Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Arise, and let us go up to Zion"
Text: Jeremiah 31:6
A GLORIOUS RETURN
The LORD outlined what life would be like when the Captives return to the land of Israel. Two aspects were highlighted here:
“You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food.
For there shall be a day
When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim,
‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the LORD our God.'”
Jeremiah 31:5-6
1. “You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food”
a) Normal crops
i) Wheat
ii) Barley (and other types of grain)
iii) These would be staple food.
b) Planting of vines
i) This was beyond staple food planting.
ii) The rich were the ones who could plant vines and eat grapes.
c) In the future
i) The planters can plan to grow vineyards.
ii) This will not just be food for the wealthy.
iii) The vineyards would be so successful that the produce would be “ordinary food”.
2. “For there shall be a day when the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim”
a) Watchmen were appointed to help guard the cities.
b) Ephraim was the leading tribe of Israel (the northern kingdom in the past).
c) Ephraim did not worship God in Mount Zion from the days of King Jeroboam I.
d) A new role would be established for the watchmen of Mount Ephraim.
e) They would not need to watch for enemies.
3. “Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God”
a) This would be their new work.
b) They would cry out to the city dwellers to encourage them to worship God.
i) Ephraim would no longer be enemies to Judah.
ii) All would be encouraged to go to Zion.
iii) Zion was where the Temple of the Lord would be.
c) A renewed spiritual Israel would emerge.