Reflections on "God of Judgment?" Hosea 1: 1-9; 14: 1-9

I had fun with this sermon, particularly using the approach of what Hosea's pastor might say.  At the beginning of the week, I was focused on the names of Hosea's kids.  Later in the week, I found myself focusing on Hosea marrying a prostitute and then taking her back after she left him.  Then, I thought about God telling him to marry Gomer.  As I reflected on those three different episodes, it occurred to me that all three of those moments were times in a person's life when I interacted with them as a pastor.   Thus, the shape of the sermon took place.  The conclusion was the final tying together of the episodes.

If I preached the sermon again, I would spend a bit more time reflecting on God's call to repentance that comes with the God who chooses to stay in relationship with the unfaithful Israel,  The unequivocal statement about God's grace that Hosea makes carries with it the strong call to repent.

I was struck that some of those listening ot the sermon might hear Hosea callilng them back to being faithful to God as a call for our nation to not accept the Supreme Court decision on gay marriage.  Likewise, others probably hear Hosea's comment on God's gracious love as being expressed in the decision of the Supreme  Court.  I decided not to bring that into the sermon because I was not sure how to handle it, but it would have been a good connection to our world today.

Introduction: Hosea, like Amos, points out the sinfulness of Israel. In Chapter r you might notice what seems like a court room scene in which God accuses Israel of being unfaithful.

Hosea links Israel's unfaithfulness with the priests who fail to lead Israel in right ways and Israel's decision to join an alliance with world power Assyria and foretells of judgment that will lead to Israel's destruction.

Hosea also offers some fascinating comments about his personal life.

As I reflected on Hosea this week, it occurred to me how challenging it would be to be Hosea's pastor who is trying to counsel with Hosea through the significant moments in life.

So if you will, reflect with me on what might take place between Hosea and his pastor (yes, I know that sounds a bit crazy, but bear with with me)!

Move 1: Pre-marital counseling.

You can find many ministers who have horror stories about weddings and would attest to preferring funerals to weddings, but still enjoy the wedding process, beginning with the pre-marital counseling.

As most couples I have married can attest, my first question is “how did you meet?” which often has a fun story about a first date.

My second question is “How did you propose and why did you decide to get married at this point in your life?” which generally has some interesting stories as well.

I have heard lots of fun stories. Blind dates that became spouses; rings hidden in food items being served at dinner; a bride so surprised that the boyfriend was going to pop the question that she was wearing her invisalign retainer and had to pop it out before the photos could be taken.

Lots of fun stories. But I have never heard a story quite like Hosea's.

Imagine how that first session of pre-marital counseling would go.

“So tell me, Hosea, how did you and Gomer first meet.”

“Well, God told me to go find a prostitute, and Gomer was a prostitute, so...”

I'd be afraid to ask how the first date went!

“And why are you getting married now?”

“God told me to marry a prostitute as a sign.”

I'm not sure what I'd dare to ask next.

b. Stop and look at the image of Hosea marrying a prostitute.

1. God suggests that Israel is a prostitute.
2. That Israel has sold her soul.
3. Sold her soul to the other gods that people worship.
4. Sold her soul by engaging in pagan worship and cultic prostitution.
5. Sold her soul by trusting in an alliance with Assyria instead of trusting in God.
6. Sold her soul by turning away from the covenant God made with Israel.
7. Hosea marrying a prostitute reflects God choosing to be in relationship with Israel.

100. Hosea acts in a way that reflects God's faithfulness by choosing to marry the one who has sold her soul.

1. God chooses to overlook Israel's sinfulness and be faithful.

2. God will work to redeem Israel with love and faithfulness.

Move 2: Back to Hosea's pastor – fast forward a few years to celebrating the birth of the children and naming them.

a. What a joyous time to see parents.

1. Just after the child is born.

2. parents clinging to their new born (sometimes .

3. First time parents.

            4. great visits. Usually pick names

b. Naming kids can be fun.

1. Dick Van Dyke show: Laura, played by Mary Tyler Moore, tells her husband, Rob, played by Dick Van Dyke, at work everyone has an idea for a middle name.

Buddy wants to name the baby “Exit” so his name will be at every theater.

