Like any land with a new id change, Israel suffers through some substantive growing pains after David took the crown with the joint region. King David did not addresses many of the weak points and sinful activity in his own family, and not raising his children to live godly lives repeats on its own just a few years later, although in a distinct form. By the time King Solomon dies, his actions led to a serious drop in moral standards and Israel is definitely falling right back into the mentality of sinful choices. God continues to send out prophets to try to call His home country of israel to repentir, but to zero effect. Goodness finally starts off preparing Israel for the proverbial fresh that is approaching, all the while looking to convince His chosen region that it really will damage Him more than it hurts them.
Although Solomon was blessed with a wise and discerning cardiovascular, he undoubtedly made his fair share of mistakes. He married seven-hundred women and recently had an added three hundred concubines. Unfortunately, his lustful desires led him to care even more about his wives and their gods than pleasing his own God. If Solomon really was the “Teacher’, there is a chance that he at some point realized the error of his techniques while peninng the shutting verses of Ecclesiastes 12: 1, doze: 13b. Irrespective, the damage was already done mainly because since this individual built the Temple, then proceeded to build worship areas for overseas gods (1 Kings eleven: 7-8). Those of Israel would have found this and might have made assumptions about Solomon changing his mind regarding Yahweh existing, or at least regarding which gods were one of the most powerful.
It would not stop there. Jeroboam travelled as far as to have golden lower legs made and placed in praise centers inside the northern terrain. To make things worse, this individual declared that they were emblems of Yahweh, while getting the common sign for Ninhursag. While some of the later rulers in the Davidic line had been god-fearing men, they were more scared of the people and not tried to tear down the false alters or destroy the idols. They will knew that worshipping phony gods and idols was wrong, nevertheless they were frightened that the people would revolt at the break down of their preferred temples. As a result, worshipping the old gods became commonplace, the practice of shrine prostitution became satisfactory and kid sacrifice was even performed by one of the kings. A whole lot worse still was your separation involving the rich plus the poor. Quickly the abundant found methods to exploit the remainder of society instead of taking proper care of the poor as they were instructed under Mosaic Law.
God certainly couldn’t put up with this kind of tendencies, so this individual sent his prophets in again. Elijah did a lot of tremendous issues that convert people back from Baal-worship to God-worship. Elijah skilled and mentored his substitute ” a rich player named Elisha. Upon obtaining Elijah’s hide (a signal of calling), Elisha flipped his backside on his before profession and answered his calling with unwavering faith. Elisha requested a double dose of Elijah’s nature, and received it. God provided Elisha with a ministry that would not stop at turning people far from Baal and Asherah. Elisha also required on the problem and misuse of the poor and oppressed. Early in the ministry, this individual performed at least 18 recorded miracles to help the sick and the oppressed. This individual purified drinking water, helped a widow pay out debts, brought up the lifeless, neutralized poisoned food, increased food to feed a hungry masses, healed leprosy, and restored a borrowed axe that fell in the Jordan by causing it drift. His actions show that God does indeed care about all of us and will take extraordinary actions to treat us. With miracles like recovering the borrowed axe, God was trying to show us that He wants to be involved with the tiniest and minor events in our daily life as well as the significant events. Although Elisha’s ministry did ease some of the difficulties, it did not reach out to the hearts in the leaders.
The sinning and idol-worshipping intensifies. It is time for Our god to take critical action to reconcile humanity and Holiness yet again. Goodness had already given all of us ample opportunity to figure it away ourselves, nevertheless we have found that we cannot rely on our personal strength and righteousness to do a great job. God transmits us the prophet Isaiah. During a career that spanned five Kings of Judah, he spoke volumes in judgment against Israel, Judah, and their neighbors. But he was also offered words of hope and encouragement to share with Israel. In fact , the latter 50 % of Isaiah’s operate is loaded with references to Jesus ” the ultimate reconciler. Most especially, we see a remarkable number of references to Christ packed into two chapters. In just 12-15 verses, we see at least 15 individual prophesies and direct references that Jesus fulfills, with another five parallel recommendations and three indirect recommendations by quoting and referencing other Old Testament options such as Psalms. Isaiah says that this Ruler will be wise, raised up and optimistic with a brand above all labels, that He may be blameless, and yet He may take most sins upon himself, and become so disfigured that He can be hardly recognizable but won’t state a word. Not merely will the persons not imagine Him, will probably be rejected simply by His peers and market leaders, but because of His actions, many will be forgiven all their sins.
Sadly, His home country of israel stays persistent and evil, and Isaiah stays around long enough to see the Assyrians dominate. Isaiah goes on his operate Judah for nearly another 40 years. Another 54 years following Isaiah finishes his work, Jeremiah is usually sent to begin his operate Judah.
Jeremiah was called by God to prophecy against the remaining two tribes. With Israel currently controlled by Assyria, and Judah not turning coming from wickedness, Jeremiah’s words could have come as a shock. He repeats portions of Isaiah’s prophecies and decision. God desired the two international locations to know that He is a disciplinarian in search of reconciliation, He is faithful and comforting, yet that This individual still planned to be all their God, desires to have a relationship with them, and that He cares about these people. Add in what we should know about The lord’s unchanging character, we come to recognize that God really loves Israel a lot of to let it stay sick and dying. To find the people as well as the leaders to turn from their wickedness, He must commence teaching a lot of painful lessons. And those lessons were educated at the hands of the Babylonians. But Jeremiah let us Israel be aware that the punishment does not endure forever ” that they “only” need to survive 75 years of captivity before they may get to go back home and begin rebuilding.
From Solomon’s coronation to Judah’s catch at the hands of the Babylonians, an extensive 384 years pass. This kind of seems to be a much more than reasonable amount of time to get the kings of Israel (under the unified monarchy) as well as the kings of Israel and Judah (during enough time of the divided kingdoms) to get their beliefs back in the proper place. God much more than individual and sluggish to anger, but with a spiritually useless environment, He can left with no choice but to actual punishment. Jonah warned Nineveh and their repentance brought one other century before God’s wisdom. However , in spite of multiple prophets, Israel continuing in their sinful ways to the idea of treatment. We end this week with Israel rebuked and a stinging rear. But God is already sitting the groundwork for reconciliation through Jesus Christ, His Kid.
