What is the purpose of the "day of the LORD"? Jer. 30:11-24

In Jeremiah 30 the prophet says the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah (30:3).  Joel 3:1,14 calls this the day of the LORD.  Jeremiah calls it the time of Jacob’s trouble (30:7) which is Daniel’s 70^th Week (Dan. 9:24-27) or the tribulation period spoken of by Christ (Matt. 24:8,21).  It is the subject of Rev. 4-19.

In one verse (Jer. 30:11) Jeremiah tells us God’s plan for this time.

·        The salvation of Israel.

·        The judgment of the nations.

·        The punishment of Israel.

Above is the order of these purposes in v11 but not the order in which they happen.  Scripture indicates that God uses the nations to punish Israel.  But the nations go too far and must themselves then be judged by God.  And all this is part of His means of bringing Israel to be a holy nation.  This order is reflected in the rest of Jer. 30 and more, including the on the New Covenant (31:31-34.)

·        Jer. 30:12-15: God speaks of Israel’s incurable and severe wound and of her need for correction.  God says, I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy … for the multitude of your iniquities.

·        Jer. 30:16-17: But then God says, those who devour you shall be devoured.  This refers to the nations.  Ultimately Israel would be dispersed to all the nations, and it is these that God refers to.  He says to Israel, I will restore health to you … because they (the nations) called you an outcast.

·        Jer. 30:18-24: Then God promises to bring Israel back to the land where He will restore them.  You shall be My people, and I will be your God.  This was the plan from the very outset of Israel’s existence in Egypt (Ex. 6:7).  Count on it because God will not stop until He has performed the intents of His heart (30:24).  You may think it isn’t going to happen, that the promise was made long ago, and that it doesn’t seem to be moving in that direction.  But God says: In the latter days you will consider it.  

As we have noted often from Scripture, in the last days the primary evidence by which the world will know that the God of Israel is the true and only God will be His faithfulness to save and protect Israel.