Sally is willing to give him the name she has for her parakeet

The boss Alan wants to him to name the child Alan.

Ends up with the middle name Rosebud, and acronym for Robert Oscar Sam Edward Benjamin Ulysses David,”

            2. my name after two grandfathers; Richard;

            3. Texas legend has it that James Stephen Hogg, Governor of Texas from 1890 to 1894, named his daughters Ima and Ura, but that is only half-true: there never was a Ura. Ima had three brothers, Will, Mike, and Tom. Ima Hogg, who was born in 1882 and died in 1975 at age 93, became a legend in her own right, and this book is her story. It is also the story of the extraordinary bond between a father and a daughter. https://tshaonline.org/publications/books/31531

b. Hosea gives his kids some difficult names.

1. and names his first child, a son, Jezreel.

Jezreel does not sound so bad. But, it was the place where betrayal and bloodshed have taken place in Israel’s history, including the killing of kings and King Ahab, the worst king in Israels''s history, killing an innocent man so he can steal with vineyard from him.

Jehu killed Joram and his mother Jezebel;The name "Jezreel" although pleasant-sounding enough ("he sows"), virtually drips blood. Not only was it the site of "Jehu's purge" (see 2 Kings 9-10), which is alluded to in verse 4 (and which involved the deaths of both the kings of Israel and Judah), but it was also the site of Naboth's vineyard (and Naboth was killed as a result of King Ahab's excessive desire for more land -- see 1 Kings 21 and above).

2. Hosea names his first daughter Lo-ruhama, which means 'no mercy," or “no motherly love” and reflects the Lord's lack of mercy for Israel;

“Hey, Lo-ruhama” announces that God has no longer has mercy or loves Israel.

3. Third child, his second son Lo-ammi, which means "not my people," to indicate God's rejection of Israel.

“lo-ammi” represents the undoing of the covenant language that has been central to Israel's self-identity: the God who called Israel into a special relationship; the God who lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt; the God who has chosen again and again to claim Israel as “my people” now sees Israel and declares they are 'not my people.”

some of the insights about the names are shared by J. Clinton McCann Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation Eden Seminary, Saint Louis, MO in his commentary found at http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=641

100. Let's be clear – God chooses those names not because God has decided to give up on Israel, but because Israel has turned away from God.

1. This is not the story of a parent who had a bad day at work and yells at the kids.

2. this is the story of Israel choosing not to live into it's covenant relationship.

3. and the consequence is God letting Israel go.

Move 3: Back to the Hosea's pastor and now Hosea has returned for some marital counseling

a. Only Hosea comes to the counseling session; Gomer is nowhere to be found.

1. “My wife has left me.”.

“where has she gone?”

“back to being a prostitute.”

2. what does a good pastor say?

Some words of comfort perhaps?

Maybe some tough love, “He you married a prostitute, what did you think would happen?”

Maybe some insightful comments about how Hosea can get his life back together. Take care of the kids.

My guess – no plan for Gomer except contain the damage as best they can.

2. It's a good thing for Gomer, and for Hosea, that God has a different plan.
3. “Your wife has left you, is an adulterer, is back to being a prostitute? Go buy her back.” 
4. You cannot imagine that?  Welcome to the grace of God!

b. Unlike Amos last week who finishes with almost no hope for Israel, Hosea offers a word of hope.

1. God will not give up on Israel.

2. God will pursue Israel.

3. God will buy back the unfaithful Israel.

4. we read Hosea now knowing about the coming of Christ and his death and resurrection, and we know the high price God is willing to pay for Israel, is willing to pay for us.

100. Hosea calls Israel to return to God.

                1. Remember that return is the Hebrew word for “repent.”

                 2. to turn back.

                3. Hosea calls Israel, calls us, to give up our unfaithfulness and return to the God who relentlessly pursues us.

              4. God offers a chance for Israel, for us to return.

Conclusion: Back to the pastor, who eventually gets invited over to dinner – dinner with Hosea, Gomer, and the three kids.

The dinner table conversation is about the power of love to redeem; the power of love to restore relationships.

A story worth hearing.

