Jeremiah 50:16-20 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handles the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land. Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria had devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had broken his bones. Therefore thus said the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead. In those days, and in that time, said the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.
‘Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first, the king of Assyria had devoured him, and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had broken his bones.’ Israel – all Israel, not ten tribes or two tribes only – is like scattered sheep. All were scattered alike and all were gathered alike under Ezra, Nehemiah and others at the end of the Babylonian captivity (50:4-5). That all Israel is referred to here is clear from the fact that the kings of Assyria and Babylon are both spoken of as scattering them. Assyria took the ten-tribe kingdom captive (2Kin. 17:1-41), and Babylon took the two-tribe kingdom (2 Kings 23-25). The kings of both were to be punished (50:18), and the same peoples scattered by both were to be gathered again to their habitation in Palestine (50:19). Israel and Judah are thus included in the ‘Israel’ of this passage, and they were to be redeemed from all iniquity (50:20).
‘In those days, and in that time, said the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.’ In those days – when both Israel and Judah will be gathered in final restoration they will be fully cleansed from all sin (Zech. 12:1-13:1; Rom. 11:25-29). This passage (50:19-20) refers to the final restoration in the last days, as proved by the fact that they will not have any sins at that time; but the gathering of Jeremiah 50:4-5 refers to the one after the Babylonian captivity.
End times: Prophetic Scriptures 