JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:1 Jeremiah may have Deuteronomy 24:1 in mind, which answers the first question (WILL HE RETURN TO HER?) negatively and the second question (WOULD NOT THAT LAND BE GREATLY POLLUTED?) positively. With the words PLAYED THE WHORE (see Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 13:27), Jeremiah... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:6 God speaks to Jeremiah IN THE DAYS OF KING JOSIAH (after 627 B.C.; see Jeremiah 1:1) concerning the faithlessness of ISRAEL, the northern kingdom. Israel PLAYED THE WHORE by worshiping idols everywhere possible (Jeremiah 2:20). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:12 God appoints Jeremiah to make an extraordinary offer of grace to the fallen, exiled northern tribes, now scattered in THE NORTH (in foreign lands). They should repent, since he will not deal with them angrily, for he is MERCIFUL. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElement... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:14 God asks the FAITHLESS CHILDREN (literally, “the turning-away ones”) to turn, or return, to him. If Israel will return, he will take her ONE FROM A CITY AND TWO FROM A FAMILY... TO ZION. This minority of ones and twos will be the true people of God (Isaiah 6:11; Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:15 God will give this remnant (see note on v. 14) SHEPHERDS AFTER his OWN HEART, that is, leaders like David in whom God takes delight (1 Samuel 13:14). These shepherds will FEED the people WITH KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING, the very qualities they lacked when they turned... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:16 Israel’s exiles long for the ARK OF THE COVENANT OF THE LORD in the temple at Jerusalem, for they consider it God’s symbolic throne (2 Kings 19:15). In the days of restoration it will not COME TO MIND and IT SHALL NOT BE MADE AGAIN. Whatever happens to the ark, it will... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:17 AT THAT TIME JERUSALEM SHALL BE CALLED THE THRONE OF THE LORD, thereby replacing the symbolic function of the ark. Then ALL NATIONS SHALL GATHER TO IT (to Jerusalem; Isaiah 2:1), and those who live there will be faithful to God (Isaiah 4:2). This Jerusalem is ultimatel... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:21 Suddenly, a sound of the WEEPING AND PLEADING OF ISRAEL’S SONS arises from the BARE HEIGHTS. Israel’s sons finally recognize that THEY HAVE PERVERTED THEIR WAY and have FORGOTTEN THE LORD THEIR GOD. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:22 God counsels the Israelites to RETURN (repent) so he can HEAL their FAITHLESSNESS, their worship of other gods. Here forgiveness is compared to physical healing (Jeremiah 30:17; Jeremiah 33:6; Hosea 6:1; Hosea 14:4). BEHOLD, WE COME TO YOU. Israel responds positively b... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:23 The Israelites also acknowledge that only God IS THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL. They further pledge sole loyalty to their covenant husband, as he asked them to do in vv. Jeremiah 3:11. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length,... [ Continue Reading ]
JEREMIAH—NOTE ON JEREMIAH 3:25 The Israelites complete their confession by admitting that they deserve only SHAME and DISHONOR (Psalms 51:4). God was just in punishing them. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]