TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Jeremiah 14:1–9. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The first verse is the title of the whole chapter: it does indeed all concern the dearth, but much of it consists of the prophet's prayers concerning it; yet these are not unfitly said to be, The word of the Lord which came to him concerning it, for every acceptable prayer is that which God puts into our hearts; nothing is our word that comes to him but what is first his word that comes from him. In these verses we have,
I.The language of nature lamenting the calamity.
When the heavens were as brass, and distilled no dews, the earth was as iron, and produced no fruits; and then the grief and confusion were universal.
1.The people of the land were all in tears. Destroy their vines and their fig-trees and you cause all their mirth to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. All their joy fails with the joy of harvest, with that of their corn and wine. Judah mourns (Jer 14:2), not for the sin, but for the trouble - for the withholding of the rain, not for the withdrawing of God's favour. The gates thereof, all that go in and out at their gates, languish, look pale, and grow feeble, for want of the necessary supports of life and for fear of the further fatal consequences of this judgment. The gates, through which supplies of corn formerly used to be brought into their cities, now look melancholy, when, instead of that, the inhabitants are departing through them to seek for bread in other countries. Even those that sit in the gates languish; they are black unto the ground, they go in black as mourners and sit on the ground, a the poor beggars at the gates are black in the face for want of food, blacker than a coal, Lam 4:8. Famine is represented by a black horse, Rev 6:5. They fall to the ground through weakness, not being able to go along the streets. The cry of Jerusalem has gone up; that is, of the citizens (for the city is served by the field), or of people from all parts of the country met at Jerusalem to pray for rain; so some. But I fear it was rather the cry of their trouble, and the cry of their prayer.
2.The great men of the land felt from this judgment (Jer 14:3): The nobles sent their little ones to the water, perhaps their own children, having been forced to part with their servants because they had not wherewithal to keep them, and being willing to train up their children, when they were little, to labour, especially in a case of necessity, as this was. We find Ahab and Obadiah, the king and the lord chamberlain of his household, in their own persons, seeking for water in such a time of distress as this was, Kg1 18:5, Kg1 18:6. Or, rather, their meaner ones, their servants and inferior officers; these they sent to seek for water, which there is no living without; but there was none to be found: They returned with their vessels empty; the springs were dried up when there was no rain to feed them; and then they (their masters that sent them) were ashamed and confounded at the disappointment. They would not be ashamed of their sins, nor confounded at the sense of them, but were unhumbled under the reproofs of the word, thinking their wealth and dignity set them above repentance; but God took a course to make them ashamed of that which they were so proud of, when they found that even on this side hell their nobility would not purchase them a drop of water to cool their tongue. Let our reading the account of this calamity make us thankful for the mercy of water, that we may not by the feeling of the calamity be taught to value it. What is most needful is most plentiful.
3.The husbandmen felt most sensibly and immediately from it (Jer 14:4): The ploughmen were ashamed, for the ground was so parched and hard that it would not admit the plough even when it was so chapt and cleft that it seemed as if it did not need the plough. They were ashamed to be idle, for there was nothing to be done, and therefore nothing to be expected. The sluggard, that will not plough by reason of cold, is not ashamed of his own folly; but the diligent husbandman, that cannot plough by reason of heat, is ashamed of his own affliction. See what an immediate dependence husbandmen have upon the divine Providence, which therefore they should always have an eye to, for they cannot plough nor sow in hope unless God water their furrows, Psa 65:10.
