Rich Nelson Uncategorized

44: Micah — Introduction & The ruler from Bethlehem — Micah 5:2-15

Get Ready

Micah (which means “Who is like Jehovah?”) has two significant passages. The first is the prophet’s prediction of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, which he calls “one of the little clans of Judah.” The second passage identifies the three things the Lord requires of us [6:8].

Author

In the first verse the author identifies himself as “Micah of Moresheth.” His home was a small village in the southern part of Judah. He does not tell us his “day job,” but his denunciation of greed and oppression probably marks him as poor and used to hard work. At the same time, he demonstrates familiarity with Jerusalem and Samaria, the capital cities of Judah and Israel.

Micah does put his work “in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,” who reigned in Judah from 750 to 687 BCE.

Context

The period of Micah’s prophecy included two very significant events. Assyria defeated the northern kingdom in 722 BCE, which fulfilled his prophecies against Israel [1:2-7]. The victors removed the Israelites from the land and brought in settlers from other parts of the empire. 

The destruction of Samaria just to the north should have gotten the attention of the people of Judah. 

To some degree it did. King Hezekiah led a reformation that destroyed the places of idol worship and returned the people to following God’s commandments. He followed Isaiah, the prophet, and even withstood an invasion attempt by the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. The invasion failed when God killed almost 200,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp.

After Hezekiah died, however, the leaders of Judah thought that having the temple in Jerusalem was enough to protect them from the suffering the same fate as Israel. In the end they were wrong.

Structure

There are three sections in this book. Each section begins with a judgment and ends with a  promise.

  • The first section [chapters 1-2] is the judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem, particularly against greed and corruption. The powerful “devise wickedness and evil deeds” and then “they perform it because it is in their power,” [2:1]. Micah singles out taking people’s property and inheritance. The section ends with God’s promise to gather the people and “set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture,” [2:12]. 
  • The middle section [chapters 3-4] is a judgment against wicked rulers and religious leaders “who hate the good and love the evil,” and “who cry ‘Peace’ when they have something to eat, but declare war against those who put nothing in their mouths,” [3:2, 5]. This section ends with another promise of restoration: “I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those I have afflicted,” [4:6].
  • The final section [chapters 6-7] is like a court case God is bringing against the people: “Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. . . . for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel,” [6:1-2]. The sin here is corruption: “wicked scales and dishonest weights,” [6:11]. The section – and the book – ends with Micah saying God “will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from days of old,” 7:19-20].

Chapter five is an interlude in which the prophet predicts “the one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old,” [5:2] will come from Bethlehem. This interlude also describes the role of “the remnant of Jacob” and the ultimate judgment “on the nations that did not obey,” [5:15].

Major Themes

Micah is like most of the Old Testament prophets: his message is a mixture of judgment and denunciation of sin with promises of God’s love and loyalty to his chosen people.

God does not excuse or overlook sin. He rescued the Israelites from slavery and called them to demonstrate his love and holiness to the world by their example. When the people ignore his commandments and worship idols he calls them to account through his prophets. Actions have consequences and sin leads to punishment. But God’s love is steadfast. Restoration will follow punishment. Reconciliation will follow estrangement. Fellowship will lead to obedience.

Micah goes farther than any other prophet in describing how the future ruler will accomplish God’s purposes and lead his people. He predicts his birth in Bethlehem; he describes him as “from of old, from ancient days;” he says the ruler will provide for the people and give them peace and security – and will ultimately defeat the Assyrians. Both the gospels of Matthew [2:6] and John [7:42] refer to this prophecy of Jesus’ birth.

Get into the Word

1. Who wrote this book?  What does his name mean? When did he write it? What else do we know about the author?

2. What was the political and military situation when the prophet did his work? What significant events happened during his ministry? What effect did this have on the other kingdom?

3. How did the kingdom of Judah respond to the events? What did the king attempt to do? Who did the king follow? How did he deal with the Assyrian attackers? What happened to the opposing army? What was the long-term effect of his actions?

4. How is this book organized? What does each major part deal with? How are the parts similar to each other? How do they differ?

5. What does the interlude between the judgments deal with? What is significant about this passage? Why do you suppose the prophet put it where he did? How did he know the location?

6. How is this author like most of the other Old Testament prophets? What is the primary theme of this prophecy? What does he say about God’s response to sin? What does he say about God’s love? What does he say about God’s promise for the future?

Bible Trivia:

Micah begins his book with the last words of another prophet with a very similar name, Micaiah: “Hear, you peoples, all of you!” [1 Kings 22:28].

And . . .

Micah’s closing words: “You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old,” [7:20], are paraphrased by a much later prophet, Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist): “Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor, Abraham,” [Luke 1:72-73].

And . . .

Jesus echoes Micah in his prediction of family division [7:6]: “A man against his father, and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household,” [Matt 10:35-36]. 

44: The ruler from Bethlehem and the remnant — Micah 5:2-15

Get Ready

How do you feel about the safety and security of your family? Do you have a home security system? Do you always lock your doors when you leave? Do you have anti-virus protection on your computer and cell phone? Do you stop your mail when you go on vacation?

The Word

52 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient days. 
3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time
when she who is in labor has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return
to the people of Israel. 
4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth; 
5 and he shall be the one of peace.
If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil, 
we will raise against them seven shepherds
and eight installed as rulers. 
6 They shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword;
they shall rescue us from the Assyrians
if they come into our land or tread within our border. 

