Once God reveals Himself through His calling, the issue of government comes to the fore. July 2, 2022 . God will destroy the nations to which Israel and Judah are scattered, and He will correct Israel and Judah in measure, as verse 11 says. Are we to produce water for you out of this rock?. 40:2; Ezek. However, Ezekiel makes it clear that this cannot be the case. . Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. The process will be painful but also effective; Israel will come to repentance (Romans 11:25-29). Second, Israel and Judah will both make the New Covenant, meaning that they will be given the Holy Spirit, which will enable them to keep the law in its spiritual intent (Jeremiah 31:31-34). A PUNISHMENT CORRESPONDING TO THEIR SIN. that Israel was commanded to love and worship the L, to keep the Sinai teaching in their respective hearts, and that did not always happen. The Israelites must not allow themselves to be self-deceived. He promises good health (Exodus 15:26), prosperity (Malachi 3:8-12), children (Psalm 127:3-5), security (Psalm 46), and many other blessings besides His greatest gift, eternal life in His Kingdom (John 17:1-3; Romans 6:23)! A number of latter-day prophecies of various peoplesthe Edomites, for exampleforetell that God will make a complete end of them (Jeremiah 46:28). They were to protect and bless the rich and the poor, the bonded and the free, the Israelite and the stranger. His laws, which define His standards of morality, have not changed one iota. In Judges 3, we read: So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites . In the Hebrew Bible, justice most often points to a social obligation to protect the weak and powerless from exploitation. He began priestly formation in 1595 and was ordained in 1600. Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers. God lives and He always rules and judgesjust as surely today as He did thousands of years ago. Also, every seventh year the land was to lie fallow (Lev. And what was that? Is that so? He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". Most of prophecy begins negatively but ends positively because God is confident that what He prophesied will accomplish His end, which is always good! 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. The people were sent into exile in Babylon because of their sins. . Another explanation for Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahs critique, which does not seem to fully capture what was taking place, is the notion that Israel was knowingly going through the motionsthey were guilty of willful hypocrisy. Why A Belief Crisis Need Never Be Fatal To Faith. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. How did God punish the Israelites for complaining? John W. Ritenbaugh The people said: 'This calf is our God who led us out of Egypt!'. Faith Community Church3755 Washington Boulevard, Suite 201Fremont, CA 94538(408) 721-4900info@fccbay.org. For instance, during some sort of civil dispute, a person who exercises, will take the side of widows or orphans and defend them against those who are more powerful. Mr. Seiglie was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when he was a child. Brigham Young called upon modern Saints to examine their own hearts in this regard: KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS - 2 Kings. Thousands of academic, scientific, and engineering breakthroughs and inventions have sprung from British and American individuals, discoveries which greatly affected the rest of this world. He did as God asked and led the people to the Promised Land. This scathing condemnation concludes with the L, saying, I will hide mine eyes from you I will not hear you.. Terms and Conditions, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. . Like mishpat, tzedeq connotes a social obligation. However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. In fact, highlighting Israels penchant for a straying focus, a central hope in Jeremiahs view of restoration is that Israel will be given a , , while all of this might be true, hypocrisy does not, problem that resulted in such strong language from Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Saith the L, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah. Though not to blame because His sins did not cause these tragedies, He is responsible for them because He at least allowed them to occur. Amos followed Elijah about 90-100 years later. But if we keep our part of the agreement, we will reap the benefits that flow with God keeping His. Yet, the naked truth is we cannot retain sovereignty to ourselves and still have what God is offering, entrance into the spiritual Kingdom of God. Zavada, Jack. We need to heed His words seriously because our cultural circumstances parallel what Amos confronted in his day. If said with just the right inflection, the word justice feels punitive. Although God always forgave his people, he also gave them consequences for their sinful actions. Rather, He punishes in the best way and at the best time to bring individuals to repentance. Ezekiel packed his belongings as if heading on a journey. After escaping his captors, he returned to France and worked in a parish outside of Paris. America and the British nations are rapidly following ancient Israel's example as they spiral downward to their destruction. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD," says the Lord GOD, "when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. In modern-day usage, righteousness is often associated with personal piety. ___ Aaron and his sons were consecrated as Gods priests. best compost bins 2021; best defensive shooting guards 2022; second law of thermodynamics problems and solutions pdf . its offerings and sacrifices, and calling its songs and music of praise noise that I will not hear.. Punishment is imminent, at the very door. His warning of impending calamity would not come if they were not deserving of it. They have been flippantly careless and have no one to blame but themselves. Malachi 2:14. Fortunately, in the same way that Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were direct with Israel when it came to expressing the L. displeasure, these four prophets were similarly direct with Israel when it came to stating what Israel needed to do differently. Does that not sound familiar to an informed observer of our modern, American scene? From 1605-07 he was a slave in Tunisia after he was seized from a ship that pirates had attacked. God will punish Israel for her failure to live up to her responsibilities within the covenant. God didn't. He is there by no accident. The LORD wanted the people of Israel to show all of their neighbors the same deep fidelity and covenantal love which they had received from the LORD.So, what is Israel doing wrong? In about AD 31, Christ says He was "not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). Oh, dread the mixed multitude. