However, just like the words, , this modern-day usage is not necessarily what Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were expressing in the 8, suggest put us in a better place to understand the remarkable prophetic guidance of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Why wasnt Aaron punished for making the golden calf? However, for the sake of what is best for Jacob, God has to show him that He is serious about what He says. This is the first and great commandment. Although Moses was Gods faithful servant, even he once sinned against God. Tzedeq is often the companion virtue to mishpat. Israel is God's prey, as it were, and He is not roaring yet. The L, wanted the people of Israel to show all of their neighbors the same deep fidelity and commitmentthat is to say, covenantal lovewhich they had received from the L. . He determines their rise and fall and the times of dominance of every nation. Who sins and brings upon themselves the necessity of punishment? The book of Ezekiel was written between 593 BC and 573 BC. Through her commercial power, the United States became the single richest nation that has ever existed. . Ezek 4:1-3 "You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, Jerusalem. This scathing condemnation concludes with the LORD saying, I will hide mine eyes from you I will not hear you.. Jesus emphatically asserts in the Sermon on the Mount that we should not think that He came to destroy the law or the prophets (Matthew 5:17). 30 The next day Moses told the people, "This is a terrible thing you have done. And thus the next day, when the Israelites bring sacrifices before the calf, there can hardly be any misunderstanding: they are sacrificing to YHWH. was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight. Clearly, God judges the inhabitants of His creation, and His judgments are not limited to Israel or to "biblical times." In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel. After Sinai there were many instances of disobedience. God gave the people specific instructions in order to be faithful to the Lord. They will be given a new heart, and will finally be able to know their God (Ezekiel 11:17-20; 36:24-29). Every indication is that we live during that time now. This phrase indicates a very close bond, as in a marriage, from which ensues the sharing of life's experiences. It is clear from Genesis 17:6 and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 that God anticipated Israel having a king or judge. Isaiah writes that Jerusalem, symbolizing all the tribes of Israel, will receive double for her sins because of her privileged position under the covenant (Isaiah 40:2). 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. In Ezekiels vision of restoration at the end of times, the temple that will be rebuilt in Jerusalem as part of the restoration of Israel is marked by close ritual observance of the very same requirements which are outlined in Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus (See Ezekiel 42), and apparently being followed at the time Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah voiced Gods frustration with Israel. In addition to mercy, hesed is also translated in the King James Version variously as kindness, goodness, favor, and lovingkindness. Unfortunately, as President Nelson notes, even these translations do not adequately reflect the power of the word hesed. Israelites provoked God with sin, and the Creator promised to m. Continue reading. He has not forgotten His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but He will correct their descendants so that He can eventually save His people and give them the promises. Israel had better heed because his words are not idle. Today's Western culturea product of the nations of Israelis not so very different from Sodom and Gomorrah. In addition to the undisputed fact of God's sovereignty over Israel, ample additional evidence exists to show that He exercises equal dominion over the other nations of the world. His utterances are not his own words; they began with God, who sent them because the close relationship is seriously threatened. Terms and Conditions, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. Amos followed Elijah about 90-100 years later. Afterward, however, the sense of being innocent victims of a sneaky and undeserved attack made the hearers feel that the messages were demeaning and insulting. 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. However, the people of Israel failed to observe the terms of God's conditional promises to them. 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). Ezekiel was called to be a watchman for God with the chief task of warning his people about the terrible consequences of the sin of idolatry. There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. Does that not sound familiar to an informed observer of our modern, American scene? We could not trust God if He did not hold to His promises of blessing and cursing (Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). The people realized they were sinning and begged Moses to help them. Because you did not have confidence in me, to acknowledge my holiness before the Israelites, therefore you shall not lead this assembly into the land I have given them, God told Moses. There were two acts of disobedience / incomplete obedience that caused God to reject Saul. Similarly, the first six chapters of the Book of Ezrawhich chronicle Israels return from exile to the promised landare focused on the re-establishing of the sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices that served as markers of Israels faithfulness to God. Amos. God responds fiercely, sending venomous snakes, which immediately kill many complaining Israelites. Ezekiel prophesied to those exiles about why God had allowed that, while at the same time, the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the Israelites left behind in Judah. 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 the New Testament, Paul declared of those who tried to make representations of God: "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible manand birds and four-footed animals and creeping things" (Romans 1:22-23). On several occasions God punished the Jews in the wilderness for their disobedience. 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. Even Jerusalemthe "Holy City"has an annual "Gay Pride" parade, and is essentially secular. Indeed, Malachi 3:6 proclaims, "I am the Lord, I do not change," while Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus "is the same yesterday, today, and forever.". and delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy's hand. So Moses and his brother, Aaron, asked God what to do. