Posts from October 2024
You Shouldn’t Have
The prophet Obadiah has some harsh words for the nation of Edom, an ancient people we may not be familiar with, although they are actually mentioned a great deal throughout the Old Testament. Israel and Edom both have their roots in the same family, the twin brothers Jacob and Esau. These brothers’ relationship to each other is wrought from the beginning (literally before they’re even born!) with conflict, deception and resentment. Their mother, Rebekah, is told by God in her…
The Prophetic Glitch
“Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (1 Kings 17:1) If you work your way through Israel’s story in the Old Testament, you eventually get to know Elijah. He’s impossible to miss. So important to Israel is Elijah that the prophet Malachi sees him returning in the future to prepare Israel…
The Lion Has Roared
Amos, the third of the Minor Prophets, not only speaks a word from God to the people of Israel, but also gives us a glimpse into the mind of a prophet and into the kind of reception the prophet receives. The word from God through Amos is harsh, leading many in Israel to respond with skepticism that the chosen people of God should be subject to such judgment. But Amos assures them that they do indeed need to hear a…