When the Lord Reacts (Amos 5:16-9:15)

ADMONITIONS FROM AMOS:
When the Lord Reacts (Amos: 5:16-9:15)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2000

People who live in close contact are often aware of others' vulnerabilities. Kids, for example, know how to tease their siblings. They know just what button to push to get a reaction. My brother was particularly adept at this with our younger sister. At the dinner table, he had only to glance in her direction, and she would invariably whine: "Mom, he's lookin' at me. Tell him to stop." This ability to get a rise out of others is not confined to families but is also possible with total strangers.

While Bill and Tom were drinking coffee in an all-night café, they got into a discussion about the difference between irritation, aggravation, and frustration. At about one a.m., Bill said to Tom, "I'll show you an example of irritation." He went to the pay phone, put in a coin, and dialed a number at random. It rang several times. Finally, a sleepy voice answered, and Bill said, "I'd like to speak to Jones." "There's no one here named Jones," the disgruntled man replied and hung up the phone. "That," Bill said to Tom, "is a man who is irritated." An hour later, at two a.m., Bill dialed the same number and let it ring. Eventually, the same sleepy voice answered. "May I please speak with Jones?" Bill asked. "There's no one here named Jones!" the man replied angrily and a bit louder as he hung up. "That," Bill said to Tom, "is a man who is aggravated." An hour later, at three a.m., Bill said, "Now I'll show you an example of frustration." He dialed the same number again and let it ring. When the sleepy man answered, Bill said, "Hi, this is Jones.... Have there been any calls for me?" (Adapted from Wright 1985:27)

To some extent, the prophets use a similar strategy to get a rise out of their audience, to make them pay attention to the message, as Amos does in describing When the Lord Reacts.

The prophets' books are generally compressed accounts of their work, with little indication of how often they actually spoke or of how long they ministered.¹ Amos opens with a call for Israel to repent, warning of dire consequences if the people exceed the limit of God's patience. Does the first half of Amos represent a day, a week, or a month of prophetic activity? How many people did his message reach? Amos probably did not present the material in a single session but spread it out over several days in order to reach as large an audience as possible. This gave his listeners opportunities to ask questions and to discuss his warnings. It also gave opponents the chance to argue against him.

At some point, however, the time for repentance runs out and, in the second half of the book, Amos relates a change in God's attitude as the people continue to reject God's appeal, so that...

I. When the LORD reacts, it means the people have sinned.

The fundamental reason for God's displeasure remains the same...

A. The chosen have rejected His precepts.

Because they have heard this before, Amos varies the way he talks about the problem. He uses the "woe". This is not a familiar form to us. Today, when someone says, "Woe is me," it is to elicit sympathy for an unfortunate turn of events. Woe is me...

• I lost my job.
• The car died.
• My girlfriend dumped me.

Admittedly, if all that happened at once, you probably would feel sorry for him. In the prophets, though, the term has a different meaning, unfamiliar to us but quite familiar to the people of their day. It may include commiseration—It is too bad that happened—but it stresses condemnation. The people are behaving in a way that is self-destructive. They have brought misfortune upon themselves.

• I lost my job because I kept slacking off.
• The car died because I never checked the oil.
• My girlfriend dumped me because I was dating her sister on the side.

Knowing the reason for another's adversity can alter the way we look at his situation and change our evaluation, from "that's unfortunate" to "that's what he deserves." Amos wants his audience to realize that whatever adversity they experience is only what they deserve.

"Seek me and live" (Amos 1:1-5:15)

ADMONITIONS FROM AMOS:
When the Lord Roars (Amos 1:1-5:15)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2000

Among the increasing number of educational toys on the market today are several that make use of the latest technology. As with any such gadget, though, they are only as good as their programming.

Matthew's mother was watching her five-year-old work on his Speak-and-Spell computer. He was concentrating intensely, typing words for the computer to say back to him. When Matthew keyed the word God, to his surprise, the computer said, "Word not found." He tried again and received the same reply. With great disgust, he stared at the computer and told it in no uncertain terms, "God is not going to like this!" (Adapted from Rowell 1996:79)

The computer did not have God in its vocabulary. It is worse, however, for a nation not have God in its society, for then there is little restraint on behavior, and people think they can act as they please no matter what the consequence for others. That is a situation God likes even less. It is also what Amos faces as he travels north to relay the divine evaluation When the LORD Roars.

