Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will perform the good word which I have spoken unto the house of Israel and unto the house of Judah.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
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.
This verse holds a promise: a King from David's family, and a reign of justice in the land. It raises three questions. Who is this Branch? When does He grow up? And what does it mean for Him to execute justice and righteousness in the land?
"Branch" is a picture drawn from a tree. One writer explains where the figure comes from:
The picture of a branch comes from this: the Messiah has sprung from the family of David by human descent. He grew from a root or stock hidden for a long time, as if dead. Yet one day all will see that it is still full of sap and life. Revelation tells us that He is the root of David as well as his offspring (Rev. 22:16). He came of the seed of David by human descent, and the resurrection from the dead declared Him to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:3-4).
Jeremiah gives this promise twice. One writer sets chapter 23 and chapter 33 side by side:
The first Scripture speaks of our blessed Lord in a way that involves His resurrection, though it does not say so. He is "a" righteous Branch raised up to David. The second Scripture views His birth and life more — He is "the" righteous Branch caused to grow up to David. In both He is called righteous and of David's line. This is true of Christ alone, for no one else is righteous in an absolute way. His resurrection, after He had suffered and made atonement for sin, declared it.
Older translations read "the Branch of righteousness" in verse 15; the ESV has "a righteous Branch."
The verse contains two things: a Branch growing up, and that Branch ruling. Only the first has taken place:
In Jeremiah 33:15 the Lord says: "I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David." The opening of the New Testament shows us the fulfilment of this in our Lord Jesus Christ, of David's line. But the word continues: "he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land"; and "In those days Judah will be saved." This is still to come.
One writer rules out two other readings — the Branch as the Holy Spirit, and this chapter as fulfilled by the return from exile in Babylon:
Remember that the word of God never presents the Holy Spirit as the Branch of David, nor gives Him the work of executing judgment on the earth. On the other hand, if you insist on this chapter applying to the restoration from Babylon, I would quote Nehemiah 9:36-37: "Behold, we are servants this day … and we are in great distress," as showing how little the return from Babylon was the fulfilment of all these promises we have been reading. Was that restoration the whole heart and the whole soul of God in favour of His people? … No: these promises of God were not at that time accomplished.
What the Branch does here is not what Christ is doing now. That difference shows when this verse belongs:
It is Messiah present, but not in humiliation, not a sufferer, but in power and glory. He is reigning. It is not a question of an earth-rejected King, sitting at God's right hand on His Father's throne. It is the great King reigning on His own throne, the throne of His father David. "He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land." This is completely different from what He is doing now. His relation to us is never that of a King reigning over the Christian or over the Church. He is given as Head to the body, and in the coming day He will reign as King over His people in their land.
The promises that follow rest on one Man:
Verses 17 and 18 tell us that David will never lack a man for the throne. The Levites will never lack a man to approach God and offer sacrifice. Why? Verses 15 and 16 answer this… The Man spoken of in these verses is altogether righteous. He first died to secure an eternal redemption. Then, in resurrection, He establishes both kingship and priesthood in Himself, according to God. In the day of the coming glory "He shall be a priest upon His Throne" (Zech. 6:13).
- Stump. The Branch grows from a royal family long hidden and looking dead, yet still full of life. That Branch is Christ, born of David's line and declared Son of God by His resurrection.
- Grown. "Caused to grow up" looks at His birth and life; chapter 23's "raised up" carries His resurrection. Both call Him righteous — a word that fits no one else.
- Righteous. He died to make atonement and rose again. Now He holds kingship and priesthood together in Himself — a priest on His own throne.
- Reigning. Christ is not executing justice in the land today. He is never King over the Church. He will reign over His people in their land.
- Remaining. Nehemiah records deep distress after the return from Babylon. That return did not fulfil these promises. The rest of the verse still waits.
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell in safety. And this is the name wherewith she shall be called Jehovah our Righteousness.
This promise looks ahead to a day when Judah is safe and the city itself carries a name. Two questions follow. When does this happen? And how can a city be called by a name that belongs to God?
Some read this verse as fulfilled when the exiles came home from Babylon. One writer tests that reading against what those returned exiles later said.
This is again the blessing of Israel — of Jerusalem. It comes through the presence of the Branch, who will grow up for David, and who will do what is just and right in the land... If you insist that this chapter applies to the return from Babylon, I would quote Nehemiah 9:36-37: "Behold, we are servants this day … and we are in great distress." Those words show how little the return from Babylon fulfilled all these promises we have been reading.
The promise divides in two. Part of it arrived in history; part waits.
In Jeremiah 33:15 the Lord says, "I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David." The opening of the New Testament shows this fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ, who came from David's line. But the word goes on: "He shall execute justice and righteousness in the land," and "In those days Judah will be saved." That part is still to come.
Jeremiah uses this name twice, and the change of pronoun is the whole lesson. Older translations read "she" here, where the ESV reads "it."
The name is "Jehovah Tzidkenu" = "The Lord our righteousness." There is much to learn from the way it is used twice. In the day of Christ's glory it says first, "HE shall be called Jehovah Tzidkenu." Of the same time it then says of Jerusalem, Christ's earthly city and bride, "SHE shall be called Jehovah Tzidkenu" (Jer. 23:6 and Jer. 33:16). She takes her character from Him... She will shine in His brightness and beauty. Here again we see the Lord exalted. It is the same in principle for the church now, and for the individual believer too.
One writer explains this shared name with the picture of marriage.
The Old Testament uses the picture of marriage in a similar way. Israel was the Lord's "married wife" (Isa. 54:1; Jer. 31:33). She is divorced now for her unfaithfulness, but she is still to return (Hosea 2), and to be received and restored to her place. Her Maker will then be her husband once more, and more than the old blessing will be restored... So Jerusalem bears His name: "This is the name by which she shall be called, 'The LORD our Righteousness.'"
