Jeremiah 29:1-20

 “The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from Jerusalem to Babylon. It was addressed to the elders who were left among the exiles, to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the other people who were exiled in Babylon. He sent it after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the palace officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had been exiled from Jerusalem. He sent it with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah. King Zedekiah of Judah had sent these men to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The letter said: “The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says to all those he sent into exile to Babylon from Jerusalem, ‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and allow your daughters get married so that they too can have sons and daughters. Grow in number; do not dwindle away. Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the Lord for it. For as it prospers you will prosper.’ “For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Do not let the prophets or those among you who claim to be able to predict the future by divination deceive you. And do not pay any attention to the dreams that you are encouraging them to dream. They are prophesying lies to you and claiming my authority to do so. But I did not send them. I, the Lord, affirm it!’ “For the Lord says, ‘Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule are over will I again take up consideration for you. Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you and restore you to your homeland. For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’ “You say, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets of good news for us here in Babylon.’ But just listen to what the Lord has to say about the king who occupies David’s throne and all your fellow countrymen who are still living in this city of Jerusalem and were not carried off into exile with you. The Lord who rules over all says, ‘I will bring war, starvation, and disease on them. I will treat them like figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. I will chase after them with war, starvation, and disease. I will make all the kingdoms of the earth horrified at what happens to them. I will make them examples of those who are cursed, objects of horror, hissing scorn, and ridicule among all the nations where I exile them. For they have not paid attention to what I said to them through my servants the prophets whom I sent to them over and over again,’ says the Lord. ‘And you exiles have not paid any attention to them either,’ says the Lord. ‘So pay attention to what I, the Lord, have said, all you exiles whom I have sent to Babylon from Jerusalem.’”

— ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭1‬-‭20‬‬

I know this is a long passage. But when I see the verse of the day as 29:11, I think to myself, “Ok, I’ll just post a few surrounding verses for context.” But then the verse beyond that was important, and the verse before that introduced the speech. Then historical background was given. And even now, vv. 21 and on give response to Jeremiah’s letter, so we need to continue reading. 

29:11 may be the top of my least liked verses taken out of context. I’ve written before about God’s generosity, kindness, goodness, mercy. That’s not the issue. Of course, He longs to bless. He is love. But for teachers/pastors/mentors to use passages like this to “promise” blessing is just around the corner is so dangerous. What if it never comes? 

And for high school students? They have a life of blessing ahead? Really? What if it’s not? What a great way to shatter faith, basing hope in a horribly applied verse.

The beauty of this verse is that YHWH is speaking to His people, again whether before or in exile—debatable. But false prophets are giving promises that it will be a short time and they can go home soon. God says, “Not so fast. We have a covenant. I had mercy for a long time, and I am actually being faithful to the covenant by sending you in exile. You will be here 70 years. Get comfortable. Plant vineyards. Build houses. Get to know your neighbors.”

He even tells them to pray for the prosperity of Babylon, because Babylon’s greatness will benefit them.

After this time of discipline, He will return them to their homeland. The relationship between God’s sovereign plan and their repentance (v. 12) is the same discussion as we always love to discuss (me, not so much). But God would allow them to return under Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC. 

We can study the three stages of exile, and each one was more brutal than the last, and there were three returns to the land of Israel after Persia conquered Babylon. Still, not many Jews returned home. This time of exile drastically affected their emotional and spiritual state/relationship with YHWH. They did grow comfortable in Babylon and around the near east. 

Does this verse have any value to us then? Does God have plans for us? Yes. Are they to prosper us? I don’t know. We have to insert this exile story into the larger narrative of Jesus as Messiah. His ministry, death, resurrection conquers all evil and pain. In Him we find all peace and rest. I hesitate to jump to 1 Peter where we are called foreigners and exiles still. Some may. But it may be the best route to say in Jesus we find the fulfillment of God’s covenant, plans of redemption and ultimate restoration.

For another perspective, see Russell Moore: https://www.russellmoore.com/2017/06/28/jeremiah-2911-apply/

Another issue that comes up (practically speaking) in this passage is the relationship between “exiles” and the nation where they live. Again, 1 Peter is the go to “bridge” passage between Jeremiah and the present, but I would need to do more research on the ethnicity of Peter’s audience. If they are primarily Jewish, then the term exile (i.e., the Diaspora, similar to James’ letter) would apply naturally. It could still reach to us by extension.

The issue is how we as Christians are supposed to relate to our geo-political realm. The term Christian nationalism has been thrown around a lot lately, and there’s a whole spectrum of definitions. People have built their whole writing and research platform on it, but before any conversation begins, you have to define terms. I’m not really going to discuss it here so I’m not going to dive in to the issue fully. I can reach my point without getting too deep into it.

Of course, Paul and Peter say to pray for ruling authorities and government. That reflects what Jeremiah says here, and the NT commands seem to apply regardless of the exile context. So do we seek the prosperity and blessing of our nation? Do we pray God’s hand of healing and restoration, since we have become the exiles? Perhaps. I suppose. Many would use Jeremiah 29 as support for this mindset.

