Baal worship fascinated the Israelites, but it was futile.
2:20 The Lord had broken the yoke of Egypt off His people at the Exodus and had set them free, but being ungrateful they refused to yield themselves to Him in covenant faithfulness.82Rather they had prostituted themselves to the gods of Canaan worshipping idols at their hilltop and grove shrines.
". . . the sexual revolution' introduced in the 1960s is not only permissive: it has its own propaganda to create a view of sex as virtually life's chief concern and most authoritative voice--certainly one that can override the voice of God."83
2:21 Yahweh had planted Israel in the Promised Land as a choice vine,84as His faithful seed, but Israel had grown up as a degenerate vine that bore the marks of foreign stock (cf. Isa. 5:1-7; Ezek. 15; Matt. 21:33-46).
2:22 Israel could not cleanse herself of her iniquity. Ritual ablutions and sacrifices would not do the job (cf. 1 John 1:7). Lye was a mineral alkali cleanser, and soap was a vegetable alkali cleanser.
2:23 Neither could Israel deny that she had gone after Canaanite idols, though the people tried to. The Judahites worshipped Baal and Molech in the Hinnom Valley just south of Jerusalem (cf. 7:31-32; 2 Kings 23:10). All Judah had to do was examine her experiences and she would see that she was all tangled up, like a young camel that got wrapped up in its ropes for thrashing around where it did not belong.
2:24 Israel was also like a wild donkey that followed the scent that appealed to it rather than following its master. Like a wild female donkey in heat, Israel had done things that were unnatural (cf. Gen. 16:12; Job 11:12). Enemies pursued Israel and found her, just like male donkeys find female donkeys who are in heat.
"She [the female donkey] sniffs the path in front of her trying to pick up the scent of a male (from his urine). Then she races down the road in search of the male. One Arab proverb runs, She is intoxicated with the urine of the male.' Under such circumstances the males need not weary themselves chasing the she-ass, because she is bent on chasing them."85
The people had worn out their sandals and fainted from thirst in their pursuit of idols.
2:25 Israel should guard herself from living like a wild animal and therefore suffering from thirst. But Israel had said that it was hopeless to live like a domesticated animal. Like an alcoholic or drug addict she believed it was impossible for her to submit to and serve her Master faithfully. She had let her heart go after strangers and had decided to follow them instead of Yahweh.
