“For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.”
The community's reference to their prosperity and security during the period when God gave them the good land emphasizes that covenant blessing had been realized: they lived in plenty, possessed the promised territory, and had opportunity for righteous obedience. The refusal to serve God and turn from evil during this period of prosperity demonstrates that material security and abundance did not produce gratitude or obedience, suggesting that covenant faithfulness requires spiritual commitment that transcends material circumstances. The assertion that the people turned to their own desires and did not listen to God's commandments establishes that covenant violation flowed from preference for personal gratification over divine will, representing a fundamental reorientation of the community's loyalties. This verse indicates that the community's greatest failure occurred not during exile or hardship but during the period of prosperity, when God's covenant blessing was evident yet failed to secure the people's allegiance.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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