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Promises Broken, Promises Kept

March 23, 2026 at 10:36 AM 1 comment

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We are covering Jeremiah 33-35 in this article and we learn, among other things, the vast difference between breaking a promise to God and keeping one. Clearly, God takes things seriously when people make a promise but fail to follow through on it.

Restoration of Prosperity to Jerusalem
It is always interesting to me how many times throughout the Scriptures that God promises to fully and with finality restore Israel to better days. Yet, we have theologians and Christians who resolutely believe that God is done with Israel and has allegedly transferred any and all remaining promises originally made to Israel, to the Church. This would make God a complete liar and He is not that. Yet people today seemingly believe this lie and are in danger of being on the wrong side of God’s grace. It is because of these lies that anti-Semitism has grown and will continue to grow.

Lately, Tucker Carlson and a number of other high-profile podcasters have come out with their beliefs that Israel is the problem child of the world. Their anti-Semitism is seen for what it is and their vehemence in condemning Israel and its leaders seems to know no bounds. I will state that many of these folks – Tucker included – believe what they believe due to their Roman Catholic beliefs. The history of Roman Catholicism attests to the fact that the teachings within Catholicism are essentially allegorical with respect to prophetic discourse. This is where the rise of what is known as replacement theology came to the surface; the belief that God has ended His relationship with Israel and instead, transferred all remaining promises to the Church.

However, even a quick, cursory glance at numerous passages in Scripture attest to the fact that God is not done with Israel at all. This is not only affirmed in what is known as the Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures), but also in the New Testament (Romans 9-11 as one example). But we are considering Jeremiah 33-35 and we can easily show God’s hand at work in Israel and His attestations that He will one day again fulfill His ancient promises to that nation.

In Jeremiah 33, we see that the prophet Jeremiah was still in prison but received another message from the Lord. God promises to fight for Judah and announces that her enemies would end up dead. None of this is based on Israel’s response to God because they continued in their rebellion and disobedience, which is why God needed to purge once again rebels in that nation. However, He was also looking forward to a time when another Israelite generation would exist, a generation that would be obedient to Him. Because of this, the Lord would bring about Judah’s healing and prosperity.

God commands people to pray to Him after Nebuchadnezzar initially came into Judah/Jerusalem and destroyed things. What remained was rubble. The people would be able to use the rubble of Judah to fortify what remained of the city (v4). The city was filled with Judahite corpses because God punished them for their wickedness (v5).

In spite of the abject destruction and death, the Lord promised to bring health back to the city and the people (v6). He would bless them with much peace and a future. He would restore the fortunes of both the northern and southern kingdoms (v7). This, by the way, has not occurred throughout history…yet. It is still future. The Lord would cleanse and pardon their iniquities (v8). The coming Tribulation indicates that Israel (Jacob), will go through terrible times, which is why portions of the Hebrew Scriptures talk about the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). Jesus Himself in Matthew 24 refers to just how bad this time will be, but God will use it as a means of purification for that particular generation and those Jewish people will become believers in Him and serve Him exclusively, never again succumbing to the whims of their fleshly desires.

Ultimately, Jerusalem would become a city to be praised, full of joy & nations would tremble (v9). Has this happened yet? Not at all. It is still yet future. God would restore previous fortunes (v10). Has this occurred yet? Have the two kingdoms (Israel and Judah) been reunited? No, not at all. V11 is the closing benediction of a Jewish wedding.

Judah would become a quiet, peaceful land where shepherds could pasture their flocks (vv12-13). Does this exist today? No. This could refer to people as well as sheep, by the way, shepherded by the Messiah during the coming Millennial Kingdom, which follows the coming Tribulation period.

“The days are coming” signals a look into the far future when the Millennial Kingdom is inaugurated and Jesus rules over the entire earth from David’s throne in Jerusalem (v14). V15 points to the Son of David, the Righteous Branch, the Fountain of Living Waters, the Good Shepherd. This same Jesus would rule ON the earth, over the earth.

Judah would enjoy salvation and Jerusalem would enjoy safety (v16). The great lie of replacement theology is that those who believe God has a plan yet to fulfill for Israel state that it is tantamount to teaching two forms of salvation. However, this is clearly not the case as salvation comes to those who exercise faith in Jesus and His finished work on Calvary’s cross. Whether the person is Jewish or Gentile makes no difference. The idea that God cannot have two different plans – one for Israel and one for the Church – is ridiculous, as though God has the exact same will for every believer. We know this is not true. Salvation is the same for the Jew and for the Gentile today, and since Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.

At some point in the future, the Levitical priests would resume functioning as a body during the Millennial reign (v18). Sacrifices will resume as well, but instead of looking forward to Christ’s death (from Jeremiah’s perspective), people will look BACK to it in remembrance. We need to remember that those born during the Millennial Kingdom will have no understanding of what Jesus accomplished. They will need to be taught these truths and that is part of the job of the Levitical priesthood during the coming Millennial Kingdom. The promises of full restoration are as certain as day following night (vv19-21). Descendants of David and the Levites will be as numerous as the stars of heaven (v22).

