Tag Archives: Israelite

Chapter 1 + Summary of Obadiah

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Chapter 1 + Summary of Obadiah

Obadiah is one of the smallest books in the bible at about 1 ½ pages long, and includes only one chapter.

Chapter 1: Obadiah Prophesies Downfall of Edom

Obadiah has a vision, and in that vision he sees…

Edom will be made small among the nations. Though it ascends as high as an eagle, it shall be brought down. The judgment on Edom will be complete and not like when robbers and grape gatherers leave some grapes behind.  The house of Jacab shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, but the house of Esau shall be stubble. The children of Israel shall possess the land of the Canaanites. Saviors shall come to Mount Zion to judge the mountains of Esau, and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

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Amos 1-2

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Amos 1-2

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

In these chapters we find a rhetorical formula that introduces judgment upon each people in this manner; “…For three transgressions of ____, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof…” The blank is replaced with Syria, Edom, Israel, Ammon, etc. Clearly we can see that the Lord is angered by the transgressions. I personally believe that this expression did not literally mean that the transgressions occurred 3 or 4 times… but that they were occurring many times and that was enough to cause a punishment.

Chapter 1: The Lord Judges Syria, Tyre and Edom

Amos shows the Lord’s judgments upon Syria, the Philistines, Tyre, Edom and Ammon. We learn a little about Amos, who is a sheepbreeder of Tekoa; a simple farmer with no prophetic or theological training. Amos lived in the days of Uzziah of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel.

The Lord roars from Zion; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and top of Carmel (in Israel) withers. The people of Damascus shall go captive to Kir in Assyria. Judgment against Gaza and Tyre, because they delivered God’s people to the Edomites. Edom will be punished because of its pitiless anger. Ammon will be punished, because it killed pregnant women in Gilead. The king of the Ammonites will be taken captive.

Chapter 2: The Lord will Judge Moab, Judah and Israel

The Lord will pour out judgments upon Moab; Moab will be destroyed with fire, and its princes slain, because it burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime. Judah will be sent fire, because their lies have led them astray. Israel will be punished for its sins against the righteous, poor and humble. The Lord vanquished the Amorites so the Israelites could occupy their Canaanite land, and the Israelites responded by giving wine to Nazirites and forbidding people from prophesying. The most courageous of men shall flee naked in the Day of Judgment.

Hosea 3-4

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Hosea 3-4

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

The general theme of these two chapters seems to be; follow the Lord and be blessed OR Don’t follow the Lord and be cursed! “…I will punish them for their ways, and reward them for their doings.” (Hosea 4:9)

Essentially we need to understand that there is good and evil, right and wrong, righteous and un-righteous. We will NOT be saved by faith alone, but also by our good works! Jesus Christ died for our sins, this is a fact. But it doesn’t mean that we get a free pass back to our Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ simply opened the door to salvation for us, through the shedding of His blood. He atoned for our sins, because we were incapable of paying the price of Salvation alone! The door is open, and that is FREE. We have to choose for ourselves whether or not we want make the appropriate decisions to make it to that doorway and then finally pass through. This part of the journey through life is OUR doing, we have power and control over our own lives to make it to and pass through that doorway. This is where our good works help us to make it there and then through Jesus Christ he grants us the ability to be saved.

Chapter 3: Israel shall seek God

The Lord commands Hosea to go back and love Gomer. Hosea buys Gomer with fifteen pieces of silver, and one and a half a homer of barley. The children of Israel will be deprived of their sacrifices and without their king, but then return to seek the Lord. Essentially the message here is that we can be deprived of the Lord in our own lives, but we need to return to Him. If we do return to the Lord we will be blessed in the Last Days.

Chapter 4: Israel loves all truth

Israel loses all truth, mercy and the knowledge of God. “…because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the Land.” (Hosea 4:1) The people of Israel have rejected knowledge and have forgotten the law of God; “…because thou hast rejected knowledge… seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6. People of ancient Israel and the people of the last days and through all generations have forgotten the Lord and have gone away from His word. Why? Because they pass through periods known as Apostasy. Apostasy occurs when people forget, pervert or change the ways of God, His commandments and teachings!

In the last days the Lord has revealed new WORD, known simply as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ! When presented the New Testament, the Old Testament does not lose favor or position in our eyes, both Old and New Testaments compliment each other, so does the Book of Mormon compliment the Bible.  Because of the evil in Israel… the land will mourn, and all who dwell there shall waste away. The priests are corrupt and ineffective. The Lord condemns idolatry and harlotry.  Israel is compared to a stubborn calf, which will be left to forage in open country. So will we be left in the last days if we do not accept his teachings and follow his commandments.

Ezekiel 45-46

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Ezekiel 45-46

Chapter 45: Offer sacrifices

Portions of land (inheritances of the Israelites) are appointed for the Temple, the city, and the prince. Regulations concerning weights and measures are given (see verses 10-17). Ordinances regarding provisions for the ordinary and extraordinary sacrifices (ie for the major feasts) are also given (see verses 18-25).

Chapter 46: Ordinances and sacrifices

The gate of the inner court facing eastwards is only opened on Sabbaths and new moons. The prince shall offer six lambs and a ram on the Sabbath. Further stipulations for new moon offerings are also given. The prince will leave by the gate he entered through, but at the big feasts, the people will leave by the opposite gate to the one they came in by. Stipulations are also given for princely peace offerings. Stipulations for daily offerings are also given. Ordinances prescribed for the gifts a prince may bestow on his sons and servants – a servant’s gift must be returned if the servant is set at liberty. Measurements of the courts appointed for boiling or baking of the holy oblations are also given.

