110. Prodigal North America

The Major Prophets

We have now come to the fourth shelf of our imaginary library.  If you are interested in reacquainting yourself with a layout of the Old Testament go to: 
http://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2014/10/38-old-testament-library.html

There are five books on this shelf, namely: 

• Isaiah 
• Jeremiah 
• Lamentations 
• Ezekiel and 
• Daniel. 

Technically speaking, Lamentations is not a book of prophecy; it is a book of tears.

Of course, it must be understood that the times of the prophets fit into the history of Judah and Israel which we studied earlier in this blog. 

Much that is written in the Books of Prophecy in the Bible has a double meaning.  The first sense pertains to the prophet's current surroundings when he speaks to his peers; the second has to to with futuristic forecasts, or perhaps, historic events.  The Book of Isaiah is a perfect example of this kind of biblical interpretation.

Isaiah

At places this it is a very beautiful book and it would fit better on the shelf of the poetic books.  The style of Isaiah has been universally admired as the most perfect model of elegance and sublimity; and as distinguished for all the magnificence, and for all the sweetness of the Hebrew language. Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Isaiah was speaking to his own peers and to them many of Isaiah's words had immanent meaning.  It is a book of severe messages against the Jews and their lifestyle; much of the book applies to all of us.   As we look back at it now we see much of it as history, but there are still some unfulfilled prophecies in his writings.

Isaiah does not tell us exactly in which year he started prophesying.  Some say he started prophesying at early as 758 BCE, others as late as 727 BCE.  Some scholars argue that it was in King Uzziah's last year as King and others say it was in his second last year as King. 

Some insist that the whole book was written by one man, others say there were two, maybe three authors, to this book.   Really, what difference does it make to us!  It reminds me of the words of Christ when He was reprimanding His religious peers, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are ... Blind guides who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Mat. 23:23-24.  Get your priorities straight!

Some say that the style between the two portions is so different that the same person could not have written both sections.  Those who say that Isaiah was written by two authors say that Isaiah wrote the first 39 chapters and the 2nd Isaiah wrote the remaining 27 chapters.  

This seems like an interesting coincidence since that is exactly the number of books there are in the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Protestant Bible.

Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for Jehovah has spoken, I have nursed and brought up sons, the USA and Canada were both founded on Christian principles and high moral standards, and here Jehovah says, I have nursed and brought up sons, but they have rebelled against Me.

The ox knows his owner, and the ass, even a stupid donkey, knows his master's crib; but ... My people do not understand. 1:2-3.  The offspring of those whom I led to the new world; a world of plenty and brotherly love, now believe that their despondency can be cured by drunkenness; they believe that their problems can be solved by murder.

You Are A Sinful People

Woe, sinful nation, a people heavy with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, sons who corrupt! They have forsaken Jehovah; ... they have gone away backward.  Which part of this description does not fit the people of North America?

Why should you be stricken any more? You will revolt more and more; the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  You fear that your neighbour will shoot you for a bag of groceries!  From the sole of the foot, from the lowest blue colour worker, even to the head, those who control our governments, there is no soundness in it; ... Your land is wasted, by tornadoes and earthquakes, your cities burned with fire, remember California in 2018. 1:4-7

The words, Sodom and Gomorrah, have become words that denote sinful people.  In this passage Isaiah, speaking to Israel, and by extension to North America, is calling us Sodom and Gomorrah.  He says, Hear the Word of Jehovah, rulers of Sodom (USA); give ear to the Law of our God, people of Gomorrah (Canada).

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me? says Jehovah; I am full of (fed up) with your religious overtures.  When you come to appear before Me, on Sunday mornings, who has required this at your hand, to trample My courts?  

Sure, you go to mass on Sunday but on Monday you cheat and swindle just like those who do not know me.  

Or how about the mega-churches in Southern USA who are as guilty of sex crimes as those people who do not even pretend to be religious.

• Bring no more vain (useless) sacrifice; 
• incense your regular tithe to the church, so that you have something to be proud of, is an abomination to Me (quit pretending you love Me); 
• the new moon and sabbath, your special holidays and regular Sunday mornings, 
• the going to meeting, and other special occasions; I cannot endure evil and the assembly!  
• Jehovah says It burns Me up that you think you can live the way you do and then come to my house and pretend you are so holy.

Do we wonder why our prayers go unanswered?  Jehovah tells us point blank why.  When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood.  You just cannot go around cheating, lying and killing and then come to Me in prayer expecting Me to be pleased! 

Jehovah Will Forgive

However, Jehovah is a gracious God and there is hope!  Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek judgement, reprove the oppressor. Judge the orphan, plead for the widow.  When you have changed your lifestyle and quit doing those things just mentioned, then, Come ... let us reason together, says Jehovah; though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool. 1:10-18

Jehovah says that like a loving father, who has brought up His children, He is willing to sit down with them and reason out the situation.  Like the father who welcomed back his prodigal son, Jehovah will welcome back the people of North America if only they will turn from their sinful ways and seek Him in prayer.  

He is willing to forgive past sins which are red like crimson, but the repentance must be genuine and the desire to live a new lifestyle must be real.  The power to make these changes comes not from self-determination but from accepting the power given by the risen Jesus Christ.

