8 Mar 2015

The Voice 5.10: March 08, 2015

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The Voice

Jonah

The Assyrians, the scourge of Israel, were the strongest power of the day. It would not be long before they would decimate and then destroy the northern Kingdom of Israel. How could YHWH want such people to repent and be saved? Such is the mentality of the prophet Jonah.

Sistine jonah Jonah is the thirty-second book in most English Bibles; in the Hebrew Bible it is part of the Nevi’im, the Prophets; in the Greek Septuagint Jonah is the sixth of the Duodecim (Latinized; Dodeka in Greek), “the Twelve.” In Hebrew Jonah’s name is the same word as for “dove,” generally a sign of peace (e.g. Genesis 8:8-11, but also Hosea 11:11 in terms of Assyria). Jonah son of Amittai came from Gath-hepher, on the border of Zebulun near Nazareth (Joshua 19:13), and prophesied of Jeroboam’s (II) restoration of the borders of Israel to their former state (2 Kings 14:25; ca. 786-746 BCE). While Obadiah and Nahum prophesy against other nations, Jonah alone among the Twelve actually goes to the nation and preaches to them without respect to Israel; while we primarily hear the voice of the other eleven prophets, Jonah’s story is being told by an inspired narrator of whom we know nothing. The book of Jonah tells how YHWH summoned Jonah to preach to Nineveh in Assyria so as to demonstrate YHWH’s concern for people of all the nations.

The book of Jonah begins with the story of God’s first call and Jonah’s rejection of that call (Jonah 1:1-17). YHWH’s word came to Jonah telling him to go to Nineveh and cry against it (Jonah 1:1-2). Jonah attempted to flee, embarking on a boat heading to Tarshish away from YHWH (possibly Tartessus in Spain; Jonah 1:3). While the boat was at sea YHWH stirred up a large storm; each person cried out to their god; Jonah was asleep; the crew woke him; they cast lots and learned Jonah was the cause of the storm (Jonah 1:4-7). Jonah explained how he served YHWH the God of heaven; the crew was afraid; Jonah offered to be cast overboard; the crew resists but ultimately does so, praying to YHWH for mercy; when Jonah goes overboard the storm stops; the crew offered sacrifice to YHWH (Jonah 1:8-16). A large fish swallowed Jonah and he was in its belly three days and nights (Jonah 1:17).

Jonah prayed while in the belly of the fish, poetically narrating his descent into the waters, his helplessness, and YHWH’s deliverance (Jonah 2:1-9). The fish vomited Jonah up onto dry land (Jonah 2:10).

YHWH again called Jonah to go to Nineveh, and this time he obeys (Jonah 3:1-3). He cried out that Nineveh would be overthrown in forty days; the people of Nineveh believed in God and fasted, even the king in Nineveh, who decreed fasting, sackcloth, and prayers for relief (Jonah 3:4-9). God saw and relented of the calamity which He was going to bring upon Nineveh (Jonah 3:10).

Jonah, however, is none too pleased; in anger he prays to YHWH, indicating he had spoken of this when first summoned, knowing that YHWH was gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and had fled to Tarshish because he knew YHWH would relent; he wanted to die (Jonah 4:1-3). YHWH asks if he does well to be angry (Jonah 4:4). Jonah then sat outside of the city in a booth to see what would become of Nineveh: it got hot, and YHWH prepared a plant for him to give him shade, and it pleased him (Jonah 4:5-6). The next day the plant withered, and a very hot east wind arose, and Jonah asked to die on account of the heat; God asked if he does well to be angry about the plant; Jonah believed so, even to the point of death (Jonah 4:7-9). YHWH provides the lesson: Jonah showed concern for the plant for which he had done nothing to make or nourish and lived but a day, so why should YHWH have no concern for more than 120,000 Ninevites who do not know their right hand from their left and who have many cattle (Jonah 4:10-11)?

