Analysis of מְשׁוּבָה and Its Importance on the Moral and Spiritual Understanding of the Nation according to the Book of Jeremiah

Abstract

The idea of apostasy gets an important value since it refers to the spiritual situation of the nation. This destructive situation leads the people to lose the relationship with God. Thus, the wordplay return/apostate found in the book is based on the use of the Hebrew root שׁוּב and it provides valuable information con understand the continual pleading from God. This divine act looks for a better life perspective for the human being and it serves as a warning toward a change for the nation. This divine pleading occurs because of the moral degradation of the nation, which looks only for their own interests making the covenant terms be forgotten leading the nation toward ruin. Therefore, it is pertinent and important this study and it answers the following questions: What theological relevance has מְשׁוּבָה on the understanding of apostasy phenomenon? How the people responded to the continual pleading from God? What is the intention of Jeremiah by using מְשׁוּבָה?