Judgment against Idolatry
(Deuteronomy 4:15–31; Deuteronomy 12:29–32)
The two oracles of judgment in this chapter...
The two oracles of judgment in this chapter (6:2–10 and 6:11–14) present two alternatives—a positive future through repentance, or continued rebellion and a dark future of total annihilation. Either way, the Lord’s power and holiness would be manifested.
The circle of judgment broadened out from Jerusalem...
The circle of judgment broadened out from Jerusalem to include the mountains of Israel, which were Israel’s political heartland. This territory had belonged to Israel continuously since the time of Joshua, and it had been infected by idolatry. The hill country had become home to many pagan shrines (literally high places)—raised stone platforms that often housed idols or became the location for sacrifices and pagan festivities. Most predated Israel’s entry into the land, and God had commanded Israel to destroy them (Deut 12:2–3). However, in many cases, the Israelites had permitted them to remain in place, and the political and religious leaders had ignored or even encouraged those who worshiped there.
1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them.
3You are to say: ‘O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.
The corpses and bones of the dead worshipers...
- The corpses and bones of the dead worshipers scattered around an altar would defile the altar and make it unfit for use.
- idols: The Hebrew term for idols (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; when used in this way, it is a term of strong derision.
4Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will cast down your slain before your idols. 5I will lay the corpses of the Israelites before their idols and scatter your bones around your altars.
6Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out. 7The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the LORD.
A Remnant to Be Blessed
A remnant would be scattered among the nations...
A remnant would be scattered among the nations of the world to bear witness to God’s faithfulness to his covenant. They would recognize the reality of their own unfaithful hearts and hate themselves for all their detestable sins, and they will know that God’s threat of calamity on covenant breakers was absolutely serious. Some of those who know that I alone am the Lord might even experience the other side of God’s faithfulness: his swiftness to forgive those who repent. In the book of Exodus, Israel came to know that God is the Lord through his mighty acts of rescue (see Exod 6:7). Unfortunately, Israel’s behavior throughout their history showed that they had forgotten. They would come again to that knowledge through God’s acts of judgment.
8Yet I will leave a remnant, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the nations and throughout the lands.
9Then in the nations to which they have been carried captive, your survivors will remember Me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts that turned away from Me, and by their eyes that lusted after idols. So they will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their abominations. 10And they will know that I am the LORD; I did not declare in vain that I would bring this calamity upon them.
11This is what the Lord GOD says: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked abominations of the house of Israel, who will fall by sword and famine and plague. 12He who is far off will die by the plague, he who is near will fall by the sword, and he who remains will die by famine. So I will vent My fury upon them.
Riblah was located on the northern border of...
Riblah was located on the northern border of Israel and is well known from other biblical books. At Riblah, Nebuchadnezzar set up his tribunal and executed the sons of Zedekiah and many other leading citizens of Judah (2 Kgs 25:6, 21).
13Then you will know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and leafy oak—the places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols. 14I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah.† Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”