Malachi 3-4

Once again we have a passage directly from God concerning the sins that particularly offend him. Against the sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit the vulnerable, and those who reject the sojourners he will bear witness at judgment. Do you want to know what I see in this list? A collection of people who mislead, …

Ezekiel 25-27

And now God gets into the judgments against the surrounding nations. He promised they would be judged as well. Now those judgments are being pronounced. I find it interesting that one of the big reasons for judgment is rejoicing in Judah’s fall. These were enemies. Historical, constant enemies. But they’re being punished, harshly, for celebrating …

Ezekiel 22-24

I’ve always been taught 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none,” meant that there wasn’t a single righteous person left in Judah. Except, reading it this time, …

Ezekiel 16-18

There is a pretty intense metaphor for what the people have done here. I mean intense. And a very nice accusation that Sodom had nothing on them (Sodom’s sin was: “pride… did not aid the poor…” so… injustice and oppression. Not that other thing). But it’s chapter 18 I want to focus on. Personal responsibility. …

Ezekiel 13-15

God is a very jealous god. He really does not tolerate idolatry. All of this destruction and suffering is the result of the people violating their covenant and worshipping other gods. But there are few things that will escalate God’s jealousy to full wrath. He will not tolerate the corruption of justice, which the people …

Jeremiah 51-52

So Babylon faces judgment for sins against Judah. On the surface, this doesn’t seem entirely right, does it? God uses Babylon to punish Judah, and then he turns around and punishes Babylon for how they treated Judah. Except, God doesn’t make Babylon do anything. I think a far better way to say it would be: …

Jeremiah 49-50

There was one line that caught my attention in the middle of these prophecies of judgment. “If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, will you go unpunished?” God never said that only bad people will suffer, that suffering is earned, deserved, somehow, that pain is judgment. Sometimes it is, …

Jeremiah 7-9

Go ahead and start mourning, Judah. Everyone is going to die. That’s the message here. The worship in the temple, the sacrifices, it’s all completely meaningless, because it isn’t from the heart. It isn’t real. It’s just form. The people are worshipping all the other gods, too. There’s no devotion. Worse: they’re sacrificing their children. …