Israel’s return to the Lord means Israel repents of their sin and begins to live in accordance with God’s covenant law. The Lord's return to Israel means that the Lord relents of the covenant curse that he was inflicting upon Israel (Exodus 32:12; Jeremiah 18:8; Jeremiah 26:3, Jeremiah 26:13; Jeremiah 42:10). Instead, he begins to pour out his covenant blessings. An aspect of that covenant curse was that God would disassociate himself from his people (2 Chronicles 24:20; Isaiah 54:7).
7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’