Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.
In its context the corrupt and lewd women stand for corrupt churches, with Samaria and Jerusalem standing for Israel and Judah. To walk in the sister's way is to commit spiritual fornication, which is apostasy from God and from His law and testimony and worship by entering an unlawful connection with idolatrous and false religious groups. That apostasy was acted out in turning from God to pursue foreign powers such as Assyria and Babylon and Egypt for help, thereby becoming like the surrounding nations, and such forsaking of God for Egypt was rebellion against Him.
The chapter sets forth the fearful and awful sins of Israel and Judah in harsh and unpleasant terms that lay bare sin in its wickedness. In doing so it gives searching moral instruction. The rebuke warns that suffering would come upon them for those sins, expressed as giving the sister's cup into the hand. At the same time it carries God's earnest plea for His children to turn to Him.
The same guilt rests on professed Christian churches today when they forsake God and seek union with the civil power, since God has furnished fullness of blessing in Jesus Christ and demands all from His church and will not divide His glory with another. Spiritual fornication in this sense does not mean complying with civil laws in temporal affairs. Because of its figures the passage is best read in private, although some portions of the chapter may properly be read anywhere.
In its context the corrupt and lewd women stand for corrupt churches, with Samaria and Jerusalem standing for Israel and Judah. To walk in the sister's way is to commit spiritual fornication, which is apostasy from God and from His law and testimony and worship by entering an unlawful connection with idolatrous and false religious groups. That apostasy was acted out in turning from God to pursue foreign powers such as Assyria and Babylon and Egypt for help, thereby becoming like the surrounding nations, and such forsaking of God for Egypt was rebellion against Him.
The chapter sets forth the fearful and awful sins of Israel and Judah in harsh and unpleasant terms that lay bare sin in its wickedness. In doing so it gives searching moral instruction. The rebuke warns that suffering would come upon them for those sins, expressed as giving the sister's cup into the hand. At the same time it carries God's earnest plea for His children to turn to Him.
The same guilt rests on professed Christian churches today when they forsake God and seek union with the civil power, since God has furnished fullness of blessing in Jesus Christ and demands all from His church and will not divide His glory with another. Spiritual fornication in this sense does not mean complying with civil laws in temporal affairs. Because of its figures the passage is best read in private, although some portions of the chapter may properly be read anywhere.