handling wickedness. The first question is, How can He allow it to continue among His people. The second is, How can He use as an instrument of punishment foreign nations more wicked than Israel? The message of the first question and response is that God cannot allow such wickedness to go unpunished without violating His own righteous character. The prophet’s initial lament (1:2–4) serves as his indictment of Judah. God’s first response of judgment (1:5–11) should have motivated repentance in his