Jeremiah 31:1-26

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Restoration of Israel and Judah

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. In the future, the northern kingdom of Israel will be restored.

  2. In the future, the southern kingdom of Judah will be restored.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Learn the secret of a good night's rest

QUESTIONS

  1. The fact that the house of Israel and the house of Judah are differentiated in this chapter emphasizes the fact that these prophesies of restoration refer to the descendants of the 12 ________ __ ________, not to Christians.

  2. These passages also affirm that the ___________ has not replaced Israel and is not the new Israel.

  3. In verses 6, 9, 18 and 20, the kingdom of Israel is identified by the tribe of ____________. Why was the name of this particular tribe used?

  4. In verses 15-17 the Lord refers to northern Israel as the person of __________. Why?

  5. Verses 23-25 continue the prophecy of restoration. According to these verses, who will God restore in the future?

ANSWERS

  1. These prophecies clearly refer to the descendants of the 12 tribes of Israel.

  2. The Church has not replaced Israel and is not the new Israel. Israel is Israel and these prophecies of the restoration of the reunited House of Israel and House of Judah do not refer to the Church, but to the literal descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

  3. The kingdom of Israel in verses 6, 9, 18 and 20 is referred to as Ephraim, because Ephraim was such a large and major tribe of the northern kingdom.

  4. In verses 15-17 the Lord refers to northern Israel as Rachel, because she was the mother of Joseph. Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, and they were major tribes in the northern house of Israel.

  5. According to verses 23-25, God will restore the southern kingdom of Judah. When these verses are interpreted literally, we see that the land of Judah and her cities and the Temple Mount will be restored in righteousness and peace.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. The Lord said in verse 1 of this chapter that the restoration of all the families of Israel will be “at that time,” that is, at the same time as the events of chapter 30. We know that these events in chapter 30 take place in the future, at the time of Christ’s return. Discuss the numerous events that will take place as mentioned in these two chapters.

CHALLENGE

  1. When you are troubled and are not able to sleep at night, are you, like Jeremiah (in verse 26), able to recall and recount God’s prophetic promises? Is your trust in His sovereignty and sufficiency able to bring you “sweet sleep?

KEY VERSES

  • “Refrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded,” says the Lord, “and they shall come back from the land of the enemy.” Jeremiah 31:16

Jeremiah, Old Testament, TalksDeb HarmsJeremiah 31:1-26