Welcome back Bible buddies. Today let us partake of the sweet fruits of Joel chapter 2. This is a huge chapter, both content wise and theologically, so I will divide it into 2 parts. The part we are going to be looking at today is Joel 2:1-17. Remember that Joel is writing in response to a recent plague of locusts' that have smote the land, rendering Judah incapable of communing with God and w/out food stores. Joel focuses not only on the drunkenness of Judah, but uses the occasion to prophesy concerning the coming of the Day of the Lord... I also mentioned that Joel breaks up this little prophecy into 3 segments dealing the the day- segment 1, which we talked about, Joel described as a "type" of day of the Lord. He further clarified that this "mini" day of the Lord was nothing compared to The Day. In response Joel called for nation repentance in the form of sack cloth, fasting, and crying out to God...
In Ch 2 Joel gets a little more direct. He no longer alludes to The Day of the Lord. Instead, he prophecies directly concerning The Day of the Lord. Ch 2, then, is a prophecy about what the The Day of the Lord will be like. Please read Joel 2:1-11.
Ok, so things are going to get bad. There is a lot going on here. Notice first that Joel compares the invading locusts to the invading army that will come at the great tribulation time in The Day of the Lord. How can we be so sure Joel is talking about the tribulation? Well, v. 2 makes it pretty clear that this is a unique event and nothing like it will ever happen again. No matter how bad you think times are now, we've seen similar things before, it will continue, and it will get worse. Our time does not fit the model of the tribulation. It can get much worse, as Joel implies.
Side-Note: If you are in the Bible scanning mode, you may want to check out first Exodus 10. Note the similarities in the locust motif.... then Rev 9:1-12. Here we see a plague of demon-locusts (weird, huh?) ascending from the abyss to descend upon man, tormenting mankind with all kinds of nastiness. So much so that men will want to kill themselves, but will be unable to. Is this what Joel is referring to? Maybe, the word "locust" in German and Italian means "hay-horse" and "little horses". Additionally, both human armies and locusts advance swiftly (v.4). Also, the sound of locusts' wings is like that of chariot wheels (v. 5) (thanks to BKC for that info). So it is definitely a possibility that Joel and John are describing the same events. Or, it is also possible that Joel is describing the invading armies of the North on the The Day (see Ezek 38:15, Dan 11:40).
Either way the point of the Day of the Lord is clear; earthquake, darkness, torment, torture, and horribleness such that, "before them the people are in anguish; all faces turn pale." (v. 6). God will bring judgement and destruction. This prophecy has a cousin prophecy (I just invented this concept) in Rev 6:12-13. Elsewhere, Joel 2:30-31 (we'll see this later), is also similarly described in Rev 6:12-13... which is to say that Joel is indeed describing events that happen during the Great Tribulation.
In essence, the land will be totally destroyed. Anyone who has ever been through a forest fire (not me) can probably relate to this imagery. We see a destructive force "like mighty men," on an unrelenting march, destroying everything in their way. There is no escape from the Day of the Lord.
Please read Joel 2:12-17.
Usually after bad news a prophet gives the reader something to do in response. Joel is no different. The response is similar to what he instructed in Joel 1- repent. The language is interesting, though. "Yet even now," tells me that, although they might have messed up, it is never too late to repent. This same advice goes for us as well. No matter how bad we have messed up, it is never too late to admit your guilt before God and turn to him and sin no more. Joel doesn't just give idle advice. He gives some practical things.
Fast, weep, and mourn. Just like before, actions go a long way. It is not enough sometimes to just verbalize your guilt. Show God that you are willing to make the necessary steps to life change. Because, "God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and relenting of evil." We read this very casually. But do you realize that only in the Bible will you find such a statement about a god. Nowhere else is a deity descibed in such terms- a loving and king God who is gracious and will forgive you... a God who is slow to anger. This is much cause for celebration! We serve a truly unique God... I want you to remember this always and not take for granted the God we serve!!!
V. 14 is also very interesting. This tells us that though God might forgive us, we shouldn't expect blessings in return... very interesting. How often are we guilty of this? I have asked for forgiveness, all is well with God and I, now bring on the blessings! Joel says this is possible, but not a guarantee. So if you ask for forgiveness, know that you are forgiven, but don't be totally surprised if you aren't showered with blessings..... the forgiveness is blessing enough!
