Posts Tagged: Ezekiel 16:1-6

“THE PROPHETS: HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT WORTH THE EFFORT”

On May 17, 2018 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet.” (The prophet Amos)

“I don’t understand the prophets, but I kinda like them—sometimes.” (Me)

The Old Testament prophets are hard to understand, but worth the effort.  However, they are indeed an effort.  There are several reasons for that.

For one thing, they lived a long time ago.  There are lots of good translations and paraphrases of their writings around these days, and that is helpful.  However, many of the customs and the nuances are hard to wrap our mind around.

For example, in Ezekiel 16:1-6, Ezekiel uses a very ugly and graphic metaphor for his adoption of Israel.  She was like a newborn baby that had been deserted in the desert.  God came by, saw them, and saved their life.

Now this is a very unflattering metaphor for Israel.  Israel was not simply a red-headed stepchild among the nations.  She was an unwanted baby girl who had been exposed to the elements, and left to die.  The fact is that, in the ancient world, babies—especially girls—were frequently thrown into the river or exposed to the elements.  When you realize this, you understand better the prophet’s metaphor.

Another thing that makes the prophets difficult to understand is that they often use metaphors in a kaleidoscopic manner.  They move from one comparison to another so rapidly that even dedicated readers of the Bible can get interpretive vertigo.

But the main thing that makes the prophets difficult to understand is that are only too easy to understand.

What?!

Yes, I said what I meant.  The truths that the Old Testament prophets proclaim are often the last thing that I want to hear.  They call me to purity, to living a life of consistency, to care for others in ways that cost me something, to trust God no matter what.

I don’t know about you, but the main thing that makes people like the Old Testament prophets hard to understand is fear.  I am afraid that I might need to make some difficult changes in my heart, my mind, my life.  And I don’t like changes.

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