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood., summarily dismiss Israels worship practice; the L, says that these practicesthe sacrifices, rituals, and feasts they are under obligation to do as part of the covenantare iniquity and an abomination, and that my soul hateth them. ThaiCCTVShop - / 8.00-17.00 / Office: 02-064-7135, 02-970-1181-2 / Mobile : 099-392-5654 However, the people began to partake in . Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to . Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micha all make clear that, despite Israels apparent devotion to the sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices which were central parts of its covenant with YHWH, God is displeased with Israel. That specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices were central parts of its covenant with YHWH was beyond doubt. (When the act of worship becomes more important than the purpose of worship, what I have previously called ecclesiolatry, we stray into potential idol worship, a practice many Hebrew Bible prophets condemn.) God gave the people specific instructions in order to be faithful to the Lord. Look at the cause or spring of Israel's sin. II. Its what happens to people when they do something wrong; justice is served could be a superheros catchphrase when she nabs the bad guy. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself., Contact & Submissions . (See, for instance, Exodus 12:14; 13:13; 20:22-23:33; Exodus 34:11-26; Deuteronomy 12-26; Leviticus 17-26 as a start.) The people would repent and ask Moses to pray to God for forgiveness, which God always granted. The Old Testament is a chronicle of Israel's repeated failure to obey God, of its refusal to keep His commandments and statutes. Righteous is sometimes synonymous with orthodox. In the Latter-day Saint community, righteousness may be associated with maintaining a current temple recommend and studying the scriptures, and praying regularly. 3. . keeping the commandments. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Several hundred years after this, God inspired Isaiah to write, "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. Searching for Israel (Part Seven): Seven Years' Punishment. Hebrews 3:8-11 summarizes the matter: "In the day of trial in the wilderness, [the children of Israel] . Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an . In the Hebrew Bible, justice most often points to a social obligation to protect the weak and powerless from exploitation. People in high places are claiming we all worship the same God; they say the God of Islam and the God of Christianity are the same! Israel had better heed because his words are not idle. God made the Sabbath principle central to his creation. After Satans Temptations, What Do You Do? Amos was a godly layman (i.e., with no formal ministry training or position) who earned his living as a shepherd and a grower of sycamore figs (7:14). Amos frames it this way: I [the LORD] hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Our great privilege is to have access to Him and His Spirit, and therefore have a far closer relationship with Him than Israel ever had under the Old Covenant. Other themes include the sovereignty of God over the entire world, God's holiness, right worship, corrupt leaders, the restoration of . Covenants with God are inherently covenants with each other. Contents1 Why did God take the Israelites through [] He also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance. will redeem the property that had been sold or free Israelites from their debt bondage. But God was not pleased with what Moses had done. What should we learn from the golden calf incident in Exodus 32? 44:29 ), and God did so in judging his son on behalf of his people. was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight. Israel is God's prey, as it were, and He is not roaring yet. (Ezekiel 36:22-24, 31-32). Learn Religions. Saul started off well and the people loved him. GOD SEEKS REPENTANCE OR PUNISH ISRAELITES - Amos. Copyright 2022 Faith Community Church. In all of God's dealings with Israel and Judah, and especially regarding the Second Exodus, we see His perfect application of justice and mercy. Saith the LORD. This question, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah, put Israel in an uncomfortable position. Clearly, God judges the inhabitants of His creation, and His judgments are not limited to Israel or to "biblical times." At least one answer is easily pushed aside. These nations may look fine on the outside, but the cancer has spread from head to toe, and they have only so long before the disease proves fatal (Isaiah 1:5-6). For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. He is stalking you, and you are in mortal danger. . Put briefly: Israel needed to exercise justice, righteousness, and mercy. What the L, desired and required of Israelthe things that the L, wanted Israel to dowas to protect and bless the people in their community. God is angry and will destroy the Israelites but Moses begs God to have mercy and remember His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob). We can infer that Amos did not choose to be there before them. God would be unfaithful to His own promises if He annihilated Jacob's descendantseven though, by all accounts, it is exactly what they deserve. Spiritually, this demand confirms Israel's whorish behavior, and thus God tells Samuel to describe the national effects of her demand. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, the prophets argued that the exile happened because the people failed to follow God's instructions. The word mercy is commonly used nowadays to capture the idea of being favored, often undeservedly so. The Israelites failed because they would not put their complete trust in their one true God. Themes in Ezekiel. But when the punishment is done, He will bring His people back to the land that He promised them and give them rest and peace. We've seen in Jeremiah chapter 2 that in spite of some good times in the past between the Lord and Israel, Israel rejected and forsook the Lord and attempted to exchange the living and real God for idols. They once again complained to Moses. . So they were delivered up to the consequences of trying to love both the world and the Lord at the same time. God believed the people had properly listened to the instructions God gave them. did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law, and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them. When they came back 40 days later, 10 of the 12 scouts said that the Israelites were not strong enough to take the land from the inhabitants. ___ Moses sister, Miriam, was blind for seven days. The punishment for David's sin: "The Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand of the people died" (2 Samuel 24:15). Then God responded in Habakkuk 1:4-11 by telling the prophet that He was bringing a nation to conquer and destroy many Israelites because of their sin. In the modern Latter-day Saint community, that notion is broadened a little, and justice is something closer to a synonym for fair or equitable. For example, the phrase God is just for many Latter-day Saint folks means something like God gives you what you deserve (good or bad). However, both uses are worlds away from what the 8th century BCE prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah meant when they used that word. Fortunately, in the same way that Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were direct with Israel when it came to expressing the LORDs displeasure, these four prophets were similarly direct with Israel when it came to stating what Israel needed to do differently. As used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. In those from the north, there would be a natural resistance to such an arrangement. What is the punishment for idolatry? The term also occurs in, Some references in Ezekiel have striking similarities to the prophetic. Picking up where the question above leaves off, Isaiah continues voicing Gods view of these practices: I [the LORD] am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. (See, for instance, Exodus 12:14; 13:13; 20:22-23:33; Exodus 34:11-26; Deuteronomy 12-26; Leviticus 17-26 as a start.) He makes and unmakes nations (II Chronicles 20:6; Daniel 4:17; Acts 17:26). 4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life Having a king was not the real issue because God had already planned for Israel to have a king. This also applies on a smaller but more immediate scale: Amos has been sent by appointment, and he does not speak promiscuously. The attacks and a wave of sympathy for the grief of those directly impacted by them, as well as a sudden spurt of patriotism, changed the way people heard these messages. . Someone is righteous when they follow the prophet and keep the commandments; these actions indicate their inward commitment. God eventually would become angry and punish the people for their sinfulness. In fact, I think a key indication that Israel felt like its adherence to sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices was in-line with its covenant requirements is the very fact that Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah had to use such dramatic language to get Israels attention. God said to speak to a rock and water would flow out of it. In fact, it is not perverse to assert that God was completely faithful to the children of Israel, doing to them exactly what He promised He would do if they persistently sinned against Him. The title is of little importance. The Bible prophesies scores of horrific punishments: epidemics of incurable diseases; wars; fires burning fields, forests, and homes; earthquakes; famines; floods from raging seas; violent weather patterns; and infestations of insects and wild animals. In short, the people of Israel needed to live into the reality that acovenant with God isinherently connected to and reflected by how we treat each other. He melted the gold and made a statue of a calf. This is the first and great commandment. Speaker 3 I will take away the hedge thereof. All Rights Reserved. They were to protect and bless the rich and the poor, the bonded and the free, the Israelite and the stranger. God chose the ancient Israelites because He had promised Abraham that his descendants would become a great nation and occupy the land of Canaan ( Genesis 12:3, 7; 17:4, 7-8; 22:17 ). (NIV), Prophesies about doom and destruction (1:1 - 24:27), Prophesies condemning foreign nations (25:1 - 32:32), Prophesies of hope and restoration of Israel (33:1 - 48:35), Jack Zavada is a writer who covers the Bible, theology, and other Christianity topics. the . To help Moses prove the existence and power of God, he was given a number of miraculous signs to help the Israelites believe. So, what is it that Israel needed to do differently? Conversely, God strongly warns that, if one does not do well, He will surely punish him. But God certainly knew about them. In their own minds, they had reduced God to something they could control and call upon when convenient. While it was certainly not perfect in every respect, Israel seems to have been keeping Sabbath, practicing temple rituals, including sacrifices, and holding many of the appropriate festivals. He sets out two things that construct a basis for what he says. In short, the people of Israel needed to live into the reality that acovenant with God isinherently connected to and reflected by how we treat each other. What is the meaning of john 8: 12? God's punishment Finally, after so many years of warnings, God brought upon the people of Judah the judgment about which Moses spoke. Oracles against foreign countries' rulers. Justice: If said with just the right inflection, the word justice feels punitive. Rather, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah suggest that Israel needed to do a