The Christian today dwells in a wicked land.  Most of the time his soul is vexed within him. A study of the prophets is encouraging and will cause one to see that men of God have faced these kinds of times before.  The Christian should not despair but use the prophets to help him see how God would have him to live and teach God’s word to the world and his fellow Christians.

A Famine in the Land
 We live in a time as Hosea did when God’s people are being destroyed for lack of knowledge.  (Hosea 4:6)  What is preached many times is being rejected.  As in the days of Amos, God promised to “send a famine in the land, not of bread, nor thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord”.  (Amos 8:11) Even so today we have a famine of hearing God’s word.  It is a famine that is self-imposed. 
 This famine has come about because we have done as the people of Malachi’s day. We have robbed God. We have robbed him of the exaltation and service due Him. We are so bent on having things, that we spend most of our time working for and taking care of those “things”. 

We Are Bankrupt
  As the Prophet Haggai said, “we have sown much and bring in little. We put our money into a bag with holes in it.”  (Hag. 1:6)  We have gained much materially but spiritually we are bankrupt. We need to heed the warning of Zephaniah. (I: 18) Our silver and our gold will not be able to deliver us in the day of the Lord’s wrath.
  Even though the Lord chastens us, we still continue to rise up early and go after the material things. We must remember that the Lord is slow to anger and great in power, but He will not at all acquit the wicked. (Nahum 1:3) If we sow to the wind we will reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)
 

Sin Continues In Our Land
 In our selfishness, not only have we neglected God, His word and robbed Him, We are letting a grievous sin continue among us. The prophets cried out against injustice to the poor, needy and helpless. We are living in a country where 5, 000 babies are slaughtered daily. How often is this spoken against in our pulpits or in our Bible classes?  In our public prayers we hear petitions for the sick among us, words of thanks for our jobs, prayers for the travelers and rightly so!  Rarely is a prayer offered up for “those who are being led off to the slaughter”.  We are told to rescue them. (Prov 24:11-12) Does not God show us His regard for the little ones in Jonah’s day? (Jonah 4:1)

Are We Standing On the Other Side?
 Are we standing on the other side as the Edomites did? (Obed 1:11) Are we unconcerned with the violence committed against our little ones? God will bring us down! (Obediah 1:3) As we have done, so it will be done to us. (1:15)
 We have not been left without instruction. “He hath showed thee, O man, what the Lord doth require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.”  (Micah 6:8) Are we being merciful to forget the little ones who are created in God’s image?  We must turn to God with all of our heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning; rend our hearts and not our garments”! (Joel 2:28)  He is a gracious and merciful God. He will not acquit the wicked.  There is a fountain opened for us, for sin and uncleanness. If we turn and repent, He will forgive us.
 
Abortion, Not Just a Social Issue
 This violence done to our little ones is not just a “social issue”.  It is MURDER. It is SIN.  The prophets cried out against sin in the land.  Preacher, Personal Worker, Deacons, Elders, we must do as God told Jonah, “Go preach the preaching that I bid thee!” (Jonah 3:2)
 The Lord hath a controversy with His people. He is pleading with us. (Micah 6:2)