In refraining from marriage, mourning, and feasting we are shown the ruin of the Jews 1
Worse than their fathers 10
Strange return from captivity 14
Double penalty for idolatry 16
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| 1 ¶ The word of the LORD
came also unto me, saying,
2 Thou shalt not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in this place. 3 For thus saith the LORD concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this land; .4 They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. |
2 -
Not
take ... wife Not a very exciting idea. He was probably young
ge3801,
2ki2201,
2ki2336.
His remaining single was a testimony to the seriousness of the national
situation.
4 - Grievous deaths That is, "deaths of diseases" common as civil services break down. See je1418. 4 - Not be lamented They had chosen death by refusing to listen to God's warnings. |
| .5
For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning, neither
go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace from this
people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.
.6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them: 7 Neither shall men tear themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother. |
5 -
Taken
away my peace In times of trial we may normally turn to God
who gives us peace knowing we are in His hands no matter what happens
ph0407.
Here they will suffer knowing that they have rebelled against their source
of peace. A lesson for us.
6 - Cut ... make themselves bald Such things were forbidden. le1928. Compare je0729. These were heathen actions for the dead. The next generation, which would have included Isaiah's children v2, would die terrible deaths v4. The customary heathen rites would not be practiced apparently because all would be dead. |
| 8 Thou shalt not also go into
the house of feasting, to sit with them to eat and to drink.
.9 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. |
8 -
Not
also ... feasting In verse 5 the prophet had been forbidden
to join mourners.
9 - Cease ... mirth ... bridegroom See je0734, je2510, je1311. Compare the passage based on this one re1821-24. |
| .10
¶ And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all
these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced
all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our
sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?
.11 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; |
10 - What is our iniquity? They had chosen to be blind to their situation. We hear about the importance of assurance today, meaning that it is wrong to preach the importance of righteousness. je0519, je1322. Forms of temple worship would not help je0704. |
| 12 And ye have done worse
than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination
of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
.13 Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour. |
12
- Imagination Instead, "stubbornness."
13 - Land ... serve other gods The people had preferred other gods. |
| .14
¶ Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall
no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt;
15 But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. |
14
- No more ... Egypt Those experiencing the captivity
in Babylon would have their own "Egyptian" experience and think back on
it.
15 - North See on je0114. |
| .16
Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish
them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them
from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
.17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. 18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things. |
16 - Many fishers ... hunters Reference to Babylonian invaders. am0402, hab0115. |
| .19
O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction,
the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall
say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein
there is no profit.
20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? 21 Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The LORD. |
19
- Lord my strength That refuge was to be for more than the
Jewish people. Gentiles would realize that they had been lied to. Gods
made by humans are not gods. je0211,
is3719,
ga0408.
21 - They shall know See on ez0607. |
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