Key verse: 7:1a
THE DEFECTION OF ISRAEL
In chapters 7 to 11, the main subject is God's threat, also with accusation and promise.
A. The defection (chapter 7)
B. The judgment (8 to 10)
C. Mercy (11)
The part B is leading.
Chapter 7: introduction (1a), 3 main sins: disorder in the state (1b-7); alliance with the Pagans (8-12); Abandonment of God (13-16). This last sin explains the others.
When God worked to heal Israel, the wound has appeared (1a).
The first category of sins (1b-7) is: theft. They are proud to their sin. But they are before God, God is their charging indicator. Their sin is conjuration. The conspirators lie to the king during the conversation with him. When a conspiracy is planed, it matures up to it make the dough swell on its own. During the king and the conspirators warm up, the chief of conjuration withdraws, and in the morning he appears and gaves the signal of revolt. All the people join him, and the king falls with the main judges and magistrates of the country.
The second sin (8-12) is the alliance with the heathen nations. This nations make Israel pay a heavy price which ruins the country. "He is not aware" is a humiliating refrain, whereas all notice the early signs of his decay, speaks about the proud blindness of the people which prevents him from coming back to God in spite of many signs. He goes on a side (in Egyp) and on other side (Assyria) without finding a real shelter. He falls as a poor bird in the net of the bird-catcher.
The third sin (13-16) is abandonment of God. Israel engages in the heathen nations becomes deserter ("you are fleeing from my face") and also as defector (murders). Their cries aren't the cries of repentance, but only the cries of regret on what they have lost (14; Ps 32:3,4). It's the sadness according to God (2 Co 7:10). God was their educator but they made him a object of their secret hostility. They go all around (16) except toward the heaven hence comes rescue. The falsely arc has lost its elasticity, so all the approches of Israel to obtain the issue from humans fail. Their chiefs will fall because of their furious tongue which braves Assyria, and because they count on the issue of Egypt. Because the Egypt, on which they rely abandon them in their misfortune and they laugh of them. That was repeated many times in Israel's history.
No comments:
Post a Comment