Finally, the reader is urged to "blow a trumpet," which acts as an indicator of the urgent need to do this thing. In essence, Joel is saying, "do this now!" Fast, worship, cry out.... as the vv. 16-17 finish, we are reminded that national repentance is everyones responsibility. Everyone in Judah was responsible... the people, the wives, the babies, kids, and priests. If national repentance was to come, then a national response was needed out of the Judaites.
Finally, Joel ends by giving some advice as to what the priests should say. They should, in essence, "remind" God that He has promised to protect His people and that what happens to His people is a reflection of Him.... this is similar to Moses' entreaty to God on behalf of the Hebrews after they made the gold cow.
Well friends, Mimi has risen from her nap and is crying for rescue. Just like Joel reminds, God is our source of rescue in the days to come. Joel gives us a brief snap shot of what the tribulation will be like. Perhaps he is alluding to the even John describes in Rev 9 with the demon locusts from hell... either way, the point is clear. The Day of the Lord will be a terrible, awesome, and horrific time for those not firmly rooted in God's camp. For the men of Judah- rooting themselves in God's camp meant national repentance, fasting, crying out to God, and going to the temple to offer sacrifices. Luckily for us, all we need to firmly cement ourselves in God's camp is Jesus Christ. Trust him today and get on God's roster for The Day- lest you find yourselves tormented by evil demon spawn locusts!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Oh How Horrific are those nasty insects, but Jesus is coming back! The Prophet Joel
Apologies are in order- sorry. I can vaguely remember posting that I would post on a regular basis. Well, that lasted for 1 post. But to my defense, mother-in-law was visiting, preached, taught Sunday school, and other things... but I know that is no excuse. Instead of dwelling on the past... let us dwell on the way past- 1200 years ago.
Rather than blathering on about the introductory material to the prophet Joel, I thought I might just paste it here. This information comes from the handy sheet I created and linked on the first post. It gives a pretty decent intro to the Prophet Joel. Also, please disregard the lazy spelling error on my chart (I know indifference is spelled indifference, but I am indifferent).
Let me fill-in some info that is missing from this poorly presented chart. Joel was writing during the reign of King Jehoash. If you know your litany of biblical kings, you will know then that Jehoash is a unique king. Why? Because he was 7 when he became king. So the priests, namely, Jehoiada, kind of ruled as regency in his stead until he was old enough to rule (which lasted for 40 years). Generally speaking, the bible says Jehoash was a decent dude, but there were some lingering problems in Judah that Joel confronts...
At the time of Joel's writing- Judah saw a severe draught and an invasion of locusts- which is normally a sign of God's judgement. Joel takes this sign of judgment and extrapolates it out a little further in his discussion of the Day of the Lord- both in his lifetime and in the future. Thus the "Day of the Lord," which pertains to pretty much any day where the Lord steps in to human history and does something (mostly judgement related), is at the fore in Joel and serves as a major theme.
To that end Joel points out the historical "days of the Lord," as they relate to Israel and the nations, the "illustrative" days of the Lord that point forward to the THE Day of the Lord at the end of time, and finally, Joel gives us a little taste of THE Day of the Lord, specifically as it relates to the 2nd coming of Christ.... so, is your interest piqued? Mine is!... Horay for Joel... let's get moving.
Without further adieu- I ask that you please open your Bibles to Joel 1 so that we can go through it together, as Bible buddies.
Ok, done reading? Good. Does it make your skin crawl? If not- check out these youtube video about the destructive power of locusts.
Locusts are gross, no doubt. But even more- they are totally destructive, with the power to wipe out a lively hood and leave a village or city without vital food stores; hence Joel's lament. Everything has been destroyed. There is no longer any vines to make grapes, not more grain for the grain offering and drink for the drink offering. So not only is their livelihood destroyed, but they are now in spiritual turmoil because they have not sufficient goods to make the necessary sacrifices to the Lord.
In Ch 1, Joel basically says, "the locusts have destroyed everything- everything- and we are ruined!" Did you catch v. 5? We get a little glimpse at perhaps a cause of this plague- too much drinking in Judah. It seems the men of Judah were enjoying their sweet wine a little too much and had incurred God's wrath. It is one thing to partake of a glass of wine here and there. But it seems the people of Judah were drunkards of the first order. As a result- they were invaded by a countless swarm of little soldiers, relentless and merciless.
