Background: As God has collected all the "evidence" against His people Israel for her unfaithfulness to Him, He finally presents a formal indictment. You may remember in chapter 2 that there was a "Plea", a formal complaint, filed by Him against her and her children for infidelity and rejection of Him as Husband and Father. He now lists the things they have done: false balances, oppression, arrogant self-sufficiency, false worship (of the golden calf they had made) and idolatry.
Key Verses: 2 The Lord has an indictment against Judah
and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
he will repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
and in his manhood he strove with God.
4 He strove with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought his favor.
He met God at Bethel,
and there God spoke with us—
5 the Lord, the God of hosts,
the Lord is his memorial name:
6 “So you, by the help of your God, return,
hold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.”
and will punish Jacob according to his ways;
he will repay him according to his deeds.
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel,
and in his manhood he strove with God.
4 He strove with the angel and prevailed;
he wept and sought his favor.
He met God at Bethel,
and there God spoke with us—
5 the Lord, the God of hosts,
the Lord is his memorial name:
6 “So you, by the help of your God, return,
hold fast to love and justice,
and wait continually for your God.”
Thoughts: This indictment continues to be a plea to return to Him. His goal is not to "put her away forever." He takes Israel all the way back to when they were Jacob, "wrestling with God" for His blessing and direction. That encounter left Jacob stronger in faith and commitment to the Lord. It was God's purpose in this new "wrestling match" to do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment