Jeremiah’s message of judgment is not without hope. Judgment is both certain and imminent, but it is not final. The Lord’s relationship with Judah will not end in judgment but ultimately in restoration. The temple items will be returned, the temple restored, along with the city and the nation. But this will happen in the Lord’s timing and not according to the words of the false prophets. There will be a time of exile for the nation that will be an important part of their restoration. Babylon will not stand forever, the Lord will visit them
in judgment. They are the Lord’s servant serving the Lord’s purposes, and his plans end in restoration for his people and, by implication, ultimately for the world. This restoration will be explained more fully in Jeremiah 30:1–33:26.
22 They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the LORD. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”