Israel Has Forsaken God
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Jer 23:28Ezk 7:1Heb 1:1Jer 1:11Jer 7:12Pe 1:21 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: Ezk 16:60Ezk 16:8Jer 11:6Deu 2:7Deu 8:2Hos 2:15Isa 63:7-14Jer 7:2
‘I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed Me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
Israel was holy to the LORD, Jas 1:18Rev 14:4Deu 7:6Exo 4:22-23Isa 41:11Rom 11:161Pe 2:9Deu 14:2
the firstfruits of His harvest.
All who devoured her
found themselves guilty;
disaster came upon them,’”
declares the LORD.
Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel. Hos 4:1Isa 51:1-4Jer 13:15Jer 19:3Jer 31:1Jer 33:24Jer 34:4Jer 44:24-26 This is what the LORD says: 2Ki 17:15Rom 1:21Jer 10:14-15Jon 2:8Psa 115:81Sa 12:21Act 14:15Deu 32:21
“What fault did your fathers find in Me
that they strayed so far from Me,
and followed worthless idols,
and became worthless themselves?
They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD Deu 32:10Deu 8:14-16Hos 13:4Isa 63:11-132Ki 2:14Exo 14:1-15Hos 12:13Isa 63:9
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us through the wilderness,
through a land of deserts and pits,
a land of drought and darkness,
a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
I brought you into a fertile land Deu 8:7-9Jer 16:18Num 13:27Ezk 36:17Jer 3:1Jer 3:9Psa 106:38-39Deu 11:10-12
to eat its fruit and bounty,
but you came and defiled My land,
and made My inheritance detestable.
The priests did not ask, Hab 2:182Co 4:2Hos 4:6Jer 10:21Jer 5:31Rom 2:17-24Isa 29:10Isa 30:5
‘Where is the LORD?’
The experts in the law no longer knew Me,
and the leaders rebelled against Me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal
and followed useless idols.
Therefore, I will contend with you again, Ezk 20:35-36Exo 20:5Jer 2:35Mic 6:2Hos 2:2Isa 3:13Isa 43:26Jer 2:29
declares the LORD,
and I will bring a case
against your children’s children.
Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus 1 Psa 120:51Ch 1:71Ch 23:11Ch 23:121Co 5:1Dan 11:30Ezk 27:6Gen 10:4-5
and take a look;
send to Kedar and consider carefully;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
Has a nation ever changed its gods, Rom 1:23Isa 37:19Jer 16:20Psa 106:20Mic 4:51Co 8:4Jer 2:8Psa 115:4
though they are no gods at all?
Yet My people have exchanged their Glory 2
for useless idols.
Be stunned by this, O heavens; Isa 1:2Deu 32:1Jer 22:29Jer 6:19Mic 6:2Mat 27:45Mat 27:50-53
be shocked and utterly appalled,”
declares the LORD.
“For My people have committed two evils: Jhn 4:14Jhn 7:37Jer 17:13Rev 21:6Psa 36:9Rev 22:1Rev 22:17Isa 55:2
They have forsaken Me,
the fountain of living water,
and they have dug their own cisterns—
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
The Consequence of Israel’s Sin
Is Israel a slave? Exo 4:22Ecc 2:7Gen 15:3Isa 50:1
Was he born into slavery?
Why then has he become prey?
The young lions have roared at him; Jer 4:7Jer 50:17Isa 1:7Isa 5:29Jer 9:11Amo 3:12Amo 3:4Amo 3:8
they have growled with a loud voice.
They have laid waste his land;
his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
The men of Memphis 3and Tahpanhes Jer 46:14Jer 43:7-9Deu 33:20Isa 19:13Jer 44:1Ezk 30:162Ki 18:212Ki 23:33
have shaved the crown of your head.
Have you not brought this on yourself Jer 4:18Jer 2:19Jer 2:13Deu 28:15-68Deu 32:10Hos 13:9Lev 26:15-46Psa 107:7
by forsaking the LORD your God
when He led you in the way?
Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt Jos 13:3Hos 7:11Isa 31:1Jer 2:362Ch 28:20-212Ki 16:7-9Ezk 17:15Hos 5:13
to drink the waters of the Nile 4?
What will you gain on your way to Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates 5?
Your own evil will discipline you; Isa 3:9Jer 2:17Jer 4:18Psa 36:1Hos 11:7Hos 5:5Amo 8:10Jer 5:6
your own apostasies will reprimand you.
Consider and realize
how evil and bitter it is
for you to forsake the LORD your God
and to have no fear of Me,”
declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
“For long ago you broke your yoke Deu 12:2Lev 26:13Jer 17:2Hos 3:3Isa 1:21Jer 30:81Ki 12:321Sa 12:10
and tore off your chains,
saying, ‘I will not serve!’