"God of Judgment" Hosea 1: 1-9; Hosea 14: 1-9

The sermon series on minor prophets continues with Hosea.  Fascinating family story!  he marries a whore and his marriage becomes a metaphor for Israel's relationship with God.  We certainly need to be careful how we claim this metaphor from Hosea's patriarchal world to our context today.

Hosea names his first son Jezreel, which was the place where Jehu killed Joram and his mother Jezebel; names his first daughter Lo-ruhama, which means 'no mercy," and reflects the Lord's lack of mercy for Israel; and he names his second son Lo-ammi, which means "not my people," to indicate God's rejection of Israel.

 The following are insights from J. Clinton McCann Evangelical Professor of Biblical Interpretation Eden Seminary, Saint Louis, MO in his commentary found at http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=641

The matter was not that God was punishing Israel, but rather that Israel had abandoned God. The reality of broken covenant is captured in the names of Gomer and Hosea's children (verses 4-9). The name "Jezreel" although pleasant-sounding enough ("he sows"), virtually drips blood. Not only was it the site of "Jehu's purge" (see 2 Kings 9-10), which is alluded to in verse 4 (and which involved the deaths of both the kings of Israel and Judah), but it was also the site of Naboth's vineyard (and Naboth was killed as a result of King Ahab's excessive desire for more land -- see 1 Kings 21 and above). To be sure, Jehu had the support of the prophet Elisha, but apparently, the prophet Hosea had seen enough of the violent consequences of royal oppression. He announced that divine sanction had been withdrawn.

The name of the daughter involves nothing short of what we would call child abuse. "Lo-ruhamah" is often translated "Not Pitied" (see "pity" twice in verses 6-7); but this is much too nice a translation. The Hebrew root in its noun form means "womb," so the name connotes something like "Not Motherly Loved," or perhaps even something like "Neglected" or "Abused." It is shocking, matched only perhaps by Israel's shocking rejection of God and God's will. Verse 7 seems to be a Judean redaction of an earlier formulation.

The third child's name, "Not My People," is an explicit reversal of the covenant formula (see "my people" in Exodus 3:7, 10; 6:7). The explanation of the name in verse 9 is more literally, "for you are not my people; and as for me, not 'I am' to you" -- thus another poignant allusion to the Exodus (see Exodus 3:14) and an indication of the rupture of the covenant relationship.

I've have seen several books with names for babies, and I've been in some crazy discussions about baby's names, but those names have never come up in conversation!  I am reminded of a "Dick Van Dyke Sho9w" episode when their son discovers that his middle name is ROSEBUD, which is actually an acronym for all the names the family thought they should use:  Robert Oscar Sam Edward Benjamin Ulysses David (I actually found the episode on the Internet and watched it!).

I generally ask couples how they met and why they are going to get married.  It generally leads to some interesting stories.  None as interesting as God told me to find a prostitute and marry her, which would have been Hosea's story.  Or, fast forward to a few years into the marriage and Gomer has betrayed Hosea and gone back to prostitution.  What does Hosea do?  He goes and buys back his wife who is now a prostitute and an adulterer.  Cannot imagine that?  Welcome to the grace of God!

It is interesting to we who try to keep politics out of religion (or at least we pretend to do so) read Hosea, as well as other minor prophets, who sees it all intertwined.  How Israel's faith is lived out in the world or power and politics reflects directly on how God views Israel.  Admittedly, our representative democracy is different than the theocracy of Israel, but I find it challenging that the nation of Israel is judged by its policies with the expectation that Israel will have policies that reflect its faithfulness to God.

Hosea finishes with a word of hope that is found in the opportunity for Israel to "return" to the Lord., the Lord who will forgive.  A word of hope that is not as clearly articulated in the prophet Amos.

Reflections on "Privilege and Responsibility" Amos 3: 1-2; Amos 5: 21-24

The minor prophets series continues with Amos.  I can already tell that I have two significant challenges each week.  1.  How to keep it from being a Sunday school lesson instead of a sermon.  I have so much information and background I want to share, but I have to do it within the context of the sermon.  I suspect that most of the weeks the congregation will know very little about the particular prophet, but I don't want to turn my sermons into lectures.  2.  how to connect the prophet and his words with our world today.  

I debated throwing out the sermon and focusing solely on the shootings in Charleston.  I chose not to do so, but did include comments about the shooting in the announcements to start the service, in the prayers, and then referenced it in the sermon.  

