4:4,5
Verse 4 is essentially saying that there was no point them seeking to instruct each other, for no one would pay any attention. Legal matters were brought before a priest, and the priest’s judgement was to be respected. So one who contends with a priest is one who does not accept a right decision.
Because of this the people would stumble by day. One should be able to walk fine during the day for one can see. But when a people become utterly contentious, accepting no one else’s wisdom, nothing can happen. We see something of this today in the West where there is no longer respect for institutions, no one listens to anyone else’s arguments. “And I will destroy your mother” means the nation of Israel would be destroyed.
4:6
The people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. Ie they had rejected God’s knowledge, His wisdom. In Romans 1 Paul says that the basic things of God are plain to all, but man had deliberately chosen to close his eyes to them. So God would give them over to their ignorance. This happened to Israel, it happens to mankind in general, and we see it happening to the West today.
4:7
Religious activity increased with more priests being appointed, but this was not godly religious activity. Instead they just sinned all the more. They exchanged the glory of God for something disgraceful. Rom 1:23 is closely parallel to this. Indeed, it seems that Paul’s writing in Romans 1 is partly influenced by Hosea.
No comments:
Post a Comment