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all around. hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Copyright 2022 Faith Community Church. But over hundreds of years Israel repeatedly broke the covenant and the penalties eventually kicked-in. . He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". 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. Although Yahweh was the national god to whom every Israelite owed allegiance, biblical and extra-biblical evidence demonstrate that the worship of additional gods had strong popular support. Someone is righteous when they follow the prophet and keep the commandments; these actions indicate their inward commitment. Why A Belief Crisis Need Never Be Fatal To Faith. He also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance. 31 Moses returned to the Lord and said, "The people have committed a terrible sin. In those from the north, there would be a natural resistance to such an arrangement. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 establish that, if one does well, God will bless him. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? The people said: 'This calf is our God who led us out of Egypt!'. Oracles against Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, Egypt. After all of these miracles were done, including the ten plagues on the Egyptians, the Israelites came out of Egypt with a renewed belief in the God of their fathers. Nadab and Abihu did not abide by God's commandments for worship, but did as they saw fit (Leviticus 10). (When the act of worship becomes more important than the purpose of worship, what I have previously called, , we stray into potential idol worship, a practice many Hebrew Bible prophets condemn.) 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. (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.) God remarks in II Kings 17:18, after providing a long list of Israel's sins, "Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone.". And Isaiah was not alone in portraying Gods displeasure with Israels worship. God punishes the Israelites for their sinfulness After he had freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, God wanted to make them a holy people with the help of his servant, Moses. (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. Thus, the problem Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah point to is not in regard to the revealed pattern of worship. 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Historically, the punishment for idolatry was often death. Those things were important but not sufficient in and of themselves. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!" shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?. . Ezekiel wrote from Babylon, but his prophecies concerned Israel, Egypt, and several of the neighboring countries. He shaved his beard and head and used the hair as traditional symbols of humiliation. That the LORD is displeased with Israels adherence to the requirements of (what Latter-day Saints call) the Mosaic Law because the Mosaic Law is itself displeasing. 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 occurred between 1100 and 1000 BC or roughly 350 years after the original making of the covenant. He is there by no accident. God is most certainly not to blame if He reacts in accordance with what He has told man He will do. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. . So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'". As Numbers 14:20-23 says: Then the Lord said: "I have pardoned, according to your word, but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord because all these men who . This means, "Take heed! 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. As the Bible has recorded in great detail, mankind has shown that it wants to retain this authority to itself. However, Ezekiel makes it clear that this cannot be the case. We live lives of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2021, learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131. To whom much is given much is required (Luke 12:48). was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, . It is God's authority and. When God rejected Saul, it is swift and decisive. Atonement The next day Moses again told the people that they had gravely sinned against Gd, and that he would now go to pray for atonement. ", Third: One cannot snare a bird unless a trap is set, and then somethingin this case a birdhas to cause the trap to spring shut. Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. 25:1-7). Punishment For Idolatry Leviticus 26:1ESV / 11 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful "You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lordyour God. (This is the same reason why Nephi killed Laban.) Only in Amos (and only in one verse) is there any indication that Israel was not focused on worshiping God. In this sense, the modern-day usage (perhaps especially in the Latter-day Saint community) of mercy is that it is the opposite of justice. If justice is getting what you deserve, then mercy is getting what you do not deserve. After Moses comes down from the mountain, the idol is destroyed and God punishes the people but having compassion, or caring for the Israelites, He does not destroy everyone. As a result, it has yet to enter into the peace, prosperity, and eternal possession of the land He promised the patriarchs. David C. Grabbe That is to say, righteousness is an inward characteristic. (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.) Fifth: It is illogical to think that God would punish without first warning His people. God eventually would become angry and punish the people for their sinfulness. Why did God punish the Israelites for 40 years? And so in Isaiah, God talks about how he built a beautiful garden vineyard. Choose from news (Monday), leisure (Thursday) or worship (Saturday) or get all three! While Moses was on the mountain, the Israelites chose to make an idol for themselves and worship it even after hearing the ten commandments from God, seeing His power. ESSAY: Why is it important to trust in God? They were to protect and bless the rich and the poor, the bonded and the free, the Israelite and the stranger. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Because of their idolatry (11:8, 10b-11, 13-14, 17; 13:10b, 27) and their evil conduct (11:10a, 11, 15b-16, 19-23; 13:9), God had to punish Israel. 