109. Jehovah Hates a Proud Look

Finish the Poetic Books

It is generally agreed that Solomon wrote the last three books in the section of the Bible which is called "poetry". 

 It is also said that he wrote:

1. The Song of Songs, also known as Canticles, or The Song of Solomon; when he was a young man and that he wrote

2. The Proverbs during his years as a virile king

3. and Ecclesiastes when he was old.

Now, returning to the order in which they are in our Bible.  We have already finished 

• the Book of Job, 
• The Psalms, and 
• the Book of Proverbs; 

so now we will take a brief look at Ecclesiastes and The Song of Solomon. 

It might be mentioned here that Ecclesiastes must not be confused with Ecclesiasticus, which is also known as Sirach, and it is found in the Apocrypha, but not usually in the Protestant Bible.

Ecclesiastes

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 1:1-2.

According to Clarke's commentary, Vanity means emptiness.  It carries with it the idea of vapour.  According to Jamieson, Fausset and Brown it is almost as if it carries a mathematical sense as vanity times vanity and then, as if that isn't enough, Solomon cubes that sum by repeating it, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

What a dour outlook on life.  Of course, maybe, by the time he got to be as old as he was when he wrote this book, he realized that he had wasted his life "chasing" women.

Humility was not Solomon's strong point. I spoke within my own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have gathered more wisdom than all that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has seen much of wisdom and knowledge. 1:16

Then I said in my heart, As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me. 2:15.  He could not see himself as being in the ranks of the fools.  However in 6:16 he tells us that Jehovah hates pride.

He sums up his last book with these words, words which we would all do well to pay attention to Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether evil. 12:13.

Song of Songs

This is a lovely poem, written by a younger man.  Picture it as performance.  It must be understood as having at least two solo voices answering to each other.   At places, it is very hard to decipher who "has the mic".   There are also one or two chorales (small signing groups).

The words in the poem are of such a sexual nature that the Jews forbade it to be read by any until he was thirty years old. Gill's Commentary.  This part of the "holy book" was censured; what a sneaky way to get people to read at least part of the Bible.

but at the time this Song was written, Solomon had only sixty wives and eighty concubines. And the Song most certainly celebrates a marriage;  ... Does this marriage represent a celestial union? Do the speeches of each contain Divine doctrines? Are the metaphors, taken from earthly things, to be understood of spiritual matters? In a word, does Solomon here represent Jesus Christ. Is the daughter of Pharaoh the Christian Church.  Clarke's Commentary.

Well, maybe, but I have a few problems with that idea:

1. Anyone who "fools around with women" as Solomon did should not be allowed to represent Jesus Christ.

2. Some people love to spiritualize everything in the Bible that can possibly be spiritualised and so they fail to see as facts the things that are distinctly given as facts.   

A few examples: the UFO Ezekiel encountered or the very tangible sights that John recorded in The Revelation must not be spiritualized.

108. The Ways of a virtious Woman

Proverbs 6

The word, son, as it is used in Proverbs need not necessarily be taken to mean one's own child but, more likely, it means a male student.

The writer of the first nine chapters of Proverbs spent a lot of time pointing out the errors of the fool who will not accept sound teaching.  He points out that the climax of foolishness is adultery.   From there he moves on to some other points:

My son, if you are surety for your friend ... you are taken with the words of your mouth.  My son, do this now, and deliver yourself when you have come into the hand of your friend; go, humble yourself and make your friend sure. 1-3.  The best advice is, don't co-sign for anyone.  If you already have, humility will go further than pride; go and see if he will release you from your pledge before the creditor comes to collect.

Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; 6:6.  Learn something from them about being industrious and providing food for the lean season.  However, if you insist on A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down; ... your poverty come(s) ... and your need like an armed man. 6:10.  If you have a lazy attitude you will not be able to stave off poverty any more than you can resist an armed man.

These six Jehovah hates; yea, seven are hateful to his soul: 6:16.
1. a proud look,
2. a lying tongue,
3. hands that shed innocent blood,
4. a heart that plots wicked plans, 
5. feet hurrying to run to evil,
6. a false witness who speaks lies,
7. and he who causes fighting among brothers.  6:17-19.

 Proverbs 10-29

The proverbs of Solomon.  These words are a repeat of the opening words of this book.   It is probably here that Solomon's compilation of the book begins.  This does not mean that Solomon made up all these proverbs.  He had learned them or written them down and now he collected them into a nice list.

Here is one example of these proverbs: A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son is the sorrow of his mother. 10:1

There is so much depth to the good teachings in The Proverbs and the best way to get the most out of them is to read and re-read them directly from the book itself.

Proverbs 30-31

The proverbs of Solomon end at the close of chapter 29 and after that there are two other authors, or speakers, to close off the book.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the prophecy: 30:1  The lessons given in this chapter are a repeat of the rest of this book.

The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy which his mother taught him. 31:1  This book ends with a diamond worthy of such a noble book; a tribute to a lady who is a lady indeed; a woman who is industrious and loving to humanity, to her children, to her servants and her husband.