Not all calamity is a judgment or a wake up call directly from God, but this time it was. The Lord said he sent upon Israel a number of calamities – famine, drought, war, plagues, etc… But now matter how are the times got, their hearts were harder. They would not call out to God, repent of their sins and plead for his mercy.

The LORD was doing everything he could to not have to bring judgment. And that included ever increasing calamity to wake them up. They did not wake up.

So the LORD tells them this. And it’s something you don’t want to hear when the context is judgment :

“prepare to meet your God, O Israel” v. 12

God will not be mocked. These were his willing, covenant people. Yet they had turned away from the covenant like a married woman who runs after other men.

They did evil things. It says that they “oppress the poor and crush the needy” (v. 1).

It’s interesting how many times taking advantage of the poor and needy comes up in the list of crimes. God cares passionately about the poor and needy.

But there’s another question that is on my heart after reading this chapter. That is, how did the people get this way?

If you see some of the verses here, the LORD tells them to continue with their sacrifices, offerings and festivals. He tells them to continue what they’re doing and love to do – sinning at the altars, boasting about their gifts and profaning the sacrifice.

I do believe it’s sarcasm here. Not an instruction. He is saying that all they do when they come to do their religious duty is to sin and boast. What’s the point?

So it looks like the people were continuing to do religious duties and work, but had no regard for sin, humility or righteousness. Their hearts had been deceived.

Again, how did the people of God get to this point? How do they come before God and care not about sin? How do they get so hard hearted that when they have water to drink, even then they still do not call out to God?

That’s the deceptiveness of sin. It hardens our hearts and our minds. And because God is patient and doesn’t strike us down in the moment, we get away with it more and more and more.

It should serve as a warning to us.

I am so surprised more and more as I see Christian leaders and pastors and churches caving to sinful ideologies. What is happening? How is that culture has a stronger voice of influence in the life of the believer than the Word of God?

It happens with one compromise at a time. When that compromise becomes comfortable, then the next compromise is introduced. And so on and so forth. When will it end? Will our hearts become so hard that we do not wake up to our sins?

And then when our nations become so hard hearted, what will God have to do to intervene? Love won’t allow us to continue on that path.

Things to think about.