The response? Vv. 13-14 give us the only response needed- repent. But more than saying "I'm sorry." Joel instructs the people to wrap themselves in sack cloth, fast, and cry out to the living God. These are actions that Joel hopes will, "get God's attention." If that sounds weird, its not. This kind of thing happened all the time. Take for example the Ninevites. God was ready to wipe them off the map- but they repented. The whole city came out in a display of "sorry," by wrapping themselves in sack cloth and sprinkling ashes on their heads? Why? Because this was uncomfortable. If you are doing something so uncomfortable, then God has a good idea that you mean what you say. And of course, God knows the heart of men, but an action drives the point home a little more. If you are really sorry, then you are willing to go the extra step and show a little apologetic spirit. This was not only a way of "getting God's attention," but of showing your neighbor that you are serious and that you recognize that sin is serious and demands a serious response.... I wonder if we have lost this mind-set? Maybe...
In the final verses of ch1, Joel uses this example as an "illustration," of what the Day of the Lord will be like. In the same way, Joel implies, everything will be laid waste. There will be no food in the barns and no animals in the fields. Your way of life will be kaput. Your livelihood, your sustenance, your everything is laid bare. In essence, Joel is making the reader abundantly aware that, "though you have experienced a day of the Lord, keep this time in the front of your brain, because it will be nothing like THE Day of the Lord, and you want to be prepared when that day comes so that you are not on the receiving end of THE day, like you are today."
So here we have the close of ch 1. Locusts have come and completely devoured the fields. The people don't have any spare grain nor grape with which to give to the Lord, which is indeed a troubling turn of events. They are spiritually, albeit temporarily, separated from giving their thanks and worship to the living God! This would indeed be troubling.
For us, we can't imagine something like this. We have the ultimate sacrifice of Christ which links us together and with God. We have a High Priest, Jesus Christ, interceding for us and ministering on our behalf to God the Father. As a result, His sacrifice finally ended the need for any other sacrifice. As a result, the risk of our separation from God is null... unless of course you are not a follower of Jesus. Therefore we, followers of Christ, are promised salvation from THE day of the Lord.
How wonderful it is that we never have to worry about being cut-off from worshipping God. Though we ought to heed the practical warning from Joel. Let's contain our sampling of the "adult beverages," lest we fall into the drunken ways of the men of Judah in Joel's days... we may not see a plague of locusts as a result- but a metaphorical "plague of locusts," might be headed our way!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Obadiah- Those Who Curse God will be Cursed
Introduction:
The name Obadiah means, "Servant of the Lord." There are 12 guys in the Old Testament that go by Obadiah, so it is hard to pinpoint who is who. Otherwise, what we know about Obadiah the prophet is only what he has written. He is, by most accounts, the earliest writing prophet among the minor prophets. Most scholars have him dated around 845 B.C., which was shortly after the kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon and about a year into Jehu's reign in Israel (2 Chron 21:16-17). Not only is Obadiah the oldest, it is also the smallest book of the Minors (its nice to start small, right?), with only 21 verses.
The theme of Obadiah is Yahweh the Divine Protector- or, God is on our Side. The message is very simple- If you curse God's people, you will be cursed. So then, the purpose of the book was to encourage Judah to stand strong and not give up, and to notify Edom that judgement was on the way.
Text:
From the very beginning we are told this vision concerns Edom. If you don't know much about Edom, allow me to enlighten you. Edomites were the descendants of Esau. If we remember correctly, Esau was the brother of Jacob, the burly guy with the hairy chest that loved to go hunting for days (he also loved his red soup!). The Judeans (Israelites) are descended from Jacob, who tricked Esau for his birthright. So, there is some bad blood between the two (there was "reconciliation" if we remember between Jacob and Esau, but generations don't always keep to that).
Edom has always been a thorn in the side of the Israelites. Their crimes will be recounted in more detail in vv. 10-11. Obadiah begins with the end, telling the Edomites that their judgement is near. The once great Edomites will be reduced to a small nation.
They were a proud people who were greatly benefited by their location (vv. 3-4).
If you remember the movie India Jones, when they were looking for the Holy Grail in Petra in modern day Jordan, this is where they lived. They were very protected by the walls of rock that surrounded them. Again, if you remember the movie, Indie, his Dad, and the other Brititsh guy rode in on horse back through a small road that cut through the rocks. This was basically the only way into Edom, through this tiny road through the rocks. Obviously this was a very good defendable position.
Not only was the entrance very safe, but they built their homes high up in the rocks- so it would have been very hard to get to their homes as well, if indeed some invading nation made it into the canyons. So, Edom was prideful due to their location- they thought they were invincible! But God promises to bring them down from their lofty heights- both physically and pridefully.
