Verse 16: “For the guides of this people caused them to err, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.”

Guides … caused them to err: Their leaders misled them and caused them to go astray.

Note: The principle we learn here is this: we need to follow proper leadership. Faithful leaders faithfully teach God’s Word. False teachers do not put much emphasis on the Word of God. When we follow improper leadership, it is going to cause us to be led astray. When we go astray the enemy is able to swallow us up.

Verse 17: “Therefore concerning its young men the Lord will not rejoice, and concerning the orphans and the widows He will not have mercy; for everyone is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks decay. Nevertheless, His anger was not turned away, but still His hand is outstretched.”

Young men: The next generation.

The Lord will not rejoice: God’s not going to be pleased with the new generation.

Concerning the orphans and the widows He will not have mercy: God takes His hands off them and does not get involved in their lives. One of the greatest promises in the New Covenant is that God will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Hypocrite: Someone who says or gives an impression of one thing but does the opposite.

Evildoer: Someone who delights in wickedness.

Decay: This is a word that means more than ‘folly’. It comes from the same root as the word used to describe a dead animal that has been left out in the sun to rot. It is something that is repulsive. If we follow improper leadership, and we go astray we turn into hypocrites, evildoers and everything we say will be repulsive. We will not be people who are pleasing to God.

Nevertheless, His anger was not turned away, but still His hand is outstretched: This phrase is repeated from Isaiah 9:12. Even though God is punishing them for their disobedience and rebellion He still holds out His hands to them. God is still willing to extend mercy to them if they repent.

Verse 18: “For wickedness burns as fire, and the thorns and thistles are consumed. He kindles the thicket of the forest, and it goes up as a haze of smoke.”

He kindles the thicket of the forest, and it goes up as a haze of smoke: Perhaps what this verse is saying is that God shows His majesty in judgment. When smoke goes up from God, judging and destroying those who reject Him, it is indeed a source showing that He is God Almighty that He is the only majestic God.

Verse 19: “The wrath of the Lord of hosts burns up the land; the people shall be as fuel for the fire; a man to his brother they do not have pity.”

The land: Referring to the land of Israel.

Fuel for the fire: What the fire consumes strengthens the fire.

A man to his brother they do not have pity: They have no love for their neighbor. They have no thought within them to be merciful or kind. Everyone is driven by what they want. This same type of self-centeredness is going to be one of the characteristics that mark people in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Verse 20: “He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry. He shall devour on the left hand and not be satisfied. Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.”

Hungry: Hunger pains are uncomfortable.

Devour … and not be satisfied: They are going to be utterly frustrated, empty and will find no satisfaction in anything.

Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm: This phrase speaks of desperation. The people who do not give to God what rightly belongs to Him are going to be in a miserable situation.

Verse 21: “Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and they together shall be against Judah. Nevertheless, His anger was not turned away, but still His hand is outstretched.”

Manasseh … Ephraim: Joseph’s two sons (Genesis 46:20) – i.e. the next generation (they were initially not part of the 12 tribes of Jacob). The rabbis say that whenever there is a reference to the next generation it is an indicator that we need to prepare for the coming of
Messiah, as it might be the last generation.

Be against Judah: The Northern kingdom, despite the fact that they were ‘brothers’, wanted to attack the Southern kingdom.

Nevertheless, His anger was not turned away, but still His hand is outstretched: This phrase is repeated for the third time in this chapter. God did not remove His wrath (He was still angry with the people because of their behavior), but even in the midst of His judgment He
was willing to forgive them if they repented and turned from their conflict and rebellion.