THE GATHERING OF THE REMNANT

The next prophetic portion in Jeremiah that declares the future peace and prosperity of Israel is found in chapter 23.

Jeremiah 23:1–2 “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.”

As I read through this chapter a few times, it seems obvious to me that the “pastors” being referenced are those in positions of spiritual leadership over the people—the prophets and priests. This would be comparable to the “Christian” leaders and pastors of churches of today.

Instead of functioning with the good of the people in mind, they had acted in ways that were detrimental to the spiritual growth of the people of Judah/Israel, God’s chosen people. Though in context Jeremiah is speaking to the people of Judah, the truth is just as applicable to the nation as a whole. The Hebrew for the word “scatter” states first of all “to dash in pieces.” In other words, the spiritual leaders were responsible for the spiritual destruction of the people that led to their physical destruction.

Verse two is another statement of reaping what one sows. God is going to judge these “pastors” and repay them evil for evil. I am reminded of some other sections in scripture regarding those in leadership.

Luke 12:47–48 “And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

James 3:1 “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (NIV)

Jeremiah 23:3–4 “And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.”

It’s interesting to note that the wording of this verse seems to jump forward in reference to the great dispersion of the Jewish people that was the ultimate result of the Roman takeover of the nation that began with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. It was at this time that the Jewish people were scattered throughout the countries of the world for what would prove to be almost 2000 years. In fact, I think the time of restoration being referenced is yet future and will culminate in conjunction with the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom, the 1000-year reign of Christ on the throne of David that precedes the final judgment of sin. It’s only at that time that the nation of Israel will once again be led by true shepherds, spiritual leaders that will nurture them. Only then will it be true that they will never again fear for their national well-being. Only then will they be fruitful and prosperous, lacking nothing.

“I have driven them” - The LORD is very clear in stating that His people were scattered throughout the nations as a result of His judgment of their sin. The leaders were responsible for leading the people into sin; the people were accountable for following their evil leaders in rejection of God’s covenant, and God stepped in with the judgment they deserved.

Jeremiah 23:5–6 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

These verses are a declaration of the coming Messiah that would reign on the throne of David. The “righteous Branch” brings to mind the words of the prophets Isaiah and Zechariah.

Isaiah 11:1–4 “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”

Zechariah 6:12–13 “And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”

It is pretty obvious to me that both sections of scripture are talking about the same person as Jeremiah—a man who will be both King and Priest in Israel. This will be a first in Israel’s history; no previous king of Israel/Judah was authorized by God to also serve as priest. He will rule on the throne of David with intelligence, wisdom and good success (from the Hebrew for prosper). Those in His kingdom will experience righteous government. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah make it clear that His earthly heritage is rooted in the family of King David. Jeremiah emphasizes that Judah/Israel will find deliverance and dwell safely in His kingdom. He will be known as “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,” a title declaring His deity.

The passage in Isaiah not only verifies the earthly lineage of the Branch as a descendant of Jesse, David’s father, it also affirms His deity in that it only takes “the breath of his lips,” His word, to exercise judgment over the wicked.

Jeremiah 23:7–8 “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

When the Lord Jesus is on the throne of David, the deliverance of Israel from Egypt by means of amazing miracles will be little thought of in comparison to the amazing regathering of the believing remnant that will take place at the inception of His kingdom. Point is made that the people will be regathered from all over the world.

Jeremiah again emphasizes that the people are scattered as a result of God’s judgment and will be regathered as a direct result of His actions on their behalf. No longer will the nations argue as to the right of the Jewish people to dwell in their own land. This truth was also declared by the Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 34:11–14 “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.”