SUMMARY
God determines to override the law for the sake of a future with his divorced partner Israel.
ANALYSIS
The divorce law of Deuteronomy 24:1-4 is assumed in Jeremiah 3:1. That law states that a husband who had divorced his wife for cause could not remarry her if she had been remarried and then divorced or widowed. To do so would defile the land itself. In terms of the use of this law in Jeremiah 3:1-5, Israel has left her husband, Yahweh, and “married” another (Baal). This move entails divorce from the first husband, Yahweh (contrast Isaiah 50:1, which declares that no divorce has occurred). In terms of the divorce law, Yahweh cannot remarry the former wife (Israel), and the unfaithful wife cannot return to her husband. Such action would pollute the land even more severely (Jeremiah 3:2-3; 2:7). So, if one is to obey the law, no renewal of the relationship between God and Israel is possible.
In a stunning move, God decides to ignore the “if” in what follows, with the repeated invitation to Israel to return (3:15-18). God has determined that, for the sake of the relationship, the law must be broken. Relational issues supersede legal issues. God determines that God cannot simply walk away from Israel. Israel can certainly bring nothing to the table to enable this divine move, but God makes a gracious move and allows Israel a place at the table once again.
God is thus not bound to the TorahThe Torah is the law of Moses, also known as the first five books of the Bible. To many the Torah is a combination of history, theology, and a legal or ritual guide. More in any static sense. For God, the personal and relational factors at stake override the strict application of the law. Hence, to use lawsuit or other legal language to describe the God-Israel relationship is to treat it in a much too formal and legalistic way. God’s mercyMercy is a term used to describe leniency or compassion. God's mercy is frequently referred to or invoked in both the Old and New Testaments. More, for the sake of a future with God’s people, proves to be more decisive for God than divine justice.