The Future Role of the Remnant

7 Then the remnant of Jacob,
surrounded by many peoples, 
shall be like dew from the Lord,
like showers on the grass,
which do not depend upon people
or wait for any mortal. 
8 And among the nations the remnant of Jacob,
surrounded by many peoples,
shall be like a lion among the animals of the forest,
like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,
which, when it goes through, treads down
and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver. 
9 Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,
and all your enemies shall be cut off. 
10 In that day, says the Lord,
I will cut off your horses from among you
and will destroy your chariots; 
11 and I will cut off the cities of your land
and throw down all your strongholds; 
12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,
and you shall have no more soothsayers; 
13 and I will cut off your images
and your pillars from among you,
and you shall bow down no more
to the work of your hands; 
14 and I will uproot your sacred poles from among you and destroy your towns. 
15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is actually speaking in this passage? What is the speaker talking about? Who is the speaker referring to? How does the speaker describe this person? What role will the person have? When?

2. What is this “ruler” going to do? When will this happen [see Notes]? Who will the ruler lead? How will the ruler lead these people? Where will he get his authority?

3. What does God say about possible enemies? What will happen to them? 

4. What is the “remnant of Jacob?” How does God describe their situation? What image does he use? Why does he use such an image for his people? How do you think Micah’s readers responded to this image of their future?

5. What will God do with the remnant in the future? What will he eliminate? Why [see Notes]? What difference will this make to the people? How will God change the people’s worship practices? 







Get Personal

How has God helped you understand his promises of spiritual security? How has he taught you to trust him for protection?

Notes . . .

5:2. Bethlehem of Ephrathah — Bethlehem is a town south of Jerusalem; Ephrathah is a village in the same area. They identify the hometown and clan of King David. (Bethlehem is not listed in either Joshua’s or Nehemiah’s lists of Israelite towns.)
Little clan — David’s family was not well known when God chose him to be king, either.
Ancient days — David was born 300 years before Micah prophesied; but this phrase suggested “the ruler” is from an even older time.
5:3. The time — this reference is not to Jesus’ birth, but to the end time when God, through Christ, will gather all his people together: The rest of his kindred shall return to the people of Israel. Isaiah also links Jesus’ birth and his return in power [check Isaiah 9:6-7 and 61:1-2].
5:5. Assyrians — King Hezekiah had “defeated” (actually God did it) the Assyrian army during Micah’s ministry. Unfortunately, many leaders took that as a sign Jerusalem would never be conquered.
5:6. Nimrod — a great grandson of Noah, “a mighty hunter before the Lord,” [Gen 10:9].
5:7. Remnant of Jacob — the returned Jews (“rest of his kindred” above) who are descended from Jacob.

5:10. Cut off your horses — God had told the Israelites not to rely on a standing army for protection [Deut 17:16], but to trust his power. Similarly, those who trust God will not need walled cities or strongholds [v. 11].
5:12. Cut off sorceries — God will also eliminate false worship (sorceries, soothsayers, images, pillars, idols, poles) from the restored nation.
5:14. Sacred poles — poles used in worshipping the goddess, Asherah, a fertility goddess in pagan Palestine.

Doctrine Note: 
God’s anger and wrath . . .

These two words are used throughout the Bible to refer to God’s response to sin. However, it is important to remember these are human words attempting to describe a spiritual reality. Human anger is an emotional response to not getting our way – usually by being either harmed or ignored by another person. It is a selfish response. Sin is essentially setting ourself apart from God, breaking or ignoring the relationship of love God offers us. We are rejecting God, not the other way around.

Memory Verse
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? [Micah 6:8].

Next Lesson
Nahum 1: The consuming wrath of God and promise for Judah.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

43: Jonah — Introduction & Jonah's attempt to flee from God — Jonah 1:1-2:10

Get Ready

Jonah is a most unusual prophet with a most unusual story. He refuses to obey God, tries to run away, repents, then gets mad at God for blessing an enemy. And his book is a “fish story” that Jesus believes is true. Do you?

Author

There is general agreement that the prophet, Jonah, wrote this book. He identifies himself as the “son of Amittai” [1:1]. We also know that he prophesied in the northern kingdom when Jeroboam II ruled Israel [2 Kings 14:25], and that he lived in Gath Hepher, a small Israeli village.

Some modern critics argue the book was written much later as an allegory against the strong exclusivity of the Jews following their return from captivity. They do so largely because they do not accept the miracles involved in Jonah’s story. But these miracles (primarily the “large fish” [1:17] and the “bush” that grew fast then withered just as quickly [4:7]) are no harder to believe than the other miracles by which God protected his chosen people.

Context

Jeroboam ruled Israel from 793 to 753 BCE, as a vassal state of the Assyrian empire, which controlled much of the region for more than 200 years. Nineveh was its capital. This at least partly explains Jonah’s attempt to avoid going to the capital city of a hundred-year-old enemy. Further, God wanted to give this city and its people a chance to repent and avoid judgment.

Nineveh was more than 500 miles north of Israel on the Tigris River. Its walls supposedly were 50 feet wide and 100 feet high and roughly eight miles across inside. This made it a large and imposing city for someone from essentially small-town Israel.

Structure

Unlike most prophetic books, Jonah is a narrative – the story of the prophet’s encounter with God. There are four primary sections:

  • In chapter 1 God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh, the Assyrian capital, and preach repentance to the people. Jonah tries to avoid this assignment by taking a ship in the opposite direction, but a violent storm leads to his being thrown overboard and then “rescued” by a giant fish.
  • Chapter 2 is Jonah’s prayer of repentance and thanksgiving for the rescue.
  • Chapter 3 recounts Jonah’s visit to Nineveh with his warning to repent within forty days or “Nineveh shall be overthrown!” [3:4]. The king leads the people in repentance and God “changed his mind about the calamity that he said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it,” [3:10].
  • In Chapter 4 Jonah expresses his anger at God for blessing Nineveh and sulks outside the city. God responds by growing a bush to shade him for a day and then destroying the bush the next day and bringing wind and heat on Jonah. God reproves Jonah for being mad at the bush and having no compassion for the people of Nineveh.