The Sanctuary sermon went better.  I tweaked a few things along the way in the second service, but those tweaks are probably not reflected in the text below because I did not write them down.  

“Privilege and Responsibility” FPC, Troy, Minor prophet series; Amos 3: 1-2; 5: 21-24

Introduction: the first part of the 8^th century BCE turn out to be a good time for Israel.

At that time, Israel was the northern kingdom and Judah was the southern kingdom of what had been the

Israel, the Northern kingdom, is experiencing prosperity and peace. According to Anderson, "during the reign of Jereboam II, the commercial and colonial activity of the Phoenicians was at its peak in the Mediterranean world, and Israel shared in the profits that flowed from the exchange of goods and services" (Bernhard Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament 4th edition, 288).

Time of optimism – the Day of Yahweh, when all things would be good, appeared to be at hand. At least, I suppose, if you were one of the people benefiting form the prosperity.

c. Shift in how Israel was structured

1. Earlier Israel had been a tribal federation in covenant with Yahweh.

        2. Tribal federations were not prone to class structure.

        3. As Amos prophesies Israel was a monarchy with a royalty at the top; a ruling class; a merchant class that develops to do business; a working class; and a class of poor, not working.

       4. Class stratification has arrived with some,a s Amos describes it, having summer homes and winter homes, and other experiencing poverty.

  d. On the horizon, not quite a problem, but at least a question appears Assyria.

        1. The rising power in the world

       2. what if, What if Assyria decides to set its sights on Israel?

Move 2: Here comes Amos

a. Amos comes from Tekoa, a small village in Judah.

1. Judah, the southern kingdom.

2. Imagine that – a preacher from the south moving north to preach to the northerners!

b.  Amos does not claim to be a prophet.

     1.  In fact, in Chapter 7 Amaziah, the priest of Bethel (one of the holy cities in the northern kingdom) the priest Amaziah attacks Amos on two fronts.

     2. First of all, he tells King Jereboam that Amos is prophesying against the king.

     3.  then he confronts Amos and tells him to go back home to the south and prophesy there.

     4.  Amos responds by telling Amaziah that he is not a prophet.

      5.  “I am just a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees.” He takes care of the animals and cuts a slit in the fruit to help in the ripening process (http://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/hbd/view.cgi?n=1675)

      6.  but, God sent me to prophesy to Israel.

7. “I am not a prophet. I am just doing with God told me to do.”

100. But he's a preacher extraordinaire!

1. I had a chance yesterday to visit with Mario (our former intern, who now and Associate Pastor). We talked about how much he is enjoying preaching; different styles of sermons; he described how much fun it is to reel the listeners in, and then suddenly twist the sermon. Amos does that.

2. Typical style.

3. “Thus says the Lord”
4. Attacking the other countries, the enemies of Israel. “you go Amos!”

4. Got to the seventh in the cycle of oracles. The seventh is the final one. It's the worst one saved for last. And the target is Judah, the southern tribe. Amos has proven his brilliance by setting his prophetic sights on Judah.
   5. then the twist. An eight oracle is added. And the target is Israel. In fact, the rest of the prophecy will focus on Israel.
5. Amos has revealed the worst of the sinners, and it is Israel. They are the worst..
6. it reminds me of the story of the two elderly women who were sitting together in the front pew of church with a fiery preacher. they excitedly and loudly responded to the preaching. When this preacher condemned the sin of lust, these two ladies cried out at the top of their lungs.....AMEN... BROTHER! When the preacher condemned the sin of stealing, they yelled again....PREACH IT REVEREND! And when the preacher condemned the sin of lying.... they jumped to their feet and screamed, RIGHT ON BROTHER.... TELL IT LIKE IT IS..... AMEN! But when the preacher condemned the sin of gossip, the two got quiet and one turned to the other and said, "He's done quit preaching and now he's meddling'.
   Amos has gone to meddling.”

100. Amos calls into question all that they do.
     1. his critique exposes the way they live; the class structure and its inequities.
     2. His challenge the way they worship. What's the point of their glorious worship if they do not do justice?
     4. Amos challenges them to connect their faith, their worship, their relationship with God with how they are living their lives.