It also seems as though they were also rich (vv. 5-6). Edom was geographically located on a very important trade route known as the "Kings Highway." I used to have a great map of this (see map), here it is- not the highway and how it winds its way north to south, hitting all the major cities. Basically the Kings Highway was a main caravan route connecting Damascus in Syria to the seaport Ezion-geber on the Red Sea. Also, in the rocks were rich and abundant supplies of copper and iron that gave Edom some wealth. So then, they were also rich- and taking pride in this as well.
Not only where they located in a very nice place and wealthy, the also had good alliances (v.7). Apparently, these alliances would not help Edom, because even the allies will join the coalition against Edom!
Finally, they are guilty for the pride of wisdom (vv. 8-9). I guess since they were so rich and located in such a safe place, they could sit around and get smart. This kind of reminds me of the Romans, ancient Greeks, and of Us, today. A good by-product of success and safety is education. However, sometimes sitting around getting learned leads to laziness, but most importantly, arrogance and pride. This was yet another strike against the Edomites. They were very prideful and needed some humiliation.
The next verses, 10 and 11, give some specific reasons from God's particular anger against the Edomites (other than the pride issues listed above). The first, which I find to be quite interesting, is kind of a hold-over from Esau's dealings with Jacob. Now, if I remember correctly, wasn't Esau duped by Jacob? So shouldn't Esau had the right to treat Jacob harshly? No (why, see for example David's response to his men regarding why he wouldn't kill Saul). God's anointed is God's anointed, regardless. But that really isn't what is going on here.
Jacob and Esau had a covenant (remember the reconciliation comment above). But, the descendants of Esau were not making good on their side of the treaty. They continually harassed the descendants of Jacob. For example, when the Israelites were making their way to the Promised Land in Canaan, the Edomites refused to allow their brothers passage! Saul fought against Edom (1 Sam 14:47), David conquered it (2 Sam 8:13-14). Hadad the Edomites fought against Solomon. The Edomites took part in an invation of Judah (2 Chr 21:16). So then, the Edomites had a long history of covenant breaking. With covenants, their either comes blessing of curse. If you follow the rules of the covenant, you are blessed. If you don't, you are cursed. Edom didn't follow the rules- hence, a curse was on the way in the form of destruction.
Not only did they proactively pester Israel, v. 11 states that they passively did not come to her aid when needed. So they are both guilt of action and non-action- all kinds of worthy of punishment. Not only did they stand by when their brothers needed them, they gloated over their status and over the destruction of Israel (v. 12).
Obadiah finishes in v. 15 by assuring the Edomites that they will be punished. This might have been something for them to hear. They probably scoffed at Obadiah. Listening to this prophet of Judah talk about how they will be repaid the ill for the ill they meted out. Verses 15-16 are also interesting/important in that Obadiah promises that God will punish all nations for the crimes against God, and that one day all nations will worship the One True God. In this context, it was Edom's turn among the nations to receive her Day of the Lord, her judgement for her crimes- for which she will be cut-off from the people forever. So this is not only a warning from Edom, but a sterm warning for all nations who refuse to bow a knee to God.
Obadiah ends as many Minor prophets do, with a promise of a future hope in the establishment of the Kingdom of God over Israel. That one day the house of Jacob and Joseph will stand stall and strong, a mighty fire burning bright, while the house of Esau will be nothing but a burnt out log like so many of the logs I see on the Jesusita Trail. Esau will be gone and the boundaries of the Davidic Kingdom (w/ Jesus as the head) will spread into Edom in the South, the Philistine Plane, the territory of Ephraim and Samarai, Gilead across the Jordan River, and as far North as the area between the Tyre and Sidom.... so here we see a promise of future restoration and some nice geographical boundaries of the future Davidic Kingdom in the millennium.
Just a quick word on the prophecy here in v. 21. The verse speaks of "deliverers (NASB) or saviors," that will come to save the Israelites (Mt. Zion) and punish the evil nations (Mt. Edom). The prophecy refers to both temporal and a final fulfillment. From Obadiah on, there would arise deliverers to lead Israel and to punish the nations in her time of need. Those would be the temporal fulfillments. But, it ultimately speaks of a final fulfillment, one where the nation is establish at Mt. Zion once and for all with the Davidic King ruling as head- where the nations will be finally punished and righteousness will reign. This is the element regarding the final coming of Christ to rule on the earth- the one that has obviously not taken place yet (depending on your theology), but is due to arrive.