Major Themes

This book presents two messages. The primary teaching is that God is the God for all the people of the earth, not just the Jews. The second message is that God can use people who resist him to demonstrate his power and his love (God can also use people who may not even be aware of him).

God chose Abraham and the nation of Israel to “be a blessing” so that “all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” [Gen 12:2-3]. He did not choose Israel because it was a righteous nation (it would demonstrate its unrighteousness many times), or because it was a strong or powerful nation. He chose Israel to be the example of his love for humankind. He wanted people to see his character in the character of Israel.

Even though Assyria ruled the entire region and had exacted tribute and taxes from Israel, God wanted to give the Assyrians one last opportunity to repent. Even today, God offers everyone an opportunity to repent. It does not matter what the person has done in the past; it only matters that God loves all people. 

God chose Jonah to deliver his message to the citizens of Nineveh. But Jonah could not get past his experience as a Jew subjected to Assyria’s harsh rule, and he refused to do what God had asked. Which is the second great insight from this book: God can accomplish his purposes regardless of whether we agree with him or not, regardless of whether we cooperate or not, regardless of whether we obey or not.

Jonah initially refuses and tries to escape from God’s direction, then reluctantly obeys, then gets angry at God and at a plant. But God continues to demonstrate his power and his love.

There is another aspect of Nineveh’s repentance: the pagans responded to Jonah’s message and were saved from God’s judgment. The Israelites back in the northern kingdom were continuing to ignore God’s message and his laws.

Get into the Word

1. Who wrote this book? Where did he prophesy? Where did he live? What was the situation during his work and life? Why do some people question whether Jonah actually wrote this book? Is this book that much different than other Old Testament books?

2. When did the author do his ministry? Who was the king at this time? What was the political situation of Israel at this time? How might this explain the prophet’s response to God’s call? What else do we know about Nineveh? Would this affect Jonah’s actions?

3. How is this book organized? What are the major sections of Jonah’s story? What makes it unique as a prophetic book? Why do you suppose the author chose this format? Does it make it easier or more difficult to understand the book’s message?

4. What actions make Jonah stand out from the other prophets? What other figures in the Old Testament argued with God or tried to avoid doing what God had asked them to do? How did God respond to them? What were the consequences of their actions?

5. What are the major themes of this book? How is this different than most of the prophetic books? How does this book give us a “preview” of the Gospels? How do you suppose the Israelites felt about the message of God’s love for the Assyrians? How might you have felt if you had been involved?

6. How did Jonah first respond to God’s call? How did God react to this situation? How did God change the situation? How did Jonah respond the second time? How did he feel about the assignment God gave him? How did God deal with this response?

Bible Trivia:
Jonah is one of only two books in the Old Testament that is not about the Jewish people or nation of Israel. The other book is Job.

Bible Trivia – Part 2:
Jesus clearly accepted the story of Jonah in the large fish as true: he says “for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth,” [Matt 12:40].

43: Jonah tries to run away from God – Jonah 1:1 – 2:10

Get Ready

Do you ever compare your life to some one else’s? Do you feel you have received more blessings than the other person? Or perhaps more judgments? Or more difficult tasks to accomplish? Do you tend to focus on what you have received or what you have had to do?

The Word

1Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 

4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 The captain came and said to him, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.” 

7 The sailors said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 “I am a Hebrew,” he replied. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them so. 

11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them.
14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, O Lord, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 

17 But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

2Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God
from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,
“I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. 
3 You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me; 
all your waves and your billows passed over me. 
4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight;
how shall I look again upon your holy temple?’ 
5 The waters closed in over me; the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped around my head 
6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land
whose bars closed upon me forever; 
yet you brought up my life from the Pit, O Lord my God. 
7 As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord;
and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. 
8 Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty. 
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay. Deliverance belongs to the Lord!” 
10 Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is involved in this situation? What does God tell Jonah to do? How does Jonah respond to God’s command? Where does he try to go? Why do you suppose he reacted this way? How might you have reacted?

2. What happens to Jonah after he leaves Israel? How do the sailors react to the situation? How does the captain? What do they try to do? How well does this work? What does Jonah tell the sailors when the lot identifies him as the person responsible for the storm? How do they respond?

3. What does Jonah say the sailors must do? Why would they hesitate to do this? What causes them to  finally act? How do they try to protect themselves from God’s anger?

4. How did God respond to the sailors’ action? What happened to the storm? How did the sailors feel about this?

5. What did God do to (or for) Jonah? How did Jonah respond to God’s actions? What did he say to God about his situation? How does he feel about what God did? How do you think you might have felt in Jonah’s place? What does he say about what happened to him? What does God do at the end?






Get Personal

Has God given you a task you really didn’t want to carry out? How did you respond to God at first? How did God help you understand the need to follow his direction? What happened when you carried out the task? How did it affect your walk with Christ?

Notes . . .

1:1. Jonah — a prophet during Jeroboam’s reign, which Amos and Hosea were also prophesying at that time. Both prophesied that Assyria would destroy the northern kingdom.
1:2. Nineveh — the capital of the Assyrian empire, more than 500 miles north of Israel.
Wickedness — Nineveh was the center for worship of the goddess Ishtar.
1:3. Tarshish — the location is not known for certain, some equate it with Sardinia while others believe it is in southern Spain or north Africa.
Fare — would have been a large amount of money, given the distance.
1:5. His own god — the sailors would accept “divine” help from anyone’s god. The captain even wakes Jonah so he can call on his deity [in v. 6].

