The Lord had warned Israel and Judah through every kind of prophet and seer, “Turn from your evil ways, and obey my commands and decrees as I commanded your ancestors in all my teachings, the commands I sent to you through my servants the prophets.”
They rejected his decrees, the promise he made to their ancestors, and the warnings he had given them. They went after worthless idols and became as worthless as the idols. They behaved like the nations around them, although the Lord had commanded them not to do that.
That’s why the Lord, the Lord of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says, “How horrible it will be when I take revenge on my opponents! I will avenge myself against my enemies.
On the day I punish Israel for its disobedience, I will also destroy the altars at Bethel. The horns of the altar will be cut off and will fall to the ground.
I warn you today that if you forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, and if you serve them and bow down to them, you will certainly be destroyed.
No one should take advantage of or exploit other believers that way. The Lord is the one who punishes people for all these things. We’ve already told you and warned you about this.
They said, “The Lord is ⌞the only true⌟ God! The Lord is ⌞the only true⌟ God! He knows, so let Israel know! If our act is rebellious or unfaithful to the Lord,