better job practicing what Jesus would call (eight centuries later!) God Eventually Returning to Them and Having Compassion on Them The idolatry of the northern kingdom went on for nearly two centuries. Observe next the occasion of Israel's sin. Amos speaks strongly against public and private indifference toward the keeping of the second of the two great commandments (Matthew 22:37-40). Understanding what mishpat, tzedeq, and hesed suggest put us in a better place to understand the remarkable prophetic guidance of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Thousands of citizens of Israel, including Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, had been captured and taken to Babylonabout 597 BC. Corrupt or ambivalent leadership will no longer lead Israel astray; instead, the leaders will set the example of righteousness for the people to follow. We live lives of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Who Were the Major Prophets in the Bible? ___ God led the Israelites across the Sea of Galilee. God will punish Israel for her failure to live up to her responsibilities within the covenant. If you mean "How did God punish Solomon for having many wives and allowing worship of other gods in Israel " then this is the answer. Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" Besides giving oral warnings, Ezekiel performed physical actions which served as symbolic plays for the exiles to learn from. Says Micah: Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? The prophet begins in the first two verses with a "thus saith the LORD," providing the foundation for all that follows. 1. The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was theson of Buzi and member of a priestly family. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. In Psalm 78:59-62, the psalmist Asaph relates that God, when He became aware of the idols of Israel. Tour Start here for a quick overview of the site Help Center Detailed answers to any questions you might have Meta Discuss the workings and policies of this site About Us Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. . Has anything else become a god to me?". God tacks it onto his upcoming deeds to explain the reason for the action. If we do not keep it, God must correct us. Amos 1-4: Israel's Punishment. Post-Christian Europe has transgressed even further. Much later, Amos warned Israel, "Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth" (Amos 9:8). Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micha all make clear that, despite Israels apparent devotion to the sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices which were central parts of its covenant with YHWH, God is displeased with Israel. (Ex 15:22), 2. And yet, multiple prophets challenged Israels adherence to the very laws and ordinances that were part of this prophetically-given covenant guide. So His justice will be upheld as Israel and Judah are brought to the painful realization that they have forsaken Him and have been living the wrong way. The punishment of Israel had not ended even in Christ's time, more than 700 years after Israel's fall. Using the hints provided, put a T next to the sentences that are true and an F next to the ones that are false. God does not sin, men do. He took such good care of it, protected it, we did it everything, fertilized it. It was also what they failed to do for each other. The first thing Amos needed to do, then, was establish his authority to preach against them. Mercy is used to describe the act of helping those whose behavior might not otherwise justify such magnanimity. Although God did not allow Moses to cross into the land, in Deuteronomy 34 we read that he had Moses climb Mount Nebo so he could see the land before he died. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably. Although Moses was Gods faithful servant, even he once sinned against God. It is from God that the authority for the prophet's message emanates. I am angry with them, and I will command Assyria to fight against them. 2. Righteousness: In modern-day usage, righteousness is often associated with personal piety. God is managing it, governing it. First: People traveling in the same direction toward exactly the same destination would hardly meet except by appointment. After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. You shall have no other gods before me." Israel's sad history is the consequence of peoples' faithlessness, not of their God's weakness. Where justice is protecting the weakest members of society from exploitation (defending them), righteousness is taking steps to help those who need it (uplifting them). This scathing condemnation concludes with the LORD saying, I will hide mine eyes from you I will not hear you.. Exodus 20:2-6 ESV / 899 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Israel's Punishment for Failing to Heed (Amos 4-5) February 24 Amos again reminded Israel of the way God had dealt with them since they came out of Egypt and how they had ignored the warnings. Indeed, I think it is more likely that the people believed that they were doing things properly. When his wife died, he was told not to mourn her. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably charity. This is what we confront in decision-making. This over-the-top zealousness is not only insufficient but is, itself, a source of Gods disapproval. They are designed to ensure that the king does not elevate himself above the people and rule as a despot. (Exodus20:2-3, NIV), Today, idolatry consists of putting more importance on anything other than God, from our career to money, fame, power, material possessions, celebrities, or other distractions. He will show them mercy because of the promises He made, not because they deserve it. https://www.learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131 (accessed March 4, 2023). It is an aspect of His mercy. Through her commercial power, the United States became the single richest nation that has ever existed. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets" (Isaiah 10:5-6). its offerings and sacrifices, and calling its songs and music of praise noise that I will not hear., The prophet Micah takes a different approach but delivers the same basic message as his prophetic contemporaries.