After Satans Temptations, What Do You Do? 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 ). Amos 1-4: Israel's Punishment. Bible scholars say God's warnings in Ezekiel finally cured Israel of the sin of idolatry. 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. Picking up where the question above leaves off, ] 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. What the Bible says about The Diocese of Rochester In America 1868-1993, God punishes the Israelites for their sinfulness. God would be unfaithful to His own promises if He annihilated Jacob's descendantseven though, by all accounts, it is exactly what they deserve. The prophet Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 32:30, quotes God's scathing indictment of the people of both Kingdoms: "[T]he children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil before Me from their youth. 1. Ezekiel's writings indicate that he was familiar with the duties and regulations of the priests regarding sacrifices and rituals. . 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? Justice: If said with just the right inflection, the word justice feels punitive. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness (Isa 1:17, 27). Not for your sake do I do this," says the Lord GOD, "let it be known to you. Here is how each of the four prophets expresses this: Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Although God always forgave his people, he also gave them consequences for their sinful actions. Yosef Eisen, a noted historian and lecturer, tells the miraculous story and history of an eternal nation. II. The phrase "they shall know that I am the LORD" occurs about 60 times in the book. Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. Mishpat, in the Hebrew Bibleand as used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah in the verses abovereflects the idea of ensuring that the weakest members of society are protected from exploitation. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. Idolatry Punishment of Exclusion from heaven. In Numbers 20, we read that the people were complaining about not having water to drink. However, the people began to partake in . . 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. 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. He melted the gold and made a statue of a calf. Their rise or fall is largely dependent upon His purpose for them and their significance in prophecy (e.g. Further, God has been systematically removed from schools, from government, and from public life. Prepare to Meet Your God! But were they true? Righteousness: In modern-day usage, righteousness is often associated with personal piety. 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). The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was theson of Buzi and member of a priestly family. ", Because of their sins, as II Kings 17:18-20 indicates, God. This is made more explicit in Judges 2:11-13: "Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and worshipped the Baals, and they forsook Yahweh, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who . If their moral and ethical foundation has eroded, the natural process of strong nations displacing weaker ones will take place (Leviticus 18:28; 20:22). (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.) Observe next the occasion of Israel's sin. After Sinai there were many instances of disobedience. In Psalm 78:59-62, the psalmist Asaph relates that God, when He became aware of the idols of Israel. . 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 . 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. A deeper appreciation of scripture can help us recognize that we have room to grow. 32 But I beg you to . Indeed, I think it is more likely that the people, doing things properly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. His holiness and righteousness required this punishment. 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. We are disgusted with this wretched food! they cried. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. Ezekiel was ordered by God to lie on his left side 390 days and on his right side 40 days. 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. What the LORD desired and required of Israelthe things that the LORD also wanted Israel to dowas to protect and bless the people in their community. 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. He is stalking you, and you are in mortal danger. 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. Saith the LORD. This question, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah, put Israel in an uncomfortable position. What is the punishment for idolatry? Surely at the commandment of the Lord this came upon Judah, to remove them from His sight because of the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, and because of the innocent blood that he had shed; for he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the Lord would not pardon. However, for the sake of what is best for Jacob, God has to show him that He is serious about what He says. December 30, 2018 ; By James . . . And what was that? 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. And yet, multiple prophets challenged Israels adherence to the very laws and ordinances that were part of this prophetically-given covenant guide. This deferment did not make Him unfaithful to the people, because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His revelation. Israel's sin was first neglecting and then departing from God and the relationship. On several occasions God punished the Jews in the wilderness for their disobedience. 1. What follows is a general pattern of God's operation in His people's behalf. 2. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. 30 The next day Moses told the people, "This is a terrible thing you have done. Israel had been exiled by the Babylonians for a while at the time that Jeremiah was ministering. Israel and Judah will have the Promised Land, they will have peacebecause this time their enemies will be completely destroyed, which Israel failed to do the first timeand they will have prosperity. But though God punishes, there is always the hope of repentance and restitution: "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. Searching for Israel (Part Seven): Seven Years' Punishment. He will show them mercy because of the promises He made, not because they deserve it. Therefore I was angry with that generation. They stuck to their own ways. And when we fully embrace the reality that the covenants we make at baptism and in the temple cannot be kept without walking out of the baptismal font and outside of the temple and into 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 8th Century BCE prophets gave to Israel anciently and which still resonate for us today. The Israelites failed because they would not put their complete trust in their one true God. God told Moses to take his staff and assemble the people. 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. 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. shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?. "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Ecclesiastes 8:11). 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. They were still "lost" in His day, not having returned to Canaan. Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" But if we keep our part of the agreement, we will reap the benefits that flow with God keeping His. 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. 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. The measure for measure punishment for this was that there would now be an intermediary Angel guiding them instead of their being under direct guidance from God Himself. the weightier matters of the Sinaic teachings. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. 17 They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. 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.". 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. As a result, it has yet to enter into the peace, prosperity, and eternal possession of the land He promised the patriarchs. 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. Aaron also knows which god the Israelites intended the calf to represent: "Tomorrow shall be a festival of YHWH!," ( - ) he proclaims (32:5). 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. But I will go back to the Lord to see if I can do something to keep this sin from being held against you.". He did as God asked and led the people to the Promised Land. 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). Moses had a pretty tough job. The central theme of the first half of the book of Shemot is the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt and their miraculous salvation by the hand of God. We should never forget that God's punishment falls upon Israel because of disobedience, rebellion, and sin. of the Sinaic teachings. American influence has since exceeded even that of Britain, making English the universal language of business and politics. In their own minds, they had reduced God to something they could control and call upon when convenient. As a punishment for their sinfulness, God sent poisonous seraph serpents to bite the people, and many of them died. Why did God punish the Israelites for 40 years? 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. ___ Moses sister, Miriam, was blind for seven days. Download PDF. Israel's sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. One tribe after another made slaves out of the people. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel. . "Earth" here represents all aspects of His creationincluding manwhich He created for man. Stay up to date on the intersection of faith in the public square. 2. However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. It is placed between the book of Lamentations and the book of Daniel in the Old Testament Canon of Scripture. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. The word we translate as justice (or judgment or justly) comes from the Hebrew word, , in the Hebrew Bibleand as used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah in the verses abovereflects the idea of ensuring that the weakest members of society are protected from exploitation. (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.) Far less known are the ten times the released Israelites put God to the test in the days following their exodus. That is to say, righteousness is an inward. However, while all of this might be true, hypocrisy does not seem to be the core problem that resulted in such strong language from Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. We will be submissive either to God's will or to our own fickle drives. According to the Old Testament, God promised to punish sin at the very end of history (e.g., Isa. 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. . The people said: 'This calf is our God who led us out of Egypt!'. And so in Isaiah, God talks about how he built a beautiful garden vineyard. 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. We live lives of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Idolatry is among the most serious sins in Judaism and its rejection is core to the Jewish worldview. There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. Amos warns ancient Israel and her modern descendants, however, that no nation is so great that it can stand without God. Prophecy and the Sixth-Century Axial Period, Prepare to Meet Your God! 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. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". This was considered a grave sin by God. 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. God eventually would become angry and punish the people for their sinfulness. This also applies on a smaller but more immediate scale: Amos has been sent by appointment, and he does not speak promiscuously. From 1605-07 he was a slave in Tunisia after he was seized from a ship that pirates had attacked. Books may be ordered directly from the author. 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. Beware, for the margin of safety is very slim. 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. What happened to the Ark of the Covenant. 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. First, God and Israel have a special relationship: "You only have I known." whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."pleas help me guys i will report this tommorow Prepare to Meet Your God! 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. Faith Community Church3755 Washington Boulevard, Suite 201Fremont, CA 94538(408) 721-4900info@fccbay.org. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 establish that, if one does well, God will bless him. After all, as, an extension of his recent conference talk. Like mishpat, tzedeq connotes a social obligation. God didn't. Chapter 1: "Amos" (v. 1). In Psalm 78:10-11, 40-42, 56-57, the psalmist mentions that Ephraim (meaning Israel at large). 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. The punishment of Israel had not ended even in Christ's time, more than 700 years after Israel's fall. So, what is it that Israel needed to do differently? We see similar language in the book of Amos. (Amos 9:13-15). They have made a gold idol to be their god. 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. 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). Though, does a great deal to reach out and help those around us, there are always ways to improvesomething encouraged by, . God had Moses send out 12 scouts to check out the land. That is to say: Israel understood itself as keeping the commandments. When they returned from exile and rebuilt the temple, they never turned away from the True God again. 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. Having a king was not the real issue because God had already planned for Israel to have a king. God's punishment, though, is never an end in itself, nor does He punish in wild anger or frustration. 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. keeping the commandments. After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. The Beast and Babylon (Part Seven): How Can Israel Be the Great Whore? . He will also destroy the works of our hand (Isaiah 1:15; 59:2-3; Psalms 28:5). Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Despite these atrocious sins, God will not utterly destroy Israel as He did to Sodom and Gomorrah. Oddly enough, about 3,000 were buried around on the Western side of Mount Sinai (Jebel al Lawz) in Arabia.
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