Ethics must begin with who God is and who we are in relation to him. Ethical instruction in the Bible does not depend on “blind obedience” but is based on the principle that “God acts first and calls people to respond.” Malachi demonstrates this principle in the opening paragraph: “I have loved you”. Malachi points to a historical event of the past, to God’s choosing Jacob over Esau and to his consequent faithful treatment of Israel/Judah in spite of their wickedness contrasted with his just treatment of Edom for their wickedness. Just as Israel’s afflictions had not been accidental or merely the work of men, the same can be said of Edom’s destruction. God had cursed Edom forever as a demonstration of his just administration over the entire world (1:4–5). But whereas they would become known as “a territory of wickedness” because of God’s justice (1:4), Israel would be known throughout the world as“a land of delight” (3:12). This was not because they had pleased God, but because God was faithful—“Because I, Yahweh, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed” (3:6). The survival of Israel’s relationship with Yahweh “depended totally on his faithfulness and loyalty to his own character and promises, not on their own success in keeping the law.”

​Old Testament ethics was founded on God’s sovereignty over history, which should have enhanced Israel’s motive for obedience. His sovereignty was not only manifested in redeeming his people and judging their enemies in the past but in disciplining his people in the present. Israel’s bitter attitude toward God shown in their opening question in 1:2 (“How have you loved us?”) and throughout Malachi demonstrates that they were suffering and considered God to blame. They were whining because God was not responding favorably to their offerings (2:13).
God never denies in Malachi being the immediate cause of Judah’s troubles, but he places the blame on their shoulders. He was Israel’s “Father” in that he had begotten them, and thus he became their Master. It was on that basis that he demanded “honor” and “fear.” The priests were charged with failing to respond in this way to God’s provisions and blessings at his “table” (1:7). But God’s rebuke and discipline of the priests was in order that his covenant with the priestly tribe of Levi should continue. This covenant was not a conditional contract but a grant. God’s promise of a future redemption for the righteous is another aspect of his sovereignty over history that is foundational for Old Testament ethics. Strikingly in Malachi, it is the nations (Gentiles) who are first mentioned as objects of redemption.

Old Testament ethics was God-centered in content. The shape of Old Testament ethics was largely determined by God’s character. As he is not only faithful but diligent and persistent in his relationships (2:4; 3:6, 17), he demands that same behavior of his people in their relationships (2:10, 14). As his love is equitable and impartial toward all his people, he expects his people to be impartial in their treatment of others (2:9; 3:5). As he is holy, his people must be holy; and “God’s own holiness is thoroughly practical,” including generosity, justice, integrity, considerate behavior, impartiality, and honesty. It was precisely because Israel during Malachi’s time had lost sight of what God had done for them that they were failing to obey his law. They had lost not only the motive but also the model for obedience. Idolatry was so destructive to Israel because a different “god” resulted in a different ethic. This is why the ethical triangle must begin with the theological angle and why Malachi begins with a focus on how God was being viewed, treated, and portrayed by Judah’s teaching leadership.

​​Today we finished reading the last few chapters of the prophet Zechariah. Tomorrow we will read the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi. If you are like me, it feels like we have been reading the Prophets since Easter, when in reality we have been reading through the Prophets of God since the middle of July. Before we leave the Prophets and the Old Testament period, I thought it would be good to answer a question that many of us might be thinking. 

What is the point to Biblical prophecy?

This is an important question to ask, especially since we have been reading much of it the last few months. First, when people hear of Biblical prophecy their minds go right to forecasting the future. In one sense this is right. Today we read some biblical prophecy from Zechariah telling of the future of the city of Jerusalem. But in another sense going right to future discussion when the term biblical prophecy comes up is very wrong. Most of the prophecy in the Bible is either past forecast that has already taken place, like the coming of Jesus as a baby, or is a Word from the Lord to challenge His people of the prophet’s day. So most, like 95%, of Biblical prophecy is not forecasting our future. This is a serious truth that we, the church today, need to keep in mind. 

But then the question comes, what is the point of God telling us the 5% of prophecy as a future forecast for us? We have 3 options in how to answer that question. First, God could be giving us clues to the future so we can figure them out and have a map for the future. Second, God could be telling us the future so we can think nothing of it and enjoy the moment we are in. Third, God could give us clues to the future so we can be a different people and be transformed because of it. The third option is the only correct option. God did not give us clues to the future so we can enjoy the moment or so we can figure them out. God did not give us Biblical prophecy so we could set dates, call down His judgement, or try to figure it out. God does not want His children to figure or even guess at any of the future, He wants His children to know the outcome and trust Him to get us all there. God gave us prophetic forecast so that we would be changed, ready, waiting, and most importantly telling others what is ahead so they can also be transformed by the power of God. God gave prophecy so His children would have hope and rejoice waiting in anticipation for Him to bring it about. So here is 3 important and timely implicational questions thinking about the purpose of biblical prophecy of the future for the church.