I would use it in the opposite sense. Not that we shouldn’t pray for government. Not that we should hate our nation. But do we forget that the Jewish exiles lived—in Babylon. Centuries before, the northern tribes were captured by Assyria—you know, all those sermons you hear about ruthless Ninevites. Then Greece, Persia, and Rome? Rulers like Nero, Caligula, Domitian. We want them to prosper—and the motivation of the passage—so we benefit, too?

This is why I focus more on the global church in passages like this. What if I were a Christian (probably facing severe persecution) in a country that wasn’t too friendly with America? Would I be able to pray for its prosperity? 

Or would I focus on the kingdom of God and allow a passage to live in its context? Certainly applicable to me, but can be illogical and dangerous if I don’t have a broad enough view.

Malachi 2:17-3:6

“You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” Because you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the Lord’s opinion, and he delights in them,” or “Where is the God of justice?””

‭‭ ““I am about to send my messenger, who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the Lord who rules over all. Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can keep standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. He will act like a refiner and purifier of silver and will cleanse the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will offer the Lord a proper offering. The offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in former times and years past. “I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination, those who commit adultery, those who break promises, and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the immigrant and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord who rules over all. “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.”

‭‭-Malachi 2:17-3:6

Do you ever get tired of people? (I know, silly question). Why or how often? Ok, so obviously tired is more of a synonym for angry or annoyed.

Here’s a question: Do you ever think God thinks the same way for any reason? Does God get tired of people? Now let’s just say, if I were God, and I sent a flood of water, I don’t think I could make that rainbow promise. “I may just have to wipe you all out again if this gets too crazy. Don’t be stupid.” But really, does God look at us as a society and just get tired of handling us?

There may be a couple places in the Bible where you may be able to see something like that going on, but there’s hundreds of places where you can point to His mercy and patience offering forgiveness or waiting for people to repent before He judges them. 

Malachi 2 is one of those places where we see a balance of these ideas (keep in mind throughout this that God is talking to Israel post-exile, and the Old Covenant is still in place.) Of course, this would be figurative language, but it carries a huge lesson for us, one that we need to hear regularly. 

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

This is not saying that Israel is labeling sins and bad things as good things, or that their sense of morality is changed, although if you read the previous passage and sections of Haggai and Zechariah, you would find that to be true. The phrase, “in the sight of the Lord” lets us know that Israel is claiming that those who do evil are seen as “good” to God or “ok” or even “pleasing” to God. 

This is confirmed in the follow up question, “Where is the God of justice?” There’s all these evil people running around, and they look like they’re doing just fine. Meanwhile, we the people of God have economic problems, political problems, social problems, we have more orphans and widows and poor people among us than others. We have fewer freedoms than others. We have less money and land than others. Flip over to Chapter 3, v. 14-15 really quickly. Here’s what they’re saying. “It is a vain thing to serve God…”. We might as well turn evil, because it works out better for them in the end. 

And this line of reasoning goes even one step further if you’re Israel. Not only have you now accused your God of blessing and prospering and accepting the sinner’s lifestyle. Not only have you attacked His character by doubting His attributes of justice and righteousness. But you have looked at your current situation, as dreary as it may be (now remember I’m talking Israel, here, not us, yet), and claimed yourself to be completely innocent, placing full blame on God as breaking His promises. They thought that they deserved blessings from God, so when they received rebuke and punishment, they complained of injustice, ignoring their sin and placing blame elsewhere. 

And so, yes, it “wearied” the Lord. It made Him tired. Now, it was not in a physical sense or an emotional sense as a result of running a marathon or dealing with stress of a crazy life or tragic situation. This word obviously can mean those things, but that’s not the sense here. It implies prolonged, unpleasant activity that is about to stop. It means that God’s patience and endurance of their rebellion is about to end. Their desire for justice is about to happen. They are finally going to receive what they wanted, and they may not like it.

3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

Be careful what you wish for. You may want justice in this world, but God always begins discipline of His children, first. And in this passage, we see it even begins with the leadership, which makes sense, since early sections of Malachi 2 hammer them pretty good. There are four predictions in these first six verses, all of which can be summarized as a messenger comes to announce the arrival of the Lord. And when the Lord comes, He comes to judge and purify the priests and then the people.

Now look at v. 2 again. This is so common an idea when God shows up in these judgment theophanies. Theophany means an appearance of God. The obvious answer to who can stand before the Lord is … Uh, no one. No one who has been complaining about all the bad people having a blessed life and all the good people being punished can withstand judgment because when God shows up in perfect justice and righteousness, guess what, Israel? You are not innocent. Even in Malachi, we see that they were leaving their wives, offering cheap sacrifices. Well, look at v. 5.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. 

Seems to me that whatever Israel’s complaints may have been, or whatever their situation was, and whatever judgment they receive when God does show up is warranted. This is an example of a people that throughout their entire history had a covenant with God that said obey me and I will bless you, and disobey me, and I will punish you. When they violated that covenant, God simply acted appropriately. Actually, you know what? God was unjust, in that He waited years and years to send them into exile. And here He continues to show them mercy and patience. 