There is also a divergent view at work in v. 21, and that is with the term "deliverers." Some say that this verse is solely talking about the Millennium and the "deliverers" are judges who will help rule in the millennial kingdom.....
Either way you look at, the point is that God will establish His kingdom on Earth and the other nations will be judged.
Here is something we can take from Obadiah. No matter how bad the situation may look, God is in control. Sure, Christians are getting picked on in the News Media and in the Universities and by others.... but we know that is going to happen and we know that one day the Lord will come again to restore His people and punish the mockers. We can also take warning in the this verse, to guard ourselves from developing the attitude of the Edomites. We, in the US, have much of the same benefits that once benefitted Edom. We are nicely situated geographically, we have more wealth and safety than we know what to do with, and we are educated. We need to be sure not to have the same pride as the Edomites, to not take pride in what we have, but to be humble. To be aware that God is sovereign, and despite our location, wealth, prestige, and education, we are but a breath away from destruction.
So if you are feeling discouraged due to world events- don't be. This is the message of Obadiah. If things seem hopeless, they aren't. God will have is done one day. And as promised, the nations will be brought into submission and God's people will be eternally blessed. Those who curse God's people will be cursed- you can be sure of that. Be joyful today in the hope of the promised return of Jesus Christ! That we will one day enjoy the company of our Savior and that God's Kingdom will be established over Israel on Earth! Amen
PJ
The name Obadiah means, "Servant of the Lord." There are 12 guys in the Old Testament that go by Obadiah, so it is hard to pinpoint who is who. Otherwise, what we know about Obadiah the prophet is only what he has written. He is, by most accounts, the earliest writing prophet among the minor prophets. Most scholars have him dated around 845 B.C., which was shortly after the kingdom was divided after the death of Solomon and about a year into Jehu's reign in Israel (2 Chron 21:16-17). Not only is Obadiah the oldest, it is also the smallest book of the Minors (its nice to start small, right?), with only 21 verses.
The theme of Obadiah is Yahweh the Divine Protector- or, God is on our Side. The message is very simple- If you curse God's people, you will be cursed. So then, the purpose of the book was to encourage Judah to stand strong and not give up, and to notify Edom that judgement was on the way.
Text:
From the very beginning we are told this vision concerns Edom. If you don't know much about Edom, allow me to enlighten you. Edomites were the descendants of Esau. If we remember correctly, Esau was the brother of Jacob, the burly guy with the hairy chest that loved to go hunting for days (he also loved his red soup!). The Judeans (Israelites) are descended from Jacob, who tricked Esau for his birthright. So, there is some bad blood between the two (there was "reconciliation" if we remember between Jacob and Esau, but generations don't always keep to that).
Edom has always been a thorn in the side of the Israelites. Their crimes will be recounted in more detail in vv. 10-11. Obadiah begins with the end, telling the Edomites that their judgement is near. The once great Edomites will be reduced to a small nation.
They were a proud people who were greatly benefited by their location (vv. 3-4).
If you remember the movie India Jones, when they were looking for the Holy Grail in Petra in modern day Jordan, this is where they lived. They were very protected by the walls of rock that surrounded them. Again, if you remember the movie, Indie, his Dad, and the other Brititsh guy rode in on horse back through a small road that cut through the rocks. This was basically the only way into Edom, through this tiny road through the rocks. Obviously this was a very good defendable position.
It also seems as though they were also rich (vv. 5-6). Edom was geographically located on a very important trade route known as the "Kings Highway." I used to have a great map of this (see map), here it is- not the highway and how it winds its way north to south, hitting all the major cities. Basically the Kings Highway was a main caravan route connecting Damascus in Syria to the seaport Ezion-geber on the Red Sea. Also, in the rocks were rich and abundant supplies of copper and iron that gave Edom some wealth. So then, they were also rich- and taking pride in this as well.
Not only where they located in a very nice place and wealthy, the also had good alliances (v.7). Apparently, these alliances would not help Edom, because even the allies will join the coalition against Edom!
The next verses, 10 and 11, give some specific reasons from God's particular anger against the Edomites (other than the pride issues listed above). The first, which I find to be quite interesting, is kind of a hold-over from Esau's dealings with Jacob. Now, if I remember correctly, wasn't Esau duped by Jacob? So shouldn't Esau had the right to treat Jacob harshly? No (why, see for example David's response to his men regarding why he wouldn't kill Saul). God's anointed is God's anointed, regardless. But that really isn't what is going on here.
