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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
10:1-16 Judah Engages in Idolatry. Idolatry remains the chief sin that God will judge, for it cuts people off from their only true source of salvation and guidance. Judah must reject idols (vv. 1-5) since God alone is the Lord (vv. 6-10) and Creator (vv. 11-16).
10:2 Judah must not adopt the way (practices) of the nations, which includes connecting phenomena like eclipses and comets with idol worship (7:18; 8:2).
10:3-5 Idols are made by people, so they have no power to speak or act. Serving them makes no sense (Isa. 44:9-20).
10:8-9 Taking instruction from idols is foolish. Tarshish is symbolic of the ends of the earth. The location of Uphaz is unknown. Idols may be made of the finest materials by the finest craftsman, but they remain human creations.
10:11-13 All false gods shall perish. They were created by humans, but the living God made and established the world by wisdom and understanding (51:15-19). The false gods' "instruction" (10:8) makes people foolish, while God's instruction makes people wise.
10:14-16 People are foolish without God's wisdom (Prov. 1:1-7), especially when practicing idolatry. God, Israel's portion and inheritance, is the Creator, the one who provides wisdom (cf. Prov. 8:22-31).
