Observe next the occasion of Israel's sin. When God rejected Saul, it is swift and decisive. The overall effect of these sins produced a careless disregard for the simple duties people owe their neighbors, as well as oppression of the weak. Is God to blame because He exercises His authority, punishing to maintain order and to continue the advancement of His purpose in His creation? His laws, which define His standards of morality, have not changed one iota. A deeper appreciation of scripture can help us recognize that we have room to grow. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. God gave the people specific instructions in order to be faithful to the Lord. its offerings and sacrifices, and calling its songs and music of praise noise that I will not hear.. On several occasions God punished the Jews in the wilderness for their disobedience. 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. 18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. (NIV), Ezekiel 34:23-24I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. God will remember His covenant because He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). keeping the commandments. You shall have no other gods before me." During that period, Israel's sins continued to mount horribly. 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. Books may be ordered directly from the author. All who had been bitten would be healed if they gazed upon the bronze serpent, God said. 6 I will send Assyria to fight against the people who do evil. Zavada, Jack. However, the key to understanding the significance of Israel's demand in I Samuel 8 is that she desires a king just like the other nations. Someone is righteous when they follow the prophet and keep the commandments; these actions indicate their inward commitment. Holiness refers to God's nature, and righteousness, to God's acts. Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 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. 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. Deut. As the Bible has recorded in great detail, mankind has shown that it wants to retain this authority to itself. Prepare to Meet Your God! Such punishment precipitated Israel being scattered, taken into captivity into foreign lands, and losing their homeland, to which they have never returned. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably. Brigham Young called upon modern Saints to examine their own hearts in this regard: We need to set the record straight. 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. Learn Religions. Israels sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. They have been flippantly careless and have no one to blame but themselves. 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. 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. He is just, because He does not allow their sin to go unpunished. This ties what Amos would say to correct them to their responsibilities within that close relationship. And what was that? was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, . Ezekiel 14:6Therefore say to the people of Israel, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! They joined because of their great respect for the God of Moses and the morality of Moses and his followers. This is the point where God had had enough. However, Ezekiel makes it clear that this cannot be the case. The sin of worshipping another god is called idolatry. 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. And thus the next day, when the Israelites bring sacrifices before the calf, there can hardly be any misunderstanding: they are sacrificing to YHWH. Like. God was going to punish the evil doers - the wicked - for their evil deeds. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. John W. Ritenbaugh 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. As part of the punishment for Israel's persistent idolatry, God handed the northern kingdom of Israel over to the Assyrians. Amos speaks strongly against public and private indifference toward the keeping of the second of the two great commandments (Matthew 22:37-40). This in turn produced great moral corruption through self-serving idolatry, illustrated as and called "fornication" in other books. The most explicit is that Moses and the Levites kill about 3,000 men: "kill each man his brother, each man his neighbor, and each man his relative.". Exodus: New American Commentary by Douglas Stuart. In Judges 3, we read: So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites . We are disgusted with this wretched food! they cried. The strength of this claim over men is seen by the price which men are willing to pay in order to worship their gods. 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. Fifth: It is illogical to think that God would punish without first warning His people. That is to say: Israel understood itself as keeping the commandments. . God told them to "get rid of them idola. 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). Israel exhibited again and again its refusal to obey God. Rather, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah suggest that Israel needed to do a better job practicing what Jesus would call (eight centuries later!) 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. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131. 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. 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. God Eventually Returning to Them and Having Compassion on Them We see similar language in the book of 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). Conversely, God strongly warns that, if one does not do well, He will surely punish him. Using the hints provided, put a T next to the sentences that are true and an F next to the ones that are false. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 establish that, if one does well, God will bless him. Prophet after prophet challenged Israel even as Israel apparently kept the laws and ordinances it was given. Searching for Israel (Part Seven): Seven Years' Punishment. So, they have no excuse they can use for worshiping idols. This over-the-top zealousness is not only insufficient but is, itself, a source of Gods disapproval. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). God's punishment Finally, after so many years of warnings, God brought upon the people of Judah the judgment about which Moses spoke. The title is of little importance. However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. What the Bible says about ThaiCCTVShop - / 8.00-17.00 / Office: 02-064-7135, 02-970-1181-2 / Mobile : 099-392-5654 1. It had its origin, not in their necessities, but m their vile affections, their own unsubdued, carnal minds. The issue between God and man is simply a matter of governmentof sovereignty and providence. And Isaiah was not alone in portraying Gods displeasure with Israels worship. The Israelites must not allow themselves to be self-deceived. In fact, it is not perverse to assert that God was completely faithful to the children of Israel, doing to them exactly what He promised He would do if they persistently sinned against Him. But God was not pleased with what Moses had done. Prophecy and the Sixth-Century Axial Period, Prepare to Meet Your God! (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. Mercy is used to describe the act of helping those whose behavior might not otherwise justify such magnanimity. July 31, 2022 ; By James Taiwo; . Zavada, Jack. 1. 