NOTES for Jer 22:1-30
It might seem that, in addressing the king, the prophet who announces the coming disasters could have limited himself to listing them. After all, if everything has already been predetermined and nothing can be changed, what is the point of trying to reform people’s conduct? It would seem too late! But no: Jeremiah begins his speech by calling upon the king to rule justly and by explaining what just rule consists of.
Here we see once again that predestination does not rule out unexpected changes in either direction. The Lord, who permits the consequences of sins to fall upon the sinner’s head, can also have mercy on him, in which case the disasters initially announced may not happen or may be mitigated. But He can also revoke a promise given to those whose conduct has become unacceptable and who have ceased to be worthy of His gifts.
It is in precisely this way that the Lord is prepared to bring the reign of the Israelites on the throne of the house of David to an end, as stated in the words found in this same part of the prophecy. We know that even after a series of conquests there were kings from among the Israelites, so these words may appear untrue. Yet it was not because they were untrue that they were not fully fulfilled, but because the Lord’s mercy surpassed what He had warned of so sternly.