The Lord speaks to the people of Israel who see themselves as God’s people (v1-2). Despite this they are a very stubborn people who are described as having necks of iron and foreheads of brass (v4).

If we profess the name of the Lord, we need to ask if we’re tender and sensitive to the Lord’s word or are we like Israel of old who were stubborn and resistant to God’s Word.

The Lord warns His people that it is His method to warn them that judgment will come before it happens, so that when it does, they will know it is from the Lord and not from an idol (v5).

Our view of God of course has to include that He is this great God of love and compassion, but our view of God is faulty if it doesn’t include that He is also the God of wrath and judgment.

The Lord reveals what is behind His dealings with His people (v6-11) both in not wiping them out and in refining them in the furnace of affliction (v9-10). God acts for His glory and honour and will not give His glory to another. If we don’t grasp this truth we fail to understand anything of how awesome and glorious God is and how the Lord truly deserves all the glory, honour and praise from all of creation (see Revelation 5 v11-14).