A simple recipe for repentance
Reflecting on chapter 2, Jeremiah took us through a litany of indictments against God’s people. Here we are in chapter 3. Now, what will God do to people of Israel because of her guilt? The guilt described here in the first verses contrasts with the devoted, young bride seen in chapter 2. The bride’s despicable behavior is painstaking laid out, and we can feel the severity of her many offenses against her husband.
“If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man’s wife, will he return to her? Would that land not be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord. ”
In human terms, the betrayal of adultery and the hurt caused from unfaithfulness are unprecedented. Till death do us part. It has been said that the death of a spouse is easier to deal with than unfaithfulness.
Because of the ramifications of marital unfaithfulness is, it is imperative to see that God has a right to file for divorce. Yet, God offers forgiveness for an act, that in human terms, is close to unforgivable.
Note: If you are reading this and have committed adultery, His forgiveness is sufficient. If you have been the victim of unfaithfulness, He grace is sufficient to help you to forgive.
The remarkable part of this chapter is not how grievous Judah’s sin was, but rather how merciful God is.
“Return, faithless Israel, declares the LORD. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the LORD; I will not be angry forever. ”
It is so abundantly clear that God is showcasing His forbearance in contrast with His people forsaking. His faithfulness as a husband is contrasted with His bride’s faithlessness. His righteous indignation and His people’s unrighteous conduct. Even with a decree of divorce in hand, God wants restoration with His beloved.
Think about this. He wants restoration. How could we possibly be restored to an intimate, exclusive relationship with God after we’ve have cheated on Him? God tells us:
Return
Acknowledge our guilt.
Return
In the ESV, the word ‘return’ occurs what looks like 8 times in this chapter. In verse 13 and 14, this is clearly a comment. Verse 22 also.
Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.
Note: 7725 is the Strong’s Hebrew number for Return. 7726 is the word for Faithless, and the pronunciation bears some similarities. Some Hebrew homework, anyone?
This word has everything to do with returning, restoring, and going back to the wholeness of our relationship with God. What are you waiting for?
2. Acknowledge our Guilt
The call to repentance, through the preaching of the Gospel, must always accompany the indicative to acknowledge our guilt before the Lord. It’s to that God is going to say, ‘No biggie’, or ‘Don’t mention it’. Absolutely not. God requires that we confess our sins to Him as a prerequisite to our return to Him.
“Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God, and scattered your favors under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the LORD.”
Leveraging a synonym for acknowledge, we might well opt for the word confess. Come clean. And then, God will graciously make us clean. And here we are… back at the cross again. May this chapter give us a clear explanation to us of God’s great mercy. May we also preach to ourselves and others that God commands us to confess and return to His loving arms. Christ exchanged our certificate of divorce exchanged for a letter of pardon.
“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.”