The prophecy refers to Israel's future regathering from the north country (which Les identifies as Russia) and from all the nations where God has scattered them, back into their own land.
Jeremiah 23:7-8 says the days are coming when Israel will no longer speak chiefly of the Lord bringing them out of Egypt, but of the Lord bringing and leading the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country and from all countries where He has driven them, and they shall dwell in their own land. Les Feldick shows that the north country in this context is Russia, and he sees the prophecy already beginning to happen as Jews return to Israel from around the world.
Jeremiah 23:7-8 — This is the passage in question; it directly predicts a future regathering of Israel from the north country and all lands where God had driven them into their own land.
In Jeremiah 23:7-8, the Lord says a time is coming when people will no longer say, "The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land." The text does not name the north country, but it declares that the Lord Himself will bring and lead Israel out of that region and from every place where He had driven them.
Les Feldick teaches that Jeremiah 23:7-8 is a prophecy of Israel's regathering in the last days. He identifies the north country as Russia, because a line drawn due north from Jerusalem to the North Pole practically bisects Red Square in Moscow. He points out that God repeats the north-country return in Jeremiah 16, 23, and 31 for emphasis, and he connects it to Ezekiel's dry bones vision: the Jews living among the Gentiles are like dry bones, spiritually dead, and God is putting life back into the nation and bringing them home.
Les Feldick explains that when Scripture speaks of the north country, it is not a symbolic mystery. He says if you draw a straight line due north from Jerusalem to the North Pole, it practically bisects Red Square in Moscow. Therefore, he says, "there is no doubt that that is talking about the land of Russia." This identification matters because Russia lies directly north of Israel, matching the prophecy's wording.
Jeremiah 16:14-15 uses nearly identical language, saying it will no longer be said "The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;" but rather "The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them." Jeremiah 31:8 repeats it again: "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth... a great company shall return thither." Les Feldick calls attention to this repetition, saying that when God repeats something two or three times within a book, He is making an emphatic point.
Les Feldick points to current events as evidence that the return has begun. He says Jews are "coming home, they're coming back by the thousands every day," and he cites an example of 9,000 Jews from Russia arriving in Israel in a single day. He also says part of Jeremiah 31:8 has "just took place a few weeks ago," but "the end isn't yet" — they will keep coming from the four corners of the world. He connects this to Ezekiel's vision of dry bones, saying God is putting life back into a nation that was "nationally dead" and that this became visible in 1948.
According to Scripture, the purpose of this regathering is that Israel "shall dwell in their own land" — the land the Lord gave to their fathers. Les Feldick emphasizes that God has not forgotten the land He deeded to Abraham; it is still the same land and will be given to the children of Abraham at a much later time. He also reminds his listeners that these Old Testament prophecies concern Israel, not the Church, because all prophecy, including the time of Jacob's trouble, is directed to the nation of Israel.
Israel's Dry Bones Coming Home
Les connects the regathering to Ezekiel's dry bones vision, saying Jews living in Gentile territory are spiritually dead and God is now putting life back into the nation and bringing them into their own land.
The North Country Is Russia
Les shows that a straight line due north from Jerusalem practically bisects Red Square, making Russia the land of the north in Jeremiah's prophecy.
Jeremiah 23:7-8 in Plain English
Les reads Jeremiah 23:7-8 and emphasizes that it is plain English: the seed of Israel is led out of the north country and all countries, and they shall dwell in their own land.
The Third Repetition in Jeremiah 31
Les notes this is the third time in Jeremiah that the Lord says He will bring them from the north country, and he says part of it is already happening though the end is not yet.
Prophecy Is Directed to Israel
Les reminds that end-time prophecy, including the time of Jacob's trouble, is primarily directed to the nation of Israel.
Is the New Covenant for Israel or the Church? Jeremiah 31 Explained
God knew the nation of Israel would become what we call the wandering Jew, without a homeland, persecuted, driven from one place to the other. But God says, and here it is in the next verse, "...and shall return unto the LORD thy God, and thou shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.
Old Testament Prophecy Concerns Israel
Les explains that Old Testament prophecy, including the land promises, is about Israel and is not connected to the Church.
9,000 Jews from Russia in One Day
Les uses the report of 9,000 Jews from Russia arriving in Israel in one day as evidence that the return from the north country is happening now, and he notes God repeats the prophecy for emphasis.
Jeremiah 23:7-8: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
This is the central prophecy in question, describing Israel's future regathering from the north and from all nations into their own land.
Jeremiah 16:14-15: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
This parallel passage reinforces the same promise and specifically says God will bring them again into the land He gave to their fathers.
Jeremiah 31:8: Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
This is the third time in Jeremiah that the Lord promises to bring Israel from the north country, and Les uses it to show the emphatic nature of the prophecy.
Ezekiel 37:14: And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
Les connects this verse with the regathering, describing Jews living in Gentile territory as dry bones being placed back in their own land.
Les Feldick identifies it as Russia. He says that if you draw a perfectly straight line due north from Jerusalem to the North Pole, it will practically bisect Red Square in Moscow, so there is no doubt the north country refers to Russia.
Les says part of it has already taken place, pointing to Jews coming from Russia and other nations by the thousands. However, he also says the end is not yet, because a great company will still be gathered from the four corners of the earth.
The coming regathering from the north and from all nations will be so significant that people will speak of that deliverance more than the exodus from Egypt. God is making an emphatic point by repeating this promise multiple times in Jeremiah.
Watch the Teaching: The Boundaries of the Promised Land: What Does the Bible Say?