We want men and women to accept the gospel and be saved. Many, however, do not respond to the message and we may wonder why. We may even be tempted to think we are making the gospel too difficult – perhaps if we removed some of the elements of our message that people find hard to accept, we would be more ‘successful’. That is one reason why some modern-day presentations of the gospel have little to say about repentance, yet the Bible shows the vital importance of repentance. We consider Jeremiah 3:11-18 Repentance the path to blessing.
1. The call to repentance (v11-13)
- National sin: This part of Jeremiah’s ministry takes place in ‘the reign of King Josiah’ (v6) – a godly king who instituted wide-ranging reforms in Judah, yet with limited effect on the people. Jeremiah speaks of ‘faithless Israel’ – the northern kingdom now in exile in Assyria, but the message is for Judah, sinning against the Lord by the same idolatry (v8). Jeremiah’s words are for Judah’ benefit, but also show God is not finished with Israel.
- Divine grace: Jeremiah’s message contains a wonderful word of hope. This is not due to anything in the people, but all depends on ‘the Lord’ (v12). This is the covenant name of God, indicating his sovereign grace to sinful people, taking them into his loving covenant (Leviticus 26:12). He is ‘merciful’ (v12) – the special word for his unbreakable covenant love. Note ‘I will not be angry with you for ever’ – there is hope for sinners.
- Essential repentance: The blessings of salvation do not come automatically. The call is ‘Return’ (v12) – the OT word for ‘repent’. We repent by God’s enabling, but we must repent. Repentance is God-centred – we have ‘rebelled against the Lord’.
3. The blessings of repentance (v14-18)
- Joyful homecoming: God says, ‘I am your husband’ – the language of covenant. He brings us to Zion – our spiritual home, God’s dwelling. Also in the NT, we ‘have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem’ (Hebrews 12:22). All is fulfilled in Christ.
- Pastoral care: ‘I will give you shepherds after my own heart’ (v15). The care is to be given by God-appointed spiritual leaders. Those in Israel had often failed the people of God (see 23:1ff). True shepherds are fitted by God’s grace for the work. Above all we have Christ, the ‘Good Shepherd’ (John 10:11). Shepherds must reflect his ministry.
- Spiritual focus: Note the promise ‘your numbers have increased greatly’ (v16), fulfilled in the days of the Messiah, by the spread of the gospel. Material symbols such as the ark are no longer needed. We have the spiritual Jerusalem, the ‘Throne of the Lord’ (v17) where he dwells among his redeemed people. It embraces ‘all nations’ (see Matthew 28:19).
- Godly unity: In Jeremiah’s day Israel was in exile and Judah was on the same path, but in Messiah’s days ‘the house of Judah will join the house of Israel’ (v18). This did not become a literal political reality – it depicts the spiritual unity of God’s covenant people – ‘we are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Galatians 3:28), visibly so at the return of Christ at the last day.