They were behaving and worshipping like Baal worshippers but doing it in the name of the Lord. However, Ezekiel makes it clear that this cannot be the case. Download PDF. The Beast and Babylon (Part Seven): How Can Israel Be the Great Whore? Afterward, however, the sense of being innocent victims of a sneaky and undeserved attack made the hearers feel that the messages were demeaning and insulting. Moses did, and God told him to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. 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). Wealth is being funneled into the hands of the few, and the poor and weak keep becoming poorer and weaker. Second, he makes a veiled warning, contained within the next five verses: Amos' words carry authority. God said to speak to a rock and water would flow out of it. All who had been bitten would be healed if they gazed upon the bronze serpent, God said. Hesed is a love so deep it can always be trustedit is the type of love that is foundational to covenant relationships. 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. At least one answer is easily pushed aside. "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. Through her commercial power, the United States became the single richest nation that has ever existed. (The Book of Amos) (Part Two). Contents1 What did the Israelites do to the Canaanites?2 Why did God declare war on the Canaanites?3 What [] We live lives of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Stephen in the Bible Was the First Christian Martyr. This illustration is declaring a cause-and-effect relationship, meaning, "Israel, you are already in the trap, and you, through your conduct, are just about to spring it shut on yourself. Moses was gone less than 40 days when the Israelites fashioned a calf of molded gold to substitute for the invisible Creator God. whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."pleas help me guys i will report this tommorow What type of animal bit the Israelites? After all, as, an extension of his recent conference talk. 1. https://www.learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131 (accessed March 4, 2023). Zavada, Jack. Although God always forgave his people, he also gave them consequences for their sinful actions. Other themes include the sovereignty of God over the entire world, God's holiness, right worship, corrupt leaders, the restoration of . 13-71shemot.doc. Instead, he is to be thoroughly familiar with and guided by the attitudes and laws of God. Saith the LORD. This question, posed in the opening chapter of the book of Isaiah, put Israel in an uncomfortable position. Punishment is imminent, at the very door. They even feel a kind of invincibility. The problem, according to these prophets, seems to be that Israel had failed to recognize that being Gods people required more than adherence to specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices. (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.) After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. Having a king was not the real issue because God had already planned for Israel to have a king. Moses had a pretty tough job. July 31, 2022 ; By James Taiwo; . These people were taught about the true living God over a long period of time. "Earth" here represents all aspects of His creationincluding manwhich He created for man. God will remember His covenant because He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). If God does not punish for sin, then righteousness loses all meaning. 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. Is that so? ", More than 90 times, God calls Ezekiel "son of Man," a term used to highlight the prophet's humanity. John W. Ritenbaugh The Israelites' lack of faith while Moses was on Mt. Amos, a Jew from the southern kingdom, was sent by God to preach against the sins of the northern ten tribes. 2 Kings, OLD TESTAMENT. God's punishment, though, is never an end in itself, nor does He punish in wild anger or frustration. And so in Isaiah, God talks about how he built a beautiful garden vineyard. 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. They will be given a new heart, and will finally be able to know their God (Ezekiel 11:17-20; 36:24-29). The book of Ezekiel was written between 593 BC and 573 BC. We cannot have it both ways. 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. What sort of pagan revelry did the Israelites indulge in (Exodus 32:6)? Exodus 20:2-6 ESV / 899 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. His warning of impending calamity would not come if they were not deserving of it. 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. Critics assert that Israel's history demonstrates the weakness of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in that their God could not keep His promises. Only in Amos (and only in one verse) is there any indication that Israel was not focused on worshiping God. He is the author "Hope for Hurting Singles: A Christian Guide to Overcoming Life's Challenges.". Israel exhibited again and again its refusal to obey God. 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) And then verse 55, it says, but it didn't bring about fruit. 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. 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. . To violate the Sabbath day was a serious sin because it denied God's sovereignty. So, they have no excuse they can use for worshiping idols. However, the people began to partake in . God believed the people had properly listened to the instructions God gave them. 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. The punishment for David's sin: "The Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand of the people died" (2 Samuel 24:15). This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. The word we translate as justice (or judgment or justly) comes from the Hebrew word mishpat. God told them to "get rid of them idola. The Israelites were sinking into the worship of other gods. 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. Tzedeq is often the companion virtue to mishpat. . Beware, for the margin of safety is very slim. We need to set the record straight. If we do not keep it, God must correct us. 