The words of Jeremiah 30:3 not only introduce the theme of restoration that is central to the Book of Consolation, but they also describe the scope of this restoration. It is notable that none of the oracles that are brought together in Jeremiah 30:1–24 and Jeremiah 31:1–40 are dated. This gives the promises of restoration a very broad scope. Much like the closing chapters of Isaiah, the future the Lord describes in Jeremiah 30:1–24 and Jeremiah 31:1–40 is not determined by local events or circumstances, but rather by the Lord’s own plans and purposes for Israel and his world.1
It is also clear that the northern tribes of Israel and southern Judah are included in the Lord’s promise of restoration. Jeremiah’s ministry focused on Judah in the south, but he does refer to northern Israel in some of his sermons. His sermons in Jeremiah 30:1–24 and Jeremiah 31:1–40 often use the same language as the prophets such as Isaiah and Hosea. It seems clear that Jeremiah has reflected on the writings of these prophets, especially Isaiah 40:1–66:24. Likewise, throughout his book, Jeremiah’s sermons in these chapters are also deeply influenced by Deuteronomy. These other prophets and the message of Deuteronomy (see Deuteronomy 30:1–5) all speak of the Lord one day restoring Israel as a united people, bringing people from both the northern and southern tribes back to the land. Jeremiah’s sermons in Jeremiah 30:1–24 and Jeremiah 31:1–40 clearly reflect this promise.2 Passages such as Jeremiah 31:2–22 focus on northern Israel with the use of names such as Jacob, Rachel and Ephraim. Much like in the book of Hosea, these messages spoken to northern Israel combine with messages to southern Judah (see Jeremiah 31:23–26) and point to the Lord restoring the nation as his united people. Reference to the Exodus and desert wanderings also highlights the fact that north and south have a common origin as the Lord’s rescued people. The covenant promises of land and blessings were made to the whole nation and the Lord will keep these promises. The fact that the Lord remains faithful to the northern tribes that were taken into exile by the Assyrians some one hundred years earlier proves the Lord’s faithfulness and is a source of great encouragement to the southern tribes who are about to be taken by the Babylonians.3 Despite all that has happened to the nation of Israel, the Lord remains faithful to them and will restore them as a united people. The land he will give them is also the whole land and not just Judah in the south. According to this promise, the whole of God's people, Judah and Israel, united by their common ancestry, will again possess the whole land, which is their joint inheritance.
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The words of Jeremiah 30:3 also describe something of the timing and nature of the Lord’s promised restoration. In terms of timing, the Lord says the days are coming
when this restoration of Israel will take place. This phrase occurs often in the Book of Consolation, and it refers to something that will happen in the future even though the exact timing has not been given. It opens the scope to events that will happen in the immediate future, which in the context of Judah means after seventy years of exile in Babylon, and to events in the indefinite future, pointing even to an eschatological fulfillment of the Lord’s promises.
The Lord also says that he will restore the fortunes of his people,
a phrase that is also used a number of times throughout the Book of Consolation. This speaks of the reversal of covenant curses to blessing. This restoration includes taking possession of the land which represents the place where Israel experiences the Lord’s blessings, but it goes beyond mere physical blessings. It includes the spiritual blessings of reconciliation with the Lord. It also points to a much greater fulfillment. Israel taking possession of the land is a small taste of the new heavens and new earth when people from every nation, and indeed the whole of creation, will experience full restoration of fellowship with the Lord (Hebrews 11:10–16).5
3 For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.”