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. Aaron said: 'Give me your gold.'. 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. 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. Moses had a pretty tough job. . Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. 25:1-7). 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. He founded the Confraternity of Charity, the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and, with St. Louise de Marillac, the Daughters of Charity. Are we to produce water for you out of this rock?. Most of prophecy begins negatively but ends positively because God is confident that what He prophesied will accomplish His end, which is always good! 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. His contemporary was the prophetJeremiah. And that kind of disobedience and idolatry has consequences. keeping the commandments. 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 . 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. They were to protect and bless the rich and the poor, the bonded and the free, the Israelite and the stranger. July 2, 2022 . Moses was gone less than 40 days when the Israelites fashioned a calf of molded gold to substitute for the invisible Creator God. Amos frames it this way: I [the LORD] hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. And thus the next day, when the Israelites bring sacrifices before the calf, there can hardly be any misunderstanding: they are sacrificing to YHWH. 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. Also, every seventh year the land was to lie fallow (Lev. . The Chronicler writes: The result was similar to Israel's, for in II Kings 24:2-4 God carried out His threats of punishment against Judah too: And the Lord sent against [Jehoiakim] raiding bands of Chaldeans, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of Ammon; He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servants the prophets. That's just one of many symbolic visions and performances of this ancient prophet, who predicted the destruction of Israel and the idolatrous nations around it. They were still "lost" in His day, not having returned to Canaan. . 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. This occurred between 1100 and 1000 BC or roughly 350 years after the original making of the covenant. 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. 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. God responds fiercely, sending venomous snakes, which immediately kill many complaining Israelites. 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. Jeremiah 12:14-17; 25:15-32). (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 problem, according to these prophets, seems to be that Israel had failed to recognize that being, required more than adherence to specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices. M. David Huston lives and works in the Washington DC metro area. 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. (Amos 9:13-15). Spiritually, this demand confirms Israel's whorish behavior, and thus God tells Samuel to describe the national effects of her demand. 2:8-9) and judgment upon those who don't ( John 3:18 ). Contents1 Why did God take the Israelites through [] In their own minds, they had reduced God to something they could control and call upon when convenient. Besides giving oral warnings, Ezekiel performed physical actions which served as symbolic plays for the exiles to learn from. 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 . See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. 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. He died in 1660, and we honor him on Sept. 27. Angels do not punish in the Bible except under God's command because it is God who can punish. In our modern world, this message is needed now more than ever. Israels sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. From 1605-07 he was a slave in Tunisia after he was seized from a ship that pirates had attacked. The first of the Ten Commandmentssternly forbids it: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Hesed is a love so deep it can always be trustedit is the type of love that is foundational to covenant relationships. God wanted Israel to serve as a model nation. That specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices were central parts of its covenant with YHWH was beyond doubt. Themes in Ezekiel. And so in Isaiah, God talks about how he built a beautiful garden vineyard. I have heard some suggest that there is something wrong (or lacking) in the teachings that God gave at Sinai. 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 must comprehensively know that his own nature is just like those he serves and be humbled. Prophecy and the Sixth-Century Axial Period. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel. (Dt 31:7-8). God's punishment, though, is never an end in itself, nor does He punish in wild anger or frustration. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably. Corrupt or ambivalent leadership will no longer lead Israel astray; instead, the leaders will set the example of righteousness for the people to follow. Ezekiel, Israel's leaders, Ezekiel's wife, and King Nebuchadnezzar. Many of us do not get it! Hebrews 3:8-11 summarizes the matter: "In the day of trial in the wilderness, [the children of Israel] . In the Hebrew Bible, justice most often points to a social obligation to protect the weak and powerless from exploitation. God will remember His covenant because He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). 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. It is this process that God often uses to punish His people for apostasy and immorality. The Beast and Babylon (Part Seven): How Can Israel Be the Great Whore? As used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. How did God punish the Israelites for complaining? Amos. 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). "Therefore, behold, I wilt open the side of Mesh from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers." When God rejected Saul, it is swift and decisive. Usually, the term is used in connection with groups like widows, orphans, resident aliens, or poor, and often in contexts where there are clear power differentials. His holiness and righteousness required this punishment. He will also destroy the works of our hand (Isaiah 1:15; 59:2-3; Psalms 28:5). Judges 1 tells of many battles that were fought by the tribes of Israel after Joshua's death. The people realized they were sinning and begged Moses to help them. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. The Sign. . Choose from news (Monday), leisure (Thursday) or worship (Saturday) or get all three! The rich and powerful will not be able to escape the dreadful punishment God promises. The Israelites were given the unpleasant task of carrying out the Lord's judgment against the Canaanites.The Israelites waged war against the Canaanites because the Lord commanded them to. They said to Aaron: 'We want someone to lead us. God punished them to bring them to conversion, but in vain. The issue between God and man is simply a matter of governmentof sovereignty and providence. God gave the people specific instructions in order to be faithful to the Lord. Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers. Mr. Seiglie was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when he was a child. The word mercy is commonly used nowadays to capture the idea of being favored, often undeservedly so. In fact, highlighting Israels penchant for a straying focus, a central hope in Jeremiahs view of restoration is that Israel will be given a new heart. All of that is correct. Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an . strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. Israel exhibited again and again its refusal to obey God. Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? Who Were the Major Prophets in the Bible? 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. We should never forget that God's punishment falls upon Israel because of disobedience, rebellion, and sin. We need to heed His words seriously because our cultural circumstances parallel what Amos confronted in his day. 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. 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)! Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 establish that, if one does well, God will bless him. 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. 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. Far less known are the ten times the released Israelites put God to the test in the days following their exodus. 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. Searching for Israel (Part Seven): Seven Years' Punishment. 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." Israel had been exiled by the Babylonians for a while at the time that Jeremiah was ministering. However, for the sake of what is best for Jacob, God has to show him that He is serious about what He says. (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.) To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream (Amos 5:24). Rather, He punishes in the best way and at the best time to bring individuals to repentance. Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" 2. They joined because of their great respect for the God of Moses and the morality of Moses and his followers. God tells every individual bitten by a snake that they will live if they look at a bronze snake made by Moses at God's command. 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 clear answer to Micahs questions about whether God is pleased by the prospect of thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil, or even my firstborn is no. The fact remains that, long before the attacks occurred, critics of American moralityAmericans themselveshave been calling upon their fellow citizens to change their immoral ways. Says, The clear answer to Micahs questions about whether God is pleased by the prospect of thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil, or even my firstborn is. A deeper appreciation of scripture can help us recognize that we have room to grow. Holiness refers to God's nature, and righteousness, to God's acts. What type of animal bit the Israelites? Judah Didn't Learn from Israel's Punishment In Jeremiah 3:6-10 we see that Judah did not learn from Israel's sin and subsequent punishment. . A PUNISHMENT CORRESPONDING TO THEIR SIN. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. Put briefly: Israel needed to exercise justice, righteousness, and mercy. 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). Revelation 21:8ESV / 10 helpful votes HelpfulNot Helpful 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. 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. 6 I will send Assyria to fight against the people who do evil. We live lives of justice, righteousness, and mercy. 2. The same sins are committed in the same brazen manner. 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. 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. 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. 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). After articulating all the things that the L, had done for Israel from Egypt onward, Micah asks Israel a series of stinging rhetorical questions that serve to undermine Israels approach to worship. Fifth: It is illogical to think that God would punish without first warning His people. 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. They did not remember His power. We see similar language in the book of Amos. His warning of impending calamity would not come if they were not deserving of it. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Though the Latter-day Saint community does a great deal to reach out and help those around us, there are always ways to improvesomething encouraged by recent leaders. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness (, But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream (, For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (, He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (, 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. There are two basic reasons: God was fulfilling a promise to Abraham. Saith the L, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah. 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. Herein lies the main theme of the book of Ezekiel. They will also be blessed numerically, as the remnant begins to multiply. 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? 44:29 ), and God did so in judging his son on behalf of his people. 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. . Second, he makes a veiled warning, contained within the next five verses: Amos' words carry authority. Just listen, you rebels! Moses angrily said to the people. Such power and influence have made both nations feel they have an unlimited reservoir of natural ability and wealth. 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. Indeed, I think it is more likely that the people believed that they were doing things properly. 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. II. But the Israelites did not kill the enemy, or even drive them out of the land. So, in Jeremiah 2:14-19 God details the devastating price that Israel will pay . God didn't. However, the people began to partake in . tested Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. God does not sin, men do. Ezekiel lived during the time of the Babylonian exile. That is to say: Israel. But God certainly knew about them. Their desire for flesh was a desire springing up amidst abundance. The Bible documents many periods where the Jews as a nation reverted back to Idolatry. 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. First, "gods" are the object of man's worship and service. 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 ). 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. If God does not punish for sin, then righteousness loses all meaning. So I swore in My wrath, 'They shall not enter My rest.'". Look at the cause or spring of Israel's sin. (The Book of Amos) (Part One). For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). This is the point where God had had enough.
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