Move 4: Privilege demands responsibility.

a. sounds like a pretty good Father's day theme. A father teaching his children that with privilege comes responsibility.

b. Amos reminds them of the special relationship they have with God.

1. Chapter 3 (3:2) beings with Amos sharing with the Israelites these words from God: “you only have I known of all the families of the earth”
2. Covenant language.
3. Israel is God's nation, chosen by God for a special relationship, special purpose.
4. We can relate to that sense of specialness because of our theology of call.
5. But also because that is the language that is often used these days to describe our own nation.

b. Amos follows it up with the twist – “therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (3:2)

1. Israel has been given all the advantages of their special relationship with God, but they have failed to respond accordingly.
2. As Donald Gowan describes it, Israel has “enthusiastically claimed the privilege,” but has “forgotten responsibility” (Theology of the Prophetic Books: The Death and Resurrection of Israel, Donald Gowan, 32)
3. Leads to lament – one of the most intense feelings of grief in ancient Israel was when a young, unmarried person who had no children to carry on the family name died.
4. That's the language Amos uses in the opening verses of Chapter 5: “Fallen, no more to rise, is maiden Israel; forsaken on her land, with one to raise her up.”
5. The prophet laments over Israel because because Israel failed to recognizes its responsibilities and is now facing exile (Amos is the first
   c. Responsibility

1. We are connected.
2. Economic injustice and disparity – we want to make it simply an economic policy or someone else's issue – but Amos asks us – how can you be satisfied if you are doing well, but others are not?
3. Charleston shootings – what can we do in the face of race issues; recurring mass shootings?
4. Worship – imagine Amos here. How does our worship send us into the world?

Conclusion: Is there any hope? The last chapter of Amos has has a glimmer of hope. Probably added by a later writer.

A writer who could not stand the idea of Israel's death as permanent. A writer who may have written after the exile, when the Israelites had returned to Jerusalem and saw firsthand the power of God to restore.

A writer who reveals a truth about God – the one who called Israel, demanded responsibility; saw Israel's defeat an exile is also a God of hope. The God who would send Jesus Christ so that we would know the power of God to resurrect.

Amos may add the twist to the story that points to the death of Israel, but God had the final twist – death leads to resurrection.

Amen.

"Privilege and Responsibility" Amos 3: 1-2; Amos 5: 21-24

Either I have had an unusually busy summer week or my time-management skills have failed me once again!  Regardless, I am late to my sermon reflections.

This second week of the sermon series on minor prophets finds us reflecting on Amos.  Both Scripture lessons are from Amos, although I interpret all texts in the context of the good news we discover in Christ Jesus.

I will again provide a hard copy of notes about Amos and some excerpts from his prophecy.

Amos sees the Northern kingdom experiencing prosperity and peace. According to Anderson, "during the reign of Jereboam II, the commercial and colonial activity of the Phoenicians was at its peak in the Mediterranean world, and Israel shared in the profits that flowed from the exchange of goods and services" (Bernhard Anderson, Understanding the Old Testament, 4th edition, 288). Amos sees that they are not living into their responsibilities as God's people, so he speaks out against them.

Amos is a Judean, from the south speaking out against the northern tribes.  I wonder if that gave him credibility issues?

Some background on this time period and Amos' prophecy:

     1.  Earlier Israel had been a tribal federation in covenant with Yahweh. Tribal federations were not prone to class structure.  Now as Amos prophesies Israel was a monarchy which had developed class stratification.

2. First part of 8^th century everything was good. Time of optimism – Day of Yahweh.  As the 2^nd half of the century things started turning sour. The rise of Assyria posed the question: if Assyria can threaten Judah, how can they believe that Yahweh has the power to fulfill promises?

3. Distinction between Sinaitic covenant with stern moral obligations and Davidic covenant with unconditional promises.

How do we hear Amos' prophecy in our time?

Reflections on "A Minor Key" 2 Kings 2: 1-14; 1 Kings 18: 21-40

This is the first sermon of the summer preaching series on the minor prophets.  Probably tried to cover too much ground in the sermon.  In fact, it really did not get to the minor prophets as we discussed prophets in general and then looked at Elijah and Elisha.  Of course, the stories about Elijah and Elisha were great stories.