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. . God's Glory Fills the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:134:35; 40:138), God Tells Israel Where to Worship (Exodus 25:1-27:21; 30:1-10, 17-21), Faith Community Church, 3755 Washington Blvd, Suite 201, Fremont, CA 94538, God Punishes Israel's Idolatry (Exodus 32:1-35). And yet, multiple prophets challenged Israels adherence to the very laws and ordinances that were part of this prophetically-given covenant guide. Prepare to Meet Your God! God would be unfaithful to His own promises if He annihilated Jacob's descendantseven though, by all accounts, it is exactly what they deserve. 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.". will redeem the property that had been sold or free Israelites from their debt bondage. 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. It wasnt just apathy or failure to perform religious ceremonies for which ancient Israel faced Gods judgments. For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). 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. M. David Huston lives and works in the Washington DC metro area. 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. Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers. The same sins are committed in the same brazen manner. The Sign. He had to eat disgusting bread, drink rationed water, and use cow dung for fuel. The people were always sinning against God by complaining, failing to follow his directions and laws, and by not trusting in him. . David makes a. The phrase "they shall know that I am the LORD" occurs about 60 times in the book. Finally, God's people cried out to him for help. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear 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. We've seen in Jeremiah chapter 2 that in spite of some good times in the past between the Lord and Israel, Israel rejected and forsook the Lord and attempted to exchange the living and real God for idols. God would now destroy Israel as a political power, saying, in effect, "enough is enough." This was considered a grave sin by God. 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. KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS - 2 Kings. strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. 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. Faith Community Church3755 Washington Boulevard, Suite 201Fremont, CA 94538(408) 721-4900info@fccbay.org. . Despite its frightening oracles, Ezekiel concludes with a message of hope and restoration for God's people. 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). 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. Oh, dread the mixed multitude. And that kind of disobedience and idolatry has consequences. But were they true? Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" Ezekiel 14:6Therefore say to the people of Israel, This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! David C. Grabbe Prophecy is both practical and positive, not all gloom and doom. As early as the days of the founder of the Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam I, God understood the direction Israel was taking. 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. This is the point where God had had enough. What the L, desired and required of Israelthe things that the L, wanted Israel to dowas to protect and bless the people in their community. tested Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. 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. He melted the gold and made a statue of a calf. ", Third: One cannot snare a bird unless a trap is set, and then somethingin this case a birdhas to cause the trap to spring shut. 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. 2. All Rights Reserved. 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. ___ Caleb was chosen to lead the people into the Promised Land. What is the meaning of john 8: 12? Justice: If said with just the right inflection, the word justice feels punitive. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/introduction-to-the-book-of-ezekiel-701131. 16 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. God was going to punish the evil doers - the wicked - for their evil deeds. John W. Ritenbaugh (Nm 12:10-14), 4. (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.) This ties what Amos would say to correct them to their responsibilities within that close relationship. We need to heed His words seriously because our cultural circumstances parallel what Amos confronted in his day. It had its origin, not in their necessities, but m their vile affections, their own unsubdued, carnal minds. Herein lies the main theme of the book of Ezekiel. 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. They said to Aaron: 'We want someone to lead us. 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. This deferment did not make Him unfaithful to the people, because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His revelation. Why did God punish the Israelites for 40 years? 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. Israel had better heed because his words are not idle. It is as if he is saying, "Think about the practical ramifications of this." 17 They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Also, every seventh year the land was to lie fallow (Lev. In Latter-day Saint vernacular, the term that comes closest to expressing this ideal is probably charity. . That is to say, righteousness is an inward characteristic. characteristic. 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. (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.) "Introduction to the Book of Ezekiel." The Second Exodus (Part Two). A number of other prophecies concerning the Second Exodus relate how God will bless the land, which will once again produce abundantly. God lives and He always rules and judgesjust as surely today as He did thousands of years ago. Linking is encouraged, but republishing or redistributing, including by framing or similar means, without the publisher's prior written permission is prohibited. John W. Ritenbaugh His utterances are not his own words; they began with God, who sent them because the close relationship is seriously threatened. did not keep the covenant of God; they refused to walk in His law, and forgot His works and His wonders that He had shown them. July 2, 2022 . 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. The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was theson of Buzi and member of a priestly family. 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). Amos 1-4: Israel's Punishment. ESSAY: Why is it important to trust in God?