The Strand Study Bible

JEREMIAH 3:1

JEREMIAH 3:14

1146

7 7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, when for all the 8 causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery 9 I had put her away, and given her a 10 bill of divorce; 11 yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 9 And it came to pass through the light- ness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. 10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but 12 feignedly, saith the LORD. 11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah. 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the 13 north, and say, 14 Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. 13 Only 15 acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

1. Prov 23:27-28 2. Ezk 16:26 3. or, “spring rains” – Lev 26:19 & Amos 4:6-12 4. Zeph 3:5 5. Deut 32:6 & Isa 63:16 & 64:8 & Jere 3:19 & 31:9 6. Jere 1:2 7. II Ki 17:13-19 8. Isa 50:1 9. II Ki 17:5-6 & 18:10-11 10. Deut 24:1 11. Ezk 23:1-11 12. or, “pretending” 13. or, “Assyria” 14. Deut 30:1-2 15. Lev 26:40-43 & Prov 28:13 & I Jn 1:9

Jeremiah 3 Judah hath played the harlot

(Note - This portion of Jeremiah’s prophecy took place in the 14th year of King Josiah’s reign) Date Written - 627 BC/AM 3373

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD . 2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. 1 In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy 2 whoredoms and with thy wickedness. 3 Therefore the showers have been with- holden, and there hath been no 3 latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be 4 ashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My 5 FATHER , thou art the guide of my youth? 5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest. Jeremiah’s first message – 6 The LORD said also unto me in the 6 days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. Judah’s sin is worse than Israel’s Date Written – Between 627-623 BC

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 3:1 a …shall he return unto her again? The question answers itself: Of course not! To return to a former spouse is an abomination before God ( Deut 24:1,2-4, Gen 2:18b and Mt 19:3,4 ). 3:1 b Although God was forced to hand Israel a bill of divorcement (vs 8), make no mistake, God did not divorce Israel. Israel divorced God (vs 14). Israel was the one that pushed for the divorce, not God. All God could do was grant Israel (who continued to play the harlot) her wishes, and serve her with the bill of divorcement that she demanded. However, Israel will always be God’s wife. And although Israel divorced God, God never divorced Israel; He never will ( Isa 50:1 ). Why? Because God hates divorce (Mal 2:16). He has an unchanging commitment concerning marriage and his bride. Despite her sin, He is always willing to take her back (vs 12,22). NOTE – Notice the statement, “ Yet return again to me, saith the LORD .” What God was saying to His unfaithful wife was, “ If you’ll return, I’ll overlook my law. ” God is not a man, and therefore His laws do not apply to Him. Laws are for lawbreakers (like you and I), not Lawgivers (Isa 33:22 and Jms 4:12). Because of His infinite wisdom ( Mt 12 :1- 7 and I Ki 3:16 -28) and the fact that He is not subject to His own laws, God can “change the rules” anytime He deems it necessary (Josh 10:12-14, Hos 1:1-2 & 3:1,5 , & Mt 14:14-33 and Jn 8:1-11 & 10:17-18). 3 :6 Subject Head Jeremiah preached four messages (all aimed at Judah) sometime between 627–623 BC. Note the following titles to his sermons:

1. 1st sermon: Judah’s sin is worse than Israel’s (Jere 3:6 – 4:4) 2. 2nd sermon: Hurry Judah! Time is running out (Jere 4:5-31) 3. 3rd sermon: The reasons for Jerusalem’s judgment (Jere 5:1-31) 4. 4th sermon: The enemy cannot wait to plunge and destroy (Jere 6:1-30) 3:8 The major cause for the “one-sided” divorce between God and Israel was Israel’s doing, not God’s.