Let the Prophets Speak

In an ongoing discussion between God and His prophet, Jeremiah sees destruction, and God explains why it has to be. In one astounding statement, called castigates His people for being foolish.

God, and then the prophet himself beseech the people to mend their ways to prevent the coming destruction. There is still a chance if you stop listening to the false prophets who tell you that everything will be fine. You must actually improve your ways to come back to God. If you do, you will be a source of justice and righteousness for the entire world to follow. If you don't, the the destroyers...

God gave the people of Israel the land of Israel in the hopes that they would turn to Him. Instead, they were embarrassed and ashamed, and they looked everywhere else except to God. God begs them to come back, be proud of your special heritage, turn back to Me, I will heal you.

The Northern kingdom has been destroyed, but God tells his prophet to ask the remnants of the people to come rejoin their brothers in Judah. My divorce was not final! But the people of Judah did not learn the lessons they should have from what happened to their Northern brothers, they continued to live in hypocrisy. However, one day, the entire world will learn of God, the entire world will shed t...

God compares His relationship to the people of Israel to that between a husband and wife. If the wife rebels and then goes to another, can she ever come back? God points out to the people that they CAN reconcile, if only they recognize their evil ways. Without this, He will not wait forever.

God continues to critcize the people of Israel for constantly looking everywhere except to God. Imitating the evil ways of their neighbors to try and gain their favor, instead of pride in themselves and the true God. Worst of all, they still refuse to admit they've done anything wrong.

God continues to lament how His children, the one's He treated so well, have now rebelled against him. Now God has unleashed the roaring lions of Assyria, Egypt and others against them. Your prayers and repentance will not help you if you don't recognize your sins first. stop running aimlessly like a young untrained camel. Think about your ways, and then return to Me.

God recalls the youthful passion with which the covenant between God and His people was made. Unfortunately, the people did not appreciate God, and instead of seeking closeness with God, they turned to worship worthless and useless gods. All the nations of the world appreciate theior unique traditions and what makes them special, but the poeple of Judah, who have the most special heritage of all,...

God gives jeremiah his first vision, an almond branch and a burning cauldron. I am serious about this, and it is coming soon from the North. A disaster is about to befall the people, and they are not going to like your message. Don't be afraid, I will be with you, God promises Jeremiah. However, your task will not be easy.

Jeremiah's call to prophecy. I have known you since before you were born, says God to Jeremiah. You have what it takes to be a prophet to the nations of the world. So don't be afraid, remember that I will be with you, and speak My words to the people.

We introduce the prophet Jeremiah, a prophet of resilience, hope, love for his people and devotion. Although he is known for his prophecies of destruction, he is most remarkable for his never ending devotion to his mission and God. He represents the moments of despair that we all feel when we see failure and suffering, but only those who follow in his path get up and keep on going. Jeremiah logica...

God turns to Israel and promises that He will bring them back to Jerusalem, but He will rid the people of the arrogant and dishonest among them. Israel will be a humble, modest and honest nation. A nation so beloved by the nations of the world, that all will look to Israel and declare their love for their God and accept Him as their God as well. "Don't be afraid anymore," they will say, "God is wi...

God criticizes the leaders of Jerusalem for their corruption, and how they used the Torah as a way to oppress the poor. Then he turns towards the nations of the world, and laments, "if only you would have listened to my messages, I would've have loved to give you all the rewards I had saved up for you. But now I have to punish you", says God. However, one day all of the nations of the world, even...

Zephaniah warned us that the day of God's judgement is coming, so he now beseeches all the nations of the world, "Get Yourselves together before it's too late!" God's judgement is coming, but there is still time to save yourselves. Be humble, be just, stop scoffing at the humble nations around you. Then every country can worship God, even from faraway lands.

The prophet continues to describe the destruction coming from God due to the people's corruption. God will search the streets to find everyone hiding, there will be no escape. No amount of gold and silver will save you from God's wrath.

When God gathers everyone close for judgement, it doesn't bode well for the transgressors. He will zero in on you, there is no escape. Ultimately, it is dishonesty and oppression of others that will get you into trouble.

Habakkuk compares the awe and trembling of the righteous man to the awe of nature before God. The mountains, the rivers and the sea, the sun the moon and the sky, all tremble before God. But they are not the recipients of God's wrath. Only the evil nations and the tormentors of the poor are the recipients of God's anger. God comes to destroy evil and liberate the righteous. God's weapons are perfe...

Habakkuk is terrified of God's answer to the prophet's demand for immediate justice, and begs Him to find mercy in His times of anger. The prophet notes that true justice cannot come anywhere, until it comes everywhere. I credit the title of this podcast of course to Martin KLuther King.

God answers but also doesn't answer the prophet. He points out that there is some justice built into the system which isn't so obvious, but ultimately we can never fully see justice until the day God reveals it. Before God, there is only silence, we need to stay strong and wait for the answers.

Habakkuk demands an answer from God, I will stand here until You explain Yourself! God reassures the prophet that one day God will reveal the answer to the world. One day it will all make sense. But the humble will have to have faith in God and wait. Only the humble though can have faith and live righteously, the arrogant will always demand answers now. However the people can and will rise against...

After God's answer to Habbakuk about justice, habbakuk does not like what he hears! If they are coming to punish, how do You God allow them to indiscrimately destroy other human beings like fish! Why don"t they discern between the innocent and guilty? Is this justice?

We introduce the prophet Habakkuk, who prophesied during the time of the ascendency of the babylonian kingdom. Challenging God, he asks, why do you stand by and watch while the evil make the righteous suffer? The prophet may not like God's answer.

When the nation treats other nations with lies and deceipt, that will soon enough become the way people within the kingdom treat each other. Nahum describes how assyria would lure other nations in with false promises like a sorcerer smiles at his/her victim, but then when entrapped they plunder and kill. For this, the nation of assyria will meet it's end, and noone will care.

Look to the mountains, as the messenger is arriving with wonderful news! Your oppressor, Nineveh, has been destroyed and you can now rebuild and celebrate. The prophet describes the destruction of Assyria. The people who tore up the world and killed and crushed the other nations and stole their wealth, the "den of lions" will no longer perpetrate his evil destruction on other peoples.

Micah prays to God, shpherd your people and lead them back to psture in their ancient lands. Show the world how you are not like other false gods. You forgive, you are patient, and you do not hold on to Your anger forever. Show the peoples of the world to no longer remain in their fortresses of war, but to learn to fear God Himself. Bring truth to the promises You have made.