Israel was, is and will ever be God’s Chosen People. The true Church of God, called “the Israel of God” ( Gal. 6:16) with Jesus at her head, is also called “the daughter of Zion” Biblically, as is all of Israel generally and Jerusalem in particular. All who would spend eternity with Jesus and the Father in the Kingdom of God must become part of the Commonwealth of Israel by believing and obeying the God of Israel “until the end” of life or this present age, whichever comes first (Mat. 10:22). The Second Advent of Jesus will mark the end of the “latter days,” the time when God promised that His messengers would understand the Book of Jeremiah and teach it to those who would spend eternity with Him and His saints.

In reading the following commentary one must remember that the Book of Jeremiah was written to Israel (the U.S., Britain and the Jews of the Middle East) in the latter days of the world as we now know it. Keep in mind that God’s church was given as a light to all who saw and heard her, a light that would lead both wayward Israelites and Gentiles to Him. In 6:2 Jeremiah writes the Words the Lord gave him concerning Israel in general and His church in particular: “I (the Lord) have likened the daughter of Zion to a beautiful and delicate woman.” In Scripture, God’s church is often described as a woman, called “the daughter of Zion.” However, the vast majority of those who comprise Zion’s (Israel’s) daughter have rebelled against the God they claim to believe and obey. Only a remnant of Israel has remained true to the Biblical God (Rom. 11:5/Mat. 7:13,14). Through His Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles God warns the masses who rebel against Him to “seek the old paths” which they had been taught (Jer. 30:16). This admonition was written to a specific category of people here at the end of the latter days of this age. Those people are Biblically known as Israel. All who love God must become spiritual Israelites.

Now, for the first time since Jeremiah wrote his book, God has given His ministers understanding of what is written in that book. In it He (God) is issuing a final warning to those for whom it was written–Israel. This warning is also to the Church of God, His “Israel.” In verse 16 God is telling the modern day church to “return to the old ways, which is the good way, and walk there.” Both the church and the nations in which she exists have rejected the “old way” which is being taught in these last days by God’s true ministers. In verse 17 He tells those called by His name that He will set “watchmen” over them who will tell them to “hearken to the sound of the trumpet.” He noted that they would say, “We will not hearken.” As is always the case with the Lord and His prophecies, He was right. Modern man refuses to listen to His Words of warning which He calls a “trumpet blast.” In olden days a trumpet blast warned that an enemy was approaching. God’s ministers are “blowing His trumpet” as a warning that unheard-of terror will soon overtake the entire world, especially those who claim to be god’s people but who do not obey Him. Listen to His warning in verse 19: “Hear, O Earth; behold, I will bring evil upon this people … because they have not hearkened unto My Words, nor to My Law. They have rejected it.” Notice the singular “it” in reference to His Word and His Law. To the Almighty, THEY ARE ONE IN THE SAME. Every utterance of God is Law. It is for this reason that Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 that “… man must live by (obey) EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.” This includes those Words the Institutional Church rejects. L.J.