Most people remember Jonah’s story on account of the big fish; it may have been a whale, since Israelites tended to categorize creatures by environment or function as opposed to our categorization system (cf. Leviticus 11:13-19), or it could have been a sea creature no longer in existence. Jonah’s three days and nights in the fish prefigure Jesus’ time in death before His resurrection (the “sign of Jonah,” Matthew 12:38-41, 16:4, Luke 11:29-32). Nevertheless, the book of Jonah is less about the big fish or even Nineveh and more about YHWH and Israel. YHWH loves Israel, abounds in covenant loyalty, and is gracious and merciful; He is able to show the same love and loyalty to foreign nations, even foreign nations whom He will use to judge His people. Nineveh will have its day of destruction as Nahum makes clear (Nahum 1:1-3:19), but it would not be in the day of Jonah, because they had repented.

We do well to learn the message of Jonah: God is love, and does not want anyone to be condemned but all to come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 1 John 4:8). Let us proclaim the Gospel to all the creation so all may praise God the Father in the name of Jesus the Son (Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16)!

Ethan R. Longhenry

8 Feb 2015

The Voice 5.06: February 08, 2015

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The Voice

Obadiah and Nahum

The Assyrians conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel and humiliated the southern Kingdom of Judah. The Edomites attempted to take advantage of Judah when they were down and out. YHWH had noticed. He spoke condemnation upon them through His prophets Obadiah and Nahum.

Obadiah is the thirty-first book and Nahum the thirty-fourth book in most English Bibles; in the Hebrew Bible they are part of the Nevi’im, the Prophets; in the Greek Septuagint Obadiah is the fifth and Nahum the seventh of the Duodecim (Latinized; Dodeka in Greek), “the Twelve.” Nahum is most likely earlier than Obadiah; he prophesies between the fall of Thebes in Egypt (ca.664 BCE; Nahum 3:8-10) and Nineveh in Assyria (612 BCE; Nahum 2:3-4), and within that range most likely between 660-630 BCE. Obadiah’s message does not have any specific chronological information and has been dated from 850 BCE to 400 BCE. Nevertheless Obadiah is most likely prophesying after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (586 BCE; Obadiah 1:11 yet is anticipating Babylon’s campaign against Edom (553 BCE; Obadiah 1:15-16). The two prophets live at distinct times and prophesy to different nations but among the Twelve they devote their messages primarily to foreign nations and not to Israel and Judah (Jonah prophesies to the Assyrians but the story as told is directed to Israelites). Obadiah condemns Edom for their rapaciousness against Judah and warns about the judgment coming upon them. Nahum warns Nineveh of the wrath of YHWH’s vengeance which will come against it swiftly.

Abdias Obadiah sets forth the vision he received (Obadiah 1:1-21): YHWH will make Edom small among the nations; its pride will be humbled (Obadiah 1:1-4). Esau will be thoroughly pillaged with nothing left, having been deceived by former allies, and the wisdom of the wise is for naught (Obadiah 1:5-9). This judgment comes upon Edom because of how they treated their brother Judah: they stood aloof when Judah was ravaged, and they should not gloat over the downfall of Judah and encroach so as to pillage (Obadiah 1:10-14). The Day of YHWH is upon the nations, and their deeds will return upon their heads (Obadiah 1:15): Israel will again rise and possess its land and will then consume Edom; all Edom will be ruled by Israel (Obadiah 1:16-21).