1:7. Cast lots — a common method of discerning divine intent in the ancient world, including the Old Testament [for example: Lev 16:8; Josh 18:6; 1 Sam 14:42].
1:11. What shall we do to you? — since it is Jonah’s god who caused the storm, he would be the sacrifice to cause God to stop it.
1:17. Large fish — the Hebrew word can refer to any size creature of the sea. God saves Jonah from drowning.
Three days and three nights — Jesus called this the “Sign of Jonah” [Matt 12:39].
2:3. You cast — Jonah realizes that God, not the sailors, put him in the ocean.
2:7. I remembered the Lord — Jonah repents from his disobedience.

Memory Verse
Deliverance belongs to the Lord! [Jonah 2:9].

Next Lesson
Micah 5: The ruler and the remnant.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

42: Obadiah — Introduction & Edom will be humbled — Obadiah 1-21

Get Ready

This book is unique in the Old Testament in at least two respects. It is the shortest book – 21 verses in a single chapter. And it is focused on a nation other than Israel, it is about Israel and (like most of the prophets) it includes a prophecy about God’s promise to restore Israel.

Author

We know his name, which means “servant of the Lord,” and the Old Testament gives us several possible authors [such as 1 Kings 18:3; Ezra 8:9; Neh 12:25], but none of the candidates fit the situation completely. The prophet does not provide any other details about himself. 

Context

There is a little more to work with here. Although the enmity between Israel and Edom lasted for centuries and there were several incidents, most scholars agree that the “slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob,” [v.10] was Edam’s participation in the Babylonian siege and eventual destruction of Jerusalem (605-586 BCE). Obadiah probably prophesied (and wrote this book) during the early part of the captivity. (NOTE: Some scholars believe the incident Obadiah refers to is the capture of Jerusalem by Joash, the king of Israel [2 Kings 14] or by the Philistines and Arabians [2 Chron 21].)

The two nations – and the mutual hatred – began with Abraham’s twin grandsons, Jacob and Esau. Jacob tricked Esau, the older son, out of his birthright and blessing. Even though the brothers eventually reconciled, their descendants settled in different areas – Jacob’s (renamed “Israel” by God) children settled in the northern part of Canaan while Esau’s kin settled south of the Dead Sea and were known as the Edomites.

This means the feud lasted more than a thousand years. One of the better known incidents is the Edomites’ refusal to allow Moses and the Israelites to cross their country during the exodus from Egypt [the details are in Num 20:14-21 – other incidents are recorded in 1 Sam 14:47, 2 Sam 8:13-14, and 1 Kings 11:17-22].

Structure

Even though this is a short book there are four distinct sections after the brief introduction:

  • God’s judgment against Edom – “you shall be utterly despised,” [2-9].
  • The list of Edom’s sins against Israel, [10-14].
  • God’s promise of action against Edom – “your deeds shall return on your own head [15-18].
  • God’s promise to restore Israel, [19-21].

Major Themes

Obadiah reminds the captured Jewish people that God will keep his promises, even if the people do not keep their commitments.

God promised Abraham “I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing,” and “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse,” [Gen 12:2-3]. Obadiah applies this promise to Edom for its actions against Israel.

Jeremiah’s prophecy against Edom [49:7-22] is very similar to Obadiah’s statement of God’s judgment in vv. 2-9. Most scholars believe that Jeremiah followed Obadiah and thereby validates his prophecy by including it in his broader prophecy.

Get into the Word

1. Who wrote this book? What do we know about the author? When did he probably write this book? What was the situation for the at Israelites the time? How does this help us understand why this prophecy is included in the Old Testament?

2. What was the incident that the prophet is writing about? What nations were involved in this incident? Why did this incident happen? What are the other possibilities about when this incident happened?

3. How did this relationship begin? When did it start? Why do you suppose it has lasted so long? What other incidents occurred between Edom and Israel.

4. How does Obadiah organize his prophecy? What is the ultimate outcome of this prophecy? What will happen to Edom? What will happen to Israel? How would we phrase God’s promise to Edom in today’s English?

5. What is the primary theme of Obadiah’s prophecy? What is the basis of this prophecy? How do you suppose the Jews felt about his prophecy? How might you have felt if you had been with them?

6. What other prophet wrote about Edom? How does his prophecy compare with Obadiah’s writings? Which probably came first?

Notes . . .

Twelve different men in the Old Testament are named Obadiah:

  • The governor of Ahab’s palace [1 Kings 18:3-7,16].
  • A descendant of David and the head of a family [1 Chron 3:21].
  • A son of Izrahiah, of the tribe of Issachar [1 Chron 7:3].
  • A descendant of King Saul [1 Chron 8:38].
  • A Levite, a son of Shemaiah [1 Chron 9:16].
  • A Gadite captain who joined David at Ziklag [1 Chron 12:9].
  • A leader of the tribe of Zebulun during the reign of David [1 Chron 27:19].
  • A leader of Jehoshaphat commissioned to teach the Book of the Law [2 Chron 17:7].
  • A Levite who supervised workmen repairing the Temple during the reign of King Josiah [2 Chron 34:12].
  • A son of Jehiel, a descendant of Joab [Ezra 8:9].
  • A priest who sealed the covenant after the Captivity [Neh 10:5].
  • A prophet of Judah (also called Obad). The fourth of the “minor” prophets, O

42: Edom will be humbled – Obadiah 1-21

Get Ready

What do you think constitutes a “fair” or “good” punishment? Should the punishment “fit” the crime or original action? Should there be a range of possible punishments? Should the consequences of an action be more preventative than punitive? Should “what goes around come around?”