“A Minor Key?” FPC, Troy, Minor prophet series; 2 Kings 2: 1-14; I Kings 18: 21-40

Introduction: First sermon of the summer series on the minor prophets.

A little bit of background as we begin reflecting on prophets.

Properly defined, the prophet is one who speaks “under the influence of Yahweh's spirit,” and is “able to interpret the meaning of events and to proclaim the will of God in concrete terms” (Understanding the Old Testament. Anderson, Bernhard (253).

As we go through this summer, an interesting reflection for you as we move through this preaching series – how do you hear God's Word in your life today? In other words, who plays the role of prophet in our context.

There are major and minor prophets. Major means long in length – both the length of their words and the length of their tenure as prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel) (see https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/06/tour-of-the-bible-part-4-the-major-prophets/ for a short synopsis)

Minor means short – not less important, but short in length and in the time frame in which they prophesy. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

As our introduction to the prophets, this week we meet Elijah and Elisha.

They were neither major prophets or minor prophets.

They did not leave behind writings that are part of the biblical text.

They were the first of the prophets who prophesied exclusively. Nathan and Samuel – prophet and priest; or the judges who prophesied.

Elijah and Elisha pioneered the role of prophet and set the stage for the prophets whose book we read in the biblical text.

I think, in part, a prophet has these attributes

Move 1: Prophet calls the people back to focus on God., not other gods.

a. names

1. Elijah means literally, “Yahweh is my God,”

2. Elisha means, “My God is my salvation.”

3. Every time the people call out their names or hear them speak, their names stand as a reminder of God's claim on them and God's desire to save them.

b. part of what the prophets do is look around the world and see all the other gods out there.

1. The fertility gods and their live, human sacrifices.

2. the worship of Baal.

3. the prophets will see all the attention given to the other gods and the temptation for the Israelites to follow the other gods, and then the prophet calls the Israelites back to their God.

c. Not just looking outward at others, but looking inward at the Israelites.

1. looks at their circumstances in the particular time in which they are prophesying.

2. Elijah is dealing with King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, perhaps the worst of Israel's royalty through the years.

3. Elijah will engage, at times flee from them, but he continually challenges them and how they are leading God's people.

500. As we heard in the passage from I Kings, the prospect then will call the people to choose: I Kings 1 18: 21 (The Message: Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!” Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.

The prophet will call the people back to God

 Move 2: We will discover that the minor prophets probably have a reprimand on their tongues.

a. I'm not sure we are going to like all that new hear from the minor prophets this summer.

1. King Ahab famously sees Elijah and asks, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?”

2. He knows Elijah is about to take him to task.

3. The prophets look at the life the Israelites lead and challenge them:

for their nationalism;

for their selfishness

for their lack of concern for the poor

for their religious practices that are more about show than about worshiping God in truth and in love.

2. When we hear the prophets' words, we too will be challenged to examine how we are living our lives in our context.

2. We will be asking ourselves, if Elijah or Amos, or Hosea were living in our midst, what would they think about how we are living individually and collectively.

4. As Eugene Peterson notes, “the biblical prophets continue to be the most powerful and effective voices ever heard on this earth for keeping religion honest, humble and compassionate. Prophets sniff out injustice, especially injustice that is dressed up in religious garb. They sniff it out a mile away. Prophets see through hypocrisy, especially hypocrisy that assumes a religious pose” Eugene Peterson, the Message NavPress, 2002, 164 as quoted in God’s Politics, Jim Wallis 137.

b. we will also be challenged to hear and discern what is of God.

1. The 20th century monk mystic Thomas Merton once said: “It may be true that every prophet is a pain in the neck, but it is NOT true that every pain in the neck is a prophet. There is no more firmly entrenched expression of the false self than the self-proclaimed prophet.” James"Finley,"Merton’s Palace of Nowhere” as found in Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church Asheville, North Carolina 10 May 2015 Sermon: “Sure” Mark Ramsey

2. So we will struggle to hear God's word for us in our context.

And be ready, it will probably include some reprimands!

