In the previous message we covered the matters of Jehovah's reaction to Israel's degradation and His reaction to the nations' excessive action on Israel. In this message we will see that this reaction issues in Israel's turn to Jehovah and their return to the Holy Land for restoration.
The first issue of Jehovah's reaction is Israel's return to Jehovah.
In distress they sought Jehovah; they whispered out a prayer, for His chastening was upon them (26:16). As a pregnant woman draws near to giving birth, she writhes and cries out in her pain; so they have been before Jehovah (v. 17). Just as Israel turned to Jehovah after God's chastening, we need to repent and whisper out a prayer and have a talk with the Lord when we are suffering in our distress.
In 25:1, 4 and 5 we are told what Israel said in their prayer to Jehovah. Verse 1 says, "O Jehovah, You are my God; /I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name,/For You have done wonderful things—/Counsels of old, in faithfulness, perfect faithfulness." In words that remind us of 4:6, verse 4 goes on to say, "For You have been a stronghold to the weak,/A stronghold to the needy in his distress,/A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat;/For the breath of those who terrify is like a tempest against a wall." Then verse 5 continues, "Like the heat in a drought,/You will subdue the uproar of strangers;/Like the heat through the shadow of a cloud,/The song of those who terrify will be brought low." Their haughtiness and even their singing will be subdued.