The Word

The vision of Obadiah.
Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom:
We have heard a report from the Lord,
and a messenger has been sent among the nations:
“Rise up! Let us rise against it for battle!” 
2 I will surely make you least among the nations; 
you shall be utterly despised. 
3 Your proud heart has deceived you, 
you that live in the clefts of the rock, whose dwelling is in the heights.
You say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” 
4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle,
though your nest is set among the stars,
from there I will bring you down, says the Lord. 
5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers by night
— how you have been destroyed! —
would they not steal only what they wanted? If grape-gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 
6 How Esau has been pillaged, his treasures searched out!
7 All your allies have deceived you,
they have driven you to the border;
your confederates have prevailed against you;
those who ate your bread have set a trap for you —there is no understanding of it. 
8 On that day, says the Lord, I will destroy the wise out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau. 
9 Your warriors shall be shattered, O Teman, so that everyone from Mount Esau will be cut off. 
10 For the slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob,
shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 
11 On the day that you stood aside,
on the day that strangers carried off his wealth,
and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you too were like one of them. 
12 But you should not have gloated over your brother on the day of his misfortune;
you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah on the day of their ruin;
you should not have boasted on the day of distress. 
13 You should not have entered the gate of my people on the day of their calamity;
you should not have joined in the gloating over Judah’s disaster on the day of his calamity;
you should not have looted his goods on the day of his calamity. 
14 You should not have stood at the crossings to cut off his fugitives;
you should not have handed over his survivors on the day of distress. 
15 For the day of the Lord is near against all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
your deeds shall return on your own head. 
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
all the nations around you shall drink;
they shall drink and gulp down,
and shall be as though they had never been. 
17 But on Mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it shall be holy;
and the house of Jacob shall take possession of those who dispossessed them. 
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire, the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble;
they shall burn them and consume them,
and there shall be no survivor of the house of Esau;
for the Lord has spoken. 
19 Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,
and those of the Shephelah the land of the Philistines;
they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead. 
20 The exiles of the Israelites who are in Halah 
shall possess Phoenicia as far as Zarephath;
and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad
shall possess the towns of the Negeb. 
21 Those who have been saved shall go up to Mount Zion to rule Mount Esau;
and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is actually speaking in this prophecy? How does the speaker begin the prophecy? What nation is the subject of this prophecy? What is about to happen?

2. What does God promise to do to the nation? What will its future status be? How does he describe the attitude of the people? What does he say about their country? What will happen to their current security? What will happen to the things they prize?

3. What about the nation’s allies? How firm are their commitments to each other? What will happen to the leaders and soldiers of Edom?

4. Why is God judging the nation so harshly? What sins have they committed? Against whom? How does God describe the actions of the Edomites? What actions should they have not taken? What was their attitude toward Israel? Why was this such a bad thing? 

5. What is ironic about God’s judgment on Edom? How did he decide what the judgment should be? What sort of drink is God talking about? Why will “all the nations” have to drink this? 

6. What will happen to the Israelites? Where will this take place? What will happen to Edom? What will happen to the people that are dis-possesed of their homeland? Who will ultimately be in charge?












Get Personal

How do you feel about God’s promises to the Israelites? How do you feel about his promises to Christians? His promises to you? How does God help you to have confidence in his promises?

Notes . . .

3. Clefts — Edom was a very rugged mountainous land.
5. Grape-gatherers — Edom was known for its hillside vineyards.
6. Esau — the ancestor of Edom, [see above].
7. Those who ate your bread — a meal often sealed a treaty or agreement.
9. Teman — this location is unknown, it is a stand-in for Edom here.

10. Jacob — another name for Israel, [see above]
11. Cast lots — possibly to divide the spoils among the victors.
15. You shall drink — a reference to God’s “cup of wrath,” [Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17].
19. Those . . . shall possess — this process will punish Israel’s enemies and re-establish the boundaries of Israel under King David.

Memory Verse
As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head, [Obadiah 15].

Next Lesson
Jonah 1: Jonah tries to run away from God.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

41: Amos — Introduction & Locusts, fire, a plumb line & ripe fruit — Amos 7:1-8:12

Get Ready

Amos prophesied during one of the few times of peace in the divided kingdom, but he spoke out strongly against the injustice and inequality of a society that used its prosperity to oppress the poor and ignore God’s commandment to love their neighbor and care for the “widows and orphans.”

Author

The prophet Amos identifies himself as the author of this book [1:1]. His name means “burden bearer” in Hebrew. Amos was a farm worker – he herded sheep and “dressed” sycamore trees [7:14] from Tekoa, a village south of Jerusalem in the southern kingdom. Sycamore figs were inferior to ordinary figs but a common food of the poor, so Amos was familiar with the poverty that he spoke against in his prophecy.

Context

Amos also tells us he prophesied when Azariah was king in Judah and Jereboam II was Israel’s ruler, which puts his ministry around 760 BCE. He prophesied primarily in the northern kingdom, Israel, even though his home was in Judah.

Jereboam’s reign was largely peaceful and prosperous once he captured Damascus. However, the peace and prosperity led to the injustice and insensitivity to the poor that Amos spoke against. Jereboam also set up religious sites at Bethel and Gilgal as alternatives to the temple in Jerusalem, which was not available to the northern kingdom citizens. He also included pagan fertility rites that polluted the worship of God, partly as a political gesture to appease the nations that surrounded Israel.

Structure

After a brief introduction, this book has three major sections:

  • The first section includes God’s judgment of the nations that surround Israel – Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon and Moab – then against Judah, and lastly against Israel itself [1:2-2:16].
  • The second section is a series of sermons judging Israel – for apostasy and idol worship, for refusing to repent and follow the law, for exploiting and ignoring the poor, and for amassing great wealth while cheating others [3:1-6:14].
  • In the last section the prophet presents a series of visions of God’s judgment on the nation, all portending disaster [7:1-9:10]. The possible consequences include locusts (again), a firestorm, and famine.