I want to go back to the previous verses, though. The end of 2-4. Because God is tired of their false accusations. Their audacity of thinking He’s unjust and their guiltless. Because His patience is running out, justice is going to come. He is going to come and punish them, but to what end? Just purge them? Wipe them out like a miniature flood and start over? No, it’s going to be painful, but he’s going to be like a goldsmith, melting the gold and scraping the dross off. Then remelting it and scraping some more off. Then fuller’s soap—what’s that? It’s basically doing your laundry. Scrubbing with soap to get all their dirt off. Again, to what end? So that they can bring their offerings to the Lord again. And the offerings will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old. That’s what it’s all about, glorifying and honoring the one true God. He’s a very jealous God, but He’s not unjust or unrighteous or the cosmic bully we want to make Him out to be. V. 6 says so.

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

It’s true, Israel. I’m coming in judgment. And it’s going to stink. Starting from the top down, leaders and priests to the people, no one can stand when I come. No one can rightfully accuse me of being unjust. No one is innocent, and all must repent and turn toward righteousness. There will be punishment and judgment to endure. 

BUT!!! Unlike you who looks at a covenant made either a couple days ago and starts worshipping a golden calf or a couple thousand years ago and still can’t worship me properly, and unlike you who forgets the promises you make either to your spouse or your God or your neighbor, I am Yahweh, and I do not forget my promises. That’s the meaning of “I do not change.” 

I know what I said. I meant it. And I keep it. Therefore, you, are not consumed. You will not perish. This judgment will be intense. It will not be pleasant. You may even doubt me more, but you will not die, even though you probably deserve it. I will not wipe you out and start over. I will harness my anger, because I am faithful to my promises. I am faithful to my people. 

Did you notice how He defines the people, though? Children or sons of Jacob. Where have we seen Jacob before in Malachi? All the way at the beginning. Where God said, I loved Jacob and hated Esau. And what was the point of that lesson or the point of God saying that to Israel so early in the book?

The reason Israel was so flippant or negligent in their worship was that they doubted God’s love for them. But God uses their history of being one of two twins, with no merit of their own, to show His immense love and devotion to their nation. 

And that has been an incredible theme throughout the entire book so far. Until you realize how much God truly does love you, you will not be able to offer Him your best worship. Until you realize how much God loves you, you will not be able to serve the Lord in ministry. Until you understand that God loves you even during the difficulties you face, you will always question His faithfulness and whether those who do evil really have a better life. 

God loves you. The Almighty Holy Just, Faithful God loves you. Period. Do you believe me?

Most of you probably do. Others may have some thoughts a lot like Israel. I know He does, but He must love those drug dealers, or con men, or scheming lawyers (not the good ones haha), or the real jerks and bullies of the world a lot more. I mean, I have a lot more problems than they do.

Maybe so. But there are enough examples in the Bible to show me that asking God a question is ok. But making Him angry to where He shows up is terrifying. And making Him weary with questioning His faithfulness and justice is not something I want to do. 

And I have learned that not every situation is a direct result of sin in my life. I am not always being punished, but I am not completely innocent, either. 

Here’s what I know. This world is a horrible place of suffering, pain, evil, and I’m strictly talking because of the decisions of people, not natural disasters or diseases (that’s a separate post). I am also capable of making some very stupid mistakes. Therefore, the situation I find myself in is a result of all these daily decisions of people working together. In the middle of it all, God loves me and is orchestrating His plan for me. Somehow that includes making me holy and equipping me to lead others toward Jesus. By the way, that’s His plan for all of you, too. And He is going to be faithful to protect me from the evil one, be with me, help me, strengthen me, discipline me when I get side-tracked, forgive me, all the way from point A to point B (Christlikeness and glorification on new earth).

So do wealthy and prosperous pagans upset me? Yea. I get jealous. Does it confuse my theology? No, because God loves me, and perhaps just as important God is faithful—to what He said He would do. 

If I ever start getting too jealous or too upset with God, if I think I deserve more than my friends or even family members because they make worse decisions than I do, if I can’t get over the fact of how much God has forced me to endure—I have to go back and reflect on His love. 

Malachi 1:1-14

“What follows is divine revelation. The word of the Lord came to Israel through Malachi: “I have shown love to you,” says the Lord, but you say, “How have you shown love to us?” “Esau was Jacob’s brother,” the Lord explains, “yet I chose Jacob and rejected Esau. I turned Esau’s mountains into a deserted wasteland and gave his territory to the wild jackals.” Edom says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord who rules over all responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased. Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified even beyond the border of Israel!’” “A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects his master. If I am your father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’ You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table of the Lord as if it is of no importance! For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick, is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them to your governor! Will he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord who rules over all. But now plead for God’s favor that he might be gracious to us. “With this kind of offering in your hands, how can he be pleased with you?” asks the Lord who rules over all. “I wish that one of you would close the temple doors, so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will no longer accept an offering from you. For from the east to the west my name will be great among the nations. Incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name everywhere, for my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord who rules over all. “But you are profaning it by saying that the table of the Lord is common and its offerings despicable. You also say, ‘How tiresome it is.’ You turn up your nose at it,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and instead bring what is stolen, lame, or sick. You bring these things for an offering! Should I accept this from you?” asks the Lord. “There will be harsh condemnation for the hypocrite who has a valuable male animal in his flock but vows and sacrifices something inferior to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and my name is awesome among the nations.””

