3:16
We should not pick verse like this out of context, but place them firmly in their context, then we get a far better and deeper sense of their significance. This comes in the midst of judgement, indeed, there is an awful lot of judgement in Jeremiah! (Actually, there is in the Bible as a whole, including teachings of Jesus). We need to appreciate this, for we so like to brush aside the judgement passages (your Bible would be an awful lot thinner then, in more ways than one). God’s purpose in highlighting our sin is that we will repent. If He just wanted to get rid of us one word from His mouth would be sufficient. So we see here God looking forward to a day when number will have greatly increased. Then we see that the ark of covenant will no longer be of any significance (hard luck for Indiana Jones). In those days it was of great importance. Its loss was a disaster, and its return considered to be of enormous significance. But in the future it will be of no consequence at all, for God Himself will dwell amongst us! God is looking forward to something far greater than the past.
The Ark will not be missed, and new one will not be made!
3:17
Now remember that one of the key events that is central to Jeremiah is the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Here we see that Jerusalem is still central to God’s future plans. It will be called the “Throne of the Lord” and all nations will come to Jerusalem to honour the name of the Lord. Every knee shall bow! “No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts”. Oh how wonderful are the Lord’s plans. But they will be fulfilled on His terms, not ours.
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