Move 3: But, reading the minor prophets should also be fun because they usually have a good story to tell or a fascinating way of telling it.

a. Elijah – Mt. Carmel challenge

1. Great story.

2. Elijah versus 450 prophets of Baal.

3. The other prophets go to make a sacrifice, and they can't get the fire started, literally.

4. Elijah gloats – and in his gloating makes the point – why should you worship Baal, when Baal is fairly worthless.

5. then to prove the point that they should give their lives to God, he builds an altar, sets out the sacrifice, and pours water three times, even creating a trench of water around the altar; even through the water, God sends a fire to burn the sacrifice.

             6. exciting story, but also an important point is made about the power of God that exceeds Baal.

b. Elisha – Naaman story

1. Commander of Aramean army has leprosy.

2. captured Israelite slave girl tells Naaman's wife about the God of Israel who can heal through the prophet Elisha.

3. When King of Aram asks for help for Naaman, the king of Israel is upset.

4. Elisha tells Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times.

5. Naaman initially refuses, he is insulted at the thought that he is only being asked to bathe seven times. What kid of God is at work in a bath?

5. But he eventually he bathes seven times, and he is healed.

6. a fascinating story, but one that also makes the point about God's ability to be at work, even through bathing; God’s control over all people, not just the Israelites; and God's care for even those outside the Israelite family.

Conclusion: We read of Elijah being swept up to heaven in a whirlwind at the end of his life, and a double portion of his spirit being bestowed on Elisha, who will not prophesy.

God will continue to speak.

Are you listening?

"A Minor Key" 1 Kings 18: 21-40; 2 Kings 2: 1-18

First sermon of the summer series on the minor prophets.  Actually, this week's sermon sets the stage for the minor prophets by looking at prophecy in general through the stories of Elijah and Elisha.

I think this passage sums up the challenge the prophets have for the Israelites:  I Kings 18: 21 (The Message:  Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!” Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.

I think a legitimate question for the Israelites and for us is: How do you know if the person talking is really a prophet from God?

I think, in part, a prophet has these attributes

     a. Focuses on God, not other gods.

     b. Probably has a reprimand on his (or her) tongue.

      c.  Has a great story to tell.

This week I have the following info in the bulletin for the gathered congregation to peruse.  I might have one of these each week on the minor prophet being discussed.  I could use the screen in the Sanctuary service, but having something to take home might be good.

Prophecy

1. Role of prophet: “...the prophet, speaking under the influence of Yahweh's spirit, was able to interpret the meaning of evens and to proclaim the will of God in concrete terms” (Understanding the Old Testament. Anderson, Bernhard (253).

2. Major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. They are called the “major” prophets because their books are longer and lengthier and cover a longer time span. In Israelite history (see https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2011/06/tour-of-the-bible-part-4-the-major-prophets/ for a short synopsis).

3. Twelve minor prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. They are called “minor” because they are short in length and cover a very narrow time span in Israelite history.

4. In general, minor prophets include three types of material:

• Autobiographical material in the first person, some of which may go back to the prophet in question;
• Biographical materials about the prophet in the third person – which incidentally demonstrate that the collection and editing of the books was completed by persons other than the prophets themselves;
• Oracles or speeches by the prophets, usually in poetic form, and drawing on a wide variety of genres, including covenant lawsuit, oracles against the nations, judgment oracles, messenger speeches, songs, hymns, narrative, lament, law, proverb, symbolic gesture, prayer, wisdom saying, and vision (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Minor_Prophets#CITEREFCoogan2009 for more details).

Elijah

1. One of the first prophets mentioned by name.
2. He does not have a book named after him.
3. The Elijah cycle of stories are found in I Kings 17-2 Kings 2
4. Elijah means “Yahweh is my God,” and he serves as a zealous prophetic champion of the Mosaic faith (Anderson, 274).
5. Elijah battled with King Ahab and Queen Jezebel

Elisha

1. Succeeded Elijah as prophet of the Israelites
2. The Elisha stories are found in 1 Kings 19 – 2 Kings 9
3. Elisha asked for a a “double-portion” of Elijah's spirit
4. Elisha cycle full of what are called “wonder” stories that delighted the popular imagination (Understanding the Old Testament. Anderson, Bernhard (253).

Reflection question: Who speaks in our world today that you believe shares God's Word for you?

What signs make you believe that word is from God?