Nahum of Elkosh also sets forth the vision he received (Nahum 1:1-3:19): YHWH is jealous and avenging; the land shakes before Him; He pours out His wrath against the adversaries but provides refuge for His people (Nahum 1:1-11). YHWH promises that those who have power will be cut down; the yoke will be removed; the idols will fall; good news will be brought; Judah must keep feasts and vows, for the enemy will be cut off (Nahum 1:12-15). YHWH is restoring the majesty of Israel by destroying Nineveh; Nahum evocatively describes the siege and war that leads to Nineveh’s devastation and destruction (Nahum 2:1-13). Nahum declares woe upon Nineveh as the “bloody city,” full of plunder, now full of slain in the streets, suffering because of its idolatry (Nahum 3:1-4). YHWH is against Nineveh and will cause the nations to see its shame; none will mourn for Nineveh (Nahum 3:5-7). Nahum asks whether Nineveh is better than Thebes in Egypt which suffered destruction and devastation; the presumed answer is no, and thus Nineveh will suffer the same fate (Nahum 3:8-10; Thebes was attacked in 664 BCE). Nineveh will go into captivity: its fortresses are ripe for destruction, and its soldiers weak (Nahum 3:11-13). Nahum (likely sarcastically) advises them to prepare for siege, but it will end in destruction; their merchants and princes are as locusts and grasshoppers, here today, gone tomorrow (Nahum 3:14-17). Assyria will be grievously wounded but all will be pleased, for Assyria’s unceasing evil has afflicted all the nations (Nahum 3:18-19).

The visions of Obadiah and Nahum may be short but remain quite compelling. The fulfillment of their words is nothing short of astonishing: even though Edom was allied with the Babylonians, Nabonidus would turn against Edom in 553 BCE to more effectively control trade routes in Arabia (cf. Nabonidus Chronicle). In 125 BCE John Hyrcanus of Judea conquered Edom and forced them to convert to Judaism, vividly fulfilling Obadiah 1:21 (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 13.9.1, 14.4.4). While Nahum prophesied Assyria was the strongest empire in the land at the height of their power; the entire ancient Near Eastern world was astonished at the speed of the fall of the Assyrian Empire at the end of the seventh century. Nineveh was the largest city of the world for fifty years; after an internal civil war a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Scythians, and Cimmerians attacked and destroyed it in 612 BCE, fulfilling Nahum’s oracle (cf. Babylonian Chronicles). Three years later Nebuchadnezzar defeated the remnant of the Assyrians and it was all over!

Obadiah and Nahum remind us that YHWH is loyal to His covenant. His people may rebel against Him and He may punish them for a time; nevertheless, the time will come when YHWH will gain vengeance over those who humiliate His people. Perhaps few believed it at the time, but YHWH proved faithful to His oracles through these prophets, whether quickly or over time. YHWH remains God; He is jealous and avenging; He is slow to anger, great in power, but will not clear the unrepentant guilty. May we ever serve Him and take refuge in Him!

Ethan R. Longhenry

11 Jan 2015

The Voice 5.02: January 11, 2015

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The Voice

Amos

The nobility in Israel had obtained great wealth and prosperity. They proved idolatrous and oppressive. Times seemed good. Who wanted to hear the doom-and-gloom message of the pesky southerner Amos?

Amos is the thirtieth book in most English Bibles; in the Hebrew Bible it is part of the Nevi’im, the Prophets; in the Greek Septuagint Amos is the second of the Duodecim (Latinized; Dodeka in Greek), “the Twelve.” Amos is most likely the earliest of the Twelve, prophesying in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam (II) king of Israel (ca. 793-739 BCE; likely in the middle of this period). Amos is sent to prophesy to Israel but is a Judahite from Tekoa; he is not a prophet by trade but a herdsman and dresser of sycamore figs (Amos 1:1, 7:14-15). Amos warns Israel of the danger of the imminent Day of YHWH despite, and in many ways on account of, the seeming good times they were enjoying.

After being introduced to Amos (Amos 1:1), Amos provides his opening declaration: YHWH roars from Zion, and the land withers (Amos 1:2). He then sets forth, in a rhythmic pattern, denunciations of the nations, primarily on account of what they have done to Israel: Aram, Philistia, Phoenicia, Edom, Ammon, and Moab (Amos 1:3-2:3). Judah is then denounced for idolatry and not observing the law of YHWH (Amos 2:4-5). Finally, according to the same pattern, Israel is denounced for oppression of the poor, sexual immorality, and idolatry (Amos 2:5-8). Even though God brought them out of Egypt and dispossessed the Amorite, having sent prophets and Nazirites, yet Israel has rejected the prophets and sought to profane the Nazirites, and judgment in war is coming (Amos 2:9-16).