The tension that followed the division of Solomon's kingdom into north and south eventually dissipated as the rulers of Israel and Judah learned it was better not to be at each other's throats all the time. The peace they established allowed each country to concentrate on its own domestic interests and to establish a measure of economic prosperity. As one commentator notes, however, the prosperity of the Northern Kingdom did not extend to all its citizens.

Affluence, exploitation and the profit motive were the most notable features of the society which Amos observed and in which he worked. The rich were affluent enough to have several houses apiece (Amos 3:15), to go in for rather ostentatiously expensive furniture (Amos 6:4) and not to deny themselves any bodily satisfaction (Amos 3:12; 4:1; 6:6). On the other hand the poor were really poor and were shamelessly exploited: they suffered from property rackets (Amos 2:6, 7), legal rackets (Amos 5:10, 12) and business rackets (Amos 8:5) and the defenseless man with no influence came off worst every time. When the poor could not contribute to the rich they were simply ignored and left to be broken (Amos 6:6). Moneymaking and personal covetousness ruled all: the men lived for their offices (Amos 8:5), the women lived for excitement (Amos 4:1), the rulers lived for frivolity (Amos 6:1-6) (Motyer 1975:15).

This was the Northern Kingdom in the first half of the eighth century B .C. Both Israel under King Jeroboam II and Judah under King Uzziah experienced a period of growth while their common enemy, Assyria, turned elsewhere. Control over the trade routes and economic expansion provided a new wealth that overshadowed the values of a traditionally agricultural society. With affluence came a self-sufficiency that lessened the need to seek the direction of the LORD. This did not mean that religion was declining. On the contrary, people thronged the temples at Dan and Bethel.

Satan and his angels

THE ORIGIN OF THE OPPOSITION
Material excerpted from the Angelology unit of A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2010

The Bible says little about the origin of Satan and his minions, except that angels were originally good, but some sinned.

2 Pet 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment;

Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Jude 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

An angelic fall does not appear in the Bible. (Peter and Jude mention the event but offer few details.) Some think Isaiah 14 refers to Satan's rebellion, but the context of the passage is a "taunt against the king of Babylon" (Isa 14:4).

Isa 14:12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.

Others have seen a similar reference in Ezekiel 28, where context again identifies the passage as "a lament concerning the king of Tyre" (v. 12a). The language, however, is quite specific and may allude to a well-known tradition.

Ezek 28: 12b 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. 14 You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. 15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. 16 Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. 17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

This is not as much information as we might like about the origin of the opposition, but it is apparently what information God thinks we need.

For a pdf see here.

The Name

DIVINE TITLES AND THE NAME

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2007

Christians tend to be rather indiscriminate in the way they refer to God, especially in prayer. They call Him God, Lord, Father, often without intending any difference, as if the words were completely synonymous. Sometimes this imprecision in speech exposes imprecise thinking as well, particularly when people begin a sentence addressed to God the Father and end it addressing God the Son, without any indication that they are talking to another person.

The biblical writers, on the other hand, usually (perhaps always) made a distinction between the various ways of referring to deity, because the connotation of the divine name or of a particular title supported the point they were trying to make.

I. Divine Titles

A. God (Elohim + Elah)

1. Usage

• Inclusive—true or false deity

Exod 20:1 And God spoke all these words.... 3 "You shall have no other gods before me.

Ps 86:8 Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.... 10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.

Dan 1:2 And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.

2. Connotation

• Power

Ps 68:34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. 35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Marking what the Lord has done

DIVINE EPITHETS
(Geographic Nouns)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2005

In addition to the name of God and the most common titles He bears, there are times when God's people experience His intervention in their lives and underscore the significance of that divine involvement by coining a new title, one that expresses the particular way the LORD acts. Often these titles are made by joining the divine name to a descriptive word or phrase. Several such combinations become names of places that commemorate something He did there. In each case, the title describes a God involved in the lives of His people.

