A place to start with this passage is the use of the word "husband" by Jeremiah to describe the message God has given him. But let's jump, for a moment, to the Old Testament book of Hosea. It's a metaphorical story about a man, Hosea, whose wife was unfaithful. Ancient law would have permitted all sorts of dire punishment for that, but Hosea loved his wife too much to think in terms of punishment. Instead, he wanted her back, hopefully as things had been before her adultery. Thereafter, the story tells of Hosea's love and his willingness to begin again. The analogy is drawn in that story to the Jewish people in their relationship with God; the husband's love was great enough to overlook and forgive the betrayal. That's what's implied here. Of course, in marriage the joining of husband and…