The Judahites had come to believe both the northern and southern kingdoms had been rejected by God (vv23-24). However, Yahweh promised to restore all of Israel (vv25-26). The Israel that exists today is only a small portion of all the Land that God originally gave to the Israelites. During the Millennial Kingdom, that nation will enjoy all of the Land originally given to it and will prosper. God is not a liar and to suggest that He transfers remaining blessings to the Church makes Him one.

“The greatest argument for the future restoration of Israel as a nation is the character of God. He made a series of covenants with the patriarchs, David, and the Levites; His character demands that He will ultimately fulfill these promises to their nation.” [Note: Dyer, “Jeremiah,” p. 1177.]

God cannot lie. He will fulfill all His promises to Israel, whether anyone likes it or not. My strong suggestion is to push anti-Semitism far, far away and not embrace it. Reject those who do embrace it.

Jeremiah 34 – Jeremiah’s Warning to Zedekiah
King Zedekiah (of Judah) had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and God had warned that this should not happen but it did. Jeremiah was to tell Zedekiah that God had given Jerusalem into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands (vv2-3). God warned that Zedekiah would be taken by Nebuchadnezzar.

However, God also stated that Zedekiah would not die by sword, but die in peace (vv4-5). Here is God’s graciousness on display even though Zedekiah had rebelled in disobedience. God’s mercy was evident in spite of Zedekiah’s rebellion.

Jeremiah delivered this message as Nebuchadnezzar was taking the last cities (besides Jerusalem); Lachish and Azekah (vv6-7).

The following message came to Jeremiah after Zedekiah had freed those from slavery (vv8-9). The people then changed their minds after setting them free. We don’t really know why (vv8-22). These slaves were Hebrew brothers and sisters and because of what was happening with the conquering by Nebuchadnezzar, God wanted these slaves set free. Initially the people said, “Okay, we will do that” and actually did. Then they immediately reneged on that promise. So, the Lord sent a message through Jeremiah to remind the people how God had set them free from Egypt (vv12-13). Because the people had not permanently released their servants, the Lord would release them from His protection (v17). Those who broke their promise would be taken captive and/or killed without benefit of burial (vv18-20).

Zedekiah and his officials would also be given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar even though Nebuchadnezzar had already withdrawn from the area of Judah (v21). However, the Lord would bring Nebuchadnezzar back to Jerusalem (v22). Judah/Jerusalem would become a desolation, burnt to the ground.

Jeremiah 35 – Obedience of the Rechabites
The promise breakers of Jeremiah 34 are contrasted with the promise keepers of Jeremiah 35. Jeremiah 35 consists of three parts:

1. the main narrative (Jeremiah 35:1-11),
2. a prose oracle addressed to the people of Judah and Jerusalem (Jeremiah 35:12-17), and
3. a prose oracle addressed to the Rechabites (Jeremiah 35:18-19)

This oracle to Jeremiah came during King Jehoiakim’s reign (609-598 B.C.) after the Babylonians had begun to invade Judah. Jeremiah was to bring the Rechabites into the a large room on the second floor of the temple. The Rechabites were a group of nomads who lived in tents and had promised their father Jonadab they would never drink wine. God is producing a test here to point out the difference between those who did not keep their promise (Jeremiah 34), to those who did and it’s fascinating.

Jeremiah was told to place wine before them and he actually told them to drink the wine (v5). The Rechabites refused to drink the wine, proving that they were faithful to their promises (v6). This stands in complete contrast with the Judahites who reneged on their promise to free the people from servanthood. For over 200 years, they obeyed the voice of their father Jonadab (from the northern kingdom; vv8-10). The Rechabites had faithfully obeyed the promise to their father.

However, the Judahites had not obeyed even though Yahweh had repeatedly spoken to them through Jeremiah (v14). This story is not about abstaining from wine or temperance – it is about keeping promises. The Rachabites obeyed a fallible leader. The Judahites would not obey an infallible leader (God). Jonadab gave his command only once to his clan. God repeatedly gave His commands which the Judahites completely ignored. The loyalty of Rechabites would be rewarded by God (even though the promise they made was not to Him), while the disloyalty of the Judahites would result in punishment.

God promised someone from the Rechabites would stand before Him forever because they obeyed their father (v19). This likely meant the line of the Rechabites would continue into perpetuity.

“Even today, in Syria and Arabia, there are groups that claim to be Rechabites and that follow the Rechabite rule.” [Note: Graybill, p. 681.]

Application for Christians Today
Jeremiah 33-35 help us understand:

• The importance of obedience and keeping our promises to God
• It is not for salvation, but for simply being faithful

“God is always looking for individuals whose lives are characterized by faithfulness. Such individuals will experience God’s blessing even in the midst of trials.” [Note: Dyer, in The Old . . ., p. 625.]

• We are reminded that God, who loves unity and truth, is no lover of uniformity
• God will always fulfill His promises – always
• We are to trust God even when we do not understand what He might be doing

Entry filed under: israel, Judaism, Religious - Christian - End Times, Religious - Christian - Prophecy, Religious - Christian - Theology, salvation, sanctification. Tags: Jeremiah 33-35.