In Genesis 22, Abraham and his son Isaac were ascending Mt. Moriah to worship the LORD. On the way, the boy asked a pertinent question: "The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" To which Abraham replied, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:7b-8a); literally, "God will see [to it]." God, of course, did provide (ram), and this experience so impressed Abraham that he used his earlier response to Isaac to name the place (although with one change): "The LORD sees", because the LORD saw and provided.

In Exodus 17, the Amalekites attack Israel, as God's people make their way through the wilderness. The Israelite soldiers need encouragement in battle, some indication that He who brought them out of Egypt is still with them. Moses stands on a nearby hill and holds aloft the staff of God, by which he divided the Red Sea. As long as the soldiers could see the staff, the battle went well. If Moses tired and dropped his hands, however, the battle would turn against Israel, so Aaron and Hur support Moses' arms until the Israelites defeat the Amalekites. To commemorate the victory, Moses builds an altar and calls it: The LORD is my battle standard "because [my] hands were lifted up to the throne of the LORD" (Exod 17:15-16).

"He who stands firm"

"CAN A PERSON LOSE HIS SALVATION?"
An excerpt from the Soteriology unit of A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

This question is about what theologians call "eternal security." Can a believer, once he is saved, backslide to the point where he becomes unsaved? As with any such question, we must examine what scripture as a whole reveals and allow that comprehensive survey to determine the answer.

• Christians who say a person cannot lose his salvation appeal to God's sovereignty.

• God will not allow someone He has redeemed to turn away from Him.
• Whoever forsakes his commitment to God was never truly saved.
• Eternal security, according to this view, applies to the whole (all) of those God saves.

• Were someone to lose his salvation, it would indicate a deficiency in God's ability to keep that person, and we know there is no deficiency in God.

• Christians who say a person can lose his salvation appeal to man's responsibility.

• The redeemed must be diligent to maintain his relationship with God.
• Whoever forsakes his commitment to God will be lost forever.
• Eternal security, according to this view, applies to the faithful of those God saves.

• When someone loses his salvation, it indicates a deficiency in man's commitment to God, and we know there is great deficiency in man.

Although both sides in this debate appeal to scripture for support, sometimes even citing the same texts, a careful examination of what God has revealed does favor one position over the other.

A common passage for both views is John 10:28-29, where Jesus says about the believer that...

As one approved - Of Preaching -2012

OF PREACHING

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2012

There is a fallacy among Christians, particularly prevalent among Charismatics but also present among others, that equates spontaneity with spirituality and that assumes what is planned is unspiritual. Those who hold this position regard careful research and revision as hindrances to the leading of God's Spirit, as if only empty minds are attuned to the divine muse. While God can certainly direct people without any effort on their part or redirect them at the last moment, His more common method is to work through their careful examination of what He has already revealed. This is especially so for those who presume to speak for Him, which is why Paul admonishes Timothy...¹

2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

In this passage, Paul speaks about the two elements in the preacher's task: preparation and presentation. His initial imperative, "Do your best" is the antithesis of spontaneity and is a term that appears in other exhortations.² Only by devoting himself to diligent preparation will Timothy meet with God's approbation.³

I lay no claim to being a great preacher. I am neither eloquent, nor do I possess a ready wit. My mind moves ponderously, at times haltingly, in an attempt to find the most efficient means of making a particular point. Consequently, I speak from a manuscript rather than from an outline. This is a deliberate method, for it keeps me to the task at hand and allows me to fashion precise wording.⁴ One criticism I have received is that I do not rely on the Spirit's leading when I am in the pulpit. When I press for a more specific description of how such guidance would be manifest, the individual is usually unable to articulate what is essentially a vague impression. ("I can't explain it, but I know it when I see it.") For many, it seems "leading of the Spirit" is synonymous with "shooting from the hip," and some preachers are, indeed, adept at the latter.⁵ By this, I assume people mean that I am not spontaneous, which is certainly an accurate observation. For me, the Spirit's guidance comes first and foremost in my preparation, directing my research, exposing the biblical author's thought, and shaping the structure of the sermon. While I attempt to remain sensitive to any redirection the Spirit might indicate as I present the message, if I have been attentive to his leading from the start, there will be little change at the end.

