Jeremiah 33:14-26--The LORD's Eternal Covenant with David

Jeremiah 33:14-26
English Standard Version

The LORD's Eternal Covenant with David
14 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

17 “For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, 18 and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings, and to make sacrifices forever.”

19 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 20 “Thus says the LORD: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, 21 then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the offspring of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me.”

23 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not observed that these people are saying, ‘The LORD has rejected the two clans that he chose’? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. 25 Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the fixed order of heaven and earth, 26 then I will reject the offspring of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his offspring to rule over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.”

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When you think of the prophecy of the Righteous Branch, you probably think of the book of Isaiah, specifically chapter 11, but Jeremiah 23 also echoes that prophecy.  The Messiah would come from the house of David and will execute both justice and righteousness in the Land.  He will save His people from all their enemies both spiritual and physical.  They will have complete and total salvation and security during the time of His reign.  His people will call Him "The LORD is Our Righteousness."

David's heirs will sit on the throne and Aaron's heirs will minister before the Ark of the Covenant until the Messiah comes and He removes the need for any kings or priests, for He will serve as both their King and High Priest forevermore.  He will put an end to the need of the endless system of sacrifices (see the book of Hebrews for more on this).

The LORD tells Jeremiah that it would be easier for a man to stop the cycle of day and night coming and following after each other than it would be to stop the LORD's covenant promises from coming to consummation for His people.  He will not break His covenant with David or Abraham.  There will be a king of the throne, Messiah will come, and the LORD's people will multiply and flourish so that they will be as uncountable as the sands of the seashore, the dust of the earth or the stars of the heavens (I'm really not sure which is the largest number, but all are basically the idea of infinity).  The LORD is also going to protect the Levitical priesthood who stood in place of the people and made atonement for them and helped to keep them holy until the Messiah comes and is the perfect substitute for His people, provides a better atonement for them, and makes them new and "Holy unto the LORD" as they were designed to be.

Again, the LORD says that as long as day and night continue, we can be sure that His covenants with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David continue.  Heaven and earth would have to to cease to exist and be taken out of the control of the LORD for the promises to be broken.  These promises are just as sure as things like the law of gravity--in fact, they are even more certain than those physical laws that we depend on.  We speak with such certainty about matters of day and night and no one questions if the next morning or evening will come, but one day time will cease, but the LORD's covenants will endure forever.