An analogy from marriage
Rom 7:2-4; Jer. 3:6-25
We do not need to explain marriage much. Romans 7:2-3 says, “A married woman is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives… she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive.” But is her husband dies, she is discharged from the law. To Israel and Judah, the LORD said, “I am your husband” (Jer. 3:14). As such, Israel and Judah are the LORD’s wives.
According to the provisions of the Old Testament, is a woman commits adultery, she and the one she commits adultery with shall be put to death (Lev. 20:10). Deuteronomy 24:1-4 also prescribes how a man can divorce his wife – he can write a certificate of divorce and send her out. If she marries another man and is divorced again, she cannot return to her first husband, because she is considered to be defiled (Deut. 24:4).
Israel had committed adultery and has “played the whore” (Jer. 3:6). Judah, her false sister too “played the whore” (Jer. 3:8). If we were to talk in terms of the Old Testament laws, they would not measure up. They would not be allowed to return to the first husband. The LORD said about them, “I had sent her away with a decree of divorce” (Jer. 3:8).
But here, we see the amazing love and mercy of God in the midst of man’s unfaithfulness. The LORD said of Israel, “And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return” (Jer. 3:7). As for Judah, He also said, “Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense” (Jer. 3:10).
The LORD waited for them to return. They did not. Even then, the LORD was merciful and said to Jeremiah, “Go, and proclaim these words towards the north (Israel) and say: Return, faithless Israel, says the LORD, I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, says the LORD…Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God, and scattered your favours among strangers under every green tree, and have not obeyed my voice, says the LORD” (Jer. 3:12-13). He also said, “Return, O faithless children, says the LORD, for I am your husband” (Jer. 3:14, 22).
The LORD still calls upon his children today. He still welcomes those who return to Him. Let us go to him just as we are. The time of grace is now.
Let us conclude with Romans 7:4: “You have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.”
