NIV titles this section "Woe to the Obstinate Nation"
Look up "obstinate" if you don't know what it means.
Places and Things
v. 4 Zoan (Zoe-Ann) - An ancient city in Egypt that existed even during the time of Abraham, one of the royal cities of northern Egypt; powerful city where Israel was enslaved
Hanes (pronounced "HAY-NEEZ") a place in Egypt visited by the ambassadors of the Pharaoh
v. 6 Negev - dry, parched land; wilderness; Isaiah describes the Negev as a "land of trouble and anguish, hardship and distress - a badland populated by lions and poisonous snakes" (Is. 30:6)
vv. 1-7 Egypt can't do anything for you
vv. 8-18 "children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction." (v. 9) People don't want to hear what God has to say. They only want the prophets to say "pleasant things" to them (v. 10).
So, God has a response v. 12f
It is their own sins that have brought them suffering. They will suffer he consequences of their own sin and rejection of God's Word.
vv. 19-33 But here is God's amazing heart -- his ultimate purpose.. not that the people suffer but that God may love them. That in repentance they will find salvation, that more than scurrying to find help by making an alliance with Egypt- in quietness and trust -- you will find strength in God.
God's heart for us is that we don't run around trying to figure out things on our own. He is our hero, our rescuer, our Savior. Verses 15-16 were used for a song called "Song for the Bride" -- This is God's message for us...
Can we come in quietness and trust to God to find rest in His arms? Trust. Peace.
Try to listen to the song while reading the chapter again.. Seek to know God's heart for you.
obstinate: (adj) firmly or stubbornly adhering to one's purpose, opinion, etc.; not yielding to argument, persuasion, or entreaty.
ReplyDeletehttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/obstinate
(:
i got that word wrong on the spelling bee HAHA.
this chapter made a lot of sense. It was saying that the people who are stubborn and refuse to follow God will come to destruction. In verses 15-16, God is saying that if we repent and trust God, we will we will find salvation and strength.
This song told me that God wants us to repent and come back to him, and only in him we'll find what we really need.