The Lord of the Covenant graciously calls his apostate people to himself in repentance, 3:14. He still loves them as a father, seeing that he calls them, "sons," although they were unworthy of the name. Moreover God reminds them that he is their Husband, ("master to you"). His bride has committed spiritual adultery, but still he calls her back to himself and to their marriage. In order to stimulate his people to return to him, God through the mouth of Jeremiah makes some rich promises that would be fulfilled "in those days," (3:16,18, and "at that time" in verse 17), i.e., in the days of the long awaited Messiah. We know that these phrases and others similar to them, (such as "in the latter days," 30:24 and "the days are coming," 31:27,31), have the Messianic Age, beginning with the birth of Christ, in view, because the New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:3lf. is introduced with the words: "Behold, days are coming.... " And in 31:33 we are told that this covenant is made "after those days." Hebrews 8:8-12 and 10:15·18, which quotes Jeremiah 31:31f, clearly refers it to Christ and to the Messianic age, commencing two thousand years ago.