The name is not a label pinned on an unchanged city. It matches what she has become.
The Lord will be known by this Name, and Jerusalem will be too. She will dwell in safety, under the protection of Christ, as the earthly centre of His Kingdom, and she will also be called "The LORD our Righteousness." This favoured city has suffered so much through the ages, and the Son of God wept over her. Now she is redeemed and worthy to bear the Name of the Lord, for she will bear His character in righteousness and display His glory.
Kelly traces her standing back to its source, and says what it does not rest on.
So Jerusalem receives by grace a standing in association with Him who is the source of her justification. But even this is never said to come by law or by law-keeping, whoever does the keeping... The obedience of One is the only ground on which anyone can be justified. And it is His obedience all the way through: not the active obedience, as men say, set against the passive, but His obedience unto death, even the death of the cross.
Before the city is named, the same chapter deals with what made her unfit.
In Jeremiah 33 the Spirit of God opens up further this certainty of blessing for the people from the hand of the Lord. Judah and Israel will return from captivity. They will buy and sell, build and plant, and be a nation again. But there is more. The Lord says, "I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, by which they have sinned against Me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, by which they have transgressed against Me; and it will be to Me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth."
- Cleansed — the chapter pardons before it renames. The city can carry the name only because the Lord clears her guilt.
- Given — she gains her standing by grace, in association with the One who justifies her. Law-keeping never earns it.
- Named — Jeremiah 23:6 gives this name to Him. This verse gives the same name to her. The bride wears the bridegroom's name.
- Reflected — bearing the name means bearing His character, so the honour lands on Him, not on her.
- Awaited — the Branch has come in Christ, from David's line. A saved Judah, a safe city and the reign of righteousness are still ahead. Those who came back from Babylon were still servants and still in distress.
For thus saith Jehovah There shall never fail to David a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel;
Jeremiah sits in prison. Nebuchadnezzar's army surrounds the walls. The royal house of Judah is days from collapse. At that exact moment God promises David an unbroken line on the throne. Two questions follow: who is this man, and why is God's word surer than what everyone could see?
Israel's blessings hung on obedience, and those were being swept away. This one promise did not depend on obedience at all.
There is one promise that their sin and judgment do not touch. Every blessing that depended on their obedience is lost. This one, you might say, becomes more necessary because of their unfaithfulness... The promise shines all the brighter when everything seems lost. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar were surrounding the city. Jeremiah was in prison for his testimony. Their sin had reached its full measure, and the Gentile was about to rule over them. Then the word of the Lord came to the imprisoned prophet with this promise.
God attached a condition to this promise — obedience. Judged by that condition the line failed. Judged by God's chosen Heir it holds.
He promised David that he would never lack a man to sit on his throne. But He added, "if your children take heed to their ways." Judged by human responsibility, all is lost. David's throne has long disappeared; his family also. Even so, David does not lack a man to sit upon his throne. Matthew 1 gives the genealogy of his true Heir. Before His birth the angel said to His mother: "And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). On the Day of Pentecost Peter spoke to the crowd in Jerusalem. He said that God's promise to David centres in the One they had crucified (Acts 2:30-31).
Enemies tried to wipe out the royal line, and failed.
Prompted by Satan, Athaliah might try to destroy the royal family (2 Kings 11:1). Rezin and Pekah might plot to replace David's line with the son of Tabeal (Isa. 7:6). But God's purpose still stands.
The verse names a specific seat: the throne of the house of Israel. Commentators keep that throne distinct from the place where Christ sits today.
It is Messiah present, but not in humiliation, not a sufferer, but in power and glory. He is reigning. It is not a question of an earth-rejected King, sitting at God's right hand on His Father's throne. It is the great King reigning on His own throne, the throne of His father David... His relation to us is never that of a King reigning over the Christian or over the Church. God has given Him as Head to the body, and one day He will reign as King over His people in their land.
The wording also reaches past Jeremiah's own kingdom. One writer notes that this throne is over "the house of Israel" — "not merely Judah" (The Bible Treasury) — the whole nation.
The next verse makes a matching promise about the priests. Both promises rest on the same Man.
Verses 17 and 18 tell us that David should never lack a man for the throne. Nor should the Levites lack a man to approach God and offer sacrifice. Why?... The Man spoken of in these verses is altogether righteous. He died to secure an eternal redemption. Now, raised from the dead, He establishes kingship and priesthood in Himself according to God. In the day of the coming glory "He shall be a priest upon His Throne" (Zech. 6:13), uniting in Himself both kingship and priesthood. Today the nations cry, "Wanted: a man!" That cry will stop: the Man has been found!
God ties this promise to the fixed order of creation itself.
Christ, raised from the dead as David's seed, will come again to take guilty Jerusalem for Himself. The city that stoned the prophets, that gave Jeremiah a dungeon, that refused the Lord, will yet be His centre of government on earth. It will bear His Name and His character. This is as sure as the fixed order of the heavens and the earth. God must keep His covenant with David His servant (v. 21), for it is impossible for the ever blessed God to lie.
- Spoken in ruin. God gave this promise while the army surrounded the city and the prophet sat in a cell. The darkness around it makes it shine.
- Rescued from ruin. Israel lost everything that hung on obedience. This promise rested on God alone, so human failure could not cancel it.
- Filled by one Man. David's line ended. But Matthew 1 names his true Heir, Luke 1:32-33 announces His endless reign, and Peter preached Him as the crucified One.
- Crown and altar together. Verses 17 and 18 promise a king and a priest, and Christ risen holds both offices in Himself.
- Sure as creation. God's covenant stands as firm as the heavens and the earth, so Jerusalem — the city that rejected Him — becomes the seat of His rule.