The parallel themes of detestable acts and judgment leading to the people knowing that “I am the Lord” continue in chapters 14-17. Eight more times the Lord refers to the detestable acts of the people and five more times the prophet declares that as a result of God’s bringing judgment they will know that he is Lord.
15:23 states clearly that the people of the time (unlike those of us reading it from afar), seeing the judgment of God, would not question why this was happening. They would be consoled because they KNEW it was a result of their detestable turning away from the God who had delivered them and given them all that they had.
In 16:8ff there is this beautiful picture of a bride being given by the bridegroom everything she could possibly need or want and being beautiful for the whole world to see. The bride is Israel, God’s people and the bridegroom is the Lord. But that bride is unfaithful. That bride takes the gifts given her by the bridegroom (husband) who loved her and becoming a prostitute who pays other men to lie with her! 16:30 the Lord calls Israel a “brazen prostitute” who prefers abusive and strange lovers to her husband–The Lord! The picture is very graphic and reveals the depth of Israels hard heart and wickedness and how horribly they spurned the love of God.
But once again hope emerges. 16:60 says “yet I will remember my covenant.” This is an amazing God. His love really does endure forever! Inspite of all this detestable behavior, God continues to love his creatures and woos them back to him. God always keeps his covenants–his promises. And as a result, they “will know” that he is the Lord!
Chapter 17 gives another analogy that powerfully communicates the faithfulness of God in contrast to the fickleness of humankind. Those who lead his people astray (false prophets and errant priests) will pay even more dearly for their causing others to stumble. But, the Sovereign Lord has declared what he will do–which is keep a remnant for himself and bring about the promise of his perfect rule where he will live with them and be their God and they will be his people– and he will do it(17:24b)!