(13) Only acknowledge . . .—This was the one sufficient, indispensable condition of pardon—the confession that kept nothing back, and made no vain excuses.Hast scattered thy ways.—The phrase is a strong one, thou hast left traces of thy way everywhere, i.e., hast gone this way and that in search of new and alien forms of worship. The “green tree” as before (Jeremiah 2:20) was the familiar scene of the hateful worship. read more
The Heavenly Guide (Sermon to the Young) Jeremiah 3:4 We are all travellers, but are not all travellingin the same direction. We need a guide. There is no difficulty in finding one. There is only one to be relied upon. I. Some of the Reasons Why we Need a Guide. 1. Our ignorance of the way. 2. Our liability to take the wrong path. 3. Our liability to leave the right path after we have chosen it. II. Some of the Reasons Why we Should Take God as Our Guide. 4. Because He knows the way. 5.... read more
{e-Sword Note: In the printed edition, this material appeared near the end of 2 Kings.}JEREMIAH AND HIS PROPHECIESJereremiah 1:1 - Jeremiah 5:31"Count me o’er earth’s chosen heroes-they were souls that stood alone, While the men they agonized for hurled the contumelious stone; Stood serene, and down the future saw the golden beam incline To the side of perfect justice, mastered by their faith divine, By one man’s plain truth to manhood and to God’s supreme design."- LOWELLTRULY Jeremiah was a... read more
CHAPTER IIIISRAEL AND JUDAH: A CONTRASTJeremiah 3:6-25; Jeremiah 4:1-2THE first address of our prophet was throughout of a sombre cast, and the darkness of its close was not relieved by a single ray of hope. It was essentially a comminatory discourse, the purpose of it being to rouse a sinful nation to the sense of its peril, by a faithful picture of its actual condition, which was so different from what it was popularly supposed to be. The veil is torn aside; the real relations between Israel... read more
The Call to Repentance and judgment Announced (3:6-6:30) CHAPTER 3 1. The contrast between backslidden Israel and treacherous Judah (Jeremiah 3:6-11 ) 2. The call to return and the promised glory (Jeremiah 3:12-18 ) 3. The future true repentance predicted and anticipated (Jeremiah 3:19-25 ) Jeremiah 3:6-11 . The message which begins with the sixth verse was given to Jeremiah during the reign of Josiah. There is then, first of all, a contrast between Israel (the ten tribes) and her... read more
3:11 And the LORD said to me, The backsliding Israel hath {n} justified herself more than treacherous Judah.(n) Israel has not declared herself as wicked as Judah, who yet has had more admonitions and examples to call her to repentance. read more
3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward {o} the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause my anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.(o) While the Israelites were now kept in captivity by the Assyrians, to whom he promises mercy, if they will repent. read more
3:13 Only acknowledge thy iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast {p} scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.(p) There was no way which you did not hunt to seek after the idols, and to go on a pilgrimage. read more
PERSECUTED IN HIS HOME TOWN The length of this lesson may alarm, but preparation for it only requires the reading of the chapters two or three times. One who has gone through Isaiah will soon catch the drift of the Spirit’s teaching and be able to break up the chapters into separate discourses and the discourses into their various themes. The main object of the lesson is to dwell on the prophet’s personal experience in his home town which is reached in the closing chapters. It is thought... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Jeremiah 3:12
(12) Toward the north.—The prophet utters his message as towards the far land of Assyria and the cities of the Medes to which the ten tribes of Israel had been carried away captive (2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 17:23). He had a word of glad tidings for the far-off exiles.Return, thou backsliding Israel.—It is hard to reproduce the pathetic assonance of the original, “Shubah, mashubah,”—turn back, thou that hast turned away; return, thou renegade.I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you.—Literally,... read more