Jeremiah_Chapter 3

There is a saying that if a man divorces his wife and she leaves him, and becomes someone else’s wife, how can his ex husband take her back? If she were taken back, wouldn’t the land be greatly polluted? But you and many dear ones who engage in debauchery can still turn to me. This is what the Lord has said.

You lift up your eyes to the high places of pure light and see, where have you not engaged in debauchery? You sit by the roadside waiting, like an Arab ambushing in the wilderness, and your lewd and evil deeds have defiled the whole earth.

Therefore, the rain stops, and the spring rain does not fall. You still have the face of a prostitute, disregarding shame.

From now on, will you not call out to me, saying, “My father, you are the Lord of my youth.”.

Will the Lord be forever angry and endure until the end? See, you speak wickedly and do evil deeds, following your own selfish desires.

During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, Have you seen what the apostate Israel has done. She goes up to various high mountains and indulges in pleasure under various green trees.

After she did these things, I said she would return to me, but she did not return to me. Her deceitful sister Judas also saw it.

Israel, who is apostate, has committed adultery, and for this reason I have given her a certificate of divorce. I saw her treacherous sister Judah, and she did not fear, but also went to commit adultery.

Because Israel neglected her fornication and committed adultery with stones and wood, the land was defiled.

Despite all these things, her treacherous sister Judah has not yet wholeheartedly turned to me, it is just a false intention to turn to me. This is what the Lord has said.

The Lord said to me, Israel, who is apostate, is more righteous than Judah, who is treacherous.

Go and proclaim to the north, saying, O Israel, who is apostate, return, O Lord. I will not look at you with anger. Because I am compassionate, I will not be angry forever. This is what the Lord has said.

As long as you acknowledge your sins, you have rebelled against the Lord your God, running east and west to other gods under every green tree and not obeying my voice. This is what the Lord has said.

The Lord said, O rebellious children, come back. Because I am your husband, and I will take one person from one city and two people from one family and bring them to Zion.

I will also give you the shepherd who is in my heart. They will feed you with knowledge and wisdom.

The Lord said, You have given birth to many in the land. In those days, people will no longer mention the ark of the Lord, do not remember, do not remember, do not feel lacking, and will no longer make it.

At that time, people will call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord. All nations will come to Jerusalem and gather in the place where the Lord has named them. They will no longer follow their stubborn and disgusting actions.

In those days, the house of Judah will come together with the house of Israel from the north to the land that I have given to your ancestors as an inheritance.

I say, How will I place you among my children and give you a beautiful land, a fertile inheritance among all nations. And I said, You will call me Father, and you will no longer turn away from me.

O house of Israel, you have been deceiving me, just as a wife has been deceiving her husband. This is what the Lord has said.

I heard the voice of men in the high places of pure light, the cry and supplication of the Israelites, because they walked in a crooked path and forgot the Lord their God.

Come back, you rebellious children. I want to treat your apostasy. See, we have come to you, because you are the Lord our God.

It is in vain to look up for help from the small mountains or from the noise of the big mountains. The salvation of Israel truly depends on the Lord our God.

Since our childhood, those shameful idols have devoured the flocks, herds, and their children that our ancestors toiled for.

Let’s lie down in shame. May shame cover us up. Because since our youth, we and our ancestors have often sinned against the Lord our God and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.