-Is the church full of hope and joy waiting in anticipation of Jesus triumphal return?

-Is the church ready for His return, in that it is being transformed, obedient to the mission, and unified around the Gospel?

-Is the church falling into the trap, sin, and heretical predictions of figuring out the future when it was never intended to be that way?

​

Zechariah is a hard book to understand, what with all the different visions, oracles, and speeches that are connected into one book. So I thought today I would help by unpacking one of the sections that we read today. Here are my thoughts in helping us unpack Zechariah 6:9-15.

The oracle in this central and most prominent section of the book forms a hinge between the two larger sections. Like 3:1–10 it describes a messianic prototype receiving the signs of his office. The introduction, “the word of the Lord came to me” (occurring elsewhere only in Jeremiah and Ezekiel), also echoes 4:8, where it introduces an oracle promising Zerubbabel’s completion of the temple. Rather than Zerubbabel here, only Joshua and “the Branch” are mentioned. Zechariah is told to make royal crowns (in Hebrew the word is plural) and to crown Joshua. Then the crowns are to be placed in the temple as a reminder of what God was going to do.

But first Joshua receives a divine message that “the Branch” (since the message was for Joshua, “the Branch” designates someone else) would build the temple, be glorified, and rule (see 1 Chr. 29:25). Now the building of the postexilic temple was already assigned to Zerubbabel (4:9), who as a Davidic descendant prefigured the Messiah (Hag. 2:23). But the Messiah would build the temple associated with His earthly kingdom of righteousness, a future temple prefigured by Zerubbabel’s (4:8–10). Therefore, this oracle spans both contemporary and future fulfillment of God’s purposes. The passage’s ambiguity regarding the number of crowns and the number of thrones is due to the need for both Zerubbabel and Joshua to foreshadow the Messiah, who would be both king and priest. In ancient Israel the king’s throne as well as the ark in the Holy of holies were both the Lord’s throne (see 1 Chr. 29:23). The reference to “harmony between the two” in verse 13 either personifies the Messiah’s dual office or perhaps describes the relation between the Lord and His Anointed (see Ps. 45:6–7; 110:1; Dan. 7:9–14; Heb. 1:3, 13; Rev. 5:6). Finally, although the future kingdom was assured by God’s grace and power, the contemporary “sign” depended upon the diligent obedience of Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the remnant.

People have heard this message of judgement down through the centuries, and they still need to realize that they are in danger of God’s condemnation that is coming upon the whole world. This is why we, like the apostles, preach the gospel of saving grace to everyone who will listen to God’s call to turn aside from sin and turn to Christ in repentance and faith. It should be the aim of every church’s social and evangelistic activity to bring sinners face to face with the danger of God’s judgement and so help them to turn to the only hope of salvation: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Judeans of Zephaniah’s day were probably happy to hear that Zephaniah was calling people to repentance. It was no new message. It is found throughout the whole of the Bible and is one of the major themes of the Old as well as the New Testament. People are sinful, unkind, thoughtless and self-satisfied. They need to turn away from their wicked ways and seek the Lord.

Yet, when Zephaniah started preaching, his message was not received with rapturous applause. On the contrary, it was hated, because instead of addressing it to the heathen around them, it was aimed directly at them.

Today, all people, including church congregations, need to be reminded of the need to repent. Those who have never tasted that the Lord is gracious (Ps. 34:8) need to have their hearts, minds and wills opened to receive the message of God’s love, the message that warns them of the danger they are in without Christ and that urges them to ‘call on the name of the Lord [and] be saved’ (Acts 2:21). Those who have known the presence of the Lord for very many years also need to heed the call to repent and return to the Lord and his ways. Sadly, many Christian people have continued to sin in many ways, not least by gossiping, being jealous of the gifts of others or giving the impression that they are better and more deeply spiritual than others. Those who persist in their unholy ways will be swept away—at least, their boasting will be removed, even though they themselves will be saved, but only as those ‘escaping through the flames’ (1 Cor. 3:15). This is a very unpopular message, and many preachers today are being urged to drop the old gospel message and only emphasize the fact that God is love and that if we come to him he will meet all of our needs. Yet if we only preach the love of God, we will preach an unbalanced gospel. It is quite wrong and unhelpful to think that we should not preach anything that will challenge people’s lives for fear that it will deter them from turning to Christ. The Old Testament prophets pulled no punches when they spoke about God’s punishment of evil and disobedience; neither should God’s people in these days, as they seek to bring sinners to the foot of the cross in repentance and faith.