4.The case even of the wild beasts was very pitiable, Jer 14:5, Jer 14:6. Man's sin brings those judgments upon the earth which make even the inferior creatures groan: and the prophet takes notice of this as a plea with God for mercy. Judah and Jerusalem have sinned, but the hinds and the wild asses, what have they done? The hinds are pleasant creatures, lovely and loving, and particularly tender of their young; and yet such is the extremity of the case that, contrary to the instinct of their nature, they leave their young, even when they are newly calved and most need them, to seek for grass elsewhere; and, if they can find none, they abandon them, because not able to suckle them. It grieved not the hind so much that she had no grass herself as that she had none for her young, which will shame those who spend that upon their lusts which they should preserve for their families. The hind, when she has brought forth her young, is said to have cast forth her sorrows (Job 39:3), and yet she continues her cares; but, as it follows there, she soon sees the good effect of them, for her young ones in a little while grow up, and trouble her no more, Jer 14:4. But here the great trouble of all is that she has nothing for them. Nay, one would be sorry even for the wild asses (though they are creatures that none have any great affection for); for, though the barren land is made their dwelling at the best (Job 39:5, Job 39:6), yet even that is now made too hot for them, so hot that they cannot breathe in it, but they get to the highest places they can reach, where the air is coolest, and snuff up the wind like dragons, like those creatures which, being very hot, are continually panting for breath. Their eyes fail, and so does their strength, because there is no grass to support them. The tame ass, that serves her owner, is welcome to his crib (Isa 1:3) and has her keeping for her labour, when the wild ass, that scorns the crying of the driver, is forced to live upon air, and is well enough served for not serving. He that will not labour, let him not eat.
II.Here is the language of grace, lamenting the iniquity, and complaining to God of the calamity.
The people are not forward to pray, but the prophet here prays for them, and so excites them to pray for themselves, and puts words into their mouths, which they may make use of, in hopes to speed, Jer 14:7-9. In this prayer, 1. Sin is humbly confessed. When we come to pray for the preventing or removing of any judgment we must always acknowledge that our iniquities testify against us. Our sins are witnesses against us, and true penitents see them to be such. They testify, for they are plain and evident; we cannot deny the charge. They testify against us, for our conviction, which tends to our present shame and confusion, and our future condemnation. They disprove and overthrow all our pleas for ourselves; and so not only accuse us, but answer against us. If we boast of our own excellencies, and trust to our own righteousness, our iniquities testify against us, and prove us perverse. If we quarrel with God as dealing unjustly or unkindly with us in afflicting us, our iniquities testify against us that we do him wrong; "for our backslidings are many and our revolts are great, whereby we have sinned against thee - too numerous to be concealed, for they are many, too heinous to be excused, for they are against thee." 2. Mercy is earnestly begged: "Though our iniquities testify against us, and against the granting of the favour which the necessity of our case calls for, yet do thou it." They do not say particularly what they would have done; but, as becomes penitents and beggars, they refer the matter to God: "Do with us as thou thinkest fit," Jdg 10:15. Not, Do thou it in this way or at this time, but "Do thou it for thy name's sake; do that which will be most for the glory of thy name." Note, Our best pleas in prayer are those that are fetched from the glory of God's own name. "Lord, do it, that they mercy may be magnified, thy promise fulfilled, and thy interest in the world kept up; we have nothing to plead in ourselves, but every thing in thee." There is another petition in this prayer, and it is a very modest one (Jer 14:9): "Leave us not, withdraw not thy favour and presence." Note, We should dread and deprecate God's departure from us more than the removal of any or all our creature-comforts. 3. Their relation to God, their interest in him, and their expectations from him grounded thereupon, are most pathetically pleaded with him, Jer 14:8, Jer 14:9. (1.) They look upon him as one they have reason to think should deliver them when they are in distress, yea, though their iniquities testify against them; for in him mercy has often rejoiced against judgment. The prophet, like Moses of old, is willing to make the best he can of the case of his people, and therefore, though he must own that they have sinned many a great sin (Exo 32:31), yet he pleads, Thou art the hope of Israel. God has encouraged his people to hope in him; in calling himself so often the God of Israel, the rock of Israel, and the Holy One of Israel, he has made himself the hope of Israel. He has given Israel his word to hope in, and caused them to hope in it; and there are those yet in Israel that make God alone their hope, and expect he will be their Saviour in time of trouble, and they look not for salvation in any other; "Thou hast many a time been such, in the time of their extremity." Note, Since God is his people's all-sufficient Saviour, they ought to hope in him in their greatest straits; and, since he is their only Saviour, they ought