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭ 

Have you ever experienced a situation that just made the room stop in silence and made everyone ask, What just happened? Maybe there’s a room full of people (classroom, auditorium, restaurant), and you may or may not notice someone is abnormally quiet. Their mood may change throughout the course of the event.

Someone happens to say just the wrong thing. And the person explodes. That happened to be the worst day ever for whatever reason, and they go off about who knows what. (And they could have very valid reasons). But now everybody’s a jerk, can’t do anything right, and should just leave them alone. 

Then there’s an awkward silence after the individual storms out and glances back and forth that say, “What just happened?”

This also happens on a city or national level. Every city that has a massive shooting is forced to take a step back and sacrifice their differences with each other for a while and just stand in shock for a second. 

9/11 was the shock of my generation to many Americans. And though the military was forced to react quickly, the reaction of the populace was “Woah. What was that? And why did it happen? Because that can’t happen again. What just happened? We need to do whatever we can to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

And we know that real tragedies can lead people either toward a dependency on God or harden them to accepting God, because after all how could a loving God allow something so catastrophic? We see that back then, and we see it now every day. The problem of evil and suffering is always going to be a hang up for a lot of people, and I don’t blame them. 

But what about those who belong to God? What about those called by His name and are in a relationship with Him? That relationship clearly does not mean we escape hardship. We are still going to have “What just happened?” events that don’t make sense. 

Yet, in between those times I wonder, how is our worship to our God? When you right now think of the majesty and glory of God, and the quality of worship He receives from you, do the two correlate very well? Or does your worship of God, through your singing, through your service, through your fellowship, through your prayer reflect a skewed view of God, a higher view of yourself than deserved, and are you offering God second or third best?

Israel had the same problem, and we see this in the book of Malachi. He teaches two main truths about God that will free us from this mindset that God is only worth halfhearted worship.

First, Israel had a huge, “What just happened?” moment. We call it the exile. Sure, they disobeyed the law for years and worshiped false gods, but they were in a covenant relationship with the one true God. What was there to fear? Well, the covenant for one thing, which said if you disobey, I’ll send you into exile. So after hundred of years of mercy, God was faithful to His Word, and He allowed them to be captured, and cities destroyed, and the temple leveled. Horrible circumstances for God’s people. But how could this happen? Wouldn’t God’s name be blasphemed? Doesn’t matter. Israel needed to be disciplined. So 70ish years later and in three stages, they were able to return. The temple was rebuilt, but it wasn’t nearly as beautiful. The walls around Jerusalem were rebuilt. So they were back and functioning, but things were nearly as good as before. And the collective mindset is sideways glances back and forth, “What was that? Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

And so Israel was certain to try to follow the rules this time, but their confidence in God’s love was not as strong. And when you focus on doing the right things without loving God and knowing that He loves you, you’re going to start messing up. 

Let’s gain some encouragement from Malachi 1.

Read vv. 1-5. 

See, the first thing God reminds them of is His love for them, but they don’t believe Him. 

Did you see that in v. 2? “How have you loved us?” And God answers with a history lesson way back in Genesis with the two sons of Isaac: Jacob and Esau. One son turned into the nation of Israel. The other son became the nation of Edom. And God says, I chose you, Israel, to love, and make a covenant with and give my law and protect. Edom, I have destroyed. They were wicked, and I punished them, and even though they tried to rebuild, they will never be prosperous. And even though they came from the same father, I chose to love you. You didn’t do anything to earn my blessing. And here you are, after these hundreds of years of my faithfulness to you as a people, and asking, “How do we know that you love us?”

And because they don’t believe Him, their service to Him is affected. Then why are they even serving Him? Obligation? Fear? Tradition? All of which are not bad in their own right, but if there is no proper foundation of love in a relationship, it is no relationship. 

A healthy fear of who He is as the Almighty able to squash me at any moment— so I better straighten up— mindset is good, but I better be comfortable in resting in the fact that He loves me, and I love Him. OR what? My service to Him is going to be second rate at best. My worship, my prayers, my evangelism, my study of His word is going to be flippant if I do it, and it’s going to be half-hearted. And that’s how Israel struggled, too.

Themes in vv. 6-14:

Despising God’s name (v. 6, 12)-How? Offering polluted food upon the altar. 

So because they glad to be back home and have a temple, they are living the normal life of a Jew again. But they’re still recovering from the exile. They don’t fully believe that God is on their side or that He is worthy of the highest praise. And so their worship is sort of blah. God says you are despising my name. What are they doing?

Offering polluted offerings (blind, sick animals; v. 8, 13, 14)

I have this nice fat, healthy lamb, but you know, is God really worth that anymore? I have to sacrifice because it’s required or else He might punish me, so I’ll give Him something, but I can’t give the mean ol’ boss my favorite, or the best, or the fattest. 

God says two things in response: I’m going to go backwards. Second, He says,

God’s name great/ feared among the nations (v. 11, 14): This is speaking of something future from Malachi’s perspective. Since Israel was still not treating God with the obedience and respect and love that He deserved, they would be set aside, and the gospel would be sent out to the Gentiles. Now, that was always the plan, even back in Genesis 12. God told Abraham that He would be a blessing to all the nations. Israel’s rebellion would not thwart that plan, and God’s point here is that His majesty and His kingship is so great, that the nations will worship Him, and they will fear Him despite Israel’s failures. 