Tithes

TITHING: A MATTER OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2010

The tithe was a recognized amount in the Ancient Near East, the appropriate percentage to give a priest or king.

Gen 14:20 "And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Heb 7:2a and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.... 4 Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder! 5 Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, their brothers—even though their brothers are descended from Abraham. 6 This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.... 8 In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living. 9 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

Jacob either follows his grandfather's example or the custom in his day.

Gen 28:22 and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.

After the exodus, the tithe becomes a requirement for Israel in the land. Moreover, the tithe's association with the sanctuary made it "holy to the LORD" and unsuitable for secular use. If, subsequent to its dedication, an Israelite wished to use his tithe for some other purpose, he could buy it back at a twenty percent mark-up.

Lev 27:30 A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. 32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock—every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod—will be holy to the LORD.

This requirement was, in part, to support the Levites, who had no inheritance in the land (although they could purchase property). The Levites then tithed as well to support the priesthood (cf. Neh 13:5 below).

Prayer (Dan 10:1-14)

THE VALUE OF PRAYER (Dan 10:1-14)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2003

Some people are always on the lookout for bargains. They rarely pay full price for anything, because they know it must be available somewhere else for less.

A young blonde was vacationing in the depths of Louisiana and wanted a pair of genuine alligator shoes in the worst way, but she refused to pay the high prices local vendors were asking. After becoming frustrated with the "no haggle" policy of one shopkeeper, she turned in a huff to leave. "Maybe I'll just catch my own alligator, so I can get a pair of shoes at a reasonable price!" she said. "Go right ahead," the shopkeeper replied. "Maybe you'll catch a big one!" Determined, the blonde headed for the swamps. Later that day, as the shopkeeper was heading home, he spotted the young woman standing waist deep in the water, shotgun in hand, as a huge nine-foot alligator swam quickly toward her. She took aim, shot the creature, and with a great deal of effort hauled it onto the bank, where several more carcasses lay nearby. Amazed, the shopkeeper watched her flip the alligator on its back, then heard her mutter, "Darn...this one isn't wearing shoes either!"

We are always on the look out for a good value, not just at the store but in many areas of life. We want the way we spend our money, our time, and our energy to be worthwhile.

Sometimes the benefit we derive is immediately evident, in which case we are ready to make whatever investment is needed. At other times, the return is either not immediate or not obvious, in which case, we may be less enthusiastic about committing ourselves or our resources. Prayer fits into that second category. We often do not see the result right away and sometimes not at all, which makes us reluctant to devote much effort to it. To stimulate our thinking about The Value of Prayer, I would like us to consider the example of Daniel.¹

A reasonable faith (1 Cor 15:1-8)

IS IT REASONABLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN? (1 Cor 15:1-8)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2015

We humans pride ourselves in being the most intelligent species on the planet. Then something happens to test that assumption.

A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment for a while. "I can hardly believe my eyes!" he exclaimed. "That's the smartest dog I've ever seen." "Nah, he's not so smart," the friend replied.... "I've beaten him three games out of five."

We humans pride ourselves in being the most intelligent species on the planet. Be that as it may, it is important to base our beliefs on what accords with reason. So, Is It Reasonable to Be a Christian?

Just before going away to college, I met a Jewish believer in Jesus who challenged me to review several doctrinal issues (e.g., Shabbat), which is what I did during my freshman and sophomore years. He has no idea what he started, because as I dug deeper, I realized that some of what I believed rested on uncertain supports. That is, if someone had asked me to justify elements of my belief system, I would have been hard-pressed to comply. I had no problem with the existence of God—my experiences had confirmed that—or even with possibility of the miraculous; but I began seriously to ask about an item I had previously accepted without question: Is Christianity right?

A woman mentioned to me once that the reason she did not give Christianity serious consideration until she was an adult was because while she was growing up, the prevailing opinion of those around her was that intelligent people are not Christians. My upbringing was just the opposite, since both my parents were Christians. So for me, it was not until adulthood that I asked the question: Is It Reasonable to Be a Christian?

