But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Like people violating an agreement, Israel and God's people have broken the covenant and dealt treacherously against God, and that unfaithfulness was grave rebellion. The covenant they broke is the everlasting covenant and law given on condition of obedience, so to transgress it is to transgress the law. Their many sacrifices and offerings did not atone for sins not truly repented of and were repugnant to God, because He desires mercy, obedience, and knowledge of Him rather than sacrifice.
That treacherous worship lacked mercy, truthful integrity, and tender love, with heartless focus on ritual leading to condemnation of the guiltless, as when the Pharisees violated the covenant they claimed to honor. They broke the covenant despite His favors, the provision He made to restore them, and His calls through the prophets. The treachery is rejecting every heavenly provision to restore the moral image of God in man, continuing since Cain lifted his hand against Abel, found among atheists and worldly religionists.
It reaches to casting aside as worthless the gift of His only begotten Son so believers should not perish but have everlasting life, while His loyal and faithful children remain in its midst. Transgressing the covenant is selfish dealing entirely contrary to God's character and to His law whose two great principles are love to God and love to man. It is perverted by professed servants who rob the work in one part of the vineyard to build up the work they handle instead of keeping the work in all parts one and each doing all in his power to build up every interest in every part of the field.
The verse applies to those who trample God's law and accept human laws that set aside His commandment to keep the Sabbath, His memorial of creation. People who oppose God's will in this way have their individual works go before them into judgment, where each person will stand or fall. The verse prophesies the state of the world just prior to the second coming, when the end of all things is at hand and continual transgression causes iniquity to abound.
Then the world comes more under the sway of seducing spirits by turning away from God and His righteous government, while men professing godliness indulge their own traits of character and, unless conscientiously under God's control, become self-indulgent and self-centered.
Like people violating an agreement, Israel and God's people have broken the covenant and dealt treacherously against God, and that unfaithfulness was grave rebellion. The covenant they broke is the everlasting covenant and law given on condition of obedience, so to transgress it is to transgress the law. Their many sacrifices and offerings did not atone for sins not truly repented of and were repugnant to God, because He desires mercy, obedience, and knowledge of Him rather than sacrifice.
That treacherous worship lacked mercy, truthful integrity, and tender love, with heartless focus on ritual leading to condemnation of the guiltless, as when the Pharisees violated the covenant they claimed to honor. They broke the covenant despite His favors, the provision He made to restore them, and His calls through the prophets. The treachery is rejecting every heavenly provision to restore the moral image of God in man, continuing since Cain lifted his hand against Abel, found among atheists and worldly religionists.
It reaches to casting aside as worthless the gift of His only begotten Son so believers should not perish but have everlasting life, while His loyal and faithful children remain in its midst. Transgressing the covenant is selfish dealing entirely contrary to God's character and to His law whose two great principles are love to God and love to man. It is perverted by professed servants who rob the work in one part of the vineyard to build up the work they handle instead of keeping the work in all parts one and each doing all in his power to build up every interest in every part of the field.
The verse applies to those who trample God's law and accept human laws that set aside His commandment to keep the Sabbath, His memorial of creation. People who oppose God's will in this way have their individual works go before them into judgment, where each person will stand or fall. The verse prophesies the state of the world just prior to the second coming, when the end of all things is at hand and continual transgression causes iniquity to abound.
Then the world comes more under the sway of seducing spirits by turning away from God and His righteous government, while men professing godliness indulge their own traits of character and, unless conscientiously under God's control, become self-indulgent and self-centered.