But, first, His number one advice is until then …

Just shut the doors of the temple (v. 10). Stop fooling around. I don’t want your sacrifices, if this is what I get. If you seriously can’t see all that I’ve done for you, and you doubt my love; if you seriously don’t see my as the majestic King that I am; and if the best you can offer is a sick lamb, then just shut the whole thing down. I’ll wait until my name is feared and praised among the Gentiles.

Flip on over to 2 Chronicles 28. We actually hear of the temple activities being shut down before Israel went into exile. But it wasn’t anything like this. This is a king of Israel who made a terrible decision. READ vv. 1-4. Jump down to vv. 22-25. So we have Ahaz here at one of Israel’s lowest points before Hezekiah comes on the scene, one of Israel’s high points, actually shutting down the temple in order to elevate the idol worship and set up altars to the foreign gods. We saw him already completely paganized with offering his own children. This is a wicked dude, and now in Malachi, God says, Israel, your half-hearted, lame lambs your trying to sacrifice to me, just keep it. Shut the doors, because it’s meaningless to me. It’s about as valuable as Ahaz setting up idols. 

I don’t want you serving and praising me simply out of tradition or obligation. I want you to know that I love you. And I want you to love me. And I want you to know that I am your King, and that I have been faithful to you for hundreds—at this point, almost a thousand— years. I’m committed to you as a people because I love you, and until you recognize that, and until you love me and are going to enter into a healthy, respectful, honoring, committed, yet heart-filled relationship with Me, then forget it. 

And the parallel with modern Christianity isn’t too hard to see here. Why do you pray or not pray? Why do you read your Bible or not? Why do you serve others? I’ve asked this before, but when you come to church, what is your attitude; what is your focus? Where is your heart? When you approach Jesus and this Christianity mindset, and when you think of God, what are you offering to Him, your best or second or third rate service? Because He doesn’t want that. He doesn’t deserve that. He’d rather you don’t give Him anything than give Him a lame or sick lamb. Just don’t sing if you’re going to be thinking about lunch or going back to sleep or other things you have to get done the whole time. 

Just don’t serve if you’re going to be looking to get paid or use it as blackmail or use it to look better than someone else who didn’t do anything. You know these are just a couple ways that demonstrate that we are going through motions because we know it’s right, but our relationship with God is off kilter. 

But when we recognize how committed, faithful, and loving He is (1) and how majestic, Sovereign, and worthy He is as our King (2), we will recognize a heart change within ourselves and a willingness to offer Him our best. Then we can be part of that Gentile number who praises and fears and glorifies His name, as the God who loves His children, provides for them, cares for them, and is so worthy of our true and free worship.

Joel 2:12-17

““Yet even now,” the Lord says, “return to me with all your heart – with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!” Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love – often relenting from calamitous punishment. Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake – a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God! Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly! Gather the people; sanctify an assembly! Gather the elders; gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out from his bedroom and the bride from her private quarters. Let the priests, those who serve the Lord, weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, “Have pity, O Lord, on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?””

— ‭‭Joel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭17‬‬

Joel is such an interesting little book. The first chapter describes an insane locust plague. There’s nothing left to eat. (Need to look up when Joel lived and when scholars date the book.) Chapter two is often seen as armies invading Palestine (whether Babylon or someone else), but it’s likely a metaphorical depiction of the same locusts. A great army, blackening the sun, hooves so loud, etc. 

Day of Lord is key phrase in Joel and speaks of God’s coming in judgment. It will be picked up in NT. So this is typological fulfillment. Joel is quoted throughout Acts and letters for God showing up in “end times.”

Prophet urges people to repent to see if God will relent from His judgment. “Who knows”? Very similar to king of Nineveh in Jonah. Human perspective when it comes to facing judgment. 

God does long for broken hearts and not just torn garments or sacrifices. We see this throughout the Bible. True repentance and submission to Him. Why? From fear? No, because He is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger. 

Always must remember Old Covenant. So He is judging Israel because of their foolishness and breaking of covenant. These descriptions of His character, though, are interesting, because even in that cultural context it’s how they understood Him.

He will leave a meal/wine offering…more evidence that locusts destroyed everything, but God may leave them something to offer.

Law gave certain people exemptions from tasks (e.g., men from jobs/battle after marriage), but Joel says this is more important. Blowing the trumpet signaled religious assembly. It’s time for all people to gather and cry to God. 

We see the covenant language in vv. 16-17. God is highest god. Don’t want Him to be mocked by other nations and their gods. This is all about your glory. So don’t let us fall down/apart. Don’t ruin us because it’s a reflection of you. Funny, cause that’s why God called Israel. To reflect Him and His name. Using His own purposes against Him.

Next passage has YHWH relenting. 

Exodus 20:1-21

“God spoke all these words: “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. For six days you may labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” All the people were seeing the thundering and the lightning, and heard the sound of the horn, and saw the mountain smoking – and when the people saw it they trembled with fear and kept their distance. They said to Moses, “You speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin.” The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.”

— ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭21‬‬

I know many people have come to disregard much of what Andy Stanley says nowadays. This is not the post to discern every sound bite or sermon people have heard. (No I don’t agree with everything he says, but I can filter through a lot of it to see the larger point). Not getting into his sermons and statements right now, but a long time ago, he was the first to point out to me the grace built into the Ten Commandments.

Before God gives any rules, He reminds the Israelites “I am YHWH who brought you out of the house of slavery.” As Andy put it, “I don’t expect you to follow this list of rules, or try to please me, or obey a bunch of stuff to try to enter a relationship with me—Go ahead try. You’re already in.” So there’s some debate just how “legalistic” Judaism was throughout their history. Did they really try to keep the law as a way to please God, or was it built into their fabric that they already had a relationship/covenant with God? Perhaps they grew into a more legalistic people in the strictest denotation of the word, but at their origin, there was grace. This is the  covenantal nomism discussion and New Perspective of Paul factors here too.

There was one simple act of ridiculous, almost laughable faith to show they had confidence in the power and faithfulness of their God—the blood on the doorposts. Anyway…

God says, because we have already established this relationship, now we are going to finalize that agreement here in the form of this covenant. Which brings us to a sort of odd thought.

The 10 Commandments (notice 10) are the opening of a covenant, a treaty. In Deuteronomy, they are repeated in what many use as an analogy of Israel’s “Constitution.” 

But in Ancient Near Easter terms, this is much more serious, because they are entering a covenant with God. This has all the formalities of a suzerain-vassal treaty (we have many examples from people groups of the time to compare-mostly Hittite), where a king would offer provision, protection, etc for a smaller, inferior people, and the latter would be submissive and loyal to the former. There were stipulations and requirements, of course, but a mutual agreement between the two worked in favor of both.

The two parties in this case are YHWH and the nation of Israel. And the 10 commandments cannot really be separated from the rest of the covenant. Again, notice command 4 is still part of the 10. We love the other nine, and are quick to point out that Jesus fulfilled the law, and so #4 doesn’t apply (Sabbath). Fantastic! Hurray, but we can’t talk from both sides of our mouth. What do I mean?

We often (at least in many Christian or specifically, fundamental circles) try to divide the old covenant into civil, moral, and religious laws. If you read some passages in Leviticus or Numbers, though, laws that we would divide into our neat categories are all mixed up. The author and/or editors didn’t write the law as we view it, unfortunately. Why not? Because it ALL applies to the Israelites as a society among the nations around them, so they can represent YHWH as a holy people. There’s a lot more to unpack there, but the law is for Israel. It’s a covenant between God and His people.

I don’t get to pick and choose which laws apply to me, not even the ones about stealing and murdering. I’m not a Jew.

Wait, so the law of God doesn’t apply to me? I’m free from the moral law? How am I convicted of sin? I didn’t say all of that. 

I said the “Old Covenant,” and by inclusion —the 10 Commandments. So the Old Testament law is a representation of God’s moral law, codified and contextualized for a specific time and purpose. But stealing is still wrong. God is still the only god. Parents deserve respect. And yes, we need to build rest into our schedule (shoot, the book of Hebrews even reinterprets Sabbath as salvation and ultimate glory, but that’s not for here).

It’s not enough to say, we can preach the 10 commandments because all of them are repeated in the NT, except #4. We have to go deeper, as in if Jesus fulfilled the law, then He fulfilled the whole law. And Paul is going to say, (and Jesus even said), you have a new law. The law of love. We owe no one anything, except to love one another. And of course, I agree with all those who conclude that many of the commands are given to demonstrate love others or love for God (respecting parents, not stealing, not murdering, etc.) And indeed, the Sermon on Mount shows highest intent of these laws was fulfilled by the heart of love (no lust, no anger, no oaths).

So yes, I am still bound as human to the standard of perfection/God’s moral law. Jesus came to redeem humanity and the world from its brokenness/chaos/sin. But it’s not as easy as listing 10 commands. In fact, it’s much more difficult a standard than any listing of laws. 

See John Walton, Lost World of Torah for more discussion. (I did not reach these conclusions from him, but he does discuss many of these themes. He also has a unique take on the ancient law as wisdom documents, where the king needs the law to judge how to handle various situations. Case law is essential at this point to know how to handle random events on the daily).

But in light of this discussion, here’s a brief summary of the 10.

Command 1: No Other Gods

This is a key verse for the recognition of Israel as monolatrous people not necessarily monotheists. They knew of other gods that existed or were worshipped (10 plagues against Egypt were directly opposed to all of Egypt gods). Israel failed horribly at this command because they knew of other gods (or at least thought other gods were worthy of worship. They were supposed to stick with YHWH.

YHWH’s first command even seems to suggest there are other gods. God demands absolute allegiance, to the exclusion of any other deity or law code of other civilization. These would certainly be in opposition to the one true God. Deciding Whom to worship would be foundational for how Israel conducted society

Point: Choosing whom you will worship is foundational to the rest of the list. 

Command 2: No Idols

Not a repeat of Command 1.

Images were carved from wood or stone. Used for worship, not decoration. An idol obviously represents the power, ability, presence of the god.

