Jeremiah 16:14-21
Returning From All Lands
14 “Therefore, the days are quickly coming,” declares Adonai, “when it will no longer be said. ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.’ 15 Rather, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had banished them.’ So I will bring them back into their land that I gave to their fathers.
16 “Behold, I will send for many fishers,” says Adonai, “and they will fish for them. After that, I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. 17 For My eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity concealed from My eyes. 18 First I will repay them double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have profaned My land, and they have filled My possession with the carcasses of their vile things and their abominations.”
19 Adonai, my strength, my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of affliction,
to You will the nations come
from the ends of the earth and say:
“Our fathers have inherited nothing
but lies, futility and useless things.”
20 Will man make gods for himself?
Yet they are not gods.
21 “So I will surely make them know—
this time I make them know
My hand and My might—
they will know that My Name is Adonai.”
Can you believe how much life changing and world changing information is packed into these 256 words??
This is prolific. This small bit of scripture has so much information it is difficult to wrap our heads around it.
But let’s give it a try, shall we?
First, let’s condense the history of the people of Israel into a small summary:
1. Yahuah called Abraham, and created a people group known as Israel.
2. This people group has a rich and fascinating history.
3. This people group ended up enslaved in Egypt.
4. Yahuah supernaturally led Israel out of Egypt and to the promise land (with some difficulties along the way).
5. The nation of Israel split into the southern kingdom of Judah (two tribes) and the northern kingdom of Israel (ten tribes).
6. Both kingdoms strayed from Yahuah, and suffered consequences as a result.
7. Judah partially turned back and repented.
8. Israel did not turn back or repent, were divorced from the covenant, and were scattered among all the nations.
9. The house of Judah was punished for forty years.
10. The house of Israel was punished for 390 years, but they did not repent, therefore their punishment was multiplied by seven, resulting in a punishment lasting 2730 years.
11. The punishment of Israel ended in approximately 2009/2010.
We are living in the time of the restoration of the house of Israel.
How amazing is it that we get to witness these events?
This is a direct quote of Messiah:
Matthew 15:24
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Messiah came to restore the scattered nation of the house of Israel.
Let’s look at Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning the restoration of Israel.
In verses 14-15, we see that another exodus will occur!!
14 “Therefore, the days are quickly coming,” declares Adonai, “when it will no longer be said. ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.’ 15 Rather, ‘As Adonai lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had banished them.’ So I will bring them back into their land that I gave to their fathers.
How exciting is this? In fact, this exodus will be so amazing that people will no longer speak of the exodus from Egypt.
Can we take Jeremiah’s word on this matter? Are there other witnesses in scripture telling us there will be a second exodus?
Isaiah 2:2
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
Jeremiah 32:37
Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.
Ezekiel 34:11-13
11 ‘For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Ezekiel 36:24-28
For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. 28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.
Ezekiel 37:21-23
21 “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; 22 and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.
Isaiah 11:11-12
It shall come to pass in that day
That the Lord shall set His hand again the second time
To recover the remnant of His people who are left,
From Assyria and Egypt,
From Pathros and Cush,
From Elam and Shinar,
From Hamath and the islands of the sea.
12 He will set up a banner for the nations,
And will assemble the outcasts of Israel,
And gather together the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
OK, we have plenty of backup in scripture to support the idea that Jeremiah really means what he said.
This is not cryptic.
This is not poetic.
This is not metaphoric.
I think it is more than safe to believe this second exodus will happen.
How will the people be gathered for this exodus?
Refer back to verse 16-18 of Jeremiah’s prophecy.
16 “Behold, I will send for many fishers,” says Adonai, “and they will fish for them. After that, I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.
Referring to the people of the second exodus, Yahuah says He will send for fishers and hunters, and they will fish for them and hunt for them.
There has been a world wide phenomenon where many men and women are “waking up” to the idea that Torah instruction, the law of the Old Testament, is still applicable today. This defies the mainstream church message telling us that Jesus nailed the law to the cross, and that we now live in an era of grace (we do receive grace, but that is only part of the truth).
They tell us the law is done away with…
Do we see this idea anywhere in scripture, that people will return to Torah instruction?
Isaiah 2:2-3
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
We see this repeated by Micah in chapter 4.
Study of scripture indicates that the law is not done away with. Many direct quotes of Yeshua Messiah say exactly that. (You can reference many of my blog posts to study these direct quotes of Messiah).
Study of prophecy says we will return to Torah, and that the truth will be known once again.
There are many people in the world telling others about Torah. I am one of those people…
Our veils have been lifted and we are able to see the truth of scripture, and now we share it with anyone who will listen.
(See 2Corinthians chapters 3&4 to learn about the lifting of veils).
The fishers have been called. They are active, fishing for those who will turn back to Torah and once again be part of the house of Israel.
Yes, that is correct. There is no such thing as a gentile believer. If you enter into covenant, then you become part of His people, the nation of Israel.
Galatians 3:26-29
For you are all sons of God through trusting in Messiah Yeshua. 27 For all of you who were immersed in Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua. 29 And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s seed—heirs according to the promise.
We are told that if we belong to Messiah, then we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise made to Abraham. We are Israel. Do we see this anywhere else?
