"At that time they will call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah, and all the nations will be gathered to it because the name of Jehovah is at Jerusalem" (Jer. 3:17a). This indicates that in this time of revival Christ will be the King reigning over her, and all the nations will be gathered to Jerusalem. This time of revival refers to the millennial kingdom.
In the revival promised by Jehovah, Israel will no longer walk after the stubbornness of her evil heart (v. 17b).
"In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land which I have given to their fathers" (v. 18). This indicates that the house of Judah and the house of Israel will be recovered to a normal condition. It is not normal for them to be divided and to fight with each other. In the restoration the situation between them will become normal again. This means that in the revival the twelve tribes of Israel will no longer be divided but will be one.
"But I said, / How I will put you among the sons, / And give you a pleasant land, / An inheritance of the most ornate of the nations! / And I said, You will call Me, My Father, / And will not turn away from Me" (v. 19). The word ornate here means beauty upon beauty or beauty added to beauty. This indicates that the holy land is the most beautiful land. In His heart God considers the holy land the land above all lands.
According to this verse, Jehovah considers that Israel will call Him, "My Father." How could a wife do this? The Bible reveals that God is our Husband and that we are His counterpart. The Bible also reveals that we were created by God to be His creatures but that, as believers, we were regenerated by God to be His sons. Hence, God is not only our Creator but also our Father. Israel was a female, Jehovah's wife. But she did not keep her position and was not faithful. She left her Husband and went to many lovers, all of whom were her Husband's enemies, yet her Husband begged her to come back to Him. Instead of giving her up, her Husband did many things to bring her back. When she does return, she is not able to repent to Him as His wife, so she considers Him not as her Husband but as her Father. This is not positive, for it indicates that she is still stubborn. For a wife to repent to her husband for her unchastity is a very difficult thing. Israel would repent to God as her Father but not as her Husband. This is the significance of her saying to God, "My Father."