to hope in him alone. They plead likewise, "Thou art in the midst of us; we have the special tokens of thy presence with us, thy temple, thy ark, thy oracles, and we are called by the name, the Israel of God; and therefore we have reason to hope thou wilt not leave us; we are thine, save us. Thy name is called upon us, and therefore what evils we are under reflect dishonour upon thee, as if thou wert not able to relieve thy own." The prophet had often told the people that their profession of religion would not protect them from the judgments of God; yet here he pleads it with God, as Moses, Exo 32:11. Even this may go far as to temporal punishments with a God of mercy. Valeat quantum valere potest - Let the plea avail as far as is proper. (2.) It therefore grieves them to think that he does not appear for their deliverance; and, though they do not charge it upon him as unrighteous, they humbly plead it with him why he should be gracious, for the glory of his own name. For otherwise he will seem, [1.] Unconcerned for his own people: What will the Egyptians say? they will say, "Israel's hope and Saviour does not mind them; he has become as a stranger in the land, that does not at all interest himself in its interests; his temple, which he called his rest for ever, is no more so, but he is in it as a wayfaring man, that turns aside to tarry but for a night in an inn, which he never enquires into the affairs of, nor is in any care about." Though God never is, yet he sometimes seems to be, as if he cared not what became of his church: Christ slept when his disciples were in storm. [2.] Incapable of giving them any relief. The enemies once said, Because the Lord was not able to bring his people to Canaan, he let them perish in the wilderness (Num 14:16); so now they will say, "Either his wisdom or his power fails him; either he is as a man astonished (who, though he has the reason of a man, yet, being astonished, is quite at a loss and at his wits' end) or as a mighty man who is overpowered by such as are more mighty, and therefore cannot save; though mighty, yet a man, and therefore having his power limited." Either of these would be a most insufferable reproach to the divine perfections; and therefore, why has the God that we are sure is in the midst of us become as a stranger? Why does the almighty God seem as if he were no more than a mighty man, who, when he is astonished, though he would, yet cannot save? It becomes us in prayer to show ourselves concerned more for God's glory than for our own comfort. Lord, what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
It will serve us to remember that what is called the Word came to certain persons, as “the word of the Lord which came to Hosea, the son of Beeri,” and “the word which came to Isaiah, the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and concerning Jerusalem,” and “the word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” We must inquire how this Word came to Hosea, and how it came also to Isaiah the son of Amoz, and again to Jeremiah concerning the drought. The comparison may enable us to find out how the Word was with God. We will generalize by simply looking at what the prophets said, as if that were the Word of the Lord or the Word that came to them. May it not be … that … the Son, the Word, of whom we are now theologizing, came to Hosea, sent to him by the Father, historically, that is to say, to the son of Beeri, the prophet Hosea.… Similarly the Word comes also to Isaiah, teaching the things that are coming on Judea and Jerusalem in the last days. So also it comes to Jeremiah lifted up by a divine elation.… Thus to find out what is meant by the phrase “the Word was with God,” we have adduced the words used about the prophets, how he came to Hosea, to Isaiah, to Jeremiah.… We have to add that in his coming to the prophets he illuminates the prophets with the light of knowledge, causing them to see things that had been before them but that they had not understood until then.
Again, the Scriptures speak of God as asleep when the psalmist says, “Arise! Why do you sleep, O Lord?” He does not say this to make us suspect that God sleeps. This would be the utmost madness. By the word sleep the psalm shows God’s patience and forbearance toward us. Another prophet has said, “You will not be like a person who sleeps, will you?” Do you not see that we need much help from our understanding and reason when we are searching into the treasure house of the divine Scriptures? If we listen to the words only, if we do not think but take the words as they come, not only will those absurdities follow, but many a conflict will be seen in what has been said.
After many and various thoughts, he returns to the prophecy’s title, in which it is written, “What the word of the Lord gave to Jeremiah concerning the drought.” This is why he says, in effect: “Because the idols of demons are unable to make it rain, and the heavens are unable to give showers in and of themselves, therefore give us rain, O Lord our God, on whom we always wait and toward whom we have turned our hope and devotion. For everything is yours, and whatever is good cannot be given without you, to whom it belongs.” Let us speak this word also against the heretics who are unable to grant rain showers of doctrine. Although they prefer themselves to be the heavens and thus glory in themselves, concerning what is written, “the heavens tell forth the glory of God,” they are nonetheless incapable of providing rain showers of doctrine. For it is God alone who instructs people and grants a diversity of graces to those who wait on him.