40:2; Ezek. Israel's sad history is the consequence of peoples' faithlessness, not of their God's weakness. Several hundred years after this, God inspired Isaiah to write, "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. The book of Ezekiel was written between 593 BC and 573 BC. Why A Belief Crisis Need Never Be Fatal To Faith. The book of Ezekiel is about idolatry. When these are considered, we see that he is truly a prophet for our time, when public morality has fallen so low. So why did God choose Israel? Ezra records that God moved King Cyrus to let . i am the light of the world. "Therefore, behold, I wilt open the side of Mesh from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers." God is most certainly not to blame if He reacts in accordance with what He has told man He will do. It wasnt just apathy or failure to perform religious ceremonies for which ancient Israel faced Gods judgments. 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. 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. He had to eat disgusting bread, drink rationed water, and use cow dung for fuel. 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. We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you, they said. Then, the Lord heard and sent a judge to rescue them. The word we translate as justice (or judgment or justly) comes from the Hebrew word mishpat. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations. 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. "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). They were behaving and worshipping like Baal worshippers but doing it in the name of the Lord. 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. Oh, dread the mixed multitude. He also gave His people over to the sword, and was furious with His inheritance. They began to worship the golden calf, and they . And then verse 55, it says, but it didn't bring about fruit. 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. It is no accident that God and Israel have this relationship. God's punishment, though, is never an end in itself, nor does He punish in wild anger or frustration. However, for the sake of what is best for Jacob, God has to show him that He is serious about what He says. "Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel." 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. And what was that? Their desire for flesh was a desire springing up amidst abundance. The Moabites had rejoiced in the overthrow and exile of the Jews, and they also should be overthrown and their land possessed by others. He makes and unmakes nations (II Chronicles 20:6; Daniel 4:17; Acts 17:26). Beware, for the margin of safety is very slim. Much negative, indeed inflammatory commentary, arose in America's newspapers and radio and television programs when some suggested that we are not as innocent as we like to think we are and that we must consider the attacks of September 11 to be a judgment from God and repent. 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. We can infer that Amos did not choose to be there before them. Other themes include the sovereignty of God over the entire world, God's holiness, right worship, corrupt leaders, the restoration of . According to the Old Testament, God promised to punish sin at the very end of history (e.g., Isa. The people said: 'This calf is our God who led us out of Egypt!'. And yet, multiple prophets challenged Israels adherence to the very laws and ordinances that were part of this prophetically-given covenant guide. Finally, God's people cried out to him for help. God lives and He always rules and judgesjust as surely today as He did thousands of years ago. (Dt 31:7-8). He sets out two things that construct a basis for what he says. (This is the same reason why Nephi killed Laban.) the . In the modern Latter-day Saint community, that notion is broadened a little, and justice is something closer to a synonym for fair or equitable. For example, the phrase God is just for many Latter-day Saint folks means something like God gives you what you deserve (good or bad). However, both uses are worlds away from what the 8th century BCE prophets Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah meant when they used that word. The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. And, apparently, Israel was largely doing the things it had been asked to do. 2 Bible Summary (Numbers 10-36) Departure from Sinai (10) The fire and the quail (11) Miriam's rebellion and leprosy (12) Spying out Canaan -rebellion upon report of spies (13) Prophecy is both practical and positive, not all gloom and doom. 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). 15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. A ban on idolatry is also one of the Noahide commandments, the seven laws that Judaism teaches . 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. God said to speak to a rock and water would flow out of it. God made the Sabbath principle central to his creation. whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."pleas help me guys i will report this tommorow 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. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself., Contact & Submissions 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 . Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel. 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. 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. It is an aspect of His mercy. In carrying out judgment on Ahab, God commissioned Jehu to destroy Ahab, the king of Israel, and his family. 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. This deferment did not make Him unfaithful to the people, because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His revelation. hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. In Psalm 78:10-11, 40-42, 56-57, the psalmist mentions that Ephraim (meaning Israel at large). Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. He took half the kingdom away from his son. Exodus 12:38 indicates that many non-Jews decided to become Jews and join the blood descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the exodus from Egypt. Righteousness: In modern-day usage, righteousness is often associated with personal piety. 