This could also refer to YHWH worship. No images of YHWH. 1) God knew that humans could never make something that represents Him fully. “Don’t even try.” (2) God forbids the Hebrews from narrowing Him into a figurine that they could “manage,”—something that they can be in the presence of and then out of the presence of.

Cf. Duet 7:10; 24:16; Ezekiel 19:10-20. God promises not to kill future generations elsewhere, so Exod 20:5 sounds a bit odd at first. It doesn’t appear that God would punish sons for the sins of fathers, but we can’t fully understand the mind of God when handling sin or the cause/effect relationship. The consequences of sin certainly affect future generations. Perhaps patterns of the same sin occur for several generations until God punishes harshly. All we can stand on is God’s justice and righteousness. 

The main contrast is the 3-4 generations of cursing and the thousands of generations of blessing (cf. Exod 34:7; Deut 5:10; Ps 18:50; Jer 32:18). 

Command 3: Respect God’s Name

“Taking in vain” can apply to a number of ideas: misuse or abuse, or even using it for insincere purposes. 

O my goodness—How many times have we seen organizations, countries, individuals do atrocious acts under the name of God/Jesus? It’s absolutely awful.

Command 4: Sabbath

We have evidence that pagan nations also set a day aside, but it usually for magic or special sacrifices (see NET note). Israel was supposed to do something special in v. 8, distinguishing between holy and profane days. There was something higher than daily life.

This was the 1 command that became a covenant marker for the Jewish people (along with circumcision and their food laws). 

I’m sure this will be a different post later, but see Rom 12:1-2, Col 2:16-17; Heb 4:1-11 for NT context for this command and how our holiness is related to it. For starters, Israel was required to share in the rest of their Creator. We do, too, but not by calendar observations. Our entire life is holy, resting because of Christ’s sacrifice.

(Just in case anyone is wondering, Exodus 20:12 is an ok argument for literal 6 day creationism, but it’s not a slam dunk. This explanation was probably not on the original tablets—Moses probably just had the bare commands, not the purpose clauses, explanations etc. So it takes a lot of work—much more and much smarter than I am able to do—to try to trace the history of documents to how Torah reached final form….and of course there’s endless debate. But generally speaking, these tablets were probably one of the first things ever written. By the time the explanations and purposes clauses get added/Exodus gets written as whole, Genesis 1 or the poem behind it has been written, so the author or editor can use what’s been established to build an argument. The fact that it’s dependent on Genesis 1 is fine, but it still leaves us to debate what’s going on in Genesis 1. This is more evident that the explanation for the Sabbath in Deuteronomy is different…slavery in Egypt).

Command 5: Honor Parents

It’s so easy to repeat this ad nauseam to our kids, but I don’t remember reading an age limit in v. 12. Remember, Israelites are a Semitic/Eastern culture, so honor/shame plays huge role in caring for older generations. 

God offers a national promise only to command. Ezekiel 22:7, 15 directly links Judah’s exile to lack of respect for parents (and to repeat previous point, I don’t think it was three year olds’ tantrums or ten year olds sneaking out at night). Malachi also says the future Elijah (ie. Messiah) would turn children and parents back to each other. This was key foundation of society, especially God’s holy society.

Command 6: Murder

This command refers to both premeditated and accidental killings. Later case laws would add stipulations for some basic situations, but this command gives the general principle that God values life.

God programmed us for love and unity. Anger, hatred, murder have no place among His people. 

Things like war/just war not really mentioned in case laws. 

Command 7: Adultery

Later laws would distinguish fornication and adultery, with the latter carrying death penalty (Lev 20:10). The abundant theme of Scripture, from Genesis 1 to the Law to Jesus in Matthew 5 to Paul in Eph 5 is that God loves marriage, values the loyalty and integrity of both individuals bound together. We can look at Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19 later.

Command 8: Stealing

The Law not only protects lives and marriages but also personal property. In some ways, Command 10 (coveting) functions for Command 8 as Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 function for other portions of the law. What’s most important is the heart of the person. 

Command 9: False Witness

The immediate application is perjury in court, but the Israelite understanding most likely expanded to include lying in general (cf. Hosea 4:2). 

If an honest word is meaningless or impossible to find in a society, then I’m pretty sure destruction is coming quickly. 

Command 10: Coveting

Coveting/earnestly desiring can be a positive action (Ps 19:10; 68:16), but not when the object is forbidden. This is the only command that cannot be proven that the individual is breaking it. Must be hard to punish someone for coveting. The antidote has to be gratitude and contentment here. We see this throughout Scripture.

VV 18-21. People were afraid of the smoke and fire. They don’t want to speak with God. They’re terrified of Him. These cosmic signs demonstrate God’s power, His presence, and perhaps provoke fear but also motivate obedience. They do accept the stipulations of the covenant. (At least until ch. 32 with the golden calf). 

