Jeremiah 3 Backsliding Israel & Unfaithful Judah

Then Adonai said to me in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what backsliding Israel did? She went up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there she committed adultery. Yet I thought that after she had done all this she would return to Me. But she did not return. Even her unfaithful sister Judah saw it. I noted that when backsliding Israel committed adultery I sent her away and gave her a certificate of divorce. Yet, unfaithful Judah, her sister, did not fear. Instead she also went and committed adultery. It happened that through her frivolous prostitution, she polluted the land and committed adultery with stones and with wood. Yet after all this her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with her whole heart, but only insincerely,” It is a declaration of Adonai. Then Adonai said to me, “Backsliding Israel has proved herself more righteous than unfaithful Judah. Go! Proclaim these words toward the north, saying: “Return backsliding Israel,” says Adonai. “I will no longer frown on you, for I am merciful,” says Adonai. “I will not keep a grudge forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity. For you sinned against Adonai your God and scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree. You have not obeyed My voice.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “Return, O backsliding children,” declares Adonai. “For I am your Husband. I will choose you—one from a city and two from a clan— and will bring you to Zion. I will give you shepherds after My own heart who will feed you knowledge and understanding. It will be in those days when you multiply and become fruitful in the land.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “They will no longer talk about the ark of the covenant of Adonai, nor will it come to mind or be remembered. Neither will it be missed or another one made again. At that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of Adonai and all the nations will gather into it, to Jerusalem, in the Name of Adonai. No longer will they walk according to the stubbornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel. They will come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave your fathers as an inheritance.” “Then I Myself said: ‘How gladly would I make you sons and give you a pleasant land— the most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ I thought you would call Me—Avi!— and would not turn from following Me. Yet as a woman betrays her lover, so have you betrayed Me, O house of Israel.” It is a declaration of Adonai. A voice is heard on the barren hills —the weeping and supplication of the children of Israel— because they perverted their way and forgot Adonai their God. “Return, backsliding children! I will heal your backsliding.” “Yes, we will come to You for You are Adonai Eloheinu. Surely help from the hills is a delusion— the commotion of the mountains! Surely in Adonai Eloheinu is the salvation of Israel. But the shame has consumed the labor of our fathers since our youth— their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let’s lie down with our shame and let our disgrace cover us! For we have sinned against Adonai Eloheinu —both we and our fathers— from our youth even to this day. We have not paid attention to the voice of Adonai Eloheinu.” “If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares Adonai. “If you will put your detestable things out of My sight. Then you will not waver. You will swear, ‘As Adonai lives!’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in Him and in Him they will glory.” Thus says Adonai to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to Adonai and remove the foreskins of your heart, men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Else My wrath will break out like fire and blaze, with no one to quench it, because of your evil deeds!”

Backsliding Israel vs. Unfaithful Judah

In the middle of the spiritual revival under King Josiah, Adonai reminds the Jeremiah of how the northern 10 of the Nation of Israel acted. We see Jeremiah once again comparing the idolatry with adultery and pointing out just how prolific it was; “every high mountain and under every green tree.”

But even though Judah had seen how Israel acted, and even though Adonai had given Israel a certificate of divorce because of their unfaithfulness, Judah refused to take note. Judah refused to fear Adonai, even though they had seen the judgement against Israel.

And here we see the first explicit mention in Jeremiah, that shows that the spiritual revival happening under Josiah was not completely sincere. We are not specifically told how or why the repentance was insincere. It is enough for us to realise that although the leaders of the nation of Judah had returned toward Adonai, the people had not wholeheartedly repented.

For these reasons, Adonai declares that the northern 10 tribes of Israel have proven to be more righteous than Judah.

Call for Repentance

Jeremiah is commanded to “Go!” and to “Proclaim to the North.”

The next passage, verses 12-20, we see Adonai calling for the Northern Kingdom of Israel to return to Himself. Several times Adonai says, “Return, O Backsliding Children”. This statement is Hebrew poetry at its best.

שׁ֣וּבוּ בָנִ֤ים שׁוֹבָבִים֙

Turn back sons who back turned

It is not in Adonai’s nature to remain angry. Rather he is calling the nation of Israel to humbly repent and he will bring them back to the Land of Israel, and back to Zion, Jerusalem at its best. Adonai promises new leaders, or shepherds, who will follow after Him, just like King Josiah was currently doing. There is also the promise of many children, a sign of Adonai’s favour.

At that time/In those days

Now in the second half of vs. 16 and on through vs. 18 we see a future promise, a Messianic promise. Jeremiah uses the words “at that time” or “in those days” to refer to a future reality that Adonai will bring. Here we have a promise to gather Israel from the nations that she has been dispersed to, we see a promise to soften their hearts, and a promise to re-estabilish them as a people in the Land of Israel.

