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31 Moses returned to the Lord and said, "The people have committed a terrible sin. This is the responsibility of those who have made a covenant with Him, whether the Old or the New Covenant. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. Because of the peoples' recalcitrance, God withheld His blessings, ultimately separating Himself from them by casting them out of the land He had promised the patriarchs. Psalm 99:8-9 reminds us that our holy God forgives! John W. Ritenbaugh 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.". Additionally, the apostles will be resurrected and sit as judges over the twelve tribes, ensuring that proper judgment is given (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30). He is just, because He does not allow their sin to go unpunished. The Israelites' lack of faith while Moses was on Mt. Isaiah 10:5-7 Easy-to-Read Version God Will Punish Assyria's Pride 5 The Lord says, "I will use Assyria like a stick. In fact, the term hesed is often used to express how God feels about Israel (for example, hesed is used throughout the Psalms to describe Gods feelings of affection for and commitment to Israel). In about AD 31, Christ says He was "not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 15:24). They have been flippantly careless and have no one to blame but themselves. And what was that? What is the meaning of john 8: 12? His aim is to awaken them from their spiritual lethargy. The people were always sinning against God by complaining, failing to follow his directions and laws, and by not trusting in him. 6 I will send Assyria to fight against the people who do evil. Mercy is used to describe the act of helping those whose behavior might not otherwise justify such magnanimity. M. David Huston lives and works in the Washington DC metro area. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself., Contact & Submissions 3. Rather, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah suggest that Israel needed to do a better job practicing what, would call (eight centuries later!) They will also be blessed numerically, as the remnant begins to multiply. Their rise or fall is largely dependent upon His purpose for them and their significance in prophecy (e.g. 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. (Ex 30:30), 3. Corresponding to the 40 days that the spies toured the land, God decreed that the Israelites would wander in the wilderness for 40 years as a result of their unwillingness to take the land .God brought victories where needed, and his promise to Abraham was . Idolatry Punishment of Exclusion from heaven. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Reflecting on the history of the British Commonwealth and America in the last two hundred years, we see two nations quickly rising to prominence along with unparalleled accomplishments. This was considered a grave sin by God. Charles Whitaker However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. 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 all, as, an extension of his recent conference talk. This deferment did not make Him unfaithful to the people, because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His revelation. When his wife died, he was told not to mourn her. Justice: If said with just the right inflection, the word justice feels punitive. Prepare to Meet Your God! In the book of Jeremiah, God told the people that he would exile them from the land for 70 years, because this was the amount of time that the Sabbath rest had been disobeyed (490 years total). We need to set the record straight. 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. 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). God wanted Israel to serve as a model nation. Saith the L, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah. 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. ThaiCCTVShop - / 8.00-17.00 / Office: 02-064-7135, 02-970-1181-2 / Mobile : 099-392-5654 Central to both the punishment and the restitution is loving and living the truth of God. Zavada, Jack. John W. Ritenbaugh 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). (2021, December 6). . Since the One who judged during Old Testament times is the same One who judges today, we can be certain that He uses the same standards now that He did then. Why A Belief Crisis Need Never Be Fatal To Faith. and they had feared other gods, and had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel. At least one answer is easily pushed aside. Its what happens to people when they do something wrong; justice is served could be a superheros catchphrase when she nabs the bad guy. These people were taught about the true living God over a long period of time. 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. God will punish Israel for her failure to live up to her responsibilities within the covenant. My sense, especially in light of Ezekiel and Ezras view of the importance of Israels ritual practices referenced above, is that God is not rejecting Israels method of worship, nor is God (for the most part) impugning the motivation behind Israel keeping of the required sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices. This is the point where God had had enough. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! First, Israel and Judah will have perfect leadership: Jesus Christ will be King, and David will be His prince (Ezekiel 37:24-25; Jeremiah 23:3-7; Hosea 3:5; Micah 2:12-13). This appears as early as Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve reject God's rule over them. On Israel's part, it is a complete rejection of her marriage vows; she wants her Benefactor and HusbandGodto have no say in her life, declaring herself free of Him and to be completely and totally a nation of this world, no longer the type of God's Kingdom on earth. Even after they entered the 'promised' land, as individuals and as a nation the Jews turned back to idolatry. Malachi 2:14. whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."pleas help me guys i will report this tommorow This led to much suffering, as in the holocaust. (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.) All Rights Reserved. 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. Answer (1 of 4): If my memory serves me correctlyof the approx 2M Israelites, only about 3,000 odd participated is some sort of a drunken orgy fest. Be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Israel!" 