3:11 Yahweh instructed His prophet that though both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms had committed spiritual harlotry, Judah's sin was worse than Israel's. Here the Lord personified Judah as "Treachery"as he again personified Israel as "Apostasy"(cf. vv. 6, 12). Israel had been unfaithful, but Judah and been unfaithful and had presumed on the Lord's mercy. Israel had not had the benefit of an example of unfaithfulness to warn her, but Judah did.
3:12 Jeremiah was to preach to the remnant left in the Northern Kingdom and to the exiles from that nation that they should repent and return to the Lord (cf. 31:2-6, 15-22). Those who had turned away from the Lord should turn back to Him.102He would not hold His anger against them forever but would be gracious to them--if they would genuinely repent.
3:13 Genuine repentance would have to include realizing and acknowledging that what they had done was iniquity, transgression of covenant commands, apostasy and spiritual adultery, and disobedience to Yahweh's Word (cf. Deut. 28:1-2, 15).
"True confession, unfortunately, is a harrowing and humiliating experience, and thus seldom encountered, whether in individuals or nations. The catharsis of confession undoubtedly helps to make Christian forgiveness so rich an experience for the penitent spirit (1 Jn. 1:9)."103
3:14 Changing the figure, the Lord invited the prodigal Israelites to return to their Father (v. 4). He would take them back and be their master (Heb. Ba'al) again.104He, the sovereign Lord of the covenant, was their master, not Baal (lit. "master").
". . . I am your ba'al(husband)' implies that no longer would Judah be bound to the Baals of the fertility faith to which she had so easily fallen away from the true covenant faith."105
The Israelites did not have to come en mass. The Lord would receive any individual Israelites who really repented even though they were part of a larger group that did not repent. The Lord would even bring them back to Himself in Zion, the place where He had promised to meet with His people. Thus the way was open for a remnant of spiritually sensitive Israelites to respond.
3:15 After their return, the Lord would give the truly repentant Israelites good leaders who had hearts for Himself and who would instruct them in sound knowledge (wisely) and understanding (well). Kind-hearted shepherds would provide wholesome and nourishing food for their sheep (cf. 23:1-4; Ezek. 34:23; 37:24).
3:16 When many Israelites had repented and returned to the land, they would not take pride in the ark of the covenant. The ark would not even come into their minds, they would not even remember it, they would not miss it, nor would they attempt to rebuild it.106
"Verse 16b shows that the old economy was to be dissolved. The old covenant, of which the ark was a central feature, was to give way to another--a preview of 31:31-34."107
At this point in the oracle it becomes clear that at least some in Israel definitely would repent and experience divine restoration sometime in the future. Note the recurrence of "in those days"and "at that time"(vv. 16-18). We believe that the repentance in view will take place at the second coming of Christ, when the Jews realize that Jesus is their Messiah. They will then put their trust in Him (Zech. 12:10; 13:1; cf. Rom. 11:26). Much that follows in this oracle concerning the blessings of Israel's repentance describes millennial conditions.108
3:17 The reason for these Israelites' lack of interest in the ark would be that in that day the Lord Himself would be enthroned in Jerusalem. The whole city would be known as the place of His throne, not just the ark (cf. Lev. 16:2, 13; 2 Kings 19:15; Ps. 80:1; Ezek. 48:35).
"There is unquestionably a Messianic expectation here (cf. Je. 5:18; 31:1; 33:16; Ho. 3:5, etc.)."109
People from the Gentile nations would also come to Jerusalem, as God would draw them, because of the reputation of Yahweh (cf. Isa. 2:2-3; 56:6-8; 60:11-14; Mic. 4:1-2). Their hearts would be different then, and they would comply with God's will rather than stubbornly resisting it.
3:18 Jews from both Israel and Judah would return to the Promised Land from their various places of captivity "in those days"(cf. Hos. 3:5; Mic. 2:12). The Israelites had gone off to the north to Assyria, and the Judahites would go off to the north to Babylon, and they would return from that direction.110The north represents wherever the Israelites had gone following the Lord's disbursal of them.111
"Since there is no indication that the ten tribes ever repented, the projected union must point to the Messianic age of grace, when Jew and Gentile alike will do honour before the enthroned Lord in Zion."112