I had to know. Having left New York to attend Bible college so that I could eventually teach in this area, it was not something I could put off; and the whole point of being in school was to think about such things. So I dismantled my theological system and sifted through the pieces, searching for some reliable core around which I could reformulate my beliefs. I knew that I would have to be honest with my findings, no matter where they led me; but I must admit that I approached the process with some apprehension.

What does the future hold? (2 Thess 2:1-15)

FIRST THINGS FIRST (2 Thess 2:1-15)

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2015

Given a list of options, we decide which we should do or which we should do first, often depending on what we think is more or less pleasant.

Jeff's whole family—his sisters, their husbands, and their children—had gathered to welcome his newborn son. Nieces Sarah and Jessica, both five, began to squabble over who would get to hold the baby first. Jeff's mother, with her years of wisdom, suggested they sit side by side and both hold the baby. Not to be outdone, and knowing that babies do not come fully trained, Sarah piped up and said, "Okay...but I want the end with the head on it!"

New experiences often require new decisions, whether how to hold a newborn or how to process information about Jesus' return. When Paul addressed converts in the church at Thessalonica, he had to advise them that some views had priority over other views, and that they should be sure to put First Things First.

On his second missionary journey, Paul visited the seaport city of Thessalonica in Macedonia and founded a church there. Sometime later, he sent Timothy to check on the progress of those believers. Later, Timothy met Paul in Corinth and reported that they were doing well but were facing difficult tests of their new faith from pagan neighbors and even from others who were teaching peculiar notions about Jesus' return. Some were claiming that those who die before the Second Coming will have no part in the Messianic Age. ("If ya snooze, ya lose."¹) Paul responds in his first letter to the church that those who die in the Lord will actually be among the first to meet him. Others were claiming that the Day of the Lord had already come (or had already begun), and the Thessalonian believers had missed it. Paul responds in his second letter that certain events must precede Jesus' return, and those events have not yet happened. This is not new information for the Thessalonians, but in the confusion of conflicting views Paul reiterates his previous instruction and exhorts them...

I. Retain what you know about Jesus' return (2 Thess 2:1-4).

2 Thess 2:1 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. [Notice that Paul equates "the day of the Lord" with Jesus' return and with "our being gathered to him." They are all part of the same series of events.] 3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Whatever the purported source of these rumors, whether a spirit-inspired utterance by the apostle, a conversation with Paul, or a letter from him,² he assures these believers that the information they are hearing is not true and that they should give those ideas no credence.

A. Do not let false reports disturb you, despite their alleged authority.

• The Day of the Lord has not already come.

The pressure they are experiencing from the pagan community to renounce their faith and return to the fold of idolatry is heightening their sense of urgency that God must soon provide relief. Surely, nothing more needs to happen before He sends Jesus back to judge the wicked! "Perhaps the Day of the Lord has come (or has begun), and we've missed it!"³ Paul writes...

B. Do not let false beliefs deceive you, despite their apparent urgency.

• The man of lawlessness must first be revealed.

Who is this man of lawlessness, and what will he do to precipitate the end that is worse than what anyone else has done? Paul lists three offenses in v. 4 that make this individual's rebellion so utterly heinous

Heroes

EIGHT WHO DARED: HEROES FROM THE BIBLE

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Dr. Paul Manuel—1997

Table of Contents¹

	Introduction
I.	Joshua: Who dared to conquer Canaan
II.	Jael: Who dared to oppose Sisera
III.	Gideon: Who dared to defeat Midian
IV.	Elijah: Who dared to confront Baal
V.	Josiah: Who dared to reform Judah
VI.	Esther: Who dared to approach Ahasuerus
VII.	Peter: Who dared to welcome Cornelius
VIII.	Paul: Who dared to visit Jerusalem
	HollywoodSquares
	Bibliography
	Endnotes

For a pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes (55 PAGES) see here.

The apple of His eye

SHOULD WE SUPPORT THE NATION OF ISRAEL?

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Dr. Paul Manuel—2009

As the descendants of Abraham, Israel is God's covenant people ("the apple of his eye" Deut 32:10). God promises blessing for those who help His people and judgment against those who harm them.

Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Those peoples who have sought Israel's harm—and there have been many—have not fared well. Specific offenders have included...