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Summary
Jeremiah 14:7 presents a profound and desperate prayer offered by the prophet on behalf of Judah, a nation suffering under the severe consequences of prolonged drought and famine, direct results of their persistent sin. This verse functions as a poignant, corporate confession of national guilt, acknowledging the overwhelming and undeniable evidence of their iniquity and numerous acts of apostasy. Despite their deep unworthiness and lack of merit, the plea is made not on the basis of any human deserving, but solely on God's intrinsic character and reputation, imploring Him to intervene and act for the honor and vindication of His own holy name.
Context
Literary Context
Jeremiah 14:7 is situated within a significant and emotionally charged section of lament and intercession found in Jeremiah 14-15. The verses immediately preceding this prayer (e.g., Jeremiah 14:2-6) vividly portray the devastating effects of a prolonged drought on the land of Judah, describing parched ground, suffering animals, and the deep despair of the people, from the nobility to the farmers, all mourning the absence of water. This specific verse marks a crucial pivot from descriptive lament to a direct, corporate confession of sin and an earnest appeal to God. It initiates a profound dialogue between Jeremiah and the Lord, where the prophet intercedes on behalf of a seemingly unrepentant nation, highlighting the intense tension between divine judgment and God's unwavering covenant faithfulness. This prayer sets the stage for God's subsequent response, which underscores the severity of Judah's sin while still holding out the possibility of future restoration.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophetic ministry of Jeremiah unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE, a period characterized by the decline of the Assyrian Empire, the ascendance of the Babylonian Empire, and the final, tragic decades of the Kingdom of Judah. Jeremiah prophesied during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah, witnessing firsthand the pervasive spiritual decay and political instability that ultimately culminated in the Babylonian exile. The drought described in Jeremiah 14 was a severe natural disaster, but within the prophetic worldview of ancient Israel, such calamities were consistently interpreted as direct divine judgment for covenant disobedience, particularly widespread idolatry and social injustice. According to the Mosaic covenant, blessings such as abundant rain and fertile land were promised for obedience, while curses like drought, famine, and pestilence were explicitly stated consequences of turning away from God (Deuteronomy 28:15-24). The people's "backslidings" and "iniquities" were not isolated incidents but represented a pervasive pattern of syncretism, rebellion, and covenant violation against the Lord, deeply embedded in their cultural and religious practices, thereby making their suffering a direct and just outcome of their choices.
Key Themes
Jeremiah 14:7 powerfully articulates several core themes central to the book of Jeremiah and prevalent throughout the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it emphatically highlights the theme of National Sin and Guilt, acknowledging that Judah's profound suffering is a direct and just consequence of their pervasive "iniquities" and "backslidings." This underscores the fundamental biblical principle that sin, both individual and corporate, carries tangible consequences, and that God's justice is inextricably linked to His covenant relationship with His people. Secondly, the verse introduces the profound theme of Divine Name and Honor, as the prophet makes a desperate appeal to God to act "for thy name's sake." This emphasizes the crucial idea that God's actions are consistently aligned with His revealed character and glory, and His faithfulness is not contingent upon human merit but upon His own inherent nature. This theme resonates deeply with other prophetic passages where God declares His intention to act to vindicate His name among the nations (Ezekiel 36:22-23). Thirdly, the verse powerfully exemplifies Prophetic Intercession, as Jeremiah faithfully stands in the gap for his people, confessing their grievous sins and appealing for divine mercy despite their profound unworthiness. This role of the prophet as a compassionate intercessor is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament, demonstrating a heart of profound empathy for a wayward nation, even in the face of impending divine judgment.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term (H5771) denotes perversity, moral evil, or distortion. It implies a deliberate deviation from what is right, a crookedness in character and action, rather than merely an accidental mistake. The use of "iniquities" here suggests a deep-seated corruption and a willful turning away from God's established standards, leading to a state of profound guilt that justly demands consequences. It points not just to isolated acts of sin, but to a pervasive condition of moral culpability.
