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| Photo by Jim Tracy |
1 Listen to the word of the I AM, you children of Israel: …
Time for the list of crimes against God.
…for the I AM has a complaint against the people of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Israel has not kept the command to teach God’s words to their children every waking moment (Deuteronomy 6:7). As a result, there is a general lack of knowledge of Him. God has a problem with this.
America, in like manner, has forgotten to teach her children the godly truths we were founded under, leaving their children to the instruction of God-free government schools. As a result, the majority in our nation have no truth, mercy or true knowledge of God. If God is unchanging, can we expect anything less than punishment for this negligence?
A lack of the knowledge of God will produce a lack of mercy.
2 By swearing, lying, murdering, stealing, and committing adultery, they break My Laws, and there is murder after murder.
The Israelites were lying and stealing and committing adultery, as well as murdering so much that the blood from one crime would, figuratively, run into the blood from the next.
3 And so the land will mourn, and every one that lives in it will waste away, including the wild animals and the and the birds, even the fish will disappear.
There will be a great drought that will destroy the entire country.
4 Yet don't bother trying to tell anyone of their sin, because they are like those who even fight with priests.
It has come to the point where it will be a waste of breathe to try to talk anyone out of sinning. They are not making mistakes, but willfully rebelling against God. The people have the same attitude as those who argue that there is no such thing as Right and Wrong. They refuse to acknowledge the very foundation of morality.
5 This is why you will fall in the day I have appointed. Even the prophets will in the same night, and I will destroy thy mother.
Everyone is doomed, even the proverbial “Sainted Mamma.”
6 My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge. Because thou have rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou won't be priests to Me. Since thou have forgotten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Paul said, “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” Romans 1:20.
Since nature itself speaks plainly of God, no one has an excuse to not know Him.
Israel chose to forget their place with God; to forget Him altogether. As a result, God will forget them. He quit protecting them and allowed them to be destroyed.
America was founded on the idea of freedom to serve God according to conscious. Instead of worshiping God, we now worship freedom, even freedom FROM God. As a result, many don’t even know what is a biblical sin, biblical right and wrong.
7 The bigger the population, the more you sinned against Me. So, I will change your glory into shame.
The more Israel prospered, the more they rebelled against God. So, God has decided to make those things they took pride in a shame to them; their wealth, beauty, and even their children.
8 The priests encourage sin so they can have more sin offerings to eat!
9 And the people are just like the priests! I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their actions.
10 For they will eat, but not have enough. They will have lots of illicit sex, but no babies. Because they have quit listening to the I AM.
God promises that Israel- priest and common people alike- will be so cursed that no matter how much they eat, they won’t be able to get full. They will always be hungry.
Even though Israel was engaging in plenty of sex, they would not have babies. This is a curse, a very bad thing. Solomon says, “In the multitude of people is the king's honor: but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.” A country with a declining population is cursed to cease to exist. God is cursing Israel with infertility, miscarriages and, probably, early infant death to the point their entire existence is in danger.
America is just as sexually active and the only reason our numbers aren’t actually dropping is because of immigration. This is not a good thing.
11 Illicit sex and wine and new wine take away the heart.
People “worshiping” Sex, Drugs And Rock ‘N Role?
12 My people ask advice from pieces of wood! And their walking stick speaks to them. For the spirit of prostitution has caused them to sin, and they have been unfaithful to their God.
Israel asks for advice from wooden idols and divining sticks instead of God.
America consults the bull and bear of Wall Street. Same result; worshiping the creature instead of the Creator.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow of it is good. So your daughters will be prostitutes, and your wives will commit adultery.
Idol worship in the ancient world was a selfish religion. It involved gorging at feasts, prostitution, and the sacrifice of unwanted babies. Serving idols allowed men to puff themselves up and show how important they were. This is entirely different standards than worshiping the true God. God values humbleness and self-sacrifice. He is simply promising the natural results to the nation’s choices; their daughters will become the prostitutes they frequent in their temples and their wives will engage in the same “freedoms.” What the men show they value, their women will become.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they are prostitutes, nor your wives when they commit adultery, because you men frequent prostitutes yourselves, and "worship" with temple prostitutes. Since you don't understand, you will fall!
When a people do not call sin a sin, the good people begin to follow the bad. There is no incentive for anyone to be righteous. And how can we blame our children for sleeping with every warm body that comes along when we glorify such behavior through our entertainment media and those we call celebrities? A person becomes those he spends time with, so when we spend time with sinners (through the TV, movie theaters, books, magazines and newspapers), we become sinners.
15 Though thou, Israel, act like prostitutes, don't let Judah sin, and Judah, don't come to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, thou they swear, "The I AM lives."
Gilgal and Bethaven were cities just inside the Judean border. At this time Judah is serving God under King Hezekiah. God does not want Israel to contaminate Judah or to even pretend to serve Him, so He tells them to stay away.
16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn cow. Can the I AM put them in a lush pasture like a lamb?
A stubborn cow rebels when placed in the yoke. She can’t be worked, and milking is difficult at best. She is only good for hamburger.
The Andy Translation: For Israel is a car that won't start.
17 Ephraim is attached to idols. Leave him alone.
Ephraim was apparently the leader of the culture of ancient Israel. It is too late for Israel to escape at least some punishment.
18 Their drink is sour. They have continually committed sexual sins. Her rulers love shameful things.
19 A wind will carry her away in her wings, and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Israel will be sufficiently punished to bring her back to her senses.