10:12
Now we get a rather sudden change in tone. There has been a fairly relentless condemnation of Israel with numerous warnings of what will befall her and why it will befall her. Now God calls on Israel to change, to repent. Instead of injustice she should sow righteousness. If she does this then she will reap mercy (NKJV) or “steadfast love” (ESV). She is to break up the hard ground. If we live a godless life, if we sow sin then it hardens the “ground”, it makes it impossible to grow anything fruitful. We see this in nations that have been ruled by dictatorships or unrighteousness. It makes it very hard for anything good to grow. The years of apartheid in South Africa have left a very hard ground and South Africa has not yet recovered from this. If instead we sow righteousness then it prepares the way for the Lord’s blessing. Note that what happens is not just a result of natural processes, but also of God’s favour or judgement. This does not mean natural processes are irrelevant, they were created and designed by the Lord. But they are not the be all and end all, the world is affected by our obedience to or rebellion against God.
10:13-15
But Israel had been going in the complete opposite direction. She had ploughed wickedness and sown lies, so she had reaped iniquity and the fruit of lies. We will reap what we sow. She had trusted in her own way and in her own strength. We see the same thing happening in our society today. So terrible destruction would come her way.
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