Christ in the Old Testament

Jeremiah 33:15

“In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line;
    he will do what is just and right in the land.” (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 33:10-18

In the final passage of study of Jeremiah, chapter 33 opens with Jeremiah “still confined in the courtyard of the guard.” The Babylonians were knocking at Judah’s door and Jeremiah was telling the people that Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonians. King Zedekiah didn’t care much for Jeremiah predicting defeat so he had him imprisoned for treason. Even so, while Jeremiah was in prison, the Lord continued to speak to him.

God tells Jeremiah in pretty graphic terms that Jerusalem will indeed fall and it will be a deadly defeat. When the Babylonians invade, God says that he will “hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness” (Jer 33:5). God is not going to defend Jerusalem and the Babylonians will do what they do when they invade. The Israelites had torn down some of their homes and palaces for materials to fortify the city but their efforts would be futile because God had turned His back on them.

But that would not be the end of God’s people or their inheritance of the land of Judah:

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. ‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land’” (Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭14‬-‭15‬).

Here again we see the prophecy of the righteous Branch of David who is God’s Messiah. He will fulfill the promise He made to the people of Israel and Judah by sending Jesus to redeem the Jews.

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy already when he came to die for our sins and to establish a new covenant with Israel. He came as a baby – a descendant of David:

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David” (2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬).

But as Timothy reminds us, Jesus is alive and will return again to complete the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy. When he comes again, he will come to claim his throne and he will do what is right and just in the land:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God’” (Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬‬‬).

Jeremiah continues his prophecy with a promise for those who put their faith in Jesus:

“In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior” (Jeremiah‬ ‭33‬:‭16‬).

We will all be saved and all those in Jerusalem will live in safety. We will all live as righteous in the new city that will be renamed to: The Lord our Righteous Savior. The city will be known by the One who sits on its throne – The Lord our Righteous Savior.

Today’s Prayer: Thank you Lord for the promise of your return. Until this day comes, help me to live as one who is saved by your grace and has confidence in my future.