The Promise

Lev. 26:40-45  

But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me, and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;  

if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt— then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land. 

The land also shall be left empty by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them; they will accept their guilt, because they despised My judgments and because their souls abhorred My statutes. 

Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am YHWH their Mighty One. 

But for their sake I will remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their Mighty One: I am YHWH.” 

If they confess their iniquity

Confession and repentance have always been conditional to YHWH’s forgiveness. It is not that our actions bring about His mercy in overlooking our sins. Rather, as the Psalmist put it: “If He regarded our iniquities, who could stand?” (130:3). He forgives the sins of those who love Him and follow His instructions because that is His nature. Exo. 20:6; 34:6-7; Num. 14:18; Deu. 5:10; 7:9; 2 Ch. 30:9; Neh. 1:5; 9:17; Psa. 32:5; 51:1-3; 86:5; 103:8-10; Pro. 28:13; Isa. 1:18-19; 43:25; 44:22; 55:7; Jer. 3:12, 22; 36:3; Eze. 18:21-32; 33:14-16; Hos. 6:1; 14:2-4; Zec. 1:3/Mal. 3:7; Lam. 3:22; Dan. 9:4, 9; Mic. 7:18-19; Act. 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 1 Jo. 1:9, etc. 

If their uncircumcised hearts are humbled

We must “circumcise” our hearts (Deu. 10:16; Jer. 4:4, 14; Col. 2:11-12; Rom. 6) by humbly accepting His direction over our lives. “Stiffneckness” (Deu. 10:16b) is stubbornness. His way is often different from what we may want to do. Like a child who refuses to listen to their parent, we may be stubborn and refuse to listen to YHWH. We must learn to humble ourselves and submit to Him. We must “wash” our hearts of evil (Jer. 4:14; Isa. 1:16) and be “baptized” (Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:3,4) to our sinful ways. It is a process. Luk. 9:23; 1 Co. 15:31; Php. 1:6, etc.

The Land will enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate

The Babylonian captivity, prophesied by Jeremiah, fulfilled this  prophecy (2 Ch. 36:21). Cyrus, king of ancient Persia, officially ended this captivity (2  Ch. 36:22-23). However, the Messiah, to whom Cyrus was merely a foreshadow (Isa. 45:1), will return and bring about the eternal “light” that will forever end the “darkness” of our exile (45:7). 

I will not cast them away

The prophet Moses later repeated this promise in Deuteronomy 4:31. In speaking of the “New Covenant”, Jeremiah also clarified this point (31:35-37). Like Moses, he later  repeated this declaration (33:25-26). The apostle Shaul also held this true in his letter to the Romans (11:1-7). 

I will remember the covenant…I will be their Mighty One

The everlasting covenant, made between YHWH and Abraham, his son Isaac, his grandson  Jacob, and his descendants (Gen. 17:7, 13, 19; Deu 29:14-15; 30:6; 1 Ch. 16:17; Psa. 105:10), is  also available to all nations and peoples (Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 17:2, 4, 5, 6, 16; 35:11;  48:19; Isa. 56:3, 6-7; Rom. 11:25; Gal. 3:8, 16, 29, etc.). Walking in faith, as Abraham walked, we accept YHWH’s Messiah and His instructions.