The book ends with Amos’ prophesy [9:11-15] that God will restore Israel following the period of judgment (which is similar to many of the other prophets: God’s grace will follow his judgment if the people repent).

Major Themes

Many scholars refer to Amos as the “Prophet of Righteousness,” because he insists throughout his book that righteous actions are the mark of true faith (which also makes him the Old Testament precursor to James).

Amos prophesied during a time of prosperity and peace in Israel; but it was also a time of economic disparity and injustice. The wealthy were very wealthy and took advantage of the poor. They sold “the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals,” [2:6], and “afflicted the righteous, took a bribe, and pushed aside the needy in the gate,” [5:12].

In response to this maltreatment God said, “I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings, I will not accept them,” 5:21-22]. The Israelites were going though the ritual motions called for in the law, but their daily actions toward one another demonstrated their hearts were far from obedience.

God’s judgment ends with the call to “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream,” [5:25].

Amos concludes his book by reminding the people that God is constant even though they are not. God will “raise up the booth of David that is fallen, and repair its breaches and raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old,” [9:11]. God will be faithful to his covenant even thought the Israelites have broken it.

Get into the Word:

1. Who is the author of this book? What do we know about the author? What was his occupation? Why might this be important to his message to Israel?

2. When did the prophet do his work? Who were the rulers at this time? What was the political and military situation at this time? Why was this unusual? How was the king involved in the people’s sin? Why did the king make these concessions to idol worship?

3. What are the major parts of this book? Who are the nations included in the judgments in the first section? Why do you suppose the prophet included these kingdoms? Why is God judging these nations?

4. What does the second part of the book deal with? What sins is God judging Israel against? Why do you think the prophet focuses on these sins?

5. What does the prophet present in the last major section of the book? What will happen to the kingdom? What will happen to the people? Why will the nation be destroyed?

6. What is the overall theme of the prophet’s work? What does he say about “correct” actions? What New Testament writer takes a similar view? 

7. How were the people actually acting toward each other? What did God say in response to the people’s action? What did he say about the people’s offerings for sin? What kind of action did God want from the people?

8. How does the book end? What vision does the prophet give the people about their ultimate future? What does this say about God? How do you suppose the people felt about this vision?

Notes . . .

A very literate farmer . . .

Amos was a farmer and shepherd, but his book shows he was also an eloquent writer.

He links God’s judgments against Israel’s neighbors, as well as Israel itself, with a common introduction: “Thus says the Lord: for three transgressions . . . and for four . . .” Amos then identifies the sinful action and God’s response. The effect of the repeated opening builds until first Judah and then the nation of Israel is the accused.

Amos also uses an elaborate play on words to describe the coming judgment of Israel. The Hebrew word for “summer

fruit” sounds like the word for “end.” In chapter 8 Amos links a vision of ripe summer fruit with the coming end of the kingdom, which was “ripe” for judgment (the Assyrians defeated Israel within thirty years).

God’s Name . . .

Old Testament writers used “YHWH” to represent God’s name [Exodus 3:14-15], but they felt it was too holy to actually pronounce. So they used “adonai” (“Lord”) as God’s personal name or “’elohim” as a general name. The NRSV uses “Lord” in the first case and “God” in the second. When Amos puts YHWH with adonai, the NRSV uses “Lord God.”

41: Locusts, fire, a plumb line & ripe fruit –Amos 7:1- 8:12

Get Ready

How do you feel about your current financial situation? Does it seem like your resources are “just enough” for your needs, or “not enough” to get by, or perhaps “more than enough?” How do you respond to receiving some “extra” money or needing to make an unanticipated expenditure?

The Word . . .

7This is what the Lord God showed me: he was forming locusts at the time the latter growth began to sprout (it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings). 2 When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,
“O Lord God, forgive, I beg you!
How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 
3 The Lord relented concerning this; “It shall not be,” said the Lord. 
4 This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord God was calling for a shower of fire, and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. 5 Then I said,
“O Lord God, cease, I beg you!
How can Jacob stand? He is so small!” 
6 The Lord relented concerning this; “This also shall not be,” said the Lord God. 
7 This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.”
Then the Lord said, “See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by; 
9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” 


[. . . Amaziah the priest complains to the king . . .] 

8This is what the Lord God showed me a basket of summer fruit. 2 He said, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me,
“The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. 
3 The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day,” says the Lord God;
“the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place. Be silent!” 
4 Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the poor of the land, 
5 saying, “When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, 
6 buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.” 
7 The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. 
8 Shall not the land tremble on this account,
and everyone mourn who lives in it,
and all of it rise like the Nile,
and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt? 9 On that day, says the Lord God,
I will make the sun go down at noon, 
and darken the earth in broad daylight. 
10 I will turn your feasts into mourning, 
and all your songs into lamentation;
I will bring sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head;
I will make it like the mourning for an only son,
and the end of it like a bitter day. 
11 The time is surely coming, says the Lord God,
when I will send a famine on the land; 
not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord. 
12 They shall wander from sea to sea,
and from north to east;
they shall run to and fro,
seeking the word of the Lord,
but they shall not find it.  NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is involved in this prophecy? Who is speaking? What are the two individuals talking about? Why is this so important to the prophet?

2. What is the first image of God’s judgment? Why is this an appropriate symbol? How does the prophet react to this image? How does God respond?

3. What is the second image God presents to the prophet? How does he react to this concept of judgment? What is God’s response this time?

