Backsliding Children - Jeremiah 3

Jeremiah 3:14 "Turn, O backsliding children saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:" See Romans 11:5

The Lord alternate refers to the children of Israel and a wife and as children. Here he compares them to a wife that has left her husband for another (see Hosea). Also, I think he refers to the remnant of Israel. As in the wilderness, the majority of those idol worshippers will be lost.

v1 "They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly pollluted? but thou has played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD. (See Hosea)

It is a demonstration of God's great love for his people. He is willing to take them back even after they have turned their back and face from him and even pretended to serve him but did not. Even then, God is willing to take them back.

v19 "But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me." See Isaiah 63:16

In the next verses, there is a cry from Israel, not to God, but a distress cry that they are wrong.

v21 "A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel; for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.:

In this condition, it seems they have forgotten how to approach God or are ashamed to do so. The Lord tells them to return then tells them the prayer to pray.

v22 "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God."

It continues with the realization that there is no hope of salvation in the high places of idol worship.

v23 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."

The great confession of sin and the utter hopelessness of our condition.

v25 "We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth, even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

That is a very good place to start from to come back to the Lord. Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. I John 1:9 "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.