Observation: The word of the Lord God is this, that having acted so badly, the children of Israel are now the ones looked down upon by all other nations. Their downfall is a byword ... as in, other nations would say "we don't want to be like Israel" or "imagine being destroyed like Judah".
This is a punishment the Jews well understood, having spent centuries being reminded of the downfall, sins, punishment, and destruction of Sodom. To be lumped in with them would be a stinging rebuke. It would be like spending generation upon generation knowing of the worst possible people in history, then being told that you yourself - and your current generation - is worse.
Application: Are we there yet?
Jesus stood in many villages, homes, and synagogues, and challenged the beliefs of the Pharisees by pointing out their duplicit ways and misguided priorities. As Christians, we all look upon those lessons and think of the term "Pharisee" now as a byword for someone who has a warped understanding of God's laws and love.
However, in what areas of my life am I being a Pharisee? I talk about faith, but don't always live it properly. Certainly I am not alone in this, as this is common for Christians who declare about the love of Jesus and joy they have in knowing they are saved by faith, but then commit all kinds of acts that are contrary to Jesus' teaching. And yes, I am one of those who does this.
To us, 'Pharisee' is they byword for a hypocrite who fails to obey the Lord. And to many in society today, 'Christian' is now spoken as an adjective for ... hypocritical. May I take this warning seriously in my life.
Prayer: Lord, I do as for your forgiveness. May I not be hypocritical this day. I love you and am delighted by your love and your gift of salvation, so may I also know you are my Lord and truly seek to live into your commands and precepts. Amen.
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