先知先譴責以色列的罪惡，然後宣告懲罰，以及不信之民的哀號。

出人意料的是，先知最後勸勉百姓開墾新田，因為現在是尋求上主的時候。

他並沒有命令他們停止敬拜偶像，也沒有命令他們拆毀祭壇。

他指明了一個新的方向，一個新的開始，似乎與過去毫無關聯。

這就是我們的希望：現在就尋求上主，因為祂渴望現在就將恩典賜給我們。

The prophet first denounces the sin of Israel, then announces the punishment and the following lament of the unfaithful people.

Surprisingly, at the end the prophet exhorts the people to break up for themselves a new field, for it is time to seek the Lord.

He does not tell them to stop adoring idols, or to destroy their altars.

He indicates a new direction, a new beginning, apparently unrelated to the past.

This is our hope: to seek the Lord now, because he desires to bestow his grace on us, now.