F.      Accusation (6:1-16)

1.       God's accusation and exhortation (6:1-5)

 a.      (v1-2). In this verse, God is the plaintiff, the prophet is his representative and the Israel is the defendant. The mountains and the hills have not changed. They understand the history of Israel the best, so they are the best witness and judge.

 b.      (v3). God is not prosecuting Israel. He is like a father explaining to His son His case. He asks Israel for what reason they have abandoned Him. He says that He has not demanded fancy ordinances to burden them nor made it wearisome to serve the Lord.

 c.      (v4). God brought Israel out of Egypt, out of slavery. For this, the people should be very grateful and forget not all His benefits (Ps 103:2).

 d.      (v5). Remember also how Balak, the king of Moab, sought Balaam’s counsel to curse Israel. But God turned his curses into blessings (Num 22-24). Remember how God led them from Shittim to Gilgal. (Josh 3:1-5:9). Remember how the Lord treated the Israelites with grace.

2.       The true worship (6:6-8)

 a.      (v6-7). They do not know how to be close to God. They do not know what God requires of them. They do not know what sacrifices to give to the Lord. They suggest burn offerings and many male sheep or much fat oil. If none of them work, they even suggest sacrificing their infants to remove their guilt as an act of high devotion.

 b.      (v8). God does not delight in offerings. He clearly requires the people to act justly (Amos 5:24), love mercy (Hos 6:6; Mt 9:13), and to walk humbly with their God. Only such people will be delighted by the Lord in their services and offerings.

3.       Israel’s undeniable guilt (6:9-16)

 a.      (v9). Through the prophets, God calls out to Jerusalem, “The wise will fear the Lord (Job 28:28; Ps 111:10; Prov 9:10). Listen to the true God, who has sent Assyria to punish you for your sins.”

 b.      (v10). God does not forget the ill-gotten treasure and the short ephah which is accursed (Deut 25:14; Amos 8:5; Prov 11:1).

 c.      (v11). Guilt is on those who gain wealth dishonestly. God will punish them (Prov 20:23, 21:6).

 d.      (v12). The sins of covetousness corrupt every level of commerce. They speak lies and they speak deceitfully. The entire society is sunken in a muddy pond (Jer 6:13).

(a)     The love of money is root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10)

 e.      (v13-4). God uses famine, enemy invasion, and slaughter to punish the sinners in Israel.

 f.       (v15). The enemy will come between the time of sowing and harvest, between the time of pressing olives and using the oil, and between the time of crushing the grapes and drinking the wine.

 g.      (v16). The reason why disasters occur: They keep Omri’s old traditions and worship the idols, (1 Kings 16:25-26) and they are like Ahab, who oppressed Naboth (1 Kings 21). The result is that the city becomes in ruins and is mocked by all the surrounding nations (Jer 25:18; Ezek 36:20).