¹² “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

Wonderful, refreshing words. As in the days of Jeremiah (31:34 from which our verse for today comes), so also in our day. The idea of God being merciful and compassionate toward His people is not sparse truth, even in the Old Testament. “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins” (Is 43:25).

“ ‘In those days and at that time,’ declares the Lord, ‘search will be made for the iniquity of Israel, but there will be none; and for the sins of Judah, but they will not be found; for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant’ ” (Jer 50:20).

“Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the rebellious acts of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18–19).

No better news could ever be declared to the people of Israel. Jeremiah spoke during a time of judgment. Israel was being punished for their continual rebellion against the Lord. Yet, in the midst of that judgment, hope is presented as an anchor (see Heb 6:19) to a people who were drifting toward complete destruction.

So today, the remnant of faith are those who come to faith in the Son, Jesus Christ. We are relatively few, for Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13–14). We who believe have embraced that hope, that promise of mercy and forgiveness. We never have to fear His judgment; we can fully rest in Him, knowing we are secured by the sacrifice of our Great High Priest.

Mercy means that God withholds justice that is due us. Because of Christ’s high priestly service, the judgment has been paid out onto the sacrifice that was offered up for us. His mercy is so absolute; He chooses to no longer “remember” our sins! He absolutely will never take them into consideration!

Lord, how completely wonderful is this good news. I echo the psalmist’s praise, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps 103:12).