of them their regular outgoings (Psalms 65:8); the day-spring knows its place, knows its time, and keeps both, so do the shadows of the evening; and, while the world stands, this course shall not be altered, this covenant shall not be broken. The ordinances of heaven and earth (of this communication between heaven and earth, the dominion of these ordinances of heaven upon the earth), which God has appointed (Jeremiah 33:25; Job 38:33), shall never be disappointed. Thus firm shall the covenant of redemption be with the Redeemer--God's servant, but David our King, Jeremiah 33:21; Jeremiah 33:21. This intimates that Christ shall have a church on earth to the world's end; he shall see a seed in which he shall prolong his days till time and day shall be no more. Christ's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and when the end cometh, and not till then, it shall be delivered up to God, even the Father. But it intimates that the condition of it in this world shall be intermixed and counterchanged, prosperity and adversity succeeding each other, as light and darkness, day and night. But this is plainly taught us, that, as sure as we may be that, though the sun will set tonight, it will rise again tomorrow morning, whether we live to see it or no, so sure we may be that, though the kingdom of the Redeemer in the world may for a time be clouded and eclipsed by corruptions and persecutions, yet it will shine forth again, and recover its lustre, in the time appointed. 2. That the seed of David shall be as numerous as the host of heaven, that is, the spiritual seed of the Messiah, that shall be born to him by the efficacy of his gospel and his Spirit working with it. From the womb of the morning he shall have the dew of their youth, to be his willing people,Psalms 110:3. Christ's seed are not, as David's were, his successors, but his subjects; yet the day is coming when they also shall reign with him (Jeremiah 33:22; Jeremiah 33:22): As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, so will I multiply the seed of David, so that there shall be no danger of the kingdom's being extinct, or extirpated, for want of heirs. The children are numerous; and, if children, then heirs.

      II. The covenant of priesthood shall be secured, and the promises of that also shall have their full accomplishment. This seemed likewise to be forgotten during the captivity, when there was no altar, no temple service, for the priests to attend upon; but this also shall revive. It did so; immediately upon their coming back to Jerusalem there were priests and Levites ready to offer burnt-offerings and to do sacrifice continually (Ezra 3:2; Ezra 3:3), as is here promised, Jeremiah 33:18; Jeremiah 33:18. But that priesthood soon grew corrupt; the covenant of Levi was profaned (as appears Malachi 2:8), and in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans it came to a final period. We must therefore look elsewhere for the performance of this word, that the covenant with the Levites, the priests, God's ministers, shall be as firm, and last as long, as the covenant with the day and the night. And we find it abundantly performed, 1. In the priesthood of Christ, which supersedes that of Aaron, and is the substance of that shadow. While that great high priest of our profession is always appearing in the presence of God for us, presenting the virtue of his blood by which he made atonement in the incense of his intercession, it may truly be said that the Levites do not want a man before God to offer continually,Hebrews 7:3; Hebrews 7:17. He is a priest for ever. The covenant of the priesthood is called a covenant of peace (Numbers 25:12), of life and peace,Malachi 2:5. Now we are sure that this covenant is not broken, nor in the least weakened, while Jesus Christ is himself our life and our peace. This covenant of priesthood is here again and again joined with that of royalty, for Christ is a priest upon his throne, as Melchizedek. 2. In a settled gospel ministry. While there are faithful ministers to preside in religious assemblies, and to offer up the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, the priests, the Levites, do not want successors, and such as have obtained a more excellent ministry. The apostle makes those that preach the gospel to come in the room of those that served at the altar, 1 Corinthians 9:13; 1 Corinthians 9:14. 3. In all true believers, who are a holy priesthood, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9), who are made to our God kings and priests (Revelation 1:6); they offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God, and themselves, in the first place, living sacrifices. Of these Levites this promise must be understood (Jeremiah 33:22; Jeremiah 33:22), that they shall be as numerous as the sand of the sea, the same that is promised concerning Israel in general (Genesis 22:17); for all God's spiritual Israel are spiritual priests, Revelation 5:9; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 7:9; Revelation 7:15.

      III. The covenant of peculiarity likewise shall be secured and the promises of that covenant shall have their full accomplishment in the gospel Israel. Observe, 1. How this covenant was looked upon as broken during the captivity, Jeremiah 33:24; Jeremiah 33:24. God asks the prophet, "Hast though not heard, and dost thou not consider, what this people have spoken?" either the enemies of Israel, who triumphed in the extirpation of a people that had made such a noise in the world, or the unbelieving Israelites themselves, "this people among whom thou dwellest;" they have broken covenant with God, and then quarrel with him as if he had not dealt faithfully with them. The two families which the Lord hath chosen, Israel and Judah, whereas they were but one when he chose them, he hath even cast them off. "Thus have they despised my people, that is, despised the privilege of being my people as if it were a privilege of no value at all." The neighbouring nations despised them as now no more a nation, but the ruins of a nation, and looked upon all their honour as laid in the dust; but, 2. See how firm the covenant stands notwithstanding, as firm as that with day and night; sooner will God suffer day and night to cease then he will cast away the seed of Jacob. This cannot refer to the seed of Jacob according to the flesh, for they are cast away, but to the Christian church, in which all these promises were to be lodged, as appears by the apostle's discourse, Romans 11:1, c. Christ is that seed of David that is to be perpetual dictator to the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and, as this people shall never want such a king, so this king shall never want such a people. Christianity shall continue in the dominion of Christ, and the subjection of Christians to him, till day and night come to an end. And, as a pledge of this, that promise is again repeated, I will cause their captivity to return; and, having brought them back, I will have mercy on them. To whom this promise refers appears Galatians 6:16, where all that walk according to the gospel rule are made to be the Israel of God, on whom peace and mercy shall be.