He only pardons them He reserves !

Jer 50:20

20 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.

In those days looks forward to the Coming of the Messiah to do His Great Work of the Cross !

The word pardon here means to forgive, to spare !

Its the same as forgiveness of sins, and we learn here that God doesnt have Pardon/Forgiveness of sins for all mankind, never has and never will, but its reserved for only a remnant, thats what the word reserve means in our text.

The Pardon/Forgiveness of sins, or iniquity is restricted to a reserved people. The word reserve sha'ar :

I.to remain, be left over, be left behind

A.(Qal) to remain


B.(Niphal)

i.to be left over, be left alive, survive

a.remainder, remnant (participle)

Its that special portion of people that God reserves for Himself as stated here Rom 11:4-5

But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

The same Truth is again found in the scripture here Mich 7:18

18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us[The Remnant]; he will subdue our[The Remnant] iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Again God's Mercy and Pardon is stated specifically, particularly for a remnant, and not all mankind without exception !

When its written in Ex 34:7

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

That keeping Mercy and forgiving iniquity and transgression is limited to only a remnant !

Its specifically referring to the Vessels of Mercy Rom 9:23

23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

All mankind without exception are Vessels of Mercy, but only a remnant according to the Election of Grace, in Christ !