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. . First, God and Israel have a special relationship: "You only have I known." Instead, he is to be thoroughly familiar with and guided by the attitudes and laws of God. best compost bins 2021; best defensive shooting guards 2022; second law of thermodynamics problems and solutions pdf . After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are blunted"? For instance, during some sort of civil dispute, a person who exercises mishpat will take the side of widows or orphans and defend them against those who are more powerful. It was also what they failed to do for each other. Has anything else become a god to me?". God believed the people had properly listened to the instructions God gave them. God's Glory Fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:134:35; 40:138), God Tells Israel Where to Worship (Exodus 25:1-27:21; 30:1-10, 17-21), Faith Community Church, 3755 Washington Blvd, Suite 201, Fremont, CA 94538, God Punishes Israel's Idolatry (Exodus 32:1-35). God's punishment Finally, after so many years of warnings, God brought upon the people of Judah the judgment about which Moses spoke. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Ezekiel's primary audience was his fellow exiles in Babylon, but he also wrote to the Israelites at home in Jerusalem and all later readers of the Bible. He found out about the Church when he was 17 from a Church member in high school. Our regard for humanity is so low that in America alone during the last three decades, an estimated 40-50 million pre-born children have been killed for the sake of convenience. The Sign. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. According to the Bible, the commandment was originally given to the ancient Israelites by the Lord after they had escaped from slavery in Egypt, as described in the Book of Exodus. Fourth: All too often, the alarms go off, and then people take notice. July 2, 2022 . God repeats several times that He is bringing Israel back for His name's sake, and not for Israel's sake: "Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "I do not do this [restoring Israel and blessing the land; verses 6-15] for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. . 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. So why did God choose Israel? God had Moses send out 12 scouts to check out the land. naturalizer vera silver. "Therefore, behold, I wilt open the side of Mesh from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers." The prophet Micah takes a different approach but delivers the same basic message as his prophetic contemporaries. (Ex 15:22), 2. Having a king was not the real issue because God had already planned for Israel to have a king. Israel's sin was first neglecting and then departing from God and the relationship. Bible scholars say God's warnings in Ezekiel finally cured Israel of the sin of idolatry. He makes and unmakes nations (II Chronicles 20:6; Daniel 4:17; Acts 17:26). I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them," says the Lord your God. 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. Thousands of citizens of Israel, including Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, had been captured and taken to Babylonabout 597 BC. 1. That is to say: Israel. Other themes include the sovereignty of Godover the entire world, God's holiness, right worship, corrupt leaders, the restoration of Israel, and the coming of a Messiah. If we do not keep it, God must correct us. In the verses above, righteousness points to ensuring that those who are on the margins of society are given what they need to prosper and flourish. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? The people may have felt like they were worshiping God through the required performances. John W. Ritenbaugh A number of other prophecies concerning the Second Exodus relate how God will bless the land, which will once again produce abundantly. 32 But I beg you to . Facts about King Saul. In Psalm 78:59-62, the psalmist Asaph relates that God, when He became aware of the idols of Israel. Faith Community Church3755 Washington Boulevard, Suite 201Fremont, CA 94538(408) 721-4900info@fccbay.org. Because God is holy and righteous, what He proclaimed to do against the heathen in the first chapter of Amos, He will also do to Israela people who had forsaken their covenant with Him. The problem, according to these prophets, seems to be that Israel had failed to recognize that being Gods people required more than adherence to specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices. 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. This in turn produced great moral corruption through self-serving idolatry, illustrated as and called "fornication" in other books. He may even have inspired them to occur and oversaw events so that they would. What happened to the Ark of the Covenant. ", More than 90 times, God calls Ezekiel "son of Man," a term used to highlight the prophet's humanity. In our modern world, this message is needed now more than ever. 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 idolatry of the northern kingdom went on for nearly two centuries. But God was not pleased with what Moses had done. (2021, December 6). He died in 1660, and we honor him on Sept. 27. 30 Dec . Ezekiel, Israel's leaders, Ezekiel's wife, and King Nebuchadnezzar. 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. The first thing Amos needed to do, then, was establish his authority to preach against them. But if we keep our part of the agreement, we will reap the benefits that flow with God keeping His. Saul was chosen by God to be Israel's first king. God said to speak to a rock and water would flow out of it. As used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah, tzedeq is characterized by the idea of proactively caring for those who are disadvantaged or pursuing communal flourishing, even when it comes at the expense of self-interest. Conversely, God strongly warns that, if one does not do well, He will surely punish him. We can see this pattern in the murder on the streets, bloody crimes like rape and mutilation in our once peaceful towns, AIDS and other sexual diseases rampant among all sectors of society, as well as sexual deviancy, perverse music, self-indulgence, drugs, and alcohol abuse. The Bible makes it clear that human nature is violently evil, and when left unchecked as it was before the Flood, it will reproduce similar conditions (Genesis 6:5). Although Moses was given consequences for his sinful actions, he still loved and obeyed God. We are disgusted with this wretched food! they cried. 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 8. century BCE prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah meant when they used that 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. Because He does not want His name to be profaned in any way, He is very concerned about those who bear it (Exodus 20:7).