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| 1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion and that are secure in the mountain of Samaria, the renowned of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come. |
At ease in Zion – There is a nominal spiritual Zion and a nominal fleshly Zion. D23; R2357:3
Settled down to ease, luxury, self-gratification. R5243:1, R2357:1,3
Boasting of their prosperity. "I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing." (Rev. 3:17) R2357:1,3
Wealth brings increased opportunity for sin in its various forms, including debauchery. R5243:2
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| 2 Pass unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go to Hamath the great; and go down to Gath of the Philistines: are they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border? |
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| 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; |
The evil day – The Day of Vengeance. R2357:3
Violence to come near – The poor, surrounded by the blessings of our day, are often miserable because their minds are discontented. The result is that their hearts are filled with anger, malice and jealousy of the rich. R5243:2
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| 4 that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves from the midst of the stall; |
That lie upon beds – Creeds. D608
Trusting that the church is being carried forward to the conquest of the world by an easy path. R2357:3
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| 5 that chant to the sound of the lute, and invent them instruments of music, like David; |
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| 6 that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments; but are not grieved for the breach of Joseph. |
That drink wine – Doctrine. R5633:2; C160; D265, D266
Not solely literal drunkenness, but more specially the drunkenness of greed, swallowing up the poor and needy. R2357:2
In bowls – Drinking the wine of earthly pleasure and extravagance inordinately. R2357:1
The Christian is to be temperate in all the affairs of life--in language, in business, in food and drink, in joys and in sorrows. R2355:2-5
Are not grieved – Not solicitous for the poor. R2357:1
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| 7 Therefore shall they now go captive, with the first that go captive, and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away. |
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| 8 The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; and I will deliver up the city with all that is therein. |
The city – Babylon, Christendom. D527
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| 9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die. |
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| 10 And a man's uncle, and he that should burn him, shall take him up to bring out the bones from the house, and shall say unto him that is in the inner parts of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, None. And he will say, Silence! for we may not make mention of Jehovah's name. |
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| 11 For behold, Jehovah commandeth, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. |
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| 12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will men plough thereon with oxen? For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood, |
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| 13 --ye that rejoice in a thing of nought, that say, Have we not taken to us power by our own strength? |
Taken to us horns – Power. T42
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| 14 For behold, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah the God of hosts, I will raise up against you a nation; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hamath unto the torrent of the Arabah. |
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