God’s Heart Cry

Adonai longs for His people to turn back to Him. He calls them and pleads with them to repent. Jer. 3:19-20

Jeremiah 3:19–20 TLV

“Then I Myself said: ‘How gladly would I make you sons and give you a pleasant land— the most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’ I thought you would call Me—Avi!— and would not turn from following Me. Yet as a woman betrays her lover, so have you betrayed Me, O house of Israel.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

This is just like the words of Yeshua in Matt. 23:37-39

Matthew 23:37–39 TLV

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘Baruch ha-ba b’shem Adonai. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”

Some in Israel Repent

Although there is no other reference in other literature to a massive return to Adonai at this time, based upon Jeremiah’s first missionary journey to the North, it would appear that some repented.

Verse 21 seems to record that some of the people who heard Jeremiah wept and cried out to Adonai. In fact, vs. 22 through 25 include a prayer of repentance spoken by those in the North. There is an acknowledgement that no help ever came from their worshipping false gods on the hills or mountains. Rather these people declare that “Adonai Eloheinu is the salvation of Israel.”

There is also an ownership of the shame associated with sinning against Adonai, and an acknowledgement of that sin.

Forgiveness for True Repentance

Adonai assures the people, that if they truly repent and return to Him, if they remove any other idol from before their faces, that He will forgive them. But if they are to repent, they must repent wholeheartedly. There is no point in simply saying the words, and not being willing to change their behaviours.

Once again, if the people truly repent, then Israel will become the blessing to the nations that they have been called to be. Just as was promised to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3

Genesis 12:1–3 TLV

Then Adonai said to Abram, “Get going out from your land, and from your relatives, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. My heart’s desire is to make you into a great nation, to bless you, to make your name great so that you may be a blessing. My desire is to bless those who bless you, but whoever curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.

Judah Must Also Repent

Now, in Jer. 4:3 we see the call to repentance extending toward Judah and Jerusalem. At the beginning we saw that Adonai called backsliding Israel more righteous than unfaithful Judah. Judah must also prepare their hearts for repentance, and cut away anything in their hearts that is in the way of the covenant. It is not enough to simply make a once in a lifetime external decision to follow Adonai. It is not enough to simply follow the faith of your parents. Rather, repentance must reach our hearts, and we must humble ourselves.

Michael Brown explains the breaking up of unploughed ground this way:

The meaning is to awaken the spiritually dull areas in their lives, to dig afresh the wells of their faith, to become sensitive again to the voice of God. Coupled with this is the exhortation no to sow among thorns - an image equated in the Gospels with the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, the search for pleasures, and the desire for other things (Mk. 4:7-19), but here it basically means the removal of everything that impedes their loyalty to the Lord or hinders their repentance.

Application

So how do we apply this passage to our lives?

Adonai Desires Repentance

Adonai desires all people to repent. Peter wrote in 2 Pet. 3:8-9

2 Peter 3:8–9 TLV

But don’t forget this one thing, loved ones, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some consider slowness. Rather, He is being patient toward you—not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

And again in the Psalm 30:5-6

Psalm 30:5–6 TLV

Sing praise to Adonai, His faithful ones, and praise His holy name. For His anger lasts for only a moment, His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

Learn From Others’ Examples

We are told that the examples given to us in Scripture are to be lessons so that we do not make the same mistakes. Just as Adonai judged Israel and Judah, so also will He judge Australia. The difference is that unlike Beni Yisrael, Australia does not have a promise to exist until the end of the age as a nation. Just like Assyria, Babylon, and the Greco-Roman empires, the West will fall. Just as Judah had not learned from Israel’s example, it does not seem that we have learned any of the lessons of the nations that have gone before us.

Some Will Repent

We, however, must not lose heart. Some people will repent, just as some in Israel repented. We are called to declare the Good News of God’s forgiveness and to disciple people as we go. While it is true that not everyone will listen, some will.

Yeshua told a parable about this time. Matt. 22:1-14

Matthew 22:1–14 TLV

Yeshua answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who made a wedding feast for his son. He sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they wouldn’t come. Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who were invited, “Look, I’ve prepared my meal. My oxen and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!” ’ “But paying no attention, they went away, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest grabbed his servants, humiliated them, and killed them. Now the king became furious! Sending his troops, he destroyed those murderers and set fire to their city. “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. So go into the highways and byways, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.’ And those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look over the guests, he saw a man there who wasn’t dressed in wedding clothes. ‘Friend,’ he said to him, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was silent. Then the king said to his servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

We are now at a time where we are to go into the highways and byways, and invite everyone we find to the wedding feast! Through the death of Yeshua, all who repent and accept His sacrifice are offered clean white garments.

Adonai Promises Forgiveness

We are promised that when we confess our sins to Adonai, just as Israel confessed in this passage today, then He will forgive us. 1 John 1:8-10

1 John 1:8–10 TLV

If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is gracious, and forgiving. To close I want to read one last Scripture that explains the nature of God. Ex. 34:6-7

Exodus 34:6–7 TLV

Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth, showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”