Posts filed under ‘Judaism’
Introduction to Jeremiah
Jeremiah is made up of 52 chapters and represents one of, if not, the longest book in the Bible regarding text. Below are some facts surrounding the prophet Jeremiah and the book he is known for writing.
In the coming weeks, as we go through the book of Jeremiah, we will most likely cover a number of chapters together, rather than go over one chapter per week since it would take a year to do so. This look at Jeremiah will be a bit cursory, but will cover major aspects of the book and we’ll find out how it applies not only to the nation of Israel but to believers today as well.
Do We Christians Do This?
By the time of Malachi, Israel had literally become numb toward God, having gotten to that point by deliberately and continually moving from faithful and obedient to becoming full faithless and disobedient. They eventually became bitter toward God. Can you imagine that? They actually harbored animosity and bitterness toward the God who had rescued them from Egypt and many troubles after that.
What Can Happen to Society, Pt 3
This is how far the Israelite society had fallen because of their continued rejection of God and His truth. They didn’t want to do things His way. They wanted to do things their way, much like the way global society today is doing things. God out. Self in. They think because there has been no immediate reckoning, that God either doesn’t hear, or worse, doesn’t exist. This is the exact same type of thinking that Israel entered into and because of it, got themselves in serious trouble time and time again.
Zechariah 14: Last Days in Detail
Zechariah 14 is a powerful and dynamic chapter that speaks of the Day of the Lord and the ultimate victory of God over evil. It serves as a reminder to all believers of the hope and redemption that is to come through Jesus Christ. The imagery of judgment, deliverance, and worship points to the final fulfillment of God’s promises to his people. As we await the return of Christ, we can take comfort in the knowledge that God is sovereign and will ultimately triumph over all.
Zechariah 13: An End to Idolatry
Israel’s problems came from the fact that they often wandered from God, literally turning their backs on Him, to worship false gods (demons). While they often continued to observe the sacrificial system, their hearts were not in it. They simply went through the motions of worship to check things off. God saw their hearts, that they were far from Him. Because they had turned their backs on Him, He chose to turn His back (temporarily) on Israel in order to refine and purify those within Israel who were dedicated to Him.
What Can Happen to Society, Pt 1
Though Israel endeavored to follow this judge or that judge’s leadership, as soon as that judge died, the people of Israel reverted back to their former ways and began again to worship foreign gods (v19). It is amazing to me that God continued to put up with that and if not for His unconditional covenant with Israel, He would have completely wiped that nation off the face of the earth. He did not do that though He often destroyed many within Israel because of how they rejected Him continually.
Zechariah 12: Deliverance of Judah
In truth, it is not just that Israel rejected the Good Shepherd, but that Israel then embraced/will embrace Worthless Shepherds throughout her history and will do so a final time in the future! This recounts the events of the Messiah’s first advent and death, followed by the destruction and dissolution of Jerusalem and Israel as a nation in AD 70.
Zechariah 11: Israel’s Sin and Punishment
Zechariah 11 deals with the problems that Israel would face. The prophet was speaking a hundreds of years before Roman armies surrounded and sacked Jerusalem, but his words came to fulfillment. While many conservative commentators believe there was partial fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecies in the Roman destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70), the full and final aspect of this fulfillment will not occur until the coming Tribulation period of seven years, leading up to the physical return of Jesus to this planet.
Nadab’s Strange Fire
For Christians today, we are all fully under the blood of Jesus. Without it, we have zero protection from God’s wrath. With it, we are fully protected from it. However, the same temptation exists today for all Christians that existed for Nadab and Abihu. That is, the tendency to take God for granted or to allow our arrogance to move us away from how God expects us to live in this life.
It is a constant battle for the Christian, isn’t it? Thank God He does not deal with us as He dealt with the Israelites under the Law!
Zechariah 9: Israel’s Enemies Judged
In verses 11-17, God’s final deliverance and blessing of Israel will happen when Messiah returns. God will, with finality, save His people (the final Jewish remnant). Jesus will destroy all of Israel’s enemies upon His return through judgment and then He will also judge all nations (Matthew 24:31-46).
StudyGrowKnow 