Jer 3:21-4:2 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Jer 3:21-4:2: 3:21–4:2 The people, held captive in Assyria, cried out that they had repented of their sins. However, their words were insincere, and the Lord rejected their plea. God was telling his people that if they were really going to turn back to him, they had to abandon the altars on the hills where they had worshiped idols and purge their religion of every trace of idolatry.

Summary for Jer 3:21-4:2: 3:21–4:2 ^a The people, held captive in Assyria, cried out that they had repented of their sins. However, their words were insincere, and the Lord rejected their plea. God was telling his people that if they were really going to turn back to him, they had to abandon the altars on the hills where they had worshiped idols and purge their religion of every trace of idolatry.
Summary for Jer 3:22-24: 3:22-24 ^b The Lord heard the touching prayer of devotion; the people affirmed their acceptance of the Lord as their God (31:7 ^c; Pss 38:18 ^d; 121:1-2 ^e).

• The people even confessed that they had worshiped idols and engaged in religious orgies. They admitted that all this was a delusion (Jer 11:13 ^f; 14:20 ^g; Hos 9:10 ^h) and acknowledged that salvation is found only in the Lord. Their ancestors had squandered their wealth by killing their animals and children in honor of Baal. 3:22 ⁱ The Lord did not forget his children. Out of the depths of his being, he called them to come back so that he could heal them. He desired to set aside his anger and pour forth his love (30:17 ^j; 33:6 ^k; Hos 6:1 ^l; 14:4 ^m).

‏ Jeremiah 4:1-2

4:1 ⁿ The Lord saw that despite their lovely prayer, the people did not intend to throw away their idols or change their lifestyle (15:19 ^o; Joel 2:12 ^p).
4:2 ^q As surely as the Lord lives: The correct attitude when offering a prayer of confession and making oaths reflects truth, justice, and righteousness. Truth means that the inner attitudes and thoughts of those praying match the words they utter. Justice means living by the laws of the Lord, who will judge the earth. Righteousness means that people relate to others in accordance with the Lord’s Spirit and the moral standards he has established. This kind of prayer requires a radical transformation of people’s inner lives and outer lifestyle (Gen 22:18 ^r; Deut 10:20 ^s; Ps 72:18 ^t; Isa 48:1 ^u; 1 Cor 1:31 ^v). If the Israelites returned to the Lord in this way, the people would be blessed, and their influence would flow out as a blessing to all the nations of the world. Their changed lives would cause people of the world to come and join in a chorus of praise to God’s name.