Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Hear now what the Lord says, with understanding quickened to take it in, even by those who lack understanding, as His messenger is commanded to arise and contend before the mountains and the strong foundations of the earth, and the hills are called to hear His voice as witnesses and hearers. The call opens the Lord's controversy with His people Israel, in which He pleads His case with them. During the reign of Ahaz it was sent as invitation upon invitation to erring Israel to return to allegiance, through earnest exhortation to repentance and reformation as the prophet stood before the people, and those words bore fruit to the glory of God.
The controversy was caused by departure from God, so that His rod had come upon His own people. He contends by asking His people what He has done to them and wherein He has wearied them, and bidding them testify against Him. His pleading recounts His righteousness in bringing them up out of Egypt and redeeming them from bondage and the house of servants, in sending Moses and Aaron and Miriam before them, and in preserving them from Shittim to Gilgal in the matter of the counsel of Balak king of Moab and the answer of Balaam son of Beor. The controversy rejects burnt offerings and calves and thousands of rams and rivers of oil and the firstborn as payment for transgression.
What is required is doing justly and loving mercy and walking humbly with God with humiliation of spirit, which outward religious offerings cannot replace. The surrounding case exposes dishonest dealings and deceitful measures and violence and making merchandise of others. It reveals a long-suffering God whose compassions fail not, who throughout probationary time entreats people by His Spirit to accept the gift of life, who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked but calls the wicked to turn from evil ways and live, who invites sinners whom Satan has led into sin and left helpless and hopeless and fearing to seek pardon to take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, with every provision made and every encouragement offered in Christ.
The Lord will not be trifled with and will surely punish those who persist in misrepresenting His character. He is pleading with His people about what is wrong and calling them to hear His Word and obey it from the heart as sensible, reasonable beings. The call belongs to every church in every place, that each church be educated and trained from the first time a minister enters to be laborers with responsible souls and responsible work instead of being hovered over and only hearing a sermon, because God deals not with societies and councils alone but with every individual, with each person accountable to Him to offer prayer in the morning for keeping through the day rather than going in his own strength.
It opens God's testimony condemning unfair dealing and falsehood and robbery in buying and selling and speculation that makes men and women poor and causes suffering and ruins souls, condemning mismanagement of His institutions and papers and transactions wrapped up to hide wrong, and calling to stand in integrity at any cost, to break from such relationships and practices, to be guarded, and never to sell the soul to do an unfair action or place things in an uncertain light to do injustice to one soul. It applies to those who selfishly deny others a fair opportunity and scheme to profit from their fellow human beings, whose conduct is brought before God for judgment.
Hear now what the Lord says, with understanding quickened to take it in, even by those who lack understanding, as His messenger is commanded to arise and contend before the mountains and the strong foundations of the earth, and the hills are called to hear His voice as witnesses and hearers. The call opens the Lord's controversy with His people Israel, in which He pleads His case with them. During the reign of Ahaz it was sent as invitation upon invitation to erring Israel to return to allegiance, through earnest exhortation to repentance and reformation as the prophet stood before the people, and those words bore fruit to the glory of God.
The controversy was caused by departure from God, so that His rod had come upon His own people. He contends by asking His people what He has done to them and wherein He has wearied them, and bidding them testify against Him. His pleading recounts His righteousness in bringing them up out of Egypt and redeeming them from bondage and the house of servants, in sending Moses and Aaron and Miriam before them, and in preserving them from Shittim to Gilgal in the matter of the counsel of Balak king of Moab and the answer of Balaam son of Beor. The controversy rejects burnt offerings and calves and thousands of rams and rivers of oil and the firstborn as payment for transgression.
What is required is doing justly and loving mercy and walking humbly with God with humiliation of spirit, which outward religious offerings cannot replace. The surrounding case exposes dishonest dealings and deceitful measures and violence and making merchandise of others. It reveals a long-suffering God whose compassions fail not, who throughout probationary time entreats people by His Spirit to accept the gift of life, who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked but calls the wicked to turn from evil ways and live, who invites sinners whom Satan has led into sin and left helpless and hopeless and fearing to seek pardon to take hold of His strength and make peace with Him, with every provision made and every encouragement offered in Christ.
The Lord will not be trifled with and will surely punish those who persist in misrepresenting His character. He is pleading with His people about what is wrong and calling them to hear His Word and obey it from the heart as sensible, reasonable beings. The call belongs to every church in every place, that each church be educated and trained from the first time a minister enters to be laborers with responsible souls and responsible work instead of being hovered over and only hearing a sermon, because God deals not with societies and councils alone but with every individual, with each person accountable to Him to offer prayer in the morning for keeping through the day rather than going in his own strength.
It opens God's testimony condemning unfair dealing and falsehood and robbery in buying and selling and speculation that makes men and women poor and causes suffering and ruins souls, condemning mismanagement of His institutions and papers and transactions wrapped up to hide wrong, and calling to stand in integrity at any cost, to break from such relationships and practices, to be guarded, and never to sell the soul to do an unfair action or place things in an uncertain light to do injustice to one soul. It applies to those who selfishly deny others a fair opportunity and scheme to profit from their fellow human beings, whose conduct is brought before God for judgment.