Chapter 30

1 God sheweth Jeremiah the return of the Jews. 4 After their trouble they shall have deliverance. 10 He comforteth Jacob. 18 Their return shall be gracious. 20 Wrath shall fall on the wicked.

1. The word. See on ch. 1:1.

2. Write thee all the words. The prophet was instructed to write down that which had been revealed to him regarding the restoration of Israel, and this record is found in chs. 30 and 31. These promises of future restoration were recorded by the prophet immediately after the interchange of letters in ch. 29 (see EGW, Supplementary Material, on chs. 25; 27–29; 30; 31).

3. I will bring again. The divine promise of ch. 29:10–14 is here broadened to include not only the southern kingdom of Judah but also the northern kingdom of Israel as well. The prophet’s heart goes out not only to the captives in Babylon but to those in Assyria and in the cities of the Medes (see 2 Kings 17:5, 6).

5. A voice of trembling. The LXX reads “a sound of fear.” God pictures to the prophet the Israelites in a most distressful condition (see Lam. 2:18–22). The words will have yet another fulfillment in the time of distress “through which the people of God must pass just before Christ’s second coming” (PP 201).

Not of peace. See on ch. 6:14.

6. A man doth travail with child. In no more graphic fashion can the harrowing sufferings of men be described (see chs. 4:31; 6:24; 13:21).

7. That day is great. Primarily, the prophet sees here the distress that will soon be brought upon Jerusalem and Judea by the Babylonians under their great conqueror, Nebuchadnezzar (see 2 Kings 25; 2 Chron. 36:17–21). When applied to the time of the end, “that day” looks forward to the great day of the Lord at the end of this present world’s history. Of that event the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and by the Romans was “but a faint shadow” (GC 36; see on Jer. 30:5; Joel 1:15).

The time of Jacob’s trouble. The LXX reads “ a time of straitness to Jacob.” Jeremiah illustrates the intensity of the experience that was to come to Israel (see on v. 6) by a comparison with the experience of Jacob when he wrestled with the Angel (see on Gen. 32:24–26). Jacob was threatened by an angry brother ready to kill in revenge for past wrongs. To prepare for the crisis, Jacob tarried to spend the night in prayer. The burden of his heart was that everything should be right with God. As far as he could, Jacob had endeavored to right every wrong that he had committed. By his persistence and faith, Jacob was given the assurance of God’s blessing before the night had passed. In looking forward to the experience of the children of Jacob, Jeremiah shows that, at the time of the Babylonian invasion (see on Jer. 34:7), they would pass through an agony similar to that of their ancestor. But with the prophecy of such great “trouble” the prophet coupled an assurance to every faithful soul that “he shall be saved out of it.”

This same experience of intense soul searching will come to spiritual Israel after the close of probation, just before the Lord’s second advent. Only those who have confessed every known sin will be able to come forth victors from that time of spiritual agony known as the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (see GC 616–623).

8. I will break his yoke. Primarily referring to the yoke of the Babylonians, which was broken when, under Cyrus, the exiles were permitted to return to their own land (see 2 Chron. 36:22, 23; Ezra 1:1–4).

10. Fear thou not. This comforting assurance is substantially repeated in ch. 46:27, 28 (see Isa. 41:8–16; 43:5–7).

Jacob. Here synonymously used for “Israel” (see Gen. 32:27, 28) to represent the people of God.

Save thee from afar. Primarily this refers, as shown by the context, to the return of the exiles from their Babylonian captivity.

Be quiet. The promises of future prosperity were conditional on obedience (see pp. 31, 32).

11. Correct thee in measure. Here God gives His people the assurance that although, because of their transgressions, He has to discipline them, He will restore them when they have learned the lesson of obedience to Him. In His love God will not “make a full end” of them, as He would do with the heathen oppressors of His people.

12. Thy bruise is incurable. The reason God did not dare leave Judah “altogether unpunished” (see v. 11) was that the people had by this time gone too far in their sins. Verses 12–15 describe Judah’s pitiable condition. Humanly speaking, there was no hope for her. However, God promised to heal her wounds (v. 17).

13. None to plead thy cause. Judah had been forsaken by her lovers (see on v. 14), and now she stood alone, for she had forsaken her God.

No healing medicines. The second and third clauses of this verse read literally, “[there are] no medicines for [your] ulcer, [nor] healing for you.” This repeats the truth of v. 12 (see Isa. 1:5, 6; Hosea 5:13). Again God challenges His sinning people to seek soul salvation through their Lord, who alone is, so to speak, the balm of Gilead for the wounds of sin (see on Jer. 8:22).

14. All thy lovers. The allies (see on ch. 22:20) now realize that Judah’s case is helpless in the face of Babylonian opposition.

15. Why criest thou? A graphic picture of Judah’s pitiable, hopelessly sick and wounded condition (see Lam. 1).

Incurable. See on vs. 12, 13.

16. They that devour thee. Despite the fact that God used the Babylonians as His instruments to punish His people for their apostasy, the Chaldeans themselves would not escape the divine retribution because of their own iniquity (see on ch. 25:12).

17. I will restore health. Though Judah’s former allies would scorn her because of her misfortunes, and regard her as an outcast (see on vs. 13, 14), God would not forget His chosen nation; in His love He would heal her “wounds” (see Hosea 6:1).

18. Bring again the captivity. Verses 18–21 describe the prosperity that might have been Israel’s had the people accepted their divine destiny and loyally carried out the mission assigned them by Heaven (see pp. 31, 32). For the church of God (see pp. 35, 36) these verses predict ultimate deliverance from this present evil world (see PK 538).

19. I will multiply them. The prophet envisions the diffusion of the knowledge of the true God and the gathering in of converts from all over the earth (see pp. 29, 30).

21. Their nobles. Literally, “his magnificent one,” “their prince.” The identical Hebrew word is translated “excellent” in Ps. 8:1.

22. My people. The Lord desired Judah to enter into the full relationship implied in this expression, but His chosen people failed to live up to their privileges. The promise now belongs to the Christian church (Heb. 8:10). In the new earth state this relationship will come to pass in its fullness (see Rev. 21:3).

23. Whirlwind. A graphic picture of God’s judgment descending upon impenitent sinners (see chs. 23:19, 20; 25:32, 33).

24. Shall not return. The deliverance of God’s people would be accompanied by the fall of the Babylonian Empire, which had held Israel captive (ch. 25:12, 26), and finally by judgment upon the wicked of all nations (ch. 25:31–33). God now announces His purpose to carry this act through to its completion.

Latter days. That is, at the time of the fulfillment of the prediction and subsequently. At the moment the future looked dark. Ahead lay invasion and deportation. The fulfillment of the glorious promises of prosperity appeared almost incredible. The future would confirm the merciful purposes of God.

Ellen G. White comments

5–7GC 616; PP 201

6     GC 641; PP 340

6, 7 Ev 241; GC 630

7     Ed 181; EW 37, 272; GC 649; LS 117; PK 538, 727; SR 97, 407; 1T 353; 5T 451; 9T 15

10, 11  PK 474

11   PK 475

17   PK 474

17, 18  Ed 182

18   PK 538