The New Oracle Plays on the Word for Being Cut Off

Judah's strength never ultimately rested in the might of its war machine, but in the power of its god. The war machine would prove absolutely useless when the lord himself turned against the people. Besides the false trust that the nation put in its military might and its strong defences, it also trusted in sorcery, divination and idolatry. Just as israel had been instructed not to go back to egypt for horses and chariots, they were not supposed to worship false gods or engage in any of these occult practices. They are bowing down to the work of their hands. Judgment would begin with the house of god, but the chapter ends with a broader declaration of divine vengeance t