Following the word “turn” (שוב) through Jeremiah’s prophecy.
“Go and proclaim these words toward
the north and say, ‘Return [שוב], faithless Israel
Jeremiah, in his continual use of “turn”
(שוב), makes a play on words in his delivery of
God’s command to a wayward people: “Return [שוב],
faithless [משבה, from שוב] Israel.” They have turned away in apostasy, but
God, in His great grace, commands them to turn to Him in repentance.
They must confess their sin. They
must confess that they are sinners. Before the rebel can become the daughter,
she must self-identify as a breaker of God’s Law. Before the enemy can become
the son, he must plead “guilty” in before the righteous Judge of all the living
and the dead. A people who have made a living death out of turning from God in
every area of their lives must – in obedience to the command of the King – enter a real life by turning away from sin and to Him in humbleness.
Notice that the standard is God’s “voice.”
This is the primary mark of God’s people – they have His Word and – together –
seek to hear His voice in their midst by the proclamation of this Word. They
individually and collectively submit to its power to “teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness,” so that they may be “equipped
for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16,17).
Those who hear His voice and obey
are His sheep (John 10:26,27). All who hear His voice and obey are those who
truly love Him (Exodus 20:6; Deuteronomy 5:10; 7:9; 11:1,13; 30:16; Joshua
22:5; Nehemiah 1:5; Daniel 9:4; John 14:15,21; 15:10; 2 John 6).
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