In Jeremiah, chapter three, verse twelve, “Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.” The remnant of Israel living in Assyrian captivity in the Old Testament was told that they could still repent. God remains merciful and does not want to punish forever. Jeremiah went on to prophesy that a remnant would someday return to God and to the promised land. The prophet utters his message towards the far land of Assyria and the cities of the Medes, which the ten tribes of Israel had been carried away captive.
See God’s readiness to pardon sin and the blessings reserved for gospel times. These words were proclaimed toward the north, to Israel, the ten tribes, captive in Assyria. They are directed on how to return. If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful to forgive them. These promises are fully to come to pass in the bringing back God’s chosen people in the after-ages.
God will graciously receive those who will return to Him, and by his grace, He takes them out from among the rest. The ark of the covenant was not found after the captivity. The whole of that dispensation was to be done away, which took place after the multitude of believers had been greatly increased by the conversion of the Gentiles and of the Israelites scattered among them. A happy state of the church is foretold. He can teach all to call him Father, but without a thorough change of heart and life, no man can be a child of God, and we have no security for not departing from Him.