Ezekiel 41-42

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Ezekiel 41-42

Chapter 41: Ezekiel sees the Temple

Ezekiel sees the inner Temple and the Holy of the Holies. The chambers and ornaments of palm trees and cherubim’s are described. The Temple is described in detail with measurements in the form of “cubits”

Chapter 42: Ezekiel sees the Temple

The priests’ chambers are described, along with the dimensions of the holy mount on which the temple stood.

Ezekiel 37-38

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Ezekiel 37-38

Chapter 37: The Bible and the Book of Mormon

Ezekiel is taken in Spirit by the Lord and set in the midst of a valley full of dry bones. Ezekiel is told to prophesy to the dry bones, saying “…O ye dry bones hear the word of the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:4) As Ezekiel prophesies, the bones are joined together, and covered with flesh. This is a representation of the joining together of Israel. Israel shall be brought from the graves and will have their lands restored in the Last days.

Here is where we learn something, VERY important. The Lord then turns to Ezekiel and tells him; “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick and write upon it, For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.” (Ezekiel 47:16-17)

Here the Lord is referring to two “sticks”, also known as “books” the one book is for Judah (the Old World- The Bible and the other book is for Joseph or the descendants of the Ancient Americas (the New World – The Book of Mormon)

“We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” (Articles of Faith, 8)

                Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (more commonly known as Mormons); DO BELIEVE and USE the Bible.  We believe that just as the Lord told Ezekiel that both sticks would be joined together to become “one” in our hands. We believe that the Book of Mormon helps to understand our Savior Jesus Christ and does not take away from the Bible, nor do we place more emphasis on the Bible… they both build on each other. (See Isaiah 29:4, 11-18)

Chapter 38: Battle of Gog and Magog= the Last Days

The battle of Gog and Magog against Israel shall usher in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Lord will intervene and execute furious judgment against Gog, when he seems about to defeat Israel. All creation will shake at the presence of the Lord. The Lord will be known in the eyes of many nations.

Ezekiel 15-16

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Ezekiel 15-16

Chapter 15: Jerusalem will be burned

The Jews are compared to a barren, useless vine, fit for nothing but to be cast on the fire.

Chapter 16: Jerusalem is Sin, the Last Days

God is a very caring and loving God. This chapter helps us to understand how God does so much in our lives and then we repay him with ingratitude, polluting ourselves with idolatry, breaking commandments and committing sin. We learn about a whore, who with her nakedness will be discovered by those she has committed whoredoms with. Sodom is her sister.

Ezekiel 11-12

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Ezekiel 11-12

Chapter 11: The Visions: Destruction of Israel

Ezekiel sees a vision of the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of the jews. The judgments of God are delivered against those who remained in Jerusalem and to them who mocked the predictions of the prophets. God promises favour to those who went into captivity, and ultimately promises a restoration in the last days. The shechinah leaves the city.

Chapter 12: Scattering among all nations

The Lord speaks to Ezekiel and tells him that the people of Jerusalem “…have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 12:2) God then commands Ezekiel to remove his stuff from one place to another, as a type of displacement that the people of Jerusalem will soon undergo. Disaster will soon fall upon the nations and they will be scattered.

Ezekiel 9-10

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Ezekiel 9-10

Chapter 9: The Righteous and the Others

Six men come from the north with weapons of slaughter in their hands. A few people in the city, who are distressed over the abominations committed in the land are marked on their foreheads by a man clothed in linen, so they may be spared: everyone else is to be destroyed. The shechinah (cloud of God’s presence) moves from the inner sanctuary to the threshold of the temple as a sign that God’s presence will soon depart. Ezekiel tries to intercede for his people, but God will not change his mind.

Chapter 10: The Wheels and Cheribums

The vision from chapter one is repeated. We learn that between the wheels are coals of fire, which are scattered on Jerusalem to show that it was to be burnt. The glory of the Lord (shechinah) departs further.

Ezekiel 3-4

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Ezekiel 3-4

Chapter 3: A Prophet’s Duty

Ezekiel is commanded to eat the scroll, and it tastes as sweet as honey. Yeah, you read that right! God commands Ezekiel to eat a book!

“MOREVER he said unto me… eat that thou findest; eat this roll [scroll/book], and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll… cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll… Then did I eat; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” (Ezekiel 3:1-3)

So here is the question, would you take this to literally mean eating a book? I don’t think so. What we can learn here is that God wants us to indulge in the scriptures, make it part of a daily routine… just like we do with eating! If we stop reading his word, we should feel hungry! If we let it become part of a daily routine, we will be spiritually full!

The chapter goes on to explain that Ezekiel, a prophet is also a watchman. God warns Ezekiel that if he does not warn the wicked, and the wicked die because of their iniquity, Ezekiel is answerable for it! However, if Ezekiel tells them and the wicked do not heed him, he is not answerable. Likewise, Ezekiel is answerable if a righteousness man commits iniquity and is not warned.

See Ezekiel 3:18-21 for the Purpose of Prophets.

Chapter 4: The Famine of Jerusalem

Ezekiel represents Jerusalem with a ‘tile’ (a brick or maybe a rock/stone of some sorts) and uses an iron pan to make a models of a fort and battering rams to signify the forthcoming siege by the Chaldeans.

Ezekiel is then commanded to lie on his left side for 390 days (because the house of Israel has had 390 years of iniquity) and on his right side 40 days (because Judah has had 40 years of iniquity). While Ezekiel is doing this, he is commanded only to eat the worst kinds of grain, and have only cow’s dung for fuel, to represent the scarcity of provisions during the siege of Jerusalem.