Amos then presents YHWH’s word against Israel (Amos 3:1-4:13). YHWH has known only Israel of the nations; that is why they will be punished (Amos 3:2). Through many examples Amos illustrates how YHWH informs the prophets of what He will do and is ultimately responsible for the devastation to come (Amos 3:3-8). Neighboring nations are summoned to see the destruction of Israel (Amos 3:9-10): Israel will be devastated by a foreign nation, with barely a remnant left, and all the wealth of the nobility will be plundered (Amos 3:11-15). Amos then speaks against the wealthy women of Israel, denouncing them for their wanton materialism, warning them of their impending slavery (Amos 4:1-3); he sarcastically “encourages” further transgression at the altars of Israel, since Israel believes they will be rescued by the multitude of their sacrifices, yet it will be to no avail (Amos 4:4-5). Amos then sets forth how YHWH sent warnings, plagues, famines, and opponents to Israel, and yet they still have not turned to Him; thus they should prepare to meet their God in judgment (Amos 4:6-13)!

Amos laments over the fallen virgin Israel, for only a tenth will remain (Amos 5:1-3). Amos exhorts Israel to seek YHWH and live, not through the temples of Israel, but to do good and not evil, the opposite of the current condition; YHWH is the Creator, and thus He can destroy (Amos 5:4-15). Days of lamentation and mourning are coming (Amos 5:16-17). Some among Israel seem to desire the Day of YHWH: they should not, for it is darkness and bleak; judgment is coming despite their sacrifices and religious observances, for they have not done justice or righteousness (Amos 5:18-24). They will be exiled beyond Damascus (Amos 5:25-26).

Amos declares woe upon the nobility of Israel: are they greater than the other nations which have been destroyed (Amos 6:1-4)? Those who now feast will be cast into exile (Amos 6:5-7). YHWH abhors Israel’s pride: a nation will be raised up against them, and they will be afraid to even mention the name of YHWH (Amos 6:8-14).

YHWH then shows Amos a series of visions: locusts, a judgment by fire, and a plumb line. Neither the locust nor the fire would come, but YHWH would not pass by Israel, and the house of Jeroboam would see the sword (Amos 7:1-9). Perhaps on account of this last vision Amaziah the priest informed Jeroboam of these things and told Amos to return to Judah (Amos 7:10-13). Amos explains how he is no prophet but called by YHWH and pronounces judgment on Amaziah and his family (Amos 7:14-17).

YHWH shows Amos a basket of summer fruit, illustrating the nearness of the end for Israel (Amos 8:1-3). Amos condemns those who oppress the poor, trade on the Sabbath, and act corruptly: they will mourn and lament (Amos 8:4-10). A famine of the word of YHWH will come upon the land (Amos 8:11-14).

Amos then saw the Lord beside the altar, calling for its destruction (Amos 9:1-2). Israel will be destroyed no matter where they seek to turn; YHWH is Lord (Amos 9:3-6). If a people sin, God will destroy them in their pride (Amos 9:7-10). Yet the day will come upon which YHWH will raise up a descendant of David to rebuild Israel, and great prosperity will come again to God’s people (Amos 9:11-15).

Israel did not want to listen to Amos’ message, and all of what he promised came true. By 721 BCE the Kingdom of Israel was no more; within the next century they were all in exile beyond Damascus. Judah would soon follow. Yet the days would come when God fulfilled His promise through Amos, raising up Jesus of Nazareth, building His Kingdom, Israelites and Gentiles together (cf. Acts 15:14-18). Let us pursue justice and righteousness in the Kingdom of God and be saved!

Ethan R. Longhenry

14 Dec 2014

The Voice 4.50: December 14, 2014

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The Voice

Joel

A great plague threatened Israel. Would the people of God repent? What would happen on the great day of YHWH? We learn about such things from the prophet Joel.

