What did Jeremiah mean “the time of Jacob’s sorrow”? How does this unmatched time of trouble for God’s people relate to the Great Tribulation?

Let us look at the Story of the Exodus to find the answer.

Exodus 19:3-6 | “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” 

Exodus20:1-3 | And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.“You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,

God warned Moses that the Israelites would abandon His commandments and follow the gods of other nations. He stated that He would hide His face from them, and they would suffer many troubles and evils. When they asked why they were experiencing such hardship the hope was that they would realize it was because they had turned away from God. They would become corrupt after his (Moses) death and would bring upon themselves even more evil in the latter days, provoking God’s anger through their actions.

Deuteronomy 31:16-18 | And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in the day “Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?” And I will surely hide my face in that day because of all the evil that they have done, because they have turned to other gods.

Deuteronomy 31:29 | For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger through the work of your hands.

Our benevolent God detests sin because of its harmful impact. He has given us laws to follow for our own benefit, and when we violate those laws, we bring negative consequences upon ourselves and those in our vicinity. Sin inflicts pain and suffering on us and separates us from God.

1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

When you read the history of Israel from the Exodus to the Diaspora you find that Jacob’s descendants had a huge problem with the sin of idolatry. They persistently followed the gods of the nations around them. A profound lesson about the idolatry of Jacob’s descendants is found in the book of Judges. 

Judges 2:10-13 | When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths… Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they reverted and behaved more corruptly than their fathers, by following other gods, to serve them and bow down to them. They did not cease from their own doings nor from their stubborn way.

Judges17:6 | In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (all of chapter 17 provides an incredible look at the idolatry of Israel according to their own eyes!)

Most of us would not consider ourselves or family members to be idolaters. However it would benefit each of us to take a close look at our hearts and actions. Idolatry is choosing to live outside of God’s guidance as well as looking to other things, circumstances or people to bring benefits to us. Be honest with yourself and examine the things that bring you “satisfaction”. Does anything you desire bring you enduring peace? Can you find fulfillment in anything other than the God who saves us? Examine the story of Israel and see God’s instructions that lead to life instead of death. Open your eyes to understand that the consequences of wrong actions have results that you really don’t want in your life! The “consequences” of right behavior produces good things in your life. God’s intention is for the consequences we suffer to bring us back to Him in penitence. In these End of  Days when the whole world seems obsessed with selfishness and immorality the purpose of Jacob’s sorrow is to awaken us as God’s people, especially our children and inspire us to repent and return to the God of our Salvation.

In the past, God punished Israel in the 8th century B.C. when the Assyrians took its citizens captive, and Judah was punished in the 6th century B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon. Idolatry and disobedience to God’s commandments will again lead to the downfall of the descendants of the Children of Israel before Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God. All nations will experience the tribulations of “Jacob’s sorrow,” as a wake up call to return to the God of our Salvation!

Daniel referred to the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy.

Daniel 12:1-2 | At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Jesus not only spoke of the troubles that would befall Jacob’s descendants, but also of an unparalleled time of difficulty that would endanger all nations before His second coming. In essence, the time of Jacob’s sorrow corresponds to the same period of time referred to as the Great Tribulation, during which world conditions will be worse than at any point in history, and humanity will be on the verge of self-destruction. Jacob’s sorrow and the Great Tribulation will culminate in the Day of the Lord.

Matthew 24:21-22 | For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Despite the fact that God’s people will undergo severe punishment for their idolatry and disobedience to God, He offers a promise of restoration.

Jeremiah 30:3 | For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.

Jeremiah 30:8-11 | And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of him. But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them. Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord; I will make a full end of all the nations among whom I scattered you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

“Jacob’s Sorrow” is a time of unrivaled judgement and grief.  it is a time when the whole world will be confronted with the consequences of how we have chosen to live our lives. But there is hope to be found in the God of Mercy! The severe judgement that occurs during the “time of Jacob’s sorrow” is meant to bring all of God’s people to repentance and restoration. Look up and see the God who saves us! Return to Him and trust in His deliverance!