What I Learned From the Minor Prophets Part 2
Hello again. This is part 2 of my series about what I learned in the minor prophets. Maybe something will resonate with you. :)
Last note I talked about the power of applying principles. Often the minor prophets feel far far out of touch, but discovering applicable principles is a game changer.
Knowing more context to the prophetic books helped me understand a little more about God’s wrath towards evil.
For example, in keeping with the suggestion of using the whole counsel of Scripture, it’s helpful to identify which king(s) reigned at the time of each prophetic book, as we are then directed to other passages in Scripture (typically books like Judges, Kings, and Chronicles give helpful snapshots) that give context clues as to what life was like during the specific prophet’s time.
Israel’s history is riddled with rebellion against God, as they were involved with idol worship and prostitution, oppression of the poor, sexual abuse and rape, murder, and child sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3; Psalm 106:38; Hosea 7:3; Mal. 2:8). Israel was not alone in these practices and were often influenced by neighboring nations. Without knowing the kind of lifestyles Israel and others were living, God’s judgments in the prophetic books seem harsh and cruel.
But don’t we cry out in anger and lament even today, for God’s mercy and grace on the oppressed, the abused, the marginalized? Don’t we long for righteous judgment on the wicked? Likewise, the prophets would cry out for justice and mercy. Don’t we echo their desperation for life to be made right, for justice to be measured out? (I was going to reference certain passages here, but truly, just read any of the prophets and you will see the pleas for wrongs to be made right, for oppressors to face judgement, for life to be made new. Head to your Bible, folks).
But even if judgment still seems harsh to you, we must remember God isn’t only just. He is merciful and gracious.
Repeatedly, God follows up warnings and judgments with calls for repentance and a promise of his immeasurable mercy and grace. We learn that he is slow to his righteous anger and abounds in faithful love (Joel 2:13). Sometimes time is given as a gift from God. Time to repent and draw near to him, he gives oppressors and abusers time to humble themselves and make things right. We are frustrated by this when it applies to others; we want justice now (like Jonah). But he offers mercy to those who seek it (Zeph. 2:1-3). If only Israel would follow him. If only the nations would follow him. If only we would follow him. Mercy and grace remain for all who repent and draw near. God’s wrath is not the end of the story.
As we study God’s righteous anger and judgment, we ought to be amazed and humbled by his abundant mercy and amazing grace. If I need a reminder of how badly I need saving, I turn to the prophets and hear their messages of condemnation echo in my ears, but then I read on. And I treasure the messages of forgiveness and hope which point us toward Christ—the ultimate manifestation of mercy and grace.
Postscript:
I’m going to give a little glimpse into my struggles with Scripture. What?! No way. We can’t struggle with Scripture, right?
I believe that we can, and I believe that God welcomes us to talk to him about it. Struggling with doubt because of God’s Word isn’t the mistake. Rather, the mistake is to assume that God is wrong just because we find something that doesn’t taste good. We have the responsibility and the capability to study deeper, to pray fervently, to seek counsel, to dig and dig and dig until we come to a conclusion—even if that conclusion is, “I don’t really understand this, and maybe I never will.” Even through all of that, we can trust God. He doesn’t push us away just because we ask questions.
One of the most difficult issues for me (and I’m guessing I’m not alone) in Scripture is the different circumstances in which God displays his wrath. Think Korah’s rebellion. When I read that passage and specifically that children were included in facing judgment for their parents’ rebellion, my soul feels a little sick (Num. 16). And other circumstances in Scripture evoke the same reaction from me.
Now, I won’t pick this apart with you today. I’m only offering this to you as an example of why I struggle at times. Who wants to read of “little ones” being included in a group of people who were swallowed up by the earth in judgment (Num. 16:27)? Who wants to think about the number of children who were killed in Joshua’s conquests? And these are just two examples; more exist. But I won’t get into all of them today, because it’s not completely my point for this post. I want to normalize what it might look like to grapple with hard things in the Bible. I hope you, my readers, know that God welcomes our questions, and he is patient to help us understand.
And I think I’ll come back to this one day with you. :)
Thoughts? Agree or disagree?
I continue to find myself in wrestling matches with God as I try to understand the Old Testament, to be honest with you. But I believe the truth of what I wrote here for you today. I believe he is just, and I believe his mercy is indeed amazing. Two things can be true at once, and for me, it is true that this is an area I frequently labor in, and it is true that I trust God at his word.
Recommendations:
My friend Matt runs a ministry called “Doubters Welcome” is an excellent resource for all Christians, but especially those who dance with doubt often or periodically or just a little bit. Check out Matt here: Doubters Welcome Podcast