Assurance, insurance, warranty, guarantee. What more can one ask of God? We can add His personal word to this list. This is precisely what Jeremiah 33 is all about. This is the assents and absolutes of chapter 33. It is all about a time in history that has yet to happen. This is true God sanctioned covenant-prophecy.
We begin this article by starting with the final two verses in chapter 33:

Jer 33:25 Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth,
Jer 33:26 then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.” (ESV)

We have two very profound issues in these closing verses of Jeremiah 33.
1. God establishes his “Red Line” by stating what it will take to cause him to reject his chosen.
2. This explains why in Daniel 7:25 we find that the anti-Christ will try to change the seasons, time, and day and night.
This chapter comes through Jeremiah while he is still imprisoned; “shut up in the court of the guard.” God begins by reminding Jeremiah that it is HE who created all that is created (John 1:1-3). Meaning: it is all in HIS (God’s) hands and wishes. In the Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) God uses his name Jehovah three times in one verse. Jehovah is the Jewish national name for God. He is underscoring that this is HIS to do and it will be done.

“…(secrets) which thou knowest not” (KJV)… God wishes to reveal secrets (knowledge and understanding) but man must first ask. This is another example of the “If you____, then I will____.” These are secrets that no one has yet understood and cannot without the help and insight of Jehovah-God. There is a key word in this promise from God to reveal secrets yet unknown and answer a request from any of God’s chosen. It is the word “IMPORTANT.” (ERV) “I will tell you important secrets; You have never heard these things before.”

Not only is it important to God, it is a secret that no one has any knowledge of up to this point. Oddly, we do not read specifically what that secret is since God continues his monologue with Jeremiah. Jeremiah does not pray or ask for incite in this chapter. He only continues to listen and record.
Regarding Jerusalem’s and Jeremiah’s current circumstances, Jeremiah 33:4 even explains how Nebuchadnezzar will invade and conquer the cities of Judah; specifically Jerusalem. Then immediately in the next verse, God changes the tone of his anger to a future prophecy of total security for both Israel and Judah; i.e. all 12 Tribes of Jacob (Israel). The CEV (Contemporary English Version) puts it …”Then someday, I will heal this place and my people as well, and let them enjoy unending peace.” Three covenants in one sentence:

1. Jehovah-God will heal this place;
2. heal his people;
3. and give them never ending peace.

That someday has yet to occur. There is no recorded history that reveals this has already happened even to this very day. This makes it an End Time event. From verse 7 forward to the end of the chapter God reveals what it will include. Most importantly to keep perspective, God specifically identifies both Judah and Israel in these covenants of a future yet to happen. Keep in mind that the Old Testament is about a nation; the New Testament is about individuals. One can present a valid argument that God is over Israel well into the End Time and millennial reign just as Jesus is over his church or body of believers. Every covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be fulfilled. The covenants with Israel as a twelve tribe unit of Gods’ chosen is unambiguous.

Jeremiah 33:9 makes a point that too many theologians want to ignore, spiritualize, or otherwise cast doubt upon it.

When that happens, all nations on earth will see the good things I have done for Jerusalem, and how I have given it complete peace. The nations will celebrate and praise and honor me, but they will also tremble with fear. [CEV]

A simple reading of this verse renders it exclusive, not inclusive of the *church or the world. The argument is a question… when will this happen? The answer is relatively easy to conclude. It is the millennial reign of Christ and God in Jerusalem after the Tribulation and Jacob’s Trouble. Satan is bound for a thousand years and cannot influence world events one way or another. Let’s look at it this way. During the 1,000 year Kingdom on Earth with Jerusalem being the focal point, there will remain other nations but since the verse includes that “**people will tremble with fear” we can also conclude that Satan may be bound but we still have a free will; choices.
*Church: If it has been raptured pre or mid tribulation, it is no longer in anticipation of some additional blessing or assurance or redemption.

**People: this identifies other nations since the Hebrew word goy refers to Gentiles or people outside of the chosen of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

When Israel under the guidance of Joshua entered the Promised Land, it was identified as a land flowing of milk and honey. The word “desolate” in V11 means “parched, dry, a wasteland.” We know from recent history that when the land was given back to the Jews in 1948, it was sparsely unoccupied, barren, and considered a wasteland. At that time even the Arabs didn’t want it. God (Jehovah) promises to return it to the original fertile grounds with an abundance of crops, grazing herds, and HIS chosen people living there in total peace. There will once again be bride and bridegroom, children, elderly and middle aged, exchanging of goods and services, and much to the surprise of far too many theologians, animal and grain sacrifice will be offered up once again at the alter in Temple; offered by those by those of Levite DNA.

The end of verse 14 once again reiterates that this is exclusive and not inclusive. We read: when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. This is all a covenant yet to be fulfilled to those descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We find (read) more evidence of its ‘targeted to Israel’ scenario in verse 15 through 17. King David’s lineage is once again mentioned as a ruler or branch that will once again sit on the throne over Israel. One should note that it does not say David himself will be resurrected to do the ruling, but a branch from the lineage of him will now sit on the throne. Jesus is of the lineage of David; i.e. the Tribe of Judah.
Verse 18 is where we get cries of fowl or spiritualizing the exclusiveness of this time. WE read from the ESV:

“…the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.”

Did you read that? Offer burnt offerings!!!! No longer will the burnt offering be a sign of repentance and forgiveness of sin, but it will now be a sign of homage or reverence. Yes, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for the worlds’ sins however the burnt offerings by those of the Levitical line will be a sign of honor to God.
Jeremiah 33:24 is where modern day Arabs point to as evidence that the land in Palestine no longer belongs to Israel. Israel lost their stolen birthright, so they say, due to not honoring God and their being scattered thought the four corners of the earth. They surrendered it just as did Esau when he sold his birthright to Jacob. He states to Jeremiah that others point out that God-Jehovah has rejected his first choice and it now reverts to the Arabs. This can be found in almost any dialogue in modern day news or political jockeying.
The final two verses present an opportunity for the anti-Christ to change the seasons, day and night time hours (Daniel 7:25). It is only under the (impossible) probability that God will turn his back on Israel if and only if the “TIMES” and “SEASONS” can be changed. So much for global warming changing the seasons. This is not supported in scripture.

(ESV) Jer 33:25 “Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth,
Jer 33:26 [only] then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…”

Rev. Dr. Jstark
August, 2017