Jeremiah 3:1-5

II. GOD'S APPEAL To HIS PEOPLE Jeremiah 3:1 to Jeremiah 4:4

After the blistering indictment of his inaugural sermon Jeremiah takes up the subject of repentance. He speaks here of (1) the possibility of repentance (Jeremiah 3:1-5); (2) the need for repentance (Jeremiah 3:6-10); (3) the call to repentance (Jeremiah 3:11-15); (4) the blessings of repentance (Jeremiah 3:16-22 a); (5) The prayer of repentance (Jeremiah 3:22-25) and (6) the rewards of repentance (Jeremiah 4:1-4).

A. The Possibility of Repentance Jeremiah 3:1-5

TRANSLATION

(1) They say if a man divorce his wife and she shall go from him and shall become another man'S, may he return unto her again? Would not that land become greatly polluted? But you have committed harlotry with many lovers; yet return unto Me (oracle of the LORD). (2) Lift up your eyes unto the high hills and look! Where have you not been lain with? Along the ways you have sat for them as an Arabian in the desert; you have polluted a land with your harlotry and with your iniquity. (3) So the showers were withheld and there was no latter rain; yet the forehead of a harlot you possessed, you refused to be ashamed. (4) Will you not right now call to Me, My Father! You are the Husband of my youth! (5) Will He keep His anger forever? Will He keep it always? Behold, you have spoken but you have done evil things and you have succeeded.

COMMENTS

Is it possible for Judah after years of spiritual harlotry to return to the Lord? According to the law of Moses a woman who had been divorced and who had married another could not be reclaimed by the original husband (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). In the light of this law is it legally possible for the Lord to take Judah back again? The answer is No! Judah's case is much worse than that envisaged in the divorce law. In the law of Moses the woman who has been legally married to a second husband could not be reclaimed. But Judah has cavorted around with many lovers, i.e. false gods, and therefore no longer had any legal claim on the Lord. But grace triumphs over law. In spite of the legal impossibility of repentance and reconciliation God calls upon Judah to return to Him (Jeremiah 3:1).

That the guilt of Judah might clearly be established Jeremiah calls upon the people to lift up their eyes to the high places where their illicit religion was being practiced. One cannot find a prominent noll in all the land which had not been defiled by the licentious rites of Baal. Like a lonely Arab in the midst of the desert who eagerly joins himself to any caravans or passers-by, Israel has embraced every form of idolatry which has come along. This iniquitous spiritual harlotry has polluted the land (Jeremiah 3:2). Therefore God has punished them by withholding the showers and especially the latter rain of early spring which was so essential to an abundant harvest. Yet no amount of divine discipline could make Israel feel the shame of her wantonness. As a prostitute remains brazen and shameless when confronted with her deeds, so Israel gave no evidence of shame even when suffering the consequences of her sin (Jeremiah 3:3).

The past can be forgotten and forgiven if Israel right now, at this very moment, will acknowledge the Lord as God. Instead of calling the idols of wood and stone my father will you not give that appellation to Me?, the Lord pleads. Will you not acknowledge Me as the husband of your youth? (Jeremiah 3:4). The translation husband here is justified on the basis of Proverbs 2:17 where the same word is used. The word can also mean intimate friend and even guide as in the American Standard and King James versions. As a matter of fact, according to Jeremiah 3:5 Judah had spoken the things which God had requested in the previous verse. At the same time, however; they had continued to do evil things thus indicating that their words were insincere and hypocritical. So far they had gotten by with this hypocrisy but God will not keep His anger for ever (Jeremiah 3:5). Shortly they will face the God of judgment.