 

 

*We will be looking at today’s reading of Haggai, this coming Sunday morning*

The prophecy of Nahum, as the title asserts, is concerned with one subject alone. It is “the burden of Nineveh;” it announces the fate of that evil city. In the Greek Bible it is placed immediately after Jonah, as being the complement of that book. Jonah had preached repentance to Nineveh, and the people had hearkened to his voice, but had soon relapsed into their old sins, and now Nahum pronounces their sentence. Their pride, oppression, idolatry, and especially their defiance of God’s sovereignty, are severely rebuked, and the certain and complete destruction of the nation is plainly announced.

The prophecy is composed of three strophes, answering almost exactly to the three chapters into which it is divided. It begins (ch. 1.) with stating God’s purpose to inflict punishment on Nineveh. The Lord is just and severe, long-suffering, indeed, as the continued existence of Assyria proves, yet the certain Avenger of wrong-doing. Who has ever withstood his power? Earth and sea, and all the inhabitants thereof, bear witness to his irresistible might. And Nineveh must perish, in spite of its riches and its armies, because it has exalted itself against God and his people. Thus the Lord’s justice shall be revealed and established, when be brings ruin on his enemies and happiness to his children. Then (ch. 2.) the prophet announces more in detail the destruction of Nineveh. She shall be besieged, she shall struggle in vain, she shall be taken and plundered and utterly wasted. Comparing her future ruin with her past splendour, the prophet is lost in admiration of the equity and wisdom of God, who doeth all these things. What is the cause of this calamity he then proceeds to state (ch. 3.). Assyria had become notorious for cruelty, treachery, rapine, idolatry. It had seduced other nations to follow its steps. And now its might should save it no more than its strength had saved Thebes, so lately captured. Its towers and fortresses should fall, its soldiers should lose heart, its palaces be consumed with fire, its inhabitants be put to the sword, and the Assyrian empire, lately so formidable and strong, should become a byword of derision among all people.

This past Sunday we read the four part story of Jonah. As a child growing up in the church, the story of Jonah and the big fish. This fantastic story from the Bible was turned into a Veggietales Movie and song by the Christian music group, Newsboys. But there is much more to this story than meets the eye. First, Jonah is originally mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25. This context shows that most of Jonah’s ministry as a prophet was forecasting the military victories by King Jeroboam II and his expansion of the northern kingdom of Israel. Jonah was written to and a prophet in the same context of Amos, in that the people of God were comfortable, content, at peace, and thought God was blessing and for them in their lives, idolatry, and rebellion. Second, Jonah is mentioned by Jesus (Matt. 12:39-41, Luke 11:29-32) as an illustration of the time of the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was not only showing the connection of Jonah in the belly of the fish to Jesus in the belly of the tomb, but Jesus was also showing the historical truth to the story of Jonah. Jesus shows us that Jonah is not a fantasy and fictional story, but a real live person who God had to use to show His truth and character. Lastly, with the fantastic story of the fish and Jonah being swallowed by the fish and living in the belly of the fish for 3 days (take that Pinocchio), most of us miss the entire point and climax of the 4 part story. The climax and point of the entire story of Jonah is found in 4:2. Jonah’s quote in this verse comes from Exodus 34:6-7. Jonah is story about the compassion, faithfulness, mercy, and grace of God. God uses the rebellious prophet, the people of Nineveh (Israel’s arch-enemy), and the plant with the worm to showcase His character for His people. Jonah is written for the people of God, to show them the character of God, before it is too late and they reject the grace and mercy of God. That is the point of Jonah. I pray as we think about this 4 part story again today, we hope and trust in the God who is faithful, compassionate, full of mercy, and abounding in love.

*Just for some fun, the book of Jonah ends with a question, can you find the other book in the Bible that ends in a question???* 

This past Saturday we read the short and small, yet very powerful, book of Obadiah. Obadiah can be a hard book to understand since we do not have much context or historical info to help unpack the book. I am here to help and I pray after I unpack the book a little you will enjoy this short joyful book even more. I will unpack the book in more of an outline and key thoughts way.

Original audience/reader: This book was written for the Israelites that had just gone into exile and were feeling very depressed, frustrated, and angry because Edom had helped capture and bring much pain to the people.

Other Scriptures to help unpack the book: While reading through Obadiah also take a look at; Deuteronomy 23:7, Jeremiah 49:7-22, and Ezekiel 25:12-14

Purpose for writing: Doom of Edom and Promise to Hebrew people.

Structure: The book can be divided into 3 sections; 1-9, 10-16, 17-21

New Testament connection: James 1:22-25, 1 Peter 1:22

Topics in book: Pride, Wisdom, Wealth, and Status

Key Theme: God does not overlook any sin. Yes, God holds His children to the standard of Holiness, but He will still punish all people for their sin. Rather than look at the pain others bring you in their sin, focus on your own battle with sin and pride. Even as God will punish the sin of all people, His children still have hope in God alone. Today and one day much fuller and more real, God will bring hope and blessing to His people. So in the middle of the sinful painful broken circumstance, look forward to the coming day when God will restore, vindicate and bless His people completely and perfectly.