Keywords: divorce from God * Supersessionism *  Jeremiah 3 * Israel * Church and Israel * False Gospel * Abrahamic Covenant

 

Jeremiah 3: "To Divorce or Not to Divorce"

 

"Jeremiah 3: To Divorce, or Not to Divorce"
by Mikael Knighton
Christians Standing with Israel

Part I - Reading What We Want to Read, and Forgetting the Rest

A cornerstone of Supersessionist doctrine is their assertion stating "the Old Testament nation [Israel] was divorced by God.", referring to the following passage found in the book of Jeremiah:

"Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce..." (Jer. 3:8)

Their assertion would have merit, if there were only eight verses in the third chapter of Jeremiah. Here we see yet another manifestation of biblical ignorance--the "picking and choosing" of Scriptural text so that its meaning conforms to an "agenda". Most unfortunately, false doctrines such as Supersessionism have been forged by this erroneous practice.

Actually, it could be considered somewhat "reassuring" to find the proponents of Replacement Theology delving into the third chapter of Jeremiah. Most disheartening is their insistence in stopping at verse 8. For it is in the third chapter of Jeremiah that we find yet another piece of biblical evidence showing God's faithfulness to the Jewish people--the people whom He foreknew.  Moreover, this particular book is an example--one of many found in Scripture--of not only God's unconditional faithfulness and divine mercy toward the Jewish people, but of His command--His Biblical Mandate--for Gentiles to support and minister to them. As we see in Jeremiah 3:15, this was a truth foretold.

Even so, let us continue in Jeremiah 3, past verse 8, where we find that God has not "divorced" His people. In fact, we will soon find that the "marriage" remains very much alive. Forged by the perfect Will of God; excluded by the ignorant "will of man", Jeremiah 3 continues:

"Return, backsliding Israel,' says the LORD;

'I will not cause My anger to fall on you.
For I am merciful,' says the LORD;
'I will not remain angry forever.
 
Only acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the LORD your God,
And have scattered your charms
To alien deities under every green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the LORD.

Return, O backsliding children," says the LORD;
"for I am married to you.
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
and I will bring you to Zion.

And I will give you shepherds according to My heart,
who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Then it shall come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased
in the land in those days," says the LORD,
"that they will say no more, 'The ark of the covenant of the LORD.'
It shall not come to mind, nor shall they remember it,
nor shall they visit it, nor shall it be made anymore.

At that time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the LORD,
and all the nations shall be gathered to it,
to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem.
No more shall they follow the dictates of their evil hearts. (Jer. 3: 12-17, emphasis added)

Replacement Theologians assert that God's Promises to and Covenant with the Jewish people were "conditional" upon their repentance, obedience and faith. To support their assertion, you'll find the following verse, also from Jeremiah 3, in most of their arguments:

 Only acknowledge your iniquity,
That you have transgressed against the LORD your God,
And have scattered your charms
To alien deities under every green tree,
And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the LORD. (Jer. 3: 13)

Once again, the Supersessionist interest in Jeremiah 3, as it pertains to biblically supporting Supersessionist doctrine, stops after a singular verse. Once again, a further look at this book would facilitate a more clear, biblically-sound interpretation. In verse 18. the Lord continues to convey His prophetic Will through Jeremiah. As the following verse will show, a "backsliding" Israel did not annihilate their Covenant with God:

"In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers." (Jer 3:18, emphasis added)

Notice the added emphasis on the word, "shall". Its use is indicative of something that will take place in the future, which coincides perfectly with Jeremiah's prophetic calling. Furthermore, notice the added emphasis on the words, "have given"--a present perfect verb. Look again at this section of the aforementioned passage:

"they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your fathers." (Jer. 3:18, emphasis added)

Part II - God's Promises are "Present Perfect"

If the promises found in the Abrahamic Covenant were, in fact, "conditional"--a belief sacred to all Supersessionists--then it stands to reason that God "divorced" His people because they failed to meet the Covenant's "conditions". If God truly divorced the Jewish people because of their failure to adhere to a "conditional" Covenant, then the Supersessionist claim that the Church is the new Israel--the new Chosen People of God--would have merit.

