The Divine Lamp

In chapter 1 God issued an indictment against his people for various sins. His primary concern was for right worship, (1:9-17) which cannot be seperated from morality (1:18-27). The indictment ended with threats against idolatry (1:28-31). this was followed by chapter 2:1-5 wherein we saw that God’s Temple would be raised up or exalted. In the broader context (chs 1:2-2:22) it appears that this exaltation will be brought about by God’s judgement against shoddy worship, immorality, and idolatry, which were the three indictments of chapter 1. In what follows (2:6-22) the focus will be exclusively on idolatry. The reader should take note of how often the theme of God’s exaltation and man’s (or the idols) abasement is mentioned. It shows that 2:1-5 are not a prophetic anomaly placed clumsily into the text by some editor as some scholars claim. God’s judgement is coming upon his people and it will manifest his greatness over the arrogance of man and the emptiness of idols; and only the repentent will withstand it(1:18-20).

READ 2:6-11

Verses 6-8 describe the false religious practices of the people, (vss 6 and 8) while verse 7 describes their materialism and militarism. Verses 9-11 detail the impending results (punishment) because of these things.

Verse 6. Because the people have disowned their Father God (1:2), apostatized and spurned “the Holy One of Israel” (1:4), thus making themselves his enemies (1:24) God has abandoned “the House of Jacob”. Jacob was also named Israel and it was he who was the fahter of the twelve tribes that constituted the people of Israel.

The initiative for the abandonment comes from the people and not God. This is brought out in the second part of verse 6, which reads literally: “BECAUSE they are filled from the east, and are spirit-knowers like the Philistines. And they clap hands with the children of foreigners.” (LITV) The word BECAUSE clearly identifies God’s abandonment as being the result of the peoples infidelity. God, who is faithful would never take the initiative in breaking the covenant he bound himslef to.

“spirit-knowers” is translated in the NAB as fortunetellers and soothsayers. Fortunetellers were proverbially “from the east.” These were occultic practices strictly forbidden by the Law of Moses (Deut 18:9-14) since God would give the people prophets (Deut 18:15-22).

“clap hands with children of foreigners.” Clapping or striking hands was a gesture made between peoples upon making some kind of an alliance or covenant. These agreements were usually commercial, political, or military. The soothsaying practices among the people of Israel were probably instigated by these alliances. it is known that such agreements often involved invoking the gods of those you were covenanting with. Military alliance with other nations (Egypt is especially mentioned) was strictly forbidden (Deut 17:16; Isa 31:1-3).

Verse 7. The commercial alliances brought economic prosperity to the people but at the expense of the right worship of Yahweh, as verse 8 makes clear.

Verse 9. Man is abased, or cast down. The statement stands in marked distinction from the exalted status of God’s house mentioned in 2:2. Instead of climbing the temple mount the people will grovel in the dust “From the terror of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty” (vs 10)

Verse 10. The word for “man” in vs 9 is adam. Adam, the first man was formed in the image and likeness of God from the dust of the earth and God made him “a little less than a god” (Gen 2:7; psalm 8:6) but man has created an image and called it god in direct violation of his command (Ex 20:4-5). How fitting then that rebellious man would be brought down to the dust from which he came.

Verse 11. Connects with verse 9 and contrasts with verse 2 in this chapter