 “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes! 2 Pass over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory, 3 O you who put far away the day of disaster and bring near the seat of violence? 4 “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, 5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, 6 who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! 7 Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.” 8 The Lord God has sworn by himself, declares the Lord, the God of hosts: “I abhor the pride of Jacob and hate his strongholds, and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.” 9 And if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. 10 And when one's relative, the one who anoints him for burial, shall take him up to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him who is in the innermost parts of the house, “Is there still anyone with you?” he shall say, “No”; and he shall say, “Silence! We must not mention the name of the Lord.” 11 For behold, the Lord commands, and the great house shall be struck down into fragments, and the little house into bits. 12 Do horses run on rocks? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood-- 13 you who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, “Have we not by our own strength captured Karnaim for ourselves?” 14 “For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord, the God of hosts; “and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.” Meditation God’s mercy transforms “woe” into “welcome.” God’s heart is to provide hospitality to former enemies, lavishing love on sinners saved by grace. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” writes the author of Hebrews (10:31). The gospel declares the Son of God as delivered to judgment so believers can be justified (Romans 3:25-26). Through Christ fear of God is transformed into fellowship with God! “Woe” is the key word of the chapter, pronouncing judgment on God’s rebellious people who have rejected Him. Dark judgment will come to complacent people whose faith is in worldly comfort (1-7). God hates the arrogance of haughty hearts and the aftermath of His wrath is devastating (8-14). God promises justice through His pronouncement of “Woe.” “Woe” is a warning Jesus uses, too. Jesus uses the word of judgment for self righteous hypocrites (Matthew 23:1-36), people who love the world and become like it (Luke 6:24-26), people through whom temptation comes (Matthew 18:7), and on Judas, the one who would betray Him (Mark 14:21). The darkness of God’s “Woe,” His promised and just judgment against sin, is a perfect backdrop to the “Wow” of His mercy. God does not give us what our sins deserve (Psalm 103:10). God became our sin and suffered unto death on the cross so that we can receive God’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s grace gives us ground to repent and return to Him! WOW! Sinners, saved by grace, are welcomed into the presence of our Holy God. Richly Dwelling -Do you see the devastation and destruction that comes from God’s “woe” of warning? What stands out to you about His wrath? -How does the backdrop of God’s “woe” highlight His mercy and grace, that through the finished work of Christ we are “welcome” into His presence? -How can your “wow” from God’s mercy be “worship” today? Be specific. Key Verse “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria… Comments are closed.
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