7:13
Now look at this verse. There are three key messages that come out of it. First, the people are heading to destruction because they have sinned against God. They have strayed from God and rebelled against Him. Next is that God longs to redeem the people. And finally, He cannot redeem them (treat the word “cannot” with caution here, for this is just part of the picture) because they speak falsely about God. We can see exact parallels with our own society. It is certainly true that we have strayed from God’s ways, and are living in ever increasing rebellion against God. It is also certainly true that God longs to redeem us. And it is also true that we speak falsely about God. The picture of God presented by the world is certainly false. Sadly, the picture presented by much of the church is equally false.
7:14-16
God wants us to cry to Him from our hearts. Instead the people just wailed on their beds in agony. The reference to “slashing themselves” is that cutting oneself was a practice associated with the worship of some idols.They turned to idols instead of to the living God. There was no excuse for this, for God had trained them. He had given them the Law, He had sent prophets. They had every opportunity to learn from the Lord. Their leaders were no good, and so would be humiliated. Egypt was one of the countries they turned to from time to time, but they would be ridiculed in this land.
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