4 months after reading through the minor prophets and "liking" them...i think i'm actually getting a concept of what they're actually about.
not so much in the "this book is written in this time, addressing these issues.." sense; moreso in the "wait...why is it that i ended up reading these out of nowhere..?" sense.
alot of it is exemplified in malachi 1.
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master.
If I am a father, where is the honor due me?
If I am a master, where is the respect due me?"
says the LORD Almighty.
goes on to talk about all the ways the people disresct Him, and all the ways that they try to justify it and call it something its not. basically all centered around this theme of His people not responding to Him the way that their names for him would indicate that they should. the people argue against his accusations. he has his rebuttles; they're airtight.He notes, by name, people who followed him righteously as reference points and contrasts those people with the general population. The behavior is clearly different. Exhorts them in chapter 3
6 "I the LORD do not change.
So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
7 Ever since the time of your forefathers
you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them.
Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty.
it's basically a call exposing the hypocrisy. theres a reason we call God the things we do. when those things aren't backed up by how we actually respond to him in the ways we live we (as one so bluntly once put it) rape him of his glory.
1. we call him things
2. we don't mean them
3. he knows
4. he calls our bluff
5. we still make excuses about it
6. he gives us a chance to change how we interact with him
switching gears a little bit, but track the themes.
inductive study. gospel of mark.
john the baptists message: repent and confess for forgiveness
jesus message: repent and believe that the prophecy is fulfilled, the KOG is here.
common theme of repentance.
interesting: greek for repent is something like to have a change of mindset
another reoccuring theme through the beginning of jesus ministry is his interactions with scribes, pharisees, religious elite, perhaps... the churched, the leaders, the pastors. many of these encounters show them taking offense or incredulousness at some aspect of things jesus claims to be or be able to do. they rarely voice it. nonetheless he responds with something along the lines of "i'm going to do something crazy, so that you'll understand that i can do the things i say i can do (and am thus, who i say i am). "
i'm going to do something crazy, so you can change how you think about me. because i do this, repent. believe. prophecy is fulfilled. KOG is here. confess. there's forgiveness. respond to me, as though you actually believe that i am who i am.
tracking the themes? looking at God and living lives that challenge who he says he is isn't something that was reserved for israel. looking at jesus and living lives that challenge who he says he is isnt something that was reserved for pharisees. we often make the connection that "we are israel" or "we are the pharisees". But how often do we address that God is God. and that in light of us being israel or the pharisees, Gods rebuke to them stands for us. As does his offer to return to him. We're quick to call him god, father, lord, christ, savior, master, healer, comforter, the list goes on. What does my life call him? probably none of those.
what do i make of this? following God is an intensely serious thing. he has a reputation. we know his reputation, and should be a people that proclaim and protect it with integrity. when we don't, it should convict us like no other. i don't. it's starting to kinda convict me. only kinda tho. that reality...is a little bit more convicting. this is where repentance is supposed to happen.
