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Lessons We Learn From the Prophets
WE LEARN WHAT WICKEDNESS IS. The word of the Lord
came to
Hosea .( 4:1 ) Jehovah had a controversy with the inhabitants of the
land.
( Neh. 1:3 ) There was no truth , nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in
the
land. They were bent on backsliding. ( 11:7 ) The people were offering
polluted sacrifices. (Mal. 1:8 ) They considered worship to God a
weariness.
( Mal 1:13 ) They were robbing God, (3:8 ) divorcing their wives (
2:13,14
) and speaking against God. God hated this .( 2:16 ) The godly man was
not to be found. They all hunted blood, even his brother. ( Mic. 2:2
) WE LEARN GOD’S ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN-- HE WILL NOT TOLERATE IT ! The Day of the Lord
was at hand
for such a people. ( Joel 1:15 ) As the people had done so it would be
done unto them. ( Obad 1:15 ) Everyone would be accountable . ( Obad 1
:14 ) Their silver and gold would not deliver them. ( Zeph. 1:18 ) God
is a jealous God. He is slow to anger. He will not acquit the wicked, (
Nah. 1:2-3 ) nor accept their burnt offerings. He despised their feast
days and took no delight in their solemn assemblies. He did not want to
hear the noise of their songs. ( Amos 5:21-23 ) We cannot hide our sin from God. Zephaniah prophesied that the Lord would search Jerusalem with candles and punish those who were settled on their lees . ( 1:12 ) Jehovah had withheld rain. He had smitten the land with blasting and mildew, caused the palmerworm to devour. They still had not repented. ( Rev. 9:21 ) Therefore He says " Prepare to meet thy God , O , Israel." Because of their sin , He would turn their feast days into mourning, their songs into lamentation. They had rejected knowledge therefore, He would send a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. ( Amos 8 :10-11 ) WE LEARN THE KIND OF PREACHERS AND TEACHERS WE NEED God did not choose
professional
people to preach His word. Amos said that he was no prophet, or son of
a prophet: but an herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees. The Lord
said
, "Go prophesy to my flock ." Amos obeyed . ( Amos 7:14,15 ) We need
preachers
and teachers who will let the word dwell in them richly and who are
full
of power by the spirit of the Lord, and judgment, and of might, to
declare
unto us our transgressions and sin. ( Micah 3 :8 ) Also we need the
kind
of people who will not despair under God’s chastening hand. " Although
the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall the fruit be in the vines
; the labour of the olive shall fail ; and the fields shall yield no
meat
; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd
in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will joy in the God
of
my salvation ". (Hab. 3 :17,18 ) WE LEARN HOW TO REPENT. Repentance is
necessary. Jesus
said, "Except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish ".
GOD WILL SHOW MERCY TO THOSE WHO REPENT. When a people repent
God shows
mercy. ( Jonah 3:10 ) How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I
deliver
thee Israel ? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings
(compassoins
) are kindled together. I will not execute the fierceness of mine
anger,
I will not return to destroy Ephraim ; for I am God , and not man. (
Hosea
11:8-9 ) I will heal their backsliding , I will love them freely ; for
mine anger is turned away from him. ( Hosea 14:4 ) The Lord our God is
gracious and merciful , slow to anger, and of great kindness, and
repenteth
him of evil. ( Joel 2:13b ) He will restore to you the years that the
locusts
have eaten, the cankerworm, , the caterpillar, and the palmerworm , my
great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be
satisfied
and praise the name of the Lord your God that hath dealt wondrously
with
you: and my people shall never be ashamed. ( Joel 2: 25,26 ) The Lord
will
pour out His Spirit upon all flesh , a fountain shall come forth of the
house of the Lord. ( Joel 2; 28; 3:18 )
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