Jeremiah 17:4—An Everlasting Exile

“And you shall release, and [I will avenge Myself] of you because of your heritage that I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in the land that you did not know, for you have kindled fire in My nostrils that shall burn forever”

Claim: The Jewish People were forever abandoned and will accordingly remain in exile forever as they were replaced by a “New Israel”—believers in Jesus.

Response: Although not a popular proof-text, it’s one with superficial substance that must be cleared up.

The problem with this Christian approach is that it contradicts all the biblical prophecies regarding the ultimate redemption of Israel.^[i] So we are forced to explain “forever” not as what it would usually mean but rather as a “long time frame.” We see this explanation in other biblical passages as well.^[ii] Isaiah 32:14 speaks of the ruins and abandonment of Jerusalem (just as it does here) and uses the term “forever.” However, the very next verse clearly states: “until a spirit (of mercy) from on high will be poured out upon us…” (when the Messiah comes), and proceeds how Jerusalem will be restored into a fertile and inhabited land etc.

We thus see clearly that “forever” is not an infinity amount of time, but rather what seems as forever in the eyes of men (it being a long time).

[i] E.g. Tzefanyah 3:20, Isaiah 54:7, 56:8 60:4, Jeremiah 29:14, 30:3, 32:37, Ezekiel 20:34, 41, 28:25, 34:13, 36:24, 37:21, 38:8, 39:27, Hosea 2:2, and many, many more.—While some are referring to the Babylonian exile redemption, others cannot as they describe a more promising and complete redemption.

[ii] See Exodus 21:6 and Leviticus 25:10.