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 Israelites' lack of faith while Moses was on Mt. God's punishment, though, is never an end in itself, nor does He punish in wild anger or frustration. Only in, (and only in one verse) is there any indication that Israel was not focused on worshiping God. 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. If God does not punish for sin, then righteousness loses all meaning. . the weightier matters of the Sinaic teachings. To violate the Sabbath day was a serious sin because it denied God's sovereignty. God responds fiercely, sending venomous snakes, which immediately kill many complaining Israelites. 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). Every indication is that we live during that time now. 25:1-7). Just listen, you rebels! Moses angrily said to the people. So Moses and his brother, Aaron, asked God what to do. Israel's Punishment 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. Moses did, and God told him to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Moses obeyed God, and, just as God had promised, those who were bitten and gazed upon the bronze serpent recovered. In the time of Moses God made a contract (the Bible calls it a "covenant") with the people or nation of Israel, and initially they agreed to abide by it. best compost bins 2021; best defensive shooting guards 2022; second law of thermodynamics problems and solutions pdf . The same sins are committed in the same brazen manner. 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. He did as God asked and led the people to the Promised Land. Moses had a pretty tough job. Its what happens to people when they do something wrong; justice is served could be a superheros catchphrase when she nabs the bad guy. They stuck to their own ways. The idolatry of the northern kingdom went on for nearly two centuries. Punishment is imminent, at the very door. 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. 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. 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. Yet, in my view, this does not seem to be the primary source of the problem either. 1. His warning of impending calamity would not come if they were not deserving of it. Amos is declaring that God is involved in His creation; He has not gone way off. God would be unfaithful to His own promises if He annihilated Jacob's descendantseven though, by all accounts, it is exactly what they deserve. In the verses above, tzedeq is the Hebrew word that is translated into the English word righteousness (and its derivatives). Many of us do not get it! They have made a gold idol to be their god. Israel's sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. (The Book of Amos) (Part One). 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. how did god punish the israelites for idolatry. 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). They were still "lost" in His day, not having returned to Canaan. These nations may look fine on the outside, but the cancer has spread from head to toe, and they have only so long before the disease proves fatal (Isaiah 1:5-6). This led to much suffering, as in the holocaust. We will be submissive either to God's will or to our own fickle drives. And, apparently, Israel. 44:29 ), and God did so in judging his son on behalf of his people. In those from the north, there would be a natural resistance to such an arrangement. 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. and delivered His strength into captivity, and His glory into the enemy's hand. 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). That specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices were central parts of its covenant with YHWH was beyond doubt. Bible scholars say God's warnings in Ezekiel finally cured Israel of the sin of idolatry. God punished them to bring them to conversion, but in vain. 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. 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. 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. Amos, a Jew from the southern kingdom, was sent by God to preach against the sins of the northern ten tribes. . 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. John W. Ritenbaugh 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. And, apparently, Israel was largely doing the things it had been asked to do. Israel had been exiled by the Babylonians for a while at the time that Jeremiah was ministering. Sinai made them feel insecure. Exile, Divorce from God, was the final punishment for a defiant Northern Kingdom of Israel (also known as Ephraim or Samaria). 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. As used by Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". 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. This over-the-top zealousness is not only insufficient but is, itself, a source of Gods disapproval. Before, they just tuned them out. "Gods," then, have a certain authority and claim over men, which men acknowledge by their worship and service. Central to both the punishment and the restitution is loving and living the truth of God. Who sins and brings upon themselves the necessity of punishment? God does not sin, men do. There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. Mercy: The word mercy is commonly used nowadays to capture the idea of being favored, often undeservedly so. . The punishment of Israel had not ended even in Christ's time, more than 700 years after Israel's fall. Though not to blame because His sins did not cause these tragedies, He is responsible for them because He at least allowed them to occur. The British produced a great empire far out of proportion to their population, native wealth, and abilities. First, God and Israel have a special relationship: "You only have I known." Indeed, God forecasts that exactly those conditions will face those living just before Christ's return (Matthew 24:37). connotes a social obligation. 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Forms of the situation described here appear frequently in the history of Israel's relationship with God. Zavada, Jack. This is what we confront in decision-making. 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. but He also punishes the evil. In their own minds, they had reduced God to something they could control and call upon when convenient. In the verses above, is the Hebrew word that is translated into the English word righteousness (and its derivatives). 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). It was also what they failed to do for each other. shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?. Amos. It is our part of the deala small part really but a difficult one that must be kept (Matthew 7:13-14). 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. That is to say, righteousness is an inward characteristic. 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.".

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