And yet, a fundamental, doctrine-altering question remains: Why would God, in speaking through Jeremiah, illuminate a covenantal promise in the present perfect tense (read: "have given") to the Jewish people if His "certificate of divorce" rendered His promise permanently "null and void"?"  If such permanency were valid, as the erroneous doctrine of Supersessionism contends, couldn't we logically infer the presence of a divine contradiction; in essence, a lie in Scripture. The "permanent" attribute, as it were, of God's divorce from the Jewish people would have merit if Jer. 3:18 were written in the past perfect tense, and subsequently read as follows:

"they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I had given as an inheritance to your fathers."

However, Jer. 3:18 reads quite differently, and for those arguing from the untenable position of Replacement Theology, presents a most annoying obstacle.

And so, the question remains in the open, "Did God issue His people a permanent "certificate of divorce", or didn't He?" If He truly divorced--that is, completely severed the relationship between Himself and the Jewish people, as the doctrinal beliefs of Replacement Theology assert, then the above "contradiction" stands, and God has essentially proven Himself as an unfaithful, untruthful God. If the above assertion were true, God will have proven Himself as a God who changes. Such a contradiction would essentially "blow wide open" all Scriptural truths and promises as we know them. The "divinely-inspired" and "infallible" attributes of the Holy Scriptures would meet with a level of scrutiny and skepticism so intense the very promise of our salvation would come into question.

Ultimately, such circumstances would beckon the following questions: "If God would nullify His promises with His Chosen people, the Jews, what would stop Him from eradicating His promises to the Church? If the Abrahamic covenant were truly "conditional" in nature and, through Israel's backslidings, were transferred to the Church, could the Church themselves produce a record of faithful adherence to the "conditions" found therein?

On the other hand, what if God is a Faithful God? What if the Holy One of Israel is an omniscient God--knowing beforehand the transgressions and backslidings of His people? What if God is a God of forgiveness and mercy? Are these not the fundamental character attributes of God? If we truly know God as such, then how is it we've failed to acknowledge His promises accordingly? Is our God a God who would intentionally facilitate a Covenant with a people He chose, label it "everlasting" and "irrevocable", only to back out of it at a later time when His people failed to live up to it--a failure of which He knew beforehand?

Part III - A Divine Pattern: Perfect Judgement Followed by Perfect Deliverance

Through prophets, such as Jeremiah, God repeatedly warned His people of impending Judgment and Wrath--consequences of their lack of repentance and faith. However, these prophets also carried with them prophetic messages of God's love and divine mercy; messages of hope and promise. In Jeremiah 3, the Lord, speaking through the prophet, tells of a time when His people will weep as they turn from their sin. (Jer. 3:21) He tells of a time when they will acknowledge that, "Truly, in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel." (Jer. 3:23) Such a prophetic vision of perfect love brings to an end this chapter of Jeremiah.

 "A voice was heard on the desolate heights,
Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel.
For they have perverted their way;
They have forgotten the LORD their God.

'Return, you backsliding children,
And I will heal your backslidings.'

'Indeed we do come to You,
For You are the LORD our God.
Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills,
And from the multitude of mountains;
Truly, in the LORD our God
Is the salvation of Israel.
For shame has devoured
The labor of our fathers from our youth--
Their flocks and their herds,
Their sons and their daughters.
We lie down in our shame,
And our reproach covers us.
For we have sinned against the LORD our God,
We and our fathers,
From our youth even to this day,
And have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.'" (Jer. 21-25, emphasis added))

Now I ask you, if God truly "divorced" His children earlier in this chapter, why would Jeremiah conclude it with a divine prophecy announcing their repentance and redemption?

RETURN TO TOP

READ MORE ARTICLES BY MIKAEL KNIGHTON

READ ISRAEL ARTICLES BY DIFFERENT AUTHORS

CHRISTIANS STANDING WITH ISRAEL HOMEPAGE

************************************************************************

"To Divorce, or Not to Divorce" is an article written by Christians Standing with Israel founder Mikael Knighton. To read more of his articles, visit his articles pages, Articles by Mikael Knighton.

Read the 3-Part
Series - Arab Propaganda
"Palestine", the Lie

Read More about
Christian Zionism

Read More About
Replacement Theology