• Ammonites

Jer 49:1 Concerning the Ammonites: This is what the LORD says: "Has Israel no sons? Has she no heirs? Why then has Molech taken possession of Gad? Why do his people live in its towns? 2 But the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah of the Ammonites; it will become a mound of ruins, and its surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out," says the LORD.

Ezek 25:6 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel, 7 therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD."

• Babylonians

Jer 50:17 "Israel is a scattered flock that lions have chased away. The first to devour him was the king of Assyria; the last to crush his bones was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon." 18 Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "I will punish the king of Babylon and his land as I punished the king of Assyria.

Jer 51:24 "Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia for all the wrong they have done in Zion," declares the LORD. ...49 "Babylon must fall because of Israel's slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.

• Edomites

Ezek 25:12 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because Edom took revenge on the house of Judah and became very guilty by doing so, 13 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and kill its men and their animals. I will lay it waste, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword.

Obad 10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. 11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. 13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. 14 You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble.

• Philistines

Ezek 25:15 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: 'Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites and destroy those remaining along the coast.

• Phoenicians

Ezek 26:2 "Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, 'Aha! The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,' 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves.

• Egyptians

Ezek 29:6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the LORD. "You have been a staff of reed for the house of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched. 8 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will bring a sword against you and kill your men and their animals.

• Idumeans

Ezek 35:5 "Because you harbored an ancient hostility and delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity, the time their punishment reached its climax, 6 therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.

• Moabites

Zeph 2:8 "I have heard the insults of Moab and the taunts of the Ammonites, who insulted my people and made threats against their land. 9 Therefore, as surely as I live," declares the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, "surely Moab will become like Sodom, the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits, a wasteland forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them; the survivors of my nation will inherit their land." 10 This is what they will get in return for their pride, for insulting and mocking the people of the LORD Almighty.

The present-day nation of Israel is still the primary body of God's covenant people, the entity He will rescue and restore in the Messianic Age.

Joel 3:2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgment against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.... 5 For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples. 6 You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, that you might send them far from their homeland.

Zech 2:8 For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.

Zech 14:12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.

Therefore, while some may not agree with everything the modern nation does, even as some would not have agreed with everything the ancient nation did, it is in their (our) best interest to support Israel.

For a pdf see here.

Persecution

SHOULD CHRISTIANS SEEK PERSECUTION?

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2012

Some people think that, absent external pressures, the Church grows soft and lethargic, that it needs such forces to remain focused and committed, and, therefore, that believers should welcome persecution, even seek it. Should we seek persecution?

No. Quite the contrary, we should avoid it if possible, and Jesus counsels as much.

Matt 10:17 Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you....

Matt 24:20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now...

Yet, he and Paul also recognize that avoiding persecution may not be possible.

Matt 24:9 Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

2 Tim 3:12 ...everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Holy Days

THE GENTILE BELIEVER AND THE HOLY DAYS OF ISRAEL

pdf

Dr. Paul Manuel—2004

What is the gentile believer's relationship to the holy days of Israel? That is, what should he observe today? The answer lies with identifying which of God's commands apply in the absence of the temple and in view of the varying relationships gentiles have to God's people.

I. The enduring (permanent) responsibilities of God's people

Several phrases in Torah indicate the abiding relevance of divine ordinances in the divine economy.

A. Phrases that mark permanent responsibilities

1. An "eternal covenant" is a contract with no termination in view.¹
2. An "eternal ordinance" is legislation that also
3. bears no expiration date.²
4. The phrase "throughout your/their generations" indicates continuation as long as the nation exists.³

To stress the ongoing importance of certain commands, two or three phrases will appear in combination,⁴ although most of those instructions pertain to the sanctuary and are not possible to observe apart from it. The phrase "before the Lord" (146x after construction of the tabernacle) also marks activity in the sanctuary and applies to most holiday observances.⁵ In contrast, the phrase "in all your dwellings" (9x) marks a practice that obtains beyond the sanctuary into the local community and may, thus, designate what is pertinent today (in the absence of a temple),⁶ especially when this phrase⁷ appears with those marking permanent responsibilities.