GRACE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP | 恩道堂

The book of Jeremiah is often arranged according to theme, not according to strict chronology because the Bible is mainly about principles. The gospels in the NT sometimes also deviate from chronology in order to convey a theme. Chapters 30-33 are about consolation. God uses Israel’s current exile and troubles to prophesy about Israel’s end time exile and troubles. In the end times, Israel will experience a great distressed, called “time of distress (or trouble) for Jacob” (v.7). End times trouble and deliverance of Israel is a clear and repeated theme in the OT. In the end times, Israel will experience trouble like the Babylonian conquest, except it will be even worse, even worse than the holocaust.

But at the end, it will experience a great deliverance like the return of the Babylonian exiles to Israel, except this deliverance will be much greater because Jesus will deliver them and bless them. It will be an upside down world where their captors will be the captured; their devourers will be devoured. Jerusalem will not only be fully restored but it will be the capital of the Messianic Kingdom. The Jews will multiple in numbers. All these blessings will come after God punishes the Jews for their treacherous sins, just as God will bless the exiles after He has punished the nation for their heinous sins.

The OT prophets basically say the same thing over and over again in different ways. The Bible is a big book but the main outline of the book is crystal clear; even a child can understand it. The same old message of sin, God’s righteous judgement, His gracious salvation and future blessing in heaven is repeated in different ways. As Christians let us also repeat the old message of the gospel that includes sin, God’s righteous judgement, His gracious salvation through Jesus and the glory of future heaven. Only the gospel message makes sense of this corrupted world. Only the gospel message is true, not created by man. Only the gospel can save us. Pray that by repeating this old, but true message, you don’t lose your awe of God’s mercy and love. Pray that your heart will always be like a child: dependent and filled with the awe of God’s salvation.

由于圣经主要是阐述道理的，因此耶利米书常常是按主题排列，而不是严谨地根据事件发生的时间顺序记载。为了传达一个主题，新约的福音书有时也会偏离时间顺序的排列。第30-33章是关于慰籍的。神使用以色列现今的放逐与苦难预言末后时代的放逐与困难。末日时，以色列将会经历一场大灾难，称作“雅各遭难的时候”（7节）。以色列末后的苦难与救赎是旧约中鲜明、重复性的主题。那时，以色列将经历类似被巴比伦征服时的苦难，只是这个苦难将比第二次世界大战期间纳粹对犹太人的大屠杀更为可怕、恐怖。

但最后，以色列也会经历一场如巴比伦被掳之人归回以色列般的伟大救赎，只是这场救赎将会因为耶稣的救恩与祝福更为伟大。世界将会翻天覆地：绑架者将被俘虏，吞噬者将被蚕食。耶路撒冷不仅会完全更新，还要作弥赛亚国度的首都。犹太人将会增多。这一切祝福都会在神审判了犹太人奸诈的罪之后临到，就如神会因以色列的滔天大罪审判她之后祝福被掳之人一样。