Kenneth Heck Supporter

This verse is perhaps the most obscure in Jeremiah. Verse 20 addresses Ephraim. Verse 21 addresses the virgin of Israel. Verse 22 continues the address of the prior verse.

Notice that verse 21 doesn't say virgin Israel, but virgin of Israel, suggesting that the LORD is addressing the actual virgins of Israel, not Israel itself. God does express particular concern for women in many passages in the Bible. Also, Judah could not really be regarded as a virgin, since Ezek 23 describes Judah as Aholibah, the sinner, in graphic terms. 

Verses 21 and 22 seem to be entreating the virgins that have backslidden (fallen to a heathenish or apostate condition apparently due to foreign influences) to return to the religion of Israel (return to the cities of Israel, not want or desire the perhaps more attractive cities of the heathen). The incentive to do so is given that a woman shall compass a man. This, on its face, would generally elevate the status of the women of Israel up to nearly that of men. Both Israel and the heathen nations roundabout held women in generally low esteem at that time, but Christianity is well known for elevating the status of women substantially above the Jewish level.

The question is when will this prophecy occur? The prophecy of the virgin-born Messiah in Isa 7:14 was made over 700 years in advance. If this prophecy is about Mary the mother of the Messiah, then it would take over 500 years for fulfillment.

Another problem is that the LORD said that he had already created a new thing, not that he will in the future. Is creation of a soul the same as physical birth? In other words, could the soul of Mary be created over 500 years before her actual physical birth? We do not know, but it seems possible given her unique status ("from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed" Luke 1:48).

In my opinion, there is justifiable reason for supposing that this is a Messianic verse, but the verse is too obscure to be very definitive.

A comment about the "new thing in the earth." Solomon wisely said "there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecle 1:9). This saying was was good for its time, (about 1000 BC), but doesn't apply to Christ and Christianity. Christ stated that he was greater than Solomon (Matt 12:42). In Christ every man is a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). There will be a New Jerusalem, a new heaven, and a new earth (Rev 21:1-2). Also, the resurrection will be a new thing. God has repetitively risen beyond human wisdom of Solomon in the scriptures.

February 17 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

This is a difficult passage, but, in my opinion, Jeremiah is speaking with reference to the return of Judah to its land following its captivity in Babylon, and to Judah also being restored to faithfulness to Him (which perhaps has not yet seen complete fulfillment).

Given Judah's past sin and unfaithfulness to God, this would be "a new thing", and as unprecedented as a woman either having the bulk and strength of a warrior or a mighty man (which is implied by the Hebrew word translated as "man" in the New King James Version); or (in that culture) pursuing a man, rather than God (as Judah's figurative husband, as God refers to Himself just a few verses later in the same chapter (Jeremiah 31:32)) always trying to restore "backsliding" Judah to Himself.

(I do not think that the passage has any prophetic significance with regard to the future virgin birth of the Messiah.)

February 16 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Jeremiah's words are address to Israel and my opinion of the verse after reading the context is as follows:

Jeremiah 31:22 describes God doing "a new thing" as "a woman encircles a man," a verse with varied interpretations but generally pointing to God's new covenant with Israel and an unprecedented transformation that leads to national renewal. While some suggest the woman refers to a protective role in the new covenant or a reversal of traditional gender roles in a future time of peace, it is not a prediction of the Virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus, a view now largely rejected by commentators who highlight the verse's context of God's relationship with Israel. 

Many believe the "new thing" refers to the new covenant promised in the following verses (Jeremiah 31:31-34), which will bring about a profound change in Israel's relationship with God. 

After long unfaithfulness, the nation will turn back and wholeheartedly seek the Lord, demonstrating a new type of faithfulness made possible by God's grace. This promise sets the stage for the New Covenant described later in the same chapter. 

Up until then Israel, with whom God was in the relationship of marriage by reason of the Law covenant, was turning “this way and that” in unfaithfulness. 

Through this verse Jehovah invites the “virgin of Israel” to set up road marks and signposts to guide her back and to fix her heart upon the highway that leads back. (Jer 31:21) 

Jehovah will put his spirit in her so that she will be most eager to come back. Thus, as a wife would press around her husband in order to get back into good relations with him, so Israel would press around Jehovah God in order to get back into good relations with him as her husband.

To appreciate more fully this verse, we need to turn to Jeremiah v. 31-33. Note verses 31-33 of Jeremiah Chapter 31: “Look! The days are coming,” declares Jehovah, “when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, ‘my covenant that they broke, although I was their true master,’ declares Jehovah.” 33 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovah. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.”

This is the new covenant that Jesus referred to on Nisan 14, 33 C.E. On that occasion, he revealed that the promised covenant was about to be concluded between his disciples and Jehovah, with Jesus as mediator. (1 Corinthians 11:25; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 12:24) 

This new covenant works with the preexisting Abrahamic covenant to produce the secondary part of the seed. This new covenant between Jehovah and spirit-begotten Christians allows for the formation of a heavenly nation of king-priests in the royal family of the Greater Abraham. We can see, then, why Paul said that this is “a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established upon better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6) Those promises include the blessing of having God’s law written in the hearts of devoted ones whose sins are not called to mind, and with all ‘knowing Jehovah, from the least to the greatest.’​—Hebrews 8:11.

This new covenant went into effect when Jehovah acted upon his acceptance of the ransom sacrifice. He poured out his Holy Spirit upon the faithful disciples of Jesus to bring into existence a new nation, spiritual Israel, composed of those in the covenant for the Kingdom. (Luke 22:29; Acts 2:1-4) This showed that God had cancelled the Law covenant, when Jesus had died and was resurrected to heaven.

The passage emphasizes Israel's responsibility to return to the Lord and embrace the new covenant that God will establish, which will lead to people knowing the Lord.

9 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report