What is the meaning of Jeremiah 3:17? At that time Jeremiah opens with a time marker that points ahead to a definite, unfolding future. Scripture consistently treats these words as literal promises tied to Messiah’s reign: • Jeremiah 33:15–16 speaks of “those days and at that time” when a righteous Branch will execute justice. • Isaiah 11:10 promises a glorious resting place where nations rally to the root of Jesse. • Acts 3:21 reminds us that heaven must receive Jesus “until the time of restoration of all things.” Taken together, “at that time” anchors Jeremiah 3:17 in the same prophetic horizon—real history still awaiting complete fulfillment. they will call Jerusalem “The Throne of the LORD” The city’s name changes because her role changes. Instead of merely housing a temple, Jerusalem becomes the recognized seat of divine rule: • Psalm 132:13–14 affirms, “For the LORD has chosen Zion…‘This is My resting place forever.’” • Ezekiel 43:7 records God saying of the millennial temple, “This is the place of My throne.” • Revelation 20:4 pictures thrones established for judgment during Messiah’s earthly kingdom. Calling the city “The Throne of the LORD” signals God’s visible, unchallenged authority flowing out from Zion to the earth. and all the nations will be gathered in Jerusalem to honor the name of the LORD The promise expands beyond Israel, envisioning worldwide pilgrimage and worship: • Isaiah 2:2–3 and Micah 4:1–2 foresee all nations streaming to the mountain of the LORD for instruction. • Zechariah 8:20–23 says peoples from every language will grasp a Jew’s robe to seek God in Jerusalem. • Zechariah 14:16–19 describes annual journeys to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. • Revelation 21:24 pictures the nations walking by the New Jerusalem’s light—foreshadowed here in Jeremiah. This is no vague spiritual idea; it is a literal, global acknowledgment of the Lord’s supremacy in a renewed earth. They will no longer follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts The verse ends with a transformed humanity: • Jeremiah 31:31–34 promises a New Covenant where God writes His law on hearts. • Ezekiel 36:26–27 details a heart of flesh replacing the heart of stone, alongside the Spirit’s indwelling. • Romans 11:26–27 links Israel’s national salvation to removal of ungodliness. The moral turnaround is total—submission replaces stubbornness, obedience replaces rebellion—because God Himself changes the inner person. summary Jeremiah 3:17 pictures the coming kingdom when Messiah reigns from a restored Jerusalem. At that time: • God’s timetable moves from promise to reality. • Jerusalem becomes the recognized, literal throne of the LORD. • Every nation willingly gathers there to honor His name. • Renewed hearts replace stubborn hearts, fulfilling the New Covenant. The verse invites confidence that God will keep every promise—to Israel, to the nations, and to all who embrace His redemptive plan in Christ. |