In carrying out judgment on Ahab, God commissioned Jehu to destroy Ahab, the king of Israel, and his family. 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. 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). 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. Fifth: It is illogical to think that God would punish without first warning His people. The Israelites failed because they would not put their complete trust in their one true God. Through her commercial power, the United States became the single richest nation that has ever existed. Given the centrality of these ideas in the Hebrew Bible, it is worth briefly exploring what these terms mean. . (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. All through the bible God gave his own people over,into the hands of their enemies and into bondage,for their sins.Judah went into captivty in babylon for 70 years.The Northern Kingdom of israel was carried off by the Assyerians.God is about to give his people over,into the hands of their enemies again and into bondage.Nazi Germany 2 is Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. 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. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel. Israels sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. Israel's Punishment In Psalm 78:59-62, the psalmist Asaph relates that God, when He became aware of the idols of Israel. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Home Posts Tagged "punishment of idol worship" 31 Jul . The Sign. That specific sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices were central parts of its covenant with YHWH was beyond doubt. God wanted Israel to serve as a model nation. God told them to "get rid of them idola. However, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah were talking about something different when they used this word. Isaiah 10:5-7 Easy-to-Read Version God Will Punish Assyria's Pride 5 The Lord says, "I will use Assyria like a stick. 25:1-7). So, they have no excuse they can use for worshiping idols. was furious, and greatly abhorred Israel, so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, . The Old Testament is a chronicle of Israel's repeated failure to obey God, of its refusal to keep His commandments and statutes. Yosef Eisen, a noted historian and lecturer, tells the miraculous story and history of an eternal nation. 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. In fact, I think a key indication that Israel felt like its adherence to sacrifices, rituals, feasts, and other religious practices was in-line with its covenant requirements is the very fact that Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micah had to use such dramatic language to get Israels attention. Ezekiel's writings indicate that he was familiar with the duties and regulations of the priests regarding sacrifices and rituals. (Exodus20:2-3, NIV), Today, idolatry consists of putting more importance on anything other than God, from our career to money, fame, power, material possessions, celebrities, or other distractions. Second, he makes a veiled warning, contained within the next five verses: Amos' words carry authority. Charles Whitaker Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. In the verses above, is the Hebrew word that is translated into the English word righteousness (and its derivatives). One tribe after another made slaves out of the people. 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. Ezekiel prophesied to those exiles about why God had allowed that, while at the same time, the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the Israelites left behind in Judah. St. Vincent de Paul was born in France in 1581. God responds fiercely, sending venomous snakes, which immediately kill many complaining Israelites. First, God and Israel have a special relationship: "You only have I known." He did as God asked and led the people to the Promised Land. Linking is encouraged, but content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed including, but not limited to such means as framing or other digital copying and/or distribution method, in whole or in part without the publisher's written consent. Amos followed Elijah about 90-100 years later. The word we translate as justice (or judgment or justly) comes from the Hebrew word mishpat. 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.". Prepare to Meet Your God! In our modern world, this message is needed now more than ever. Although God always forgave his people, he also gave them consequences for their sinful actions. John W. Ritenbaugh God Eventually Returning to Them and Having Compassion on Them (Amos 9:13-15). There are 3 different punishments stated for the sin of the Golden Calf, two of which are ambiguous in nature. The prophet begins in the first two verses with a "thus saith the LORD," providing the foundation for all that follows. This led to much suffering, as in the holocaust. We cannot have it both ways. how did god punish the israelites for idolatryadductor side plank benefits Menu 3282 suwanee creek road. Or, as another example, if a member of the community had to sell their familys land or becomes subject to debt bondage a person who exercises mishpat will redeem the property that had been sold or free Israelites from their debt bondage. 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. In the verses above, tzedeq is the Hebrew word that is translated into the English word righteousness (and its derivatives). Then, God allowed their enemies to gain power over them. Spiritually, this demand confirms Israel's whorish behavior, and thus God tells Samuel to describe the national effects of her demand. 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." July 31, 2022 ; By James Taiwo; . Prophecy and the Sixth-Century Axial Period, Prepare to Meet Your God! According to the Old Testament, God promised to punish sin at the very end of history (e.g., Isa. God tacks it onto his upcoming deeds to explain the reason for the action. 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. God eventually would become angry and punish the people for their sinfulness. (Ezekiel 36:22-24, 31-32). The core problem of Israelaccording to Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and Micahwas the lack of justice, righteousness, and mercy. Ezekiel wrote from Babylon, but his prophecies concerned Israel, Egypt, and several of the neighboring countries. If we do not keep it, God must correct us. Charles Whitaker "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). Further, God has been systematically removed from schools, from government, and from public life. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 establish that, if one does well, God will bless him. John W. Ritenbaugh Religiously, they were trying to walk a tightrope between God and Baal. 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. Is that so? God would now destroy Israel as a political power, saying, in effect, "enough is enough." . All of these occur as punishments for sin as God exacts His vengeance on "those who destroy the earth" (Revelation 11:18). Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. Like mishpat, tzedeq connotes a social obligation. The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was theson of Buzi and member of a priestly family. . In their own minds, they had reduced God to something they could control and call upon when convenient. God makes it clear that He has given the command to destroy them. John W. Ritenbaugh 18 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. And Isaiah was not alone in portraying Gods displeasure with Israels worship. As early as the days of the founder of the Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam I, God understood the direction Israel was taking. As a result, it has yet to enter into the peace, prosperity, and eternal possession of the land He promised the patriarchs. Where justice is protecting the weakest members of society from exploitation (defending them), righteousness is taking steps to help those who need it (uplifting them). 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. II. 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, "The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are blunted"? During that period, Israel's sins continued to mount horribly. After some time, the Israelites thought that Moses had left them. Download PDF. ", More than 90 times, God calls Ezekiel "son of Man," a term used to highlight the prophet's humanity. 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. Idolatry is among the most serious sins in Judaism and its rejection is core to the Jewish worldview. The Chronicler writes: We could not trust God if He did not hold to His promises of blessing and cursing (Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). . Christ's death is an eschatological event, offering life to those who trust him ( John 3:16; Eph. Moses did, and God told him to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. 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. Who Were the Major Prophets in the Bible? Oddly enough, about 3,000 were buried around on the Western side of Mount Sinai (Jebel al Lawz) in Arabia. Hesed expresses the notion of deep love characterized by loyalty and fidelity, which pours out of one to the other. Despite these atrocious sins, God will not utterly destroy Israel as He did to Sodom and Gomorrah. What is the punishment for idolatry? Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God, and did not keep His testimonies, but turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers. God will punish Israel for her failure to live up to her responsibilities within the covenant. 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. After escaping his captors, he returned to France and worked in a parish outside of Paris. The people realized they were sinning and begged Moses to help them. God made the Sabbath principle central to his creation. He melted the gold and made a statue of a calf. Even after all of the warnings from the Prophets, after receiving curse upon curse, Israel would NOT turn . What the Bible says about This deferment did not make Him unfaithful to the people, because His promises to them were conditional, based on their obedience to His revelation. Zavada, Jack. KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS - 2 Kings. 3 As I live, says the Lord God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. (Nm 12:10-14), 4. God's punishment Finally, after so many years of warnings, God brought upon the people of Judah the judgment about which Moses spoke. Their desire for flesh was a desire springing up amidst abundance. 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. Mercy is used to describe the act of helping those whose behavior might not otherwise justify such magnanimity. 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. Where justice is protecting the weakest members of society from exploitation (defending them), righteousness is taking steps to help those who need it (uplifting them). Israel had been exiled by the Babylonians for a while at the time that Jeremiah was ministering. It is clear from Genesis 17:6 and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 that God anticipated Israel having a king or judge. What should we learn from the golden calf incident in Exodus 32? Much of the thrust of Amos is an education for catastrophe. Since the people sinned by not trusting God, he made them wander the desert for 40 years before entering the land. The British produced a great empire far out of proportion to their population, native wealth, and abilities. ", Because of their sins, as II Kings 17:18-20 indicates, God. Moses obeyed God, and, just as God had promised, those who were bitten and gazed upon the bronze serpent recovered. I the Lord have spoken. Israels sacred texts clearly outlined how and in what way Israel was to worship the God of the Exodus and Sinai. Picking up where the question above leaves off, ] am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Life will soon become a violent free-for-all (Ecclesiastes 8:11). 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. 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. And the reason that they were exiled was due to their sin. 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. 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. Then, the Lord heard and sent a judge to rescue them. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols., says simply: They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the L, Like Isaiah, Amos and Hosea portray the L, as more than just critiquing the act of worshipwith the Lord very clearly despising Israels feasts, refusing to accept (or even regard!) 40:2; Ezek. According to the Bible, the worship of these gods was often promoted by kings and members of the royal court. 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. 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. 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. David makes a. When God rejected Saul, it is swift and decisive. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Herein lies the main theme of the book of Ezekiel. 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. Most of prophecy begins negatively but ends positively because God is confident that what He prophesied will accomplish His end, which is always good! The term also occurs in, Some references in Ezekiel have striking similarities to the prophetic. 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. 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. It is as if he is saying, "Think about the practical ramifications of this." Mr. Seiglie was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States when he was a child. the . Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? I am angry with them, and I will command Assyria to fight against them. Around 1615, he dedicated his life to serving the poor. The people were always sinning against God by complaining, failing to follow his directions and laws, and by not trusting in him. The Beast and Babylon (Part Seven): How Can Israel Be the Great Whore? In I Kings 14:15, God warns that He will ultimately. So, what is it that Israel needed to do differently? Today's Western culturea product of the nations of Israelis not so very different from Sodom and Gomorrah. "The great house" refers to the noble or wealthy family in society, and these "big names" will certainly be destroyed along with the common folk.