Jacob and Esau had a covenant (remember the reconciliation comment above). But, the descendants of Esau were not making good on their side of the treaty. They continually harassed the descendants of Jacob. For example, when the Israelites were making their way to the Promised Land in Canaan, the Edomites refused to allow their brothers passage! Saul fought against Edom (1 Sam 14:47), David conquered it (2 Sam 8:13-14). Hadad the Edomites fought against Solomon. The Edomites took part in an invation of Judah (2 Chr 21:16). So then, the Edomites had a long history of covenant breaking. With covenants, their either comes blessing of curse. If you follow the rules of the covenant, you are blessed. If you don't, you are cursed. Edom didn't follow the rules- hence, a curse was on the way in the form of destruction.
Not only did they proactively pester Israel, v. 11 states that they passively did not come to her aid when needed. So they are both guilt of action and non-action- all kinds of worthy of punishment. Not only did they stand by when their brothers needed them, they gloated over their status and over the destruction of Israel (v. 12).
Obadiah finishes in v. 15 by assuring the Edomites that they will be punished. This might have been something for them to hear. They probably scoffed at Obadiah. Listening to this prophet of Judah talk about how they will be repaid the ill for the ill they meted out. Verses 15-16 are also interesting/important in that Obadiah promises that God will punish all nations for the crimes against God, and that one day all nations will worship the One True God. In this context, it was Edom's turn among the nations to receive her Day of the Lord, her judgement for her crimes- for which she will be cut-off from the people forever. So this is not only a warning from Edom, but a sterm warning for all nations who refuse to bow a knee to God.
Obadiah ends as many Minor prophets do, with a promise of a future hope in the establishment of the Kingdom of God over Israel. That one day the house of Jacob and Joseph will stand stall and strong, a mighty fire burning bright, while the house of Esau will be nothing but a burnt out log like so many of the logs I see on the Jesusita Trail. Esau will be gone and the boundaries of the Davidic Kingdom (w/ Jesus as the head) will spread into Edom in the South, the Philistine Plane, the territory of Ephraim and Samarai, Gilead across the Jordan River, and as far North as the area between the Tyre and Sidom.... so here we see a promise of future restoration and some nice geographical boundaries of the future Davidic Kingdom in the millennium.
Just a quick word on the prophecy here in v. 21. The verse speaks of "deliverers (NASB) or saviors," that will come to save the Israelites (Mt. Zion) and punish the evil nations (Mt. Edom). The prophecy refers to both temporal and a final fulfillment. From Obadiah on, there would arise deliverers to lead Israel and to punish the nations in her time of need. Those would be the temporal fulfillments. But, it ultimately speaks of a final fulfillment, one where the nation is establish at Mt. Zion once and for all with the Davidic King ruling as head- where the nations will be finally punished and righteousness will reign. This is the element regarding the final coming of Christ to rule on the earth- the one that has obviously not taken place yet (depending on your theology), but is due to arrive.
There is also a divergent view at work in v. 21, and that is with the term "deliverers." Some say that this verse is solely talking about the Millennium and the "deliverers" are judges who will help rule in the millennial kingdom.....
Here is something we can take from Obadiah. No matter how bad the situation may look, God is in control. Sure, Christians are getting picked on in the News Media and in the Universities and by others.... but we know that is going to happen and we know that one day the Lord will come again to restore His people and punish the mockers. We can also take warning in the this verse, to guard ourselves from developing the attitude of the Edomites. We, in the US, have much of the same benefits that once benefitted Edom. We are nicely situated geographically, we have more wealth and safety than we know what to do with, and we are educated. We need to be sure not to have the same pride as the Edomites, to not take pride in what we have, but to be humble. To be aware that God is sovereign, and despite our location, wealth, prestige, and education, we are but a breath away from destruction.
So if you are feeling discouraged due to world events- don't be. This is the message of Obadiah. If things seem hopeless, they aren't. God will have is done one day. And as promised, the nations will be brought into submission and God's people will be eternally blessed. Those who curse God's people will be cursed- you can be sure of that. Be joyful today in the hope of the promised return of Jesus Christ! That we will one day enjoy the company of our Savior and that God's Kingdom will be established over Israel on Earth! Amen
PJ
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Bloggin' the Minors- Redefining Awesome for a Whole New Purpose. The Prophets are at your fingertips, drink deeply friends!