Meaning to heed, respond, or bear witness. In this context, it vividly personifies the sins themselves as active witnesses, providing undeniable and condemning evidence against the people. This powerful imagery emphasizes the undeniable nature of their guilt; their actions are so evident that they stand as accusers in a divine courtroom, leaving no room for denial or excuse before God.
Derived from H4878, this word specifically denotes apostasy or a turning away. It describes a repeated, deliberate departure from God and His righteous ways, often implying a return to former sinful practices after a period of nominal allegiance or even initial repentance. The plural form ("backslidings are many") highlights the chronic, widespread, and deeply ingrained nature of Judah's spiritual defection, indicating a persistent pattern of rebellion rather than isolated errors.
Verse Breakdown
"O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us,"
This opening clause is a direct and reverent address to Yahweh, acknowledging His supreme authority and covenant Lordship. The subsequent phrase, "though our iniquities testify against us," is a stark, brutally honest, and unvarnished confession. It admits that the nation's sins are so numerous, pervasive, and evident that they stand as irrefutable witnesses, condemning them before God. This imagery powerfully evokes a courtroom scene where the very deeds of the people serve as the prosecution, leaving them utterly without defense or excuse.
"do thou [it] for thy name's sake:"
This is the profound heart of the prophet's desperate plea. Despite the overwhelming evidence of their guilt and the complete absence of any human merit, the prophet appeals not to Judah's worthiness, but solely to God's inherent character, glory, and reputation. "Do thou [it]" refers to the act of delivering them from their severe distress, showing mercy, and restoring their fortunes. The profound motivation is "for thy name's sake," meaning for the sake of God's glory, honor, and unwavering covenant faithfulness. It implies that God's reputation among the nations, and the integrity of His promises, are at stake if His people are utterly consumed or if His covenant is perceived as having failed, even to a disobedient people.
"for our backslidings are many;"
This clause serves to reiterate and powerfully reinforce the preceding confession of guilt. "Backslidings" refers to repeated and deliberate acts of apostasy and turning away from God's commands and covenant relationship. The descriptor "many" emphatically underscores the pervasive, chronic, and deeply ingrained nature of their rebellion, highlighting the profound depth of their unworthiness and the sheer magnitude of their spiritual departure from the Lord.
"we have sinned against thee."
This final clause functions as a direct, unequivocal, and deeply personal admission of both individual and corporate transgression. It is a plain, unadorned statement of guilt, confirming that their actions constitute a direct and personal offense against God Himself, thereby violating their sacred covenant relationship and justly incurring His righteous displeasure.
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 14:7 employs several powerful and evocative literary devices to convey its urgent message. Personification is strikingly evident in the phrase "our iniquities testify against us," where abstract sins are endowed with the human capacity to bear witness, vividly portraying the undeniable and self-condemning nature of Judah's guilt. This creates a potent image of internal accusation. The Repetition of the theme of sin and unworthiness—"iniquities testify against us," "backslidings are many," "we have sinned against thee"—serves to emphasize the profound depth of Judah's spiritual fallenness and the complete absence of any human merit in their desperate plea. This cumulative confession powerfully highlights the utter desperation of their situation. Furthermore, the appeal "do thou [it] for thy name's sake" functions as a form of Rhetorical Appeal to Divine Honor, strategically shifting the entire basis of hope from human worthiness to God's intrinsic character and His unwavering commitment to His own glory, a common and potent prophetic motif. The entire verse also functions as a profound Lament and Confession, a well-established literary form common in the Psalms and prophetic books, expressing deep sorrow and unreservedly acknowledging fault before God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeremiah 14:7 offers a profound theological insight into the nature of sin, the principles of divine justice, and God's unwavering commitment to His own holy name. It teaches that genuine repentance, whether individual or corporate, must begin with an honest, unvarnished confession of guilt, acknowledging the pervasive and damning nature of our rebellion ("iniquities testify against us," "backslidings are many"). Yet, even in the face of overwhelming and undeniable sin, the verse powerfully directs our hope not to our own merit, efforts, or capacity for self-improvement, but solely to the unchanging character of God Himself. The desperate appeal "for thy name's sake" underscores the truth that God's actions are ultimately driven by His own glory, His covenant faithfulness, and the vindication of His character, even when His people are profoundly unfaithful. This foundational and liberating truth provides the only legitimate ground for hope, mercy, and ultimate restoration when human efforts utterly fail and all other avenues are closed.
