“Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord, “for I am your master. I will bring you back to the land of Israel— one from this town and two from that family—from wherever you are scattered. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:14-15
Jeremiah paused in his condemnation of sin to offer a message of repentance and hope to the Northern Kingdom. If Israel would return to her God, He would frown on her no longer and extend His mercy. But the people needed to acknowledge their guilt of rebellion and idolatry. God promised to gather a remnant and bring them up to Jerusalem. This remnant would have shepherds or leaders who would provide the leadership intended by God, and their numbers would increase greatly-a sign of God’s blessing. God was showing Judah His mercy. God shows His mercy to all of us; if He did not, where would we be. What is God’s mercy? God being merciful basically means that, when we deserve punishment, He doesn’t punish us, and in fact blesses us instead. Mercy is the withholding of a just condemnation. Throughout the Bible, God gives many illustrations of His mercy. God fully demonstrates His mercy in Jesus Christ. His mercy is required for that to take place; there is an inseparable connection between God’s love and mercy. Jesus laid down His life and became the sacrificial lamb (Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29) so that God’s mercy could be extended to us. Instead of punishing us for our sin, God allowed His Son to take the condemnation in our place. That is the ultimate act of God’s mercy. To our eternal benefit, “mercy triumphs over judgment.”