Friends and family, a sad thing has just happened to me, something that I am sure you have experienced in your lifetime. I had just finished writing what was probably the most amazing blog ever- and then I went to insert a picture into it and BAM- gone! All of it, totally irretrievable, gone missing like the lost tribes of Israel. I will attempt to recount it for you here, but it will be a lackluster, disheartened attempt :(. The tears flow freely on this end of the mac.
In the lowest of moral I write these somber words- I will miss you forever lost blog of awesome....
Enough of that sadness- now to the good news. I am feeling very Joshuaish today- which means I am done wandering around the wilderness of randomness and am dedicating myself to sticking to a theme, for once, for this blog. What this means for you is this: you get the pleasure of going with me through the Minor Prophets! Yes, I am sure you jumped out of your seat with pure, uncontrollable joy, causing those sitting in your nearest vicinity to shockingly proclaim, "goodness man, what's wrong with you! (in your bestest British accent)!" But don't be afraid. Because I am here to argue today that the Minor Prophets, though often glazed over, are indeed awesome. They are chock full of messianic prophecy, national judgement, national blessings, and lots of good hope for the future. If you are thinking that this might bore you to death- have no fear, friends, because I promise you will not be bored, at least I hope...so buckle your seat belts and hold on tight-- Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Here is a little snap shot of why the "Minors are sooo not Minor"
This is the gist of this chart- there are 2 different types of prophets- there are the non-litearary, those who didn't write anything, and the literary, those who did write something. The non-literary prophets mainly addressed what was going on during their own time. But, the literary prophets, where the Minors fall, contain some 61% predictive material- which means that over half of their material deals with the future times. This is something to ponder indeed! What do they predict? Well, here is the 2 main themes that emerge out of them: (1) the 2 kingdoms will eventually cease to exist (Judah and Israel) AND (2) God will establish a new kingdom of a different kind, one that will attract all people (sound familiar?). The head of this new kingdom would be none other than the Messiah- who we have come to worship and adore as Jesus Christ...... see- the Minors are not minor at all! But I am getting into it too deeply right now....
Back to the basics. I have for you this very terrific summary chart of the prophets. Much painstaking work has been done by yours truly in its preparation. It reflects hours of mind numbing study, so enjoy. It is a very good summary of the Prophets in chart form. You can find it here on this new page I have established for the proliferation of all things "Minor": Awesome Prophets Chart .
Give that baby a good look, then come back to the page.
Ok, welcome back. I want to give you a little snapshot of the historical juncture we are at in the Minors. There resides at the furthest reaches of my book shelf a large book by John Bright called, "A History of Israel." Up to this point, I thought that this book was destined to a life of dust collecting and putting me to sleep at night. But alas, it has been resurrected and its has taken on a new significance in my life... at least in the life of this blog at this particular moment in time. For I have mined out of it a few gems, some very quality charts and maps. You know, the ones that you flip through in the back of your bible when the sermon happens to be particularly boring (unless of course you go to Oaks, then you don't know what I am talking about). I found a set of 3 charts, scanned by mine own hand (hence their shoddy appearance) that will be of extreme help to us in placing the Minors in their historical context. You see, I am a chart geek. I love to get a visual picture of things- helps me to wrap my brain around them.... Pay particular to the books in the brackets (Amos) (Hosea) (Micah) (Zephaniah) (Habakuk) (Nahum) (Obadiah) and (Malachi)
If those charts were super boring to you, my apologies. I find them quite helpful. Here is the gist- the minor prophets cover a pretty broad timeframe, but mostly coming toward the end of the Kingdoms (Judah and Israel), as least as they knew it.
Ok, well, you are in for a treat- if those charts were super boring for you- I have some very juicy tidbits for you here. Prepare for an informational Minor Prophet deluge... Hold onto your seats....
Whew-- too much to handle in one blog? I think not- one final chart (this is basically the same chart that I made. I wish, actually, that I knew of its existence before I created mine! Oh well, you learn more the other way.
Ok friends, that is enough for today. I hope this gives you a pretty comprehensive overview/preview of the Minors. For the next blog- read Obadiah. Its a short book, I look forward to enjoying some dialogue. I will assume you have read it for the blog.... and one more thing, I am going to be going through them chronologically, not in the same exact order they are in the Bible. If you are wondering why there is a difference, I have put a chart somewhere up there that explains it. If not, this will explain it:
That is all I have for today. This is a lot to digest- so enjoy. PJ
In the lowest of moral I write these somber words- I will miss you forever lost blog of awesome....
