11:5-7
Despite God’s care for Israel they would not listen to Him. So the consequence would be that they would indeed return to Egypt and be ruled over by Assyria. Violence would come to their cities and all their plans would be put to an end. The people claimed to call on the Lord, they used His name, but in reality they continually turned away from God. In the history of Israel we see a picture of the willfulness of Israel, the stiff-necked nature of the nation. It is a tragic tale, and it is seen in the whole of humanity. Our own society is determined to go against God’s ways. Israel had many plans, and might superficially have seemed to know what they were doing, but these plans would come to an end. Likewise, politicians and other leaders may seem to have plans, to have some idea where they are going, but in reality they know nothing. Israel truly called on the name of the Lord in vain, for He would not exalt them.
11:8,9
Now we get another sudden change. All that was said in the previous few verses was true, Israel was a most perverse nation. Yet God loved (and still loves) Israel, so although judgement and rejection were what they fully deserved, God was stirred by compassion. Now we need to be careful in how we interpret this. See that it says in v9:
I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
The key word here is “again”. Assyria did conquer and disperse Ephraim, but God says here “nor will I devastate Ephraim again”. The invasion of Assyria was only a warning, a precursor, of final judgement, it was not the final judgement itself. So these verse must be looking forward to God’s future restoration and protection of Israel.
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