12 Dec. Jeremiah prophesies a ‘good branch’ in David’s family
“’How terrible it will be for the leaders of Judah, who are scattering and destroying my people,’ says the LORD. They are responsible for the people, so the LORD, the God of Israel, says to them, ‘You have scattered my people and forced them away and not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil things you have done,’ says the LORD.”
“’I sent my people to other countries, but I will gather those who are left alive and bring them back to their own country. Then they will have many children and grow in number. I will place new leaders over my people, who will take care of them. And my people will not be afraid or terrified again, and none of them will be lost,’ says the LORD.”
“’The days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when I will raise up a good branch in David’s family. He will be a king who will rule in a wise way; he will do what is fair and right in the land. In his time Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This will be his name: The LORD Does What Is Right.’”
“’So the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘when people will not say again: “As surely as the LORD lives, who brought Israel out of Egypt…” but people will say something new: “As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where he had sent them away…” then the people of Israel will live in their own land.’”
(Jeremiah 23:1-8)
In today’s passage from the Book of Jeremiah, the LORD spoke through the prophet to condemn those who had been misleading the people of Judah: "How terrible it will be for the leaders of Judah, who are scattering and destroying my people." (Jeremiah 23:1)
He condemned the Jewish leaders for their evil ways, which had resulted in the people of Israel being led into captivity in Assyria and was threatening the survival of Judah itself.
But he also foresaw a time when a 'good branch' would sprout from King David's family tree: "The days are coming", says the LORD, "when I will raise up a good branch in David's family. He will be a king who will rule in a wise way; he will do what is fair and right in the land." (Jeremiah 23:5)
In the New Testament, the Angel Gabriel told a startled young woman, Mary, that her son would be called "the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. He will rule over the people of Jacob for ever." (Luke 1:32-33)
And Matthew tells us that Jesus, Mary’s son, was born in Bethlehem in Judea which the prophet Micah had said would be the birthplace of the ‘Christ’ or ‘Messiah’ – the ‘anointed one’: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are important among the tribes of Judah. A ruler will come from you who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel.” (Matthew 2:6, quoting Micah 5:2)
The photo (by Lux Moundi) shows a view across Bethlehem, the city of David.
You can read more from Jeremiah’s prophesy, Chapters 23-25 @ The Bible Journey | Jeremiah is beaten and arrested