They have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of wickedness; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; they do not defend the rights of the poor. Jeremiah 5:27-28 Do Not Defend – Is Jeremiah speaking about us? Have we grown fat and sleek at…
He has declared to you, O man, what is good. Micah 6:8 Declared – Context, context, context. Far too often we lift a verse from its culture and history when we apply it to extraneous theological topics. In this case, while it is certainly true that God does determine what is good, Micah is not…
For out of Zion shall go forth Torah and the word of YHWH from Jerusalem. Isaiah 2:3 Go Forth – What images come to mind when someone asks you about the end of days? Do you see the great judgment seat of the Lord? Do you see the beast and the woman from Revelation? Or…
YHWH enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people’ “It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people and grinding the face of the poor?” Isaiah 3:14-15 Grinding – “So the common man has been humbled…
“But they become disobedient and rebelled against You, and cast Your law behind their backs and killed Your prophets who had admonished them so that they might return to You, and they committed great blasphemies.” Nehemiah 9:26 Blasphemies – The Hebrew words ne’atsot gedolot tell us that blasphemy is not limited to verbal expressions. In…
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel Amos 4:12 To Meet – When you read this verse, what do you think about? Do you see the man with the placard walking the streets proclaiming the day of doom? Do you hear the preacher asking where you would be if you died tonight? Do you see…
Hate evil, love good and establish justice in the gate; . . . Amos 5:15 Gate – In the ancient near east, the city was protected by walls and a gate. The elders of the city sat in the gate, watching for strangers or circumstances that might be dangerous. As a result, political and social…
Hate evil, love good and establish justice in the gate; . . . Amos 5:15 Establish – Amos was God’s ambassador. He came with a burning desire to see God’s people restored. He exhorted them to heed his warning. There was a way of avoiding judgment, a way that required nothing more complicated than hating…
Woe to you who desire the day of YHWH! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light; Amos 5:18 Day of YHWH – Rapture! What a great concept. The Lord will come and we will all escape this place. Things will be wonderful. We will have untold blessings,…