Joel is the twenty-ninth book in most English Bibles; in the Hebrew Bible it is part of the Nevi’im, the Prophets; in the Greek Septuagint Joel is the fourth of the Duodecim (Latinized; Dodeka in Greek), “the Twelve.” Joel’s name means Yahweh is God. The book does not specify when Joel prophesied; concern about the land indicates he spoke either during the later period of the divided kingdoms (ca. 800-600 BCE) or after the return from exile (ca. 530-400 BCE). Joel warns and comforts Israel regarding the judgments in the “day” of YHWH, with danger in the near term and hope for the long term.

Joel’s warnings are found in Joel 1:1-2:17. Joel summons the elders and people of Israel to hear of what YHWH is planning, a thing not seen in the past, and remarkable for the future: a series of locusts will have devoured the produce of the land (Joel 1:1-4). Drunkards should lament the devastation wrought by this nation which entered the land: offerings cease, the priests, the farmers, and the ground mourn, and gladness is gone in the face of famine (Joel 1:5-12). Joel then calls all people to consecrate a fast, to lament and repent, for the day of YHWH and the devastation it brings is near, causing famine and devastation in the land (Joel 1:13-20). The trumpet should be blown, for the danger of the day of YHWH is at hand; it is described as thick darkness, fearful, devouring like fire, as paradise before them but a desert behind them; they look like horses and a powerful army, powerfully advancing ahead, fully set on devastation; before them all are afraid and melt away, and they enter everywhere (Joel 2:1-9). On account of this the earth quakes, the heavens tremble and are darkened, for YHWH speaks to His army; the day of YHWH is great and awesome, and who can endure it (Joel 2:10-11)? Yet it need not be this way: YHWH gives His people an opportunity to repent, returning to Him with fasting, weeping, and mourning, rending their hearts; the summons is made for all people to consecrate a fast and weep, lament, and mourn (Joel 2:12-17).

In Joel 2:18 YHWH becomes jealous for His land and has pity on His people. He sends food and prosperity, and they will no longer be a reproach among the nations; the northerner will be removed from them and driven away; the land will be given reason to rejoice in its produce and the people for their overflowing prosperity; they will praise YHWH and His people will not be put to shame (Joel 2:19-27).

Joel then looks forward to an upcoming day of YHWH in Joel 2:28-3:3. In those days YHWH will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, even male and female servants (Joel 2:27-28). Wonders and signs will be seen in the heavens and on earth; those who call on the name of YHWH will be saved, and a remnant will remain in Zion (Joel 2:29-32). At that time YHWH will gather the nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (“YHWH judged”): there He will render judgment on them since they have scattered His people, mistreated them, and divided His land (Joel 3:1-3).

Joel continues his oracles against the nations in Joel 3:4-21. Tyre, Sidon, and Philistia come under condemnation for selling Judean captives to the Greeks as slaves; God will bring them back into their land and bring recompense by selling the Phoenicians to the Sabeans (Joel 3:4-8). A summons is made for war, turning plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into speaks, preparing war against the nations; YHWH will render judgment at the Valley of Jehoshaphat; YHWH is powerful but remains a refuge and stronghold for His people (Joel 3:9-16). The Israelites will know YHWH is their God when they dwell in Zion without strangers passing through, full of produce and prosperity (Joel 3:17-18). Egypt and Edom, for their violence against Judah, will become as a wilderness while Judah will be inhabited; YHWH will avenge the blood of those in Judah (Joel 3:19-21).

The book of Joel leaves us with a few questions: is the marauding army really of locusts or is it a reference to Assyria and/or Babylon? Did YHWH relent before the disaster or did He restore what was lost? The power in Joel’s message, however, is beyond doubt; Peter makes it known that the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost is a fulfillment of what Joel had spoken (Acts 2:14-31); the locust army is seen again in John’s vision in Revelation 9:1-12. Joel vividly speaks of YHWH’s judgment as the day of YHWH; His judgments lead to pestilence and destruction for those who have turned away from Him, and yet brings prosperity and hope for those who find refuge in Him. Let us repent of our wickedness, turn to God in Christ, and obtain the hope of prosperity in the resurrection for those who serve the LORD God!

Ethan R. Longhenry