Habakkuk 2:6-20

 ““But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: ‘The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?) – he who gets rich by extortion!’ Your creditors will suddenly attack; those who terrify you will spring into action, and they will rob you. Because you robbed many countries, all who are left among the nations will rob you. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster. Your schemes will bring shame to your house. Because you destroyed many nations, you will self-destruct. For the stones in the walls will cry out, and the wooden rafters will answer back. The one who builds a city by bloodshed is as good as dead – he who starts a town by unjust deeds. Be sure of this! The Lord who commands armies has decreed: The nations’ efforts will go up in smoke; their exhausting work will be for nothing. For recognition of the Lord’s sovereign majesty will fill the earth just as the waters fill up the sea. “You who force your neighbor to drink wine are as good as dead – you who make others intoxicated by forcing them to drink from the bowl of your furious anger, so you can look at their genitals. But you will become drunk with shame, not majesty. Now it is your turn to drink and expose your uncircumcised foreskin! The cup of wine in the Lord’s right hand is coming to you, and disgrace will replace your majestic glory! For you will pay in full for your violent acts against Lebanon; terrifying judgment will come upon you because of the way you destroyed the wild animals living there. You have shed human blood and committed violent acts against lands, cities, and those who live in them. What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things? The one who says to wood, ‘Wake up!’ is as good as dead – he who says to speechless stone, ‘Awake!’ Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life’s breath inside it. But the Lord is in his majestic palace. The whole earth is speechless in his presence!””

— ‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭20‬‬

Lengthy passage to get context for v. 14. Habakkuk is an interesting little book. Need to reread or watch a brief introduction to overall themes and purpose/historical context, but I believe Habakkuk is defending God’s justice. 

Overall question is How in the world can God be just when Babylon is going to attack Jerusalem? Do You even know those people? They’re awful.

The first half of chapter 2 says, Yes, God knows them, but Israel must be disciplined for their disobedience, per the covenant they made with YHWH. Those who are proud and haughty will be punished/oppressed, but those who go through this faithfully will be delivered.

The rest of the chapter says that exile is not the end of the story. God may use the Babylonians to fulfill His purposes, but He will ultimately humble them as well.

Those who use violence and torment for their own gain will be brought low. The verses of nakedness most likely refer to parading victims of war through streets without clothes. 

God would vindicate His people and cause Babylon to pay for her wickedness. God was/is not dead. Whether the Jews or the Babylonians—I’m not sure at first glance who was saying YHWH was powerless when Jerusalem fell.

But through Habakkuk, God confirms that He is no lifeless idol. No one can limit His power to a meaningless piece of wood or stone. And when He acts, as v. 14 would say, the whole world will take note. The last verse says the earth is speechless at His presence. He will act on behalf of His people when the time to return to the land came. 

He is a powerful and good God, even when it seemed like discipline and wrath surrounded them. He is just and He would make all things right. 

Some Old covenant truths here, but also need to understand their perspective vs. general truths. Definitely some timeless principles in here about sovereignty, power, faithfulness, and goodness.

Acts 3:12-26

 “When Peter saw this, he declared to the people, “Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or piety? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate after he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ name, his very name has made this man – whom you see and know – strong. The faith that is through Jesus has given him this complete health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, as your rulers did too. But the things God foretold long ago through all the prophets – that his Christ would suffer – he has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and so that he may send the Messiah appointed for you – that is, Jesus. This one heaven must receive until the time all things are restored, which God declared from times long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey him in everything he tells you. Every person who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed from the people.’ And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.’ God raised up his servant and sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each one of you from your iniquities.””

— ‭‭Acts‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭26‬‬

There’s a lot packed into Peter’s sermon. We could dive into his audience, primarily Jews, and whether their relationship to salvation/“sin” is the same as the wider world. Is Peter’s accusation for the need of their “turning” identical to the broader call for repentance?

What exactly did the prophets foretell? Clearly the people weren’t ready for it. The groundwork may have been laid, but no one was expecting what actually happened, especially a beaten and crucified Messiah, and no one had resurrection on the radar (at least a single person rising before general resurrection). General resurrection wasn’t even developed until late in OT era.

So there’s heavy debate how much is in the OT and how much the NT authors read back into the OT. I definitely think the OT prophets knew of a coming Messiah. They knew of the age of peace. They saw a kingdom. We could look at all sorts of passages of blessings and promises. Looking back, it becomes much more clear what the plan was…which gives us pause when trying to predict our own future based on certain promises.

“Times of refreshing” are the Messianic age, when He reigns. Restoration of all things. Probably part of the already/not yet. We see some of this, but not the full expression. This has begun certainly bc of death/resurrection.

Whoever doesn’t receive Jesus is destroyed/cut off. This is where it’s weird to see if this is Jewish context or not. Cut off is exile language. Destroyed may force us to jump to “hell” language, but Peter may have other options in mind—not so much theologically or terminologically, but as a referent. 

NET focuses on plural “iniquities” twice in passage. Luke has emphasis in Luke-Acts on repentance. Not just the since of rejecting Jesus or crucifying Jesus, but all sins. His suffering conquered powers of death and all evil. 

Still working through own theology of atonement, which Peter touches on here, and crux of Christian hope, which is bodily resurrection. Occurs when Jesus appears. Peter mentions He it is necessary for Him to be in heaven (wherever that is, for now). But He will appear when all things must be restored. That is our hope. All things, including our bodies, restored, and Jesus’ reign finally experienced in full as king.