locusts good eating

Today we look at the second book of the minor prophets Joel (whose name means Jehovah is his God.)

Joel witnesses locust fall on the kingdom of Judah. now this is bad news for the middle east even for today locusts eat plains and they travel in swarms in fact in Proverbs 30:27

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands

I think this is something we can learn they work together

Joel says the locusts pale in comparison to the judgment in the great and terrible day of the lord note that he was talking about the first coming but the second coming of the lord.

but as always this prophets ends in hope for Israel

When we teach the word, I think we too often go to extremes from talking about all judgment to no judgment.  I say if there is no judgment what are we saved from. but on the other side, I also find hard to convert someone if you talk about hell in every sentence.  sure hell I something to be afraid of but we should not give it our full attention

a prophet marries a prostitute

Today we start the study on prophets namely the minor prophets. The minor prophets are the last twelve books in the old testament although in the Jewish bible the minor prophets is one book called the book of the twelve. 

I apologize to Pastor Zachary Bartels if I steal his thunder when i get to Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi

First up is Hosea (whose name means salvation which is the same meaning as Jesus).  We read in 1:1 that Hosea prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam (increase of the people) son of Jehoash.  Jeroboam was a good king from the world's perspective but he practiced idolatry and oppressed the poor

Now Hosea was commanded by God to marry a prostitute named Gomer (which means complete; vanishing).  Hosea is told by God to name his children Jezreel (God scatters), Lo-Ruhamah (not pitied), and Lo-Ammi (not my people).  These names have meaning especially since God named them, They refer to the destruction of Samaria.  Although,  This is not the end of this book,  This books ends in hope. 

In Hosea 11:1 it says

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

This is a reference to how God brought Israel out of Egypt in the exodus, but Matthew sees a parallel in Jesus going to Egypt to escape the crazy fruitcake, Herod the Great.

So what is the application?  I hope its not marry a prostitute.  I think the application is God for us to be faithful, just as Hosea longed for Gomer to be faithful.  I think the important thing is after Gomer is unfaithful God commands him to take her back to show God wants to take Israel and us back

matthew 7:15-20 (prophets and prophecies of the old testament)

Today we start a bible study on prophets and prophecies, so today i will giving you an overview of prophets.

First, what is a prophet?  Think of prophets as the opposite of priests, a priest talks to God for man whereas a prophet speaks to man on Gods behalf.  In the old testament, prophets gave a variety of messages including telling the future but not always telling the future.  a prophet also expounded upon God's holy word, pointed out the sins of kings (ex. Nathan and David),  and pronounced judgment on nations,  but also spoke hope (which is good because judgment should not be the end of the story)

I chose this passage to introduce this study because in this passage Jesus points out there are false prophets pretending to be true prophets.  There are 3 main tests to tell a false prophets from a true prophet

First, Does the prophecy come true? It says in Deuteronomy 18:21-22

when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

According this prophecy if what he says about the future does not come true we need not listen to him anymore.

Second does it correspond with God's law.  It says in 1st John 4:1-3

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

This is what Paul calls the sword of the spirit.  It is the weapon Jesus uses against Satan in the wilderness especially when Satan quotes psalms.

Third does the prophet live a God-fearing life.  My pastor, Zachary Bartels, just finished a sermon series on Jude where he talks about people who say because we are saved by grace we can live like we want but that is not the case it says in Romans 6

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

"By not means" I think we can better translate as H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS NO

also the prophets pointed to the messiah and all the prophecies were fulfilled in JESUS CHRIST.

and this study will also show that God is in control of history even the pagan world powers

Esther 8,9,10 (DICE PARTY)

In the beginning of this passage Xerxes issues a decree that says the Jews can defend themselves, because you remember even he cannot repeal his first law.  I admire Esther here because she isn't satisfied until all of God's people are safe not just her and Mordecai.

In Esther 9 the Jews attend to unfinished business with the Amelakites.  The author take greats to emphasis the Jew don't take plunder even though they are allowed, which stands in contrast to Saul taking the plunder in 1 Samuel 15 which cost him the kingship.  Here we also see the festival of Purim estabished to celebrate God's providence even though he is not mentioned.  It is name Purim because Pur means dice and that Haman used to determine the day of destruction for the Jews but God used the pur to determine their salvation.  If Haman's plan succeeded the plan of salvation through Jesus would have been kaput.

In Esther 10 Mordecai is raised to Haman's old position so Esther and Mordecai were as Joseph put in genesis 49 where God put them.  Haman intended evil but God, as always, intended good

Now where to go next in my bible study, either matthew or luke or just the sermon on the mount

esther 7 (who says the bible is boring)

           In this passage we read about haman's downfall.  at the second dinner Esther reveals that she and her people are in danger, but king Xerxes can't believe who would threaten the queen and her people.  So she points the finger rightly at haman. 

          King Xerxes leaves the room to absorb the news i would guess.  In a twist of irony the man who was mad because a jew refused to bow to him bows before queen Esther.  The king comes back at the worst possible time for Haman and thinks Haman is seducing his queen.

        Harbona, the king's eunuch, tells Xerxes about the gallows built to kill Mordecai, which means haman also threatened the king's benefactor and in another twist of irony he is hanged on the gallows he built.  remember

Luke 6:37  "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven