- God identifies His people as the house of Jacob – the name Jacob essentially meaning “deceiver, cheater” – and says they only have the name of Israel, not the character of Israel, which means “governed by God.”
- God reminds them of their tribal ancestor, Judah, who was noted for his cruelty (Genesis 37:26-27) and immorality (Genesis 38). The LORD speaks to His people and says, “You come from your father Judah.” It’s hardly a compliment.
- There is no genuineness (truth) in [their actions], nor does it satisfy the standards of God (righteousness).” (Motyer)
Vs 3-5: Only an all knowing God could prophesy specific events taht would eventually take place and know the hearts and motives of the people.
- The LORD has shown Israel His power to declare the future in predictive prophecy. He did this because I knew that you were obstinate, knowing Israel’s love of idolatry, He gave them irrefutable evidence.]
- Judah was without excuse. They knew the greatness and power of God, yet they still lived with only a religious image, without a spiritual reality and still looked to idols.
- God knew all this - He knew how stubborn they were but showed mercy. This is true of Jesus - He knew our hearts but gave His life for us.
vs 5-8 They people had heard and seen the greatness of God but remained stubborn
- It is as if the LORD is amazed that His people have seen all of His great power and glory, yet they still stand in obstinate rebellion against Him.
- The Bible teaches that we are sinners from the womb, and that we inherited a sin nature because we descend from Adam and sinned in Adam (Romans 5:12). It isn’t our individual acts of sin that make us sinners; it is our descent from Adam. Our individual acts of sin merely prove that each of us is a transgressor from the womb.
vs 9-13 The reason that God shows mercy to undeserving people
- Knowing how deeply sinful His people are, why would the LORD ever show mercy to His people? He does it for His name’s sake. It isn’t because Israel deserves mercy; indeed, mercy can never be deserved. God gives it to glorify Himself and to further His eternal purpose.
- When God speaks of His name, He is speaking of His character. It would have been justified to judge the people in their sin, but in addition to being a God of justice, God is also slow to anger, and long on mercy and patience and His plan was to demonstrate His everlasting righteousness and love.
Psalm 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
2 Peter 3:15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation...
But,make no mistake, His wrath has only been deferred for those who do not respond to His kindness and mercy - His refinement comes as challenges and trials. His goal is not to hurt but to conform them to His image so that we are a reflection of Him.
When a fine metal is refined by fire, the metal is subjected to the heat of the fire by a Refiner who controls the temperature so that the metal doesn''t scorch. As the metal softens under the heat, the impurities rise to the top and the Refiner skims the impurities off the top until the metal has been purified and the Refiner can see his reflection.
This is the goal to refine us by the fire of trials. When we are in the midst of a trial, the flaws in our character "rise to the top". Unlike a precious metal whichi is in submission to the Refiner, we have to willfully submit to God, humble ourselves before Him, not justify our actions but confess our "impurities" (which we often know instinctively when our behaviors, actions and attitudes are bad; but we are also refined through His word which tells us what our actions and attitudes should look like), and ask for His forgivenss and also ask for the Holy Spirit to change our person to be conformed to the image of Christ.
This refinement is not for our sake but also for God's name sake as He purposed us to be conformed to the image of Christ before the foundations of the world.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son - Why does He demand this of of us? Because of Who He Is. He is the first and the last, the Creator. We are here to serve Him and His purposes because of Who He Is!
Vs 20: Freed from Babylon!
- Babylon reprsents a place of bondage - physically and spiritually - where the people were ruled by the power of sin.
- We too are strubborn like Jacob but God freed us from Babylon, freed us from His wwrath and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live free from the power of sin.