Check out Romans 11. It tells how gentiles are grafted into Israel when they come to believe and have faith in the truth.
Romans 11:11-27
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
13 For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, 14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. 15 For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?
16 For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion,
And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.”
So far, this prophecy is just a bit of ancient writings, foretelling the restoration of His people. Many people are not aware of this prophecy. If they do read it, it just seems like ancient gobbledy-gook, with no relevant ties to our modern lives and modern culture.
But…
Let’s take a look at verses 19-20
This is earth-shattering.
Jeremiah 16:19-20
19 Adonai, my strength, my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of affliction,
to You will the nations come
from the ends of the earth and say:
“Our fathers have inherited nothing
but lies, futility and useless things.”
20 Will man make gods for himself?
Yet they are not gods.
First, we are told that in end times, the people of the nations will realize that we have inherited lies.
These lies result in futility.
These lies are useless.
Do you understand what this is talking about?
This prophecy is telling us that our church doctrine is made up of lies. Lies that we have inherited from our fathers, for many generations.
Do you understand the significance of this?
What if this is true?
What if our mainstream doctrine, encompassing the teaching of 40,000 or more denominations, is built upon lies?
Much of mainstream doctrine is supported by ‘the church’s” interpretation of the writings of Paul.
But we are warned of this, believe it or not!
2Peter 3:14-18
14 Therefore, loved ones, while you are looking for these things, make every effort to be found in shalom, spotless and blameless before Him. 15 Bear in mind that the patience of our Lord means salvation—just as our dearly loved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these matters in all of his letters. Some things in them are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist (as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures)—to their own destruction.
17 Since you already know all this, loved ones, be on your guard so that you are not led astray by the error of the lawless and lose your sure footing. 18 Instead, keep growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity! Amen.
And exactly what does this mean in verse 20?
20 Will man make gods for himself?
Yet they are not gods.
We all know the gospel message of the mainstream church.
We all know about Jesus.
Consider this…
What if the idea of Jesus taught in our churches does not match what scripture says about Messiah?
What if the idea of Jesus taught in our churches does not match the things He said?
What if you get a red letter bible and read His direct quotes and nothing else?
What if you take notes on the things He said, and then compare it to what you have been taught?
If they are different, then you have to make a choice.
It will not be an easy choice, but you still have to.
I call this my Red Letter Challenge.
If you take the time to do this, there will be only one outcome.
You will find that “Jesus” does not match scripture.
But don’t take my word for it. Study the things He said and see if it matches what your church teaches. You’ll be quite surprised.
If you don’t want to take the time to do this, you can refer to some of my blog posts.
I’ve done this and wrote about it.
If you want the Cliff Notes version, just check out some of my other blog articles.
This is a very difficult concept to wrap our heads around.
I have studied this and prayed about this.
It took me nearly two years to understand this.
Actually, that is not true. I understood this pretty quickly, but it took me about two years to accept it.
Why so difficult?
Because the consequences of this idea are a tragedy beyond our imagination.
Can it be that during the 2730 years of punishment of the northern kingdom of Israel, that the people were exposed to lies, lies that are unprofitable and worthless?
As awful as it sounds, scripture supports this idea.
In Revelation 22:14-15, Yeshua Messiah tells us first who is included in His kingdom, followed by those who are not included:
Rev 22:14-15
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
Those who keep His commands are included.
Those who love and practice a lie are not included.
What lies?
Well, I’d say the lies we’ve inherited from our fathers, as described so long ago by Jeremiah. Yahuah said it would happen, through His prophet Jeremiah. Messiah confirms this with His statement in Revelation.
I’ve showed this bit of scripture to many people, and almost everyone rejects it. How dare I presume to say who is in the kingdom and who is not in the kingdom, based upon “my interpretation” of Revelation 22:14-15?
Well, I don’t presume anything, nor do I interpret these words.
I just read what it says and believe it.
For those who read what it says and reject it (or say it means something else by adding to it or taking away from it), are we told what will happen to them?
Just a few verses later, still a direct quote of Messiah, we are given very severe consequences for trying to change the words/meaning of His revelation.
Revelation 22:18-19
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
So, in summary, I plead with those reading this study:
Do not hold tightly onto the things you think you know.
Just because you’ve believed something your entire life does not mean it is correct.
Just because your father and your grand father, and many before them, believed something, that longevity does not make it true.
Scripture says what scripture says.
Scripture does not say ‘what your pastor says’.
We have inherited lies.
Good men, telling these lies? Absolutely. Yes.
Many wonderful men and women.
But if scripture says we’ve inherited lies, as hard as it might be, accept this as truth.
And then go and look for the truth.
Don’t be afraid to let go of what you’ve always known.
Are you confused? Are you unsure of what to think?
Let’s wrap this up by looking at the last verse of this prophecy:
Jeremiah 16:21
21 “So I will surely make them know—
this time I make them know
My hand and My might—
they will know that My Name is Adonai.”
Yahuah will set everything right.
No matter if lies have been taught, Yahuah is correcting us, calling us back to His teachings and His ways.
Don’t be afraid of it.
Embrace it.