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According to jeremiah 31:38-40:

38 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.

39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.

40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever

Is this the dimensions to the rebuilt city after babylonial captivity? Or is it some thing in the future? Seems too specific to be purely symbolic. In context it seems to be connected to the new covenant of 31:31.

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    If this is about Jerusalem, wasn't it destroyed again in 70ad?
    – Ruminator
    Jun 21, 2018 at 11:39
  • Not an answer but a note on the premise: Specificity is often part of symbolic statements in the Bible. How many years in Daniel? Which city will the Messiah be born in? How many days till he rises? "How many baskets of bread were left over, and do you still not understand?" It will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon, etc. This prophecy isn't even as specific as they come. Also, one test sometimes applied to prophecies was that they come true in the present (Dt. 18:22); this, some exegetes argue, was the guarantee of the future/symbolic sense as well. For that purpose specificity helps.
    – Luke Sawczak
    Jun 21, 2018 at 12:04
  • Revelation 21:1-4, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: ... And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven ... Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men ... And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death". This new Jerusalem clearly will never be plucked up or thrown down!!!
    – enegue
    Jun 21, 2018 at 13:08
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    @enegue yea I believe it's abiut new Jerusalem too, many of the prophets speak of a future everlasting Jerusalem where the kingdom of God is set up. These are the same dimensions from Zechariah 14.
    – diego b
    Jun 21, 2018 at 15:02

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It is obvious that the prophecy of Jer 31:31-40 has not yet been fulfilled. For example:

  • The prophecy discusses the house of Israel (as distinct from that of Judah - see Jer 31:31) which had been destroyed about 150 years before Jeremiah and has still not been restored
  • The whole city is to be rebuilt - this must include the temple which the Jews have not yet done (except for the second temple which was destroyed - more on this shortly) - Arabs control some areas of Jerusalem among others
  • The entire city plus the Kidron valley, when rebuilt is be sacred to the LORD (v40). This has never been the case is still is not.
  • After the city (Jerusalem) is rebuilt it will never be "uprooted nor overthrown for ever" (v40). Jerusalem has been captured and desolated several times and its current state still cannot be described as fully restored.

Thus, Jerusalem cannot be, either now or previously, the fulfilment of this prophecy and therefore must point to a still future fulfilment. Whether this is literal or symbolic is another question. My personal view involves Jer 31:31 which clearly points to a time when everyone will have the law of God in their hearts - presumably this will never happen this side of God's eternal kingdom.

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It also says in 1 Cor 2:11 Only a man’s Spirit knows the mans own heart. Having God’s word written on their hearts... And ACTING on that knowledge.. CAN be two different things. I know I am speaking from my very personal, Western mind stand point.. But for a long time I knew in my heart ... my Spirit knew what God’s word was.. but my flesh did NOT act on it. I kinda felt like Paul, “that which I do not want to do, that I do. That which I do want to do, I do NOT do. I am among all men most wicked. I still struggle.. every day.. but not like I did at one point. And just as Christ said, tear down this temple and the temple would be rebuilt in 3 days.. It was NOT a literal temple. Perhaps this is the same. I came across what was written above while looking where that literal line that was referenced would be.. And God just kinda said to me.. That’s not the kind of line I am talking about. THIS IS MY POINT.. We do not struggle against flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. And therefore our “fight” for this land.. Is in prayer.. In denouncing Satan’s hold on the lands of God’s chosen people. Whether or not the prophecy is BEING fulfilled as I write this... Or if it is fulfilled and the seed of it is now growing for Harvest.. Or if it has yet to begin..As a Gentile brother of Christ through my inheritance with him.. It is my place to pray for the people of Isreal .. The Jewish chosen ones. .

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