God in this chapter bewails that that Israel hasn’t just left him the “living water” but have dug their own cisterns which are cracked. The first is not good to walk away from the source of life. The second is willfulness in wanting to save themselves which they can’t do.
Israel was placed between the great countries of the world and served as a conduit for traveling caravans. The place was prime real estate for every major power of the world as a source of income (tariffs) and for military security. The only way they could hope to survive is with something beyond themselves protecting them. This was God’s role. Yet they forsook God and tried to come up with ways they could protect themselves. They, of course, could never work for long.
Also, God gave them a way of living which provided for the less fortunate which if carried out as commanded could have brought them prosperity. Yet greed caused them to choose something else, which also didn’t work.
Finally, God gave them a way to have a relationship with him and the promise for something greater to come. Here again, they choose to follow other gods, which gave them what they wanted and promised to give them control (they offer the right sacrifice and the god promised your results).
The results were: they rejected life and choose hard work (digging a cistern is hard) to get nothing. Why? The faulty idea that my way is the right way, Pride, selfishness, the desire to be a god. Guess what we’re not.
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