Indeed, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you lay down as a prostitute.
I had planted you like a choice vine Isa 5:4Exo 15:17Jhn 15:1Psa 44:2Psa 80:8Deu 4:37Deu 32:32Gen 26:3-5
from the very best seed.
How could you turn yourself before Me
into a rotten, wild vine?
Although you wash with lye Jer 17:1Hos 13:12Job 14:17Jer 16:17Job 9:30-31Psa 130:3Psa 90:8Amo 8:7
and use an abundance of soap,
the stain of your guilt
is still before Me,”
declares the Lord GOD.
Israel’s Unfaithfulness
(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)
“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; Jer 7:31Pro 30:121Jn 1:8-101Sa 15:13-14Est 8:16Ezk 16:1-63Ezk 23:1-49Gen 3:12-13
I have not run after the Baals’?
Look at your behavior in the valley;
acknowledge what you have done.
You are a swift young she-camel
galloping here and there,
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, Jer 14:6Hos 5:15Jer 2:27Job 39:5-8Job 11:12
sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire.
Who can restrain her passion?
All who seek her need not weary themselves;
in mating season they will find her.
You should have kept your feet from going bare Deu 32:16Jer 18:12Jer 3:13Rom 8:242Ch 28:22Deu 28:48Deu 29:19-20Isa 2:6
and your throat from being thirsty.
But you said, ‘It is hopeless!
For I love foreign gods,
and I must go after them.’
As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, Ezr 9:7Jer 32:32Neh 9:32-34Dan 9:6-8Isa 1:29Jer 2:36Jer 3:24-25Jer 48:27
so the house of Israel is disgraced.
They, their kings, their officials,
their priests, and their prophets
say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ Isa 26:16Hos 7:14Ezk 23:35Ezk 8:16Hab 2:18-19Hos 5:15Isa 44:9-20Isa 46:6-8
and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’
For they have turned their backs to Me
and not their faces,
yet in the time of trouble they beg,
‘Rise up and save us!’
But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Deu 32:37Jer 11:13Isa 45:20Jdg 10:142Ki 17:30-31Isa 46:72Ki 3:13Hos 10:1
Let them rise up in your time of trouble
and save you if they can;
for your gods are as numerous
as your cities, O Judah.
Why do you bring a case against Me? Dan 9:11Jer 5:1Jer 6:13Jer 2:23Jer 2:35Jer 3:2Jer 9:2-6Rom 3:19
You have all rebelled against Me,”
declares the LORD.
“I have struck your sons in vain; Neh 9:261Th 2:15Act 7:52Isa 1:5Jer 26:20-24Jer 5:3Isa 9:13Jer 7:28
they accepted no discipline.
Your own sword has devoured your prophets
like a voracious lion.”
You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: 2Sa 12:7-9Deu 32:151Co 4:82Ch 31:10Amo 1:1Deu 31:20Deu 8:12-14Hos 13:6
“Have I been a wilderness to Israel
or a land of dense darkness?
Why do My people say,
‘We are free to roam;
we will come to You no more’?
Does a maiden forget her jewelry Psa 106:21Jer 13:25Jer 2:11Jer 3:21Isa 17:10Hos 8:14Isa 61:10Psa 9:17
or a bride her wedding sash?
Yet My people have forgotten Me
for days without number.
How skillfully you pursue love! Ezk 16:47Isa 57:7-102Ch 33:9Ezk 16:27Ezk 16:51-52Hos 2:5-7Jer 2:23Jer 2:36
Even the most immoral of women
could learn from your ways.
Moreover, your skirts are stained 2Ki 21:162Ki 24:4Jer 19:4Exo 22:2Ezk 16:20-21Ezk 20:31Ezk 24:7Isa 57:5
with the blood of the innocent poor,
though you did not find them breaking in.
But in spite of all these things
you say, ‘I am innocent. Pro 28:131Jn 1:8-10Isa 58:3Jer 2:23Jer 2:29Jer 2:9Jer 25:31Job 33:9
Surely His anger will turn from me.’
Behold, I will judge you,
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
How unstable you are, Jer 31:22Hos 5:132Ch 28:162Ch 28:20-21Hos 12:1Jer 2:23Ezk 29:7Hos 10:6
constantly changing your ways!
You will be disappointed by Egypt
just as you were by Assyria.
Moreover, you will leave that place 2Sa 13:19Ezk 17:15-20Jer 17:5Jer 37:7-102Ch 13:12Isa 10:4Jer 2:36Jer 32:5
with your hands on your head,
for the LORD has rejected those you trust;
you will not prosper by their help.”