4:11,12
God gives them a clear warning of what is about to come, a scorching wind. This is probably a reference to the sirocco. This would be a most severe wind. It would not be a cleansing wind, it would be a wind of judgement. Judah had got past the point of be able to be corrected, her heart was far too hardened for that. Instead severe judgement was all that was left. This would come in the form of Babylon. A number of years earlier Assyria had run through most of Judah, getting to the very walls of Jerusalem, but then she was defeated. This was a severe form of chastisement, but Judah had not responded in any meaningful fashion. Babylon would completely destroy the nation, including the temple. We always want to give people another chance, but there comes a point where an individual or a nation is beyond that and judgement is the only thing left.
4:13,14
Even so, God gives them a chance of sorts. V13 describes the advance of Babylon in pictorial terms. Jerusalem is then given the one thing that can save her. She needs to repent and wash the evil from her heart. Then she would be saved. Instead she harbours wicked thoughts. Evil is so deeply ingrained in us.
No comments:
Post a Comment