They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
Israel provoked God to jealousy and to anger by worshiping strange foreign gods and by practicing abominations. Those gods were not God but devils, unfamiliar new gods their fathers had not known or feared, brought in among Israel through evil spirits, and to turn to them was to forsake the God who made and sustained them and to lightly esteem and forget the Rock of salvation. Such turning was rebellion against the true God and departure from the God who had saved them. Persistent rebellion brings threatened and swift divine judgment, for God warned that He would hide His face from the unfaithful. Obedience to His law is life and prolongs days in the land, while transgression leads to scattering from it, so the song both reveals His love for His people and His abhorrence of sin and points forward to the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again.
Meaning and Historical Setting
Israel provoked God to jealousy and to anger by worshiping strange and foreign gods and by practicing abominations. That worship was departure from the God who had formed and saved the nation. Turning to foreign gods and abominations was rebellion against Him.
The strange gods were not God but devils, unfamiliar and unknown gods, new gods their fathers had not known or feared. They were introduced among Israel through evil spirits. To follow them was to sacrifice to devils and to gods unknown to their fathers.
This idolatry meant forsaking the God who made, formed, begat, and sustained them. It meant lightly esteeming the Rock of salvation. It meant forgetting the Rock who formed them and being unmindful of Him.
Turning from Him to strange gods and abominations was rebellion against the true God. It was departure from the God who had saved them.
The verse stands in the song of Moses, which God commanded Moses to frame from the events of Israel's history. The song was given to preserve the record of His dealings with Israel and to teach it to their children. God set up frequent waymarks in His dealings with ancient Israel lest they forget the past. The song recounts His past dealings with Israel.
The song was to be memorized, taught to children, and repeated in worship and daily life. It and its memorials were to be gathered up, laid up in sight, and carefully preserved. Then when children inquired, the whole story of God's providential dealings could be repeated. His marked goodness and mercy in His care and deliverance of His people were to be kept in mind, His goodness often recounted before young and old, and praise offered for His wonderful works.
Warning Judgment and Application
These prophecies reveal both God's love for His people and His abhorrence of sin. Persistent rebellion brings threatened and swift divine judgment, for unfaithfulness moves Him to hide His face and to bring judgment upon the unfaithful. Obedience to God's law is life, prolonging days in the land, while transgression ultimately led to scattering from the promised land. The song recounts God's past dealings with Israel and foreshadows future events, including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory.
The warning applies to Judah's idolatry and its coming judgment. It applies to Israel's failure to remain separate from the surrounding peoples and to rely on God alone. Turning from the God of Israel to other powers provokes His anger, so that in the setting of the Civil War seeking guidance from spirits of the dead rather than trusting God is turning to false gods and a reason He cannot prosper the people. Disregard for His law and Sabbath is rebellion against God that brings the world into conflict with Him.
Israel provoked God to jealousy and to anger by worshiping strange foreign gods and by practicing abominations. Those gods were not God but devils, unfamiliar new gods their fathers had not known or feared, brought in among Israel through evil spirits, and to turn to them was to forsake the God who made and sustained them and to lightly esteem and forget the Rock of salvation. Such turning was rebellion against the true God and departure from the God who had saved them. Persistent rebellion brings threatened and swift divine judgment, for God warned that He would hide His face from the unfaithful. Obedience to His law is life and prolongs days in the land, while transgression leads to scattering from it, so the song both reveals His love for His people and His abhorrence of sin and points forward to the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again.
Meaning and Historical Setting
Israel provoked God to jealousy and to anger by worshiping strange and foreign gods and by practicing abominations. That worship was departure from the God who had formed and saved the nation. Turning to foreign gods and abominations was rebellion against Him.
The strange gods were not God but devils, unfamiliar and unknown gods, new gods their fathers had not known or feared. They were introduced among Israel through evil spirits. To follow them was to sacrifice to devils and to gods unknown to their fathers.
This idolatry meant forsaking the God who made, formed, begat, and sustained them. It meant lightly esteeming the Rock of salvation. It meant forgetting the Rock who formed them and being unmindful of Him.
Turning from Him to strange gods and abominations was rebellion against the true God. It was departure from the God who had saved them.
The verse stands in the song of Moses, which God commanded Moses to frame from the events of Israel's history. The song was given to preserve the record of His dealings with Israel and to teach it to their children. God set up frequent waymarks in His dealings with ancient Israel lest they forget the past. The song recounts His past dealings with Israel.
The song was to be memorized, taught to children, and repeated in worship and daily life. It and its memorials were to be gathered up, laid up in sight, and carefully preserved. Then when children inquired, the whole story of God's providential dealings could be repeated. His marked goodness and mercy in His care and deliverance of His people were to be kept in mind, His goodness often recounted before young and old, and praise offered for His wonderful works.
Warning Judgment and Application
These prophecies reveal both God's love for His people and His abhorrence of sin. Persistent rebellion brings threatened and swift divine judgment, for unfaithfulness moves Him to hide His face and to bring judgment upon the unfaithful. Obedience to God's law is life, prolonging days in the land, while transgression ultimately led to scattering from the promised land. The song recounts God's past dealings with Israel and foreshadows future events, including the final victory of the faithful when Christ comes again in power and glory.
The warning applies to Judah's idolatry and its coming judgment. It applies to Israel's failure to remain separate from the surrounding peoples and to rely on God alone. Turning from the God of Israel to other powers provokes His anger, so that in the setting of the Civil War seeking guidance from spirits of the dead rather than trusting God is turning to false gods and a reason He cannot prosper the people. Disregard for His law and Sabbath is rebellion against God that brings the world into conflict with Him.