Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and
say, “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.”
Jeremiah 3:12
Here are some things
to notice about this verse.
First, it's a
promise, a promise of forgiveness. How gracious. But it's also a command. Note
the imperative: 'Return'. The first reason for repentance of sin is obedience
to God's command. That means that repenting of our sin isn't optional,
something that can wait for when we feel like it. God commands it.
Second, even in the
midst of this expression of grace, God does not minimize sin. He calls to 'faithless Israel'. This takes nothing away
from the graciousness of the calling. Actually, it heightens it. God offers
forgiveness even in the face of our wicked unbelief.
Last, God's saying
that He 'will not be angry forever' means that at that moment He was. And that
makes sense. His people had given themselves to faithlessness. They were
refusing to believe Him. God's anger is appropriate. But He promises to replace
the anger with forgiveness. What an amazing expression of His mercy.
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