9:1-2). They were still "lost" in His day, not having returned to Canaan. The people believed them and rebelled against Moses and God. And Isaiah was not alone in portraying Gods displeasure with Israels worship. That is to say, that in offering sacrifices or participating in festivals, Israel was not actually worshiping God but instead simply fulfilling outward requirements without any deeper covenantal connection. Wealth is being funneled into the hands of the few, and the poor and weak keep becoming poorer and weaker. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? the weightier matters of the Sinaic teachings. So he says, and now go to I'll tell you what I will do to my vineyard. In I Kings 14:15, God warns that He will ultimately. All through the bible God gave his own people over,into the hands of their enemies and into bondage,for their sins.Judah went into captivty in babylon for 70 years.The Northern Kingdom of israel was carried off by the Assyerians.God is about to give his people over,into the hands of their enemies again and into bondage.Nazi Germany 2 is God eventually would become angry and punish the people for their sinfulness. ", Because of their sins, as II Kings 17:18-20 indicates, God. We each need to ask, "Have I let anything other than God take first place in my life? The prophet Micah takes a different approach but delivers the same basic message as his prophetic contemporaries. Herein lies the main theme of the book of Ezekiel. 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. 2. 1. As part of their recognition that God owned everything, the Israelites were to set apart the seventh day for the Lord. 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. 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. But the Israelites did not kill the enemy, or even drive them out of the land. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably. The title is of little importance. Prophet after prophet challenged Israel even as Israel apparently kept the laws and ordinances it was given. Amos. It is this process that God often uses to punish His people for apostasy and immorality. And Isaiah was not alone in portraying Gods displeasure with Israels worship. . 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. He found out about the Church when he was 17 from a Church member in high school. He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the [Euphrates] River, because they have made their wooden images, provoking the LORD to anger. He began priestly formation in 1595 and was ordained in 1600. Or, as another example, if a member of the community had to sell their familys land or becomes subject to debt bondage a person who exercises mishpat will redeem the property that had been sold or free Israelites from their debt bondage. Assyria will defeat them and take their wealth. The people realized they were sinning and begged Moses to help them. will redeem the property that had been sold or free Israelites from their debt bondage. strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. Why wasnt Aaron punished for making the golden calf? He had to eat disgusting bread, drink rationed water, and use cow dung for fuel. That specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices were central parts of its covenant with YHWH was beyond doubt. The people may have, worshiping God through the required performances. Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? Prophecy and the Sixth-Century Axial Period. However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. So, they have no excuse they can use for worshiping idols. As a punishment for their sinfulness, God sent poisonous seraph serpents to bite the people, and many of them died. His holiness and righteousness required this punishment. The Bible documents many periods where the Jews as a nation reverted back to Idolatry. 2 Kings, OLD TESTAMENT. Bible scholars say God's warnings in Ezekiel finally cured Israel of the sin of idolatry. (The Book of Amos) (Part One). . Covenants with God are inherently covenants with each other. DISINFECT COVID-19; OUR SYSTEM; GET FREE QUOTE; 888-584-6999; . Only in Amos (and only in one verse) is there any indication that Israel was not focused on worshiping God. Ezekiel lived during the time of the Babylonian exile. ___ Moses sister, Miriam, was blind for seven days. We could not trust God if He did not hold to His promises of blessing and cursing (Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Amos was a prophet whose home was in Judah, the southern kingdom, yet whose message was to Israel, the northern kingdom. The process will be painful but also effective; Israel will come to repentance (Romans 11:25-29). Amos followed Elijah about 90-100 years later. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight. 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., To be clear, the LORD does more than just summarily dismiss Israels worship practice; the LORD 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. 30 Dec . First, the Israelites began to serve the false gods of the nations that they failed to remove from the land. The LORD 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 LORD. Put briefly: Israel needed to exercise justice, righteousness, and mercy. This means, "Take heed! 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. Thousands of citizens of Israel, including Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, had been captured and taken to Babylonabout 597 BC. This is what we confront in decision-making. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. This occurred between 1100 and 1000 BC or roughly 350 years after the original making of the covenant. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. This scathing condemnation concludes with the L, saying, I will hide mine eyes from you I will not hear you.. In our modern world, this message is needed now more than ever. Idolatry is the subject of the first three of the Ten Commandments and its practice is one of three cardinal sins which one is supposed to die rather transgress (along with murder and illicit sex). His laws, which define His standards of morality, have not changed one iota. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. Further, God has been systematically removed from schools, from government, and from public life. Despite its frightening oracles, Ezekiel concludes with a message of hope and restoration for God's people. Is that so? The Assyrian kings Pul and Shalmaneser V invaded Israel, and about 722 BC the latter "captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He is there by no accident. He may even have inspired them to occur and oversaw events so that they would. shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?. Yes, it was certainly the case that Israel was commanded to love and worship the LORD and to keep the Sinai teaching in their respective hearts, and that did not always happen. They have made a gold idol to be their god. David makes a. To violate the Sabbath day was a serious sin because it denied God's sovereignty. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably charity. They joined because of their great respect for the God of Moses and the morality of Moses and his followers. Herein lies the main theme of the book of Ezekiel. So why did God choose Israel? Nadab and Abihu did not abide by God's commandments for worship, but did as they saw fit (Leviticus 10). Moses was gone less than 40 days when the Israelites fashioned a calf of molded gold to substitute for the invisible Creator God. And the LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of plunders, until He had cast them from His sight. Download PDF. the . However, the tribe of Judah was hardly better than Israel, as II Kings 17:19 states: "Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made." Besides giving oral warnings, Ezekiel performed physical actions which served as symbolic plays for the exiles to learn from. As used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. Israel exhibited again and again its refusal to obey God. Learn Religions, Dec. 6, 2021, learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131. A PUNISHMENT CORRESPONDING TO THEIR SIN. 44:29 ), and God did so in judging his son on behalf of his people. God Knew Israel's True Thoughts He knew that idolatry reached farther than just having an object on the mantle. They said to Aaron: 'We want someone to lead us. (The Book of Amos) (Part Two). 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). 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. Put briefly: Israel needed to exercise justice, righteousness, and mercy. 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). At the right time and for the right people, God will honor His unconditional promises to the patriarchs. 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. But over hundreds of years Israel repeatedly broke the covenant and the penalties eventually kicked-in. 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? The strength of this claim over men is seen by the price which men are willing to pay in order to worship their gods. God does not sin, men do. It is clear from Genesis 17:6 and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 that God anticipated Israel having a king or judge. To help Moses prove the existence and power of God, he was given a number of miraculous signs to help the Israelites believe. (Ex 15:22), 2. Christ's death is an eschatological event, offering life to those who trust him ( John 3:16; Eph. God told them to "get rid of them idola. This also applies on a smaller but more immediate scale: Amos has been sent by appointment, and he does not speak promiscuously. Indeed, I think it is more likely that the people believed that they were doing things properly. Throughout the Hebrew Bible, the prophets argued that the exile happened because the people failed to follow God's instructions. What type of animal bit the Israelites? Clearly, God judges the inhabitants of His creation, and His judgments are not limited to Israel or to "biblical times." What the Bible says about 2. Then, the Lord heard and sent a judge to rescue them. The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993, God punishes the Israelites for their sinfulness. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was theson of Buzi and member of a priestly family. Also, every seventh year the land was to lie fallow (Lev. 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. 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 will remember His covenant because He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). Covenants with God are inherently covenants with each other.The Hebrew word translated into the English mercy in the verses above is heseda word that President Russell Nelson highlighted in his recent Liahona address (which itself felt like an extension of his recent conference talk). Ezekiel wrote from Babylon, but his prophecies concerned Israel, Egypt, and several of the neighboring countries. And that kind of disobedience and idolatry has consequences. He sets out two things that construct a basis for what he says. This scathing condemnation concludes with the LORD saying, I will hide mine eyes from you I will not hear you.. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). Religiously, they were trying to walk a tightrope between God and Baal. 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.". 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. For example, a couple of years after being freed from slavery, God led the people to the border of Canaan, the land which God had promised them. . Despite this, they became very wealthy and self-indulgent, even oppressively so. 40:2; Ezek. God is most certainly not to blame if He reacts in accordance with what He has told man He will do. Ezekiel 36 shows this clearly. 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). After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. (Dt 31:7-8). 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! And when we fully embrace the reality that the covenants we make at baptism and in the temple cannot be kept without walking, a relationship with those who surround us in this earthly existencethat is to say when we fully embrace the recognition that covenants with God are inherently covenants with each otherwe will finally be able to follow the guidance that these 8, Century BCE prophets gave to Israel anciently and which still resonate for us today. Conversely, God strongly warns that, if one does not do well, He will surely punish him. But if we keep our part of the agreement, we will reap the benefits that flow with God keeping His. God didn't. So Moses and his brother, Aaron, asked God what to do. 2. Corrupt or ambivalent leadership will no longer lead Israel astray; instead, the leaders will set the example of righteousness for the people to follow. A deeper appreciation of scripture can help us recognize that we have room to grow. Introduction to the Book of Job and Its Themes, Major and Minor Prophetic Books of the Bible, 13 Articles of Faith: Simple Overview of What Mormons Believe, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University, Ezekiel's name means "God strengthens" or "may God strengthen.