4. What does God present next? Why is this symbol appropriate to Israel’s situation? What does God say he will do with the plumb line? What will happen to the king? How does the prophet respond this time?

5. What does God show the prophet next? How does this image fit with Israel’s situation? What does God say he will do regarding the people? Who does God direct his judgment against? What have these people done? Who have they harmed? What images of their sins does the prophet use in this judgment?

6. What other disasters will God bring on Israel? What is the ultimate judgment God has for the people? Why is this so terrible?








Get Personal

What is your concept of justice and fair treatment? How difficult is it for you to understand the situation of others? How has God helped you “do for others” as you would like others to do for you.

Notes . . .

7:1. King’s mowing — evidently the king was entitled to a share of the grass for military support.
7:2. Finished eating — the locusts would have  eaten all the grass, leaving people and animals to starve.
Jacob stand . . . so small — Amos uses “Jacob” as the name of the kingdom. Even though the kingdom was prosperous at this time, it was helpless against the locusts (and against God’s judgment) and would not survive [also in v. 5].
7:3. Relented — this is another of the few times God responds directly to a human plea [two others are Abraham’s defense of Sodom [Gen18:23-33], and Moses’ intercession after the people’s sin with the gold calf [Exodus 33:12-23].
7:4. Shower of fire — the combination of heat and drought makes wildfires inevitable which would lead to the same result as a plague of locusts [check Deut 32:22].

7:7. Plumb line — a rope or cord with a weight on one end – when held against a wall it would show if the wall was straight and vertical. God could be referring to the Law as the plumb line to determine if the people were upright and righteous. NOTE: some translators argue the Hebrew word actually means “tin,” which would be a very weak covering for a defensive wall [compare the “bronze wall” in Jer 1:18].
7:9. I will rise — God does not give Amos a chance to plead this judgment.
8:1. Summer fruit . . . the end — the Hebrew words also mean “ripe fruit” and “ripe time” or “end time,” respectively; in other words God is saying “the time is ripe for judgment.”
8:11. Famine of hearing the words of the Lord — the locusts and fire would have led to a famine of food, but God’s judgment will mean the people will no longer hear God’s word.

Memory Verse
Let justice role down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, [Amos 5:24].

Next Lesson
Obadiah 1: Edom’s judgment.

Rich Nelson Uncategorized

40: Joel — Introduction & The army of locusts — Joel 2:1-32

Get Ready

Joel is a short book with one of the Old Testament’s most potent images: a plague of locusts, which most of his audience would identify with the exodus from Egypt. Locust were the eighth plague that God used to convince Pharaoh to release the Jews from slavery.

Author

There is general agreement that the prophet, Joel, wrote this book. He identifies himself in the first verse as the “son of Pethuel,” but that is all the direct information we have about him. He evidently was familiar with the temple in Jerusalem and its procedures, but he also demonstrates knowledge of farming and herding.

Context

The book provides no indication of when it was written. The author does not refer to any kings of either kingdom, nor to any events that might indicate its historical context. A possible reference to King Jehoshaphat of Judah [3:2] could point to a date shortly after his reign, around 850 BCE. On the other hand, Joel uses the same imagery of the “Day of the Lord” as Zephaniah, who worked near the end of the kingdom and capture of Jerusalem (587 BCE).

The prophet begins with a graphic description of an invasion of locusts that destroyed the country’s agriculture and brought the people very close to starvation, but there is no historical record of any specific plague as disastrous as Joel describes.

Structure

Joel is a short book with two major sections:

  • In the first section [through 2:11] the prophet describes the plague of locusts and its consequences in very graphic detail and urges the people to repent and return to following the Lord. He closes this section with the warning that a hostile army, far worse than the locusts will invade the nation.
  • The second section [2:12-3:21] is God’s direct warning of judgment and promise of restoration and prosperity if the people will repent.

Major Themes

Joel’s message is similar to many of the other prophets: God will judge Israel because the people refused to follow his commandments, but if the people repent God will restore Israel.

Joel uses the disaster of a locust plague sometime in the recent past as the basis of his warning about God’s coming judgment. He tells the Israelites: “If you thought the locusts were bad, they were nothing compared to the destruction God will bring on the nation.”

But the second section focuses on repentance and God’s promises in two different views:

  • In the first view God describes what the people should do: Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and with mourning, [2:12] and: Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people, [2:15]. God then promises prosperity and protection.
  • In the second view God tells the people to prepare for war: The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shake, [3:16]; but he also says he is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel, [3:16]; and Judah will be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem to all generations, [3:20]. 

Get into the Word:

1. Who wrote this book? What do we know about this prophet? What might have been his “day job?” When was this book written? Why is there such a range of possible dates?

2. How is this book organized? What are the primary sections of the book? 

3. What is the major image in this book? Why do you suppose the prophet chose this image? How do you think his audience responded to the image? What other incidents in the Old Testament involved this image [see Notes]?

4. What is the prophet’s primary message? What does he warn the people about? What images does he use to describe this coming disaster?

5. What does God say the people should do? How should they deal with this situation? What does God promise he will do in response? Do you think the people believed this promise?

Bible Trivia . . .
Joel uses a well-known image from Isaiah – but in reverse: In Isaiah’s picture of God’s peace the Israelites will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, [Isaiah 2:4]; but Joel says God will call the people to prepare for war and beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears, [Joel 3:10]. It is likely that Joel was aware of Isaiah’s prophecy.

Notes . . .

The Day of the Lord . . .

The phrase “The Day of the Lord” appears throughout the Old Testament. In a few cases it refers to a specific historical event, but most of the uses point to the day of God’s judgment at the end of this present time.