Enough of that sadness- now to the good news. I am feeling very Joshuaish today- which means I am done wandering around the wilderness of randomness and am dedicating myself to sticking to a theme, for once, for this blog. What this means for you is this: you get the pleasure of going with me through the Minor Prophets! Yes, I am sure you jumped out of your seat with pure, uncontrollable joy, causing those sitting in your nearest vicinity to shockingly proclaim, "goodness man, what's wrong with you! (in your bestest British accent)!" But don't be afraid. Because I am here to argue today that the Minor Prophets, though often glazed over, are indeed awesome. They are chock full of messianic prophecy, national judgement, national blessings, and lots of good hope for the future. If you are thinking that this might bore you to death- have no fear, friends, because I promise you will not be bored, at least I hope...so buckle your seat belts and hold on tight-- Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Here is a little snap shot of why the "Minors are sooo not Minor"
This is the gist of this chart- there are 2 different types of prophets- there are the non-litearary, those who didn't write anything, and the literary, those who did write something. The non-literary prophets mainly addressed what was going on during their own time. But, the literary prophets, where the Minors fall, contain some 61% predictive material- which means that over half of their material deals with the future times. This is something to ponder indeed! What do they predict? Well, here is the 2 main themes that emerge out of them: (1) the 2 kingdoms will eventually cease to exist (Judah and Israel) AND (2) God will establish a new kingdom of a different kind, one that will attract all people (sound familiar?). The head of this new kingdom would be none other than the Messiah- who we have come to worship and adore as Jesus Christ...... see- the Minors are not minor at all! But I am getting into it too deeply right now....
Back to the basics. I have for you this very terrific summary chart of the prophets. Much painstaking work has been done by yours truly in its preparation. It reflects hours of mind numbing study, so enjoy. It is a very good summary of the Prophets in chart form. You can find it here on this new page I have established for the proliferation of all things "Minor": Awesome Prophets Chart .
Give that baby a good look, then come back to the page.
Ok, welcome back. I want to give you a little snapshot of the historical juncture we are at in the Minors. There resides at the furthest reaches of my book shelf a large book by John Bright called, "A History of Israel." Up to this point, I thought that this book was destined to a life of dust collecting and putting me to sleep at night. But alas, it has been resurrected and its has taken on a new significance in my life... at least in the life of this blog at this particular moment in time. For I have mined out of it a few gems, some very quality charts and maps. You know, the ones that you flip through in the back of your bible when the sermon happens to be particularly boring (unless of course you go to Oaks, then you don't know what I am talking about). I found a set of 3 charts, scanned by mine own hand (hence their shoddy appearance) that will be of extreme help to us in placing the Minors in their historical context. You see, I am a chart geek. I love to get a visual picture of things- helps me to wrap my brain around them.... Pay particular to the books in the brackets (Amos) (Hosea) (Micah) (Zephaniah) (Habakuk) (Nahum) (Obadiah) and (Malachi)
If those charts were super boring to you, my apologies. I find them quite helpful. Here is the gist- the minor prophets cover a pretty broad timeframe, but mostly coming toward the end of the Kingdoms (Judah and Israel), as least as they knew it.
Ok, well, you are in for a treat- if those charts were super boring for you- I have some very juicy tidbits for you here. Prepare for an informational Minor Prophet deluge... Hold onto your seats....
Whew-- too much to handle in one blog? I think not- one final chart (this is basically the same chart that I made. I wish, actually, that I knew of its existence before I created mine! Oh well, you learn more the other way.
Ok friends, that is enough for today. I hope this gives you a pretty comprehensive overview/preview of the Minors. For the next blog- read Obadiah. Its a short book, I look forward to enjoying some dialogue. I will assume you have read it for the blog.... and one more thing, I am going to be going through them chronologically, not in the same exact order they are in the Bible. If you are wondering why there is a difference, I have put a chart somewhere up there that explains it. If not, this will explain it:
That is all I have for today. This is a lot to digest- so enjoy. PJ
Monday, May 2, 2011
Medication- More DWebb for your brain
Ok, so I know I haven't released a new blog in the last week. I have been rather busy. But, I have another addition to your song library- another Derek Webb. I really enjoy this song. It is called, "Medication." The lyrics are poignant and spot-on, in my estimation. Enjoy- PJ
Here is the link: ---> Song
Here is the link: ---> Song
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)