Reflection and Application
Jeremiah 14:7 provides a timeless and profound template for approaching God in times of personal and corporate distress, especially when that distress is a direct consequence of our own failings and disobedience. It challenges us to move beyond superficial apologies or convenient excuses to a deep, honest, and comprehensive confession of our "iniquities" and "backslidings," recognizing that our sins are not merely mistakes but direct, grievous offenses against a holy and righteous God. The verse powerfully reminds us that our hope for mercy, forgiveness, and restoration never rests on our own goodness, our perceived worthiness, or our strenuous efforts, but entirely and exclusively on God's unchanging character and His steadfast commitment to His own glory. This profound truth means we can approach Him with confidence, not because we deserve His favor, but because He is inherently faithful to His name and His covenant promises. Furthermore, this passage calls us to cultivate a posture of fervent intercession for our communities and nations, acknowledging their spiritual brokenness and widespread sin, and appealing to God's sovereign mercy and intervention, even when the evidence of their unworthiness is overwhelming. Ultimately, this passage encourages us to cultivate a posture of profound humility, radical dependence on God's unmerited grace, and a fervent prayer life that passionately seeks His intervention for the sake of His own glorious name.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean for "iniquities to testify against us"?
This powerful and evocative imagery means that the sins committed are so pervasive, evident, and numerous that they act as active witnesses in a divine courtroom, presenting undeniable and damning evidence of guilt against the people. It implies a profound state of self-condemnation where the very actions and moral choices of the people serve as their own accusers, leaving absolutely no room for denial, excuse, or self-justification before a holy God. It highlights the pervasive and undeniable nature of their moral corruption and covenant infidelity.
Why does Jeremiah appeal to God to act "for thy name's sake" rather than based on the people's repentance or merit?
The appeal "for thy name's sake" (Hebrew: lema'an shimkha) is a profound theological statement that underscores the depth of Judah's sin and the nature of God's character. It explicitly acknowledges that the people's "backslidings are many" and they have "sinned against thee," meaning they possess no inherent merit, righteousness, or deserving quality upon which to base their plea for mercy. Therefore, the appeal shifts entirely and exclusively to God's inherent character, His divine reputation, and His unwavering covenant faithfulness. It suggests that for God to completely abandon or utterly destroy His covenant people would somehow diminish His glory, contradict His revealed nature, or bring His name into disrepute in the eyes of the surrounding nations. This is a common and vital theme throughout Scripture, where God acts not because His people deserve it, but to uphold His own holy name, vindicate His character, and demonstrate His sovereign power and faithfulness (Ezekiel 36:22-23).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeremiah 14:7, with its raw confession of pervasive sin and desperate appeal to God's name for mercy, finds its ultimate fulfillment, resolution, and redemptive answer in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "iniquities" and "backslidings" that so powerfully testified against Judah, and indeed against all of fallen humanity, are comprehensively and eternally addressed by the perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection of Christ. Where Judah could only confess their sins and appeal to God's character for a mercy they did not deserve, Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, perfectly bore the full testimony of our iniquities on the cross, becoming sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). His sacrificial death fully satisfied the righteous demands of God's justice, making it profoundly possible for God to be both perfectly just and simultaneously the justifier of all who place their faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26). The desperate plea "do thou [it] for thy name's sake" is answered supremely and definitively in Christ, for it is through Him alone that God's name, His character, His glory, and His very being are most fully and perfectly revealed and vindicated to humanity (John 1:18). Our hope for forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration is no longer an uncertain appeal to divine mercy based on a nation's confession, but a confident and secure access to God's boundless grace through the finished work of Christ, who is our faithful High Priest and advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1-2). In Him, God's name is eternally glorified, and His covenant promises are irrevocably secured for all who turn from their backslidings and trust in His saving power, ushering in a new and better covenant established on superior promises (Hebrews 8:6-13).