Historical events include the Assyrian defeat of Israel [Amos 5], and Babylon’s victory over Judah and destruction of Jerusalem [Lam 2, Ezek 7]. Prophets also use the phrase in reference to the Medes’ defeat of Babylon [Isaiah 13:6] and Babylon’s defeat of Egypt [Jer 46].

In the future “The Day of the Lord” will involve extreme hardship and suffering for Israel [Zech 14:1-3], but also purification and restoration when the people repent [Isaiah 61:2, Mal 4:5].

Joel focuses on the future event when God will judge Israel and then the other nations and then restore Israel.

The New Testament adds more detail to “The Day of the Lord.”

  • There will be a series of natural disasters, diseases and plagues
    [Rev 6-9].
  • Enemies will attack God’s people and cause great harm before God destroys them, a time of “great distress,” according to Jesus [Matt 24:21,
    Rev 11-18].

  • There will be a time of peace and blessing after Christ returns and defeats his enemies [the “Millennium,” Rev 20].
  • God will destroy the current universe and replace it with a “new heaven and new earth,” [2 Peter 3:10, Rev 21].

Even though a number of prophets, and even Jesus, talk about “The Day of the Lord,” the Bible does not include a timeline or schedule for these events. Many people have tried to find a pattern or calendar of the end times, but Jesus had the definitive answer to such attempts: It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority,” [Acts 1:7].

And Locusts . . .

Locusts have been a sign of God’s anger since the exodus. They were the plague just before darkness and death: The locusts came upon all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again, [Ex 10:14]. Locusts were also part of God’s curse for disobedience: You shall carry much seed into the field but shall gather little in, for the locust shall consume it, [Deut 28:38]. 

40: The army of locusts – Joel 2:1- 32

Get Ready

What was the worst possible day of your life? What makes it the “worst possible” day? What makes it memorable for you? Was it bad because of what happened to you? Or to someone you know? Or did it happen to people you did not know? How did you deal with the situation at the time?

The Word . . .

2Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near —
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them in ages to come. 
3 Fire devours in front of them, and behind them a flame burns. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,
but after them a desolate wilderness, and nothing escapes them. 
4 They have the appearance of horses, and like war-horses they charge. 
5 As with the rumbling of chariots, they leap on the tops of the mountains,
like the crackling of a flame of fire devouring the stubble,
like a powerful army drawn up for battle. 
6 Before them peoples are in anguish, all faces grow pale.
7 Like warriors they charge, like soldiers they scale the wall.
Each keeps to its own course, they do not swerve from their paths. 
8 They do not jostle one another, each keeps to its own track; they burst through the weapons and are not halted. 9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the walls;
they climb up into the houses, 
they enter through the windows like a thief. 
10 The earth quakes before them, the heavens tremble.
The sun and the moon are darkened, 
and the stars withdraw their shining. 
11 The Lord utters his voice at the head of his army;
how vast is his host! Numberless are those who obey his command.
Truly the day of the Lord is great; terrible indeed — who can endure it? 
12 Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 
13 rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. 
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him, 
a grain offering and a drink offering for the Lord, your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; 
16 gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. 
17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, 
the ministers of the Lord, weep.
Let them say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?'”

God’s response and promise

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. 
19 In response to his people the Lord said: I am sending you grain, wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you a mockery among the nations. . . .

God’s spirit poured out

28 Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 
29 Even on the male and female slaves, 
in those days, I will pour out my spirit. 
30 I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 32 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. How does the prophet begin this prophecy? Who is he talking to? What does he tell them to do? Why is this warning necessary?

2. How does the prophet describe what is coming? What symbol does he use? What will happen to the land? What will happen to the people? 

3. How does the prophet describe the army that is coming? What will it do? How will it affect the earth? What will happen in the heavens? Who is leading this army? How big is it?

4. How should the people respond to this impending disaster? Who says so? What should the people do? Who all needs to be involved in repentance? What should the priests and ministers do?

5. What does God say he will do when the people repent? How will he act? What will he give the people? How will this change their reputation?

6. What will God do after the people are restored? Who will receive this gift? What will they do with it? How will
this affect their relationship with God?















Get Personal:

Nobody likes to admit that we have done something wrong, but God calls us to confess our sin and repent? How has God helped you “return to the Lord” after you have failed to follow him?

Notes . . .

2:1. The Day of the Lord — see Notes above.
2:2. Darkness and gloom — darkness is often linked with the Day of the Lord; it is also a symbol of sin and its destructive consequences.
Never been seen from of old — an echo of God’s description of the locust plague on Egypt – the coming “army” will be more disastrous than the Egyptian plague.
2:3. Fire devours — the army will devastate the land like a wildfire destroys a forest.
Nothing escapes — could be another echo of Exodus [10:5], or of God’s curse [Deut 28:49-51].
2:4. Appearance of horses — a locust’s head is shaped like that of a horse. Joel extends the comparison with soldiers in vv. 5-9.
2:11. Who can endure it — the prophet Malachi used a similar question: But who

can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? [3:2].
2:12. Yet, even now — the tone and voice shift as God calls on the people to repent [check Deut 4:30, Hosea 3:4-5, and Amos 4:6-11 for the same appeal].
2:13. Slow . . . abounding . . . — a common description of God [as in Exodus 34:6-7, Neb 9:17, Psalm 103:8, and Jonah 4:2].
2:28. Pour out my spirit — Peter used this passage to explain the phenomenon of Pentecost when the Apostles were speaking in a variety of languages [Acts 2:17-21].
2:32. Everyone who calls — Joel is referring to Jews, but Peter realizes that this promise applies to gentiles as well when he is called to Cornelius’ home [Acts 10:43].

Memory Verse
Then afterward I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions [Joel 2:28].

Next Lesson
Amos 7: Locusts, fire and a plumb line