Awestruck Heroes: The Prophets

Awestruck Heroes: The Prophets. (this process is in process and will be completed soon)

“Lord Yahweh, there is no God like You! You are wondrously great, and Your name is mighty in power. You are unrivalled in Your greatness! Who can fail to be impressed by You, King of the nations. It is completely proper to reverence You, for who could fail to stand in awe before You! It is in Your very nature to be worshipped. Among all the elite of the world, there is still no one as magnificent as You, no one who could compare with you.” (Jeremiah 10:7).

AWE: To encounter vastness, something beyond one’s frame of reference, outside of one’s mental grasp; surrendering reverently to something greater than oneself; an outward-focused sense of wonder and astonishment; not just a momentary feeling, but a spiritual way of life and an actual neurological event that rewires the human brain.

Awesome? Is there a word that has been more trivialized these days than the word “awesome?” I confess that I have unthinkingly become a culprit in this misuse of what is a wonder-full word. Awesome seems to be in the air and ready to escape the lips of practically everyone, describing everything from a hamburger to a TV show, from a dollar store to a restaurant, from a celebrity to a superstar. But the word itself means something vast that is worthy of awe and wonder and astonishment. So let’s get picky here… Really now, isn’t the Lord God, the Creator of the universe, the only one who could be worthy of awesome? In our common experience here on planet earth, it would seem wise to leave a reserved seat for awesome, front row, center aisle, in the worship section. Maybe we could think up some reasonable synonyms for awesome, like tremendous, terrific, superb, fantastic, spectacular, extraordinary, or even sublime or really cool. But I propose that we reserve the word awesome for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Aspects of Awe will be studied in this blog series as we consider the biblical quality of awe to be a diamond with a lot of facets. We’ll be looking at awesomeness in the Hebrew Bible, in the Gospels, and how the experience of awe affects our brain. Yes, to be in awe is a neurological event as well as a spiritual one.

Awe in the Hebrew Bible. Awe turned out to be a rather common experience in ancient Judaism and the Old Testament. The Hebrew word most used for awe is “yare,” which is often translated as “fear” and has a wide spectrum of meanings. Yare could be used for extreme terror when facing danger, or for reverent awe before the Lord; for withdrawing in fear from something vastly superior, or approaching God in adoration and wonder; an experience that leads to fleeing in dread or worshipping in reverence. Yare could signify escape from danger or obedience out of profound respect. Yare is used almost 400 times in the Hebrew Bible, and its meaning depends on the context. Awe in the OT could be a temporary emotional experience or a more permanent attitude in one’s walk with God. For the most part though, apparently starting with Abraham, yare and the fear of God came to mean awestruck adoration, reverent devotion, profound respect, fearful honor, and loyal obedience as a result of such awe of God. Biblical awe will be studied in the lives of many faithful heroes in the Hebrew Bible who were happy to be awed and to use the word awesome… from Abraham to Jacob; from Moses to David; from Solomon to Isaiah; from Habakkuk to Malachi. As we’ll see, these stalwarts knew how to use the word “awesome!”

Prophets who were Awestruck: 

(1.) Isaiah. WANTED: An imaginative scribe who can write exquisite poetry. A faithful, articulate believer in Yahweh who can switch from one extreme to another at the Lord’s command… from a sublime vision of God’s glory, to a ridiculous demonstration of shameful nakedness; from confronting the people over their sinfulness, to comforting people with hopefulness; from being an outspoken messenger one minute, to a living object lesson the next; from having one foot in the immediate surroundings one minute, to one foot in the future messianic realm the next. Must be adaptable, thick-skinned, and extraordinarily brave. Person who answers “Here I am. Send me!” will be especially considered. (from The Jerusalem Post, 740 BC).

 

(2.) Jeremiah. WANTED:

Jeremiah, the Holy Fool. He began his holy foolishness as a young man in Jerusalem, and he continued there for 40 years. He was routinely rejected by everyone in his prophetic ministry: Friends, family, neighbors, religious leaders, and even the kings under whom he served in the palace. The only king who welcomed Jeremiah was Josiah, a staunch reformer. Otherwise, Jeremiah was rebuffed or ignored through the three remaining kings of Judah during his ministry. Nobody listened to Jeremiah as he preached about God’s judgment, the need for repentance, the coming destruction of Jerusalem. He was treated accordingly, having had to endure whippings, being put in stocks, thrown into prison, lowered deep into a dry well. While in the well he was miserable, and he was finally rescued by an Ethiopian eunuch who pulled Jeremiah out of the well with ropes. He was also taken captive and forcibly removed to Egypt after the fall of Jerusalem. It’s difficult to take a light-hearted approach to Jeremiah’s ministry. He wasn’t called the “weeping prophet” for nothing. Read his mournful Lamentations if you’re not convinced. Even with all that, there were times his street theater had a light side. Notice the first object lesson below, and you can see a spark of comedy in the midst of all that tragedy.

1. God instructed Jeremiah to buy a piece of linen underwear, called a loincloth. This was a very personal piece of clothing, and the request must have seemed out of place to Jeremiah. A loincloth was what you would now call intimate wear. This is like God asking you to go to the store and buy a pair of linen boxers. But God’s instructions didn’t end there. God told Jeremiah to put on the biblical underpants and wear them for a significant period of time, but never wash them. The Lord is making Jeremiah walk around in public, wearing dirty, smelly underwear. Then, God tells Jeremiah, after the specified amount of time, take off the loincloth and bury them behind some rocks near the Euphrates River. After a long time, Jeremiah was asked to uncover that rotten filthy piece of underwear and show the Israelites. Hold them up to the people for close inspection and show them how the underwear was good for nothing, just like them. They have outlived their usefulness. The Israelites saw all of this theater, but unfortunately missed the whole point. (chapter 13).
2. God told Jeremiah to buy a clay jar on his heavenly expense account, gather a big crowd of Israelites, and take them all to the local garbage dump outside of town. When everybody’s looking, the Lord said, smash the clay jar to smithereens, and warn the people that that is what the Lord is going to do to them. The people wondered, probably, why Jeremiah had to smash a perfectly good clay jar. (chapter 19).
3. The Lord tells Jeremiah to make a heavy wooden oxen yoke, the kind the oxen would wear when plowing a field or pulling a wagon. Attach leather straps to the yoke, God said, and wear this uncomfortable yoke, fastening it to his neck. Jeremiah had to wear this cumbersome yoke for a few months while he spoke the word of the Lord. A disgusted false prophet nearby finally yanked the yoke off of Jeremiah’s neck and smashed it beyond repair. I guess the prophet didn’t like the message of bondage and captivity that the yoke illustrated. (chapter 27).
4. When Jeremiah was exiled in Egypt, God asked him to take some large rocks and bury them under the foundation mortar of the Pharaoh’s palace. The Lord made it clear this was to be done in full public view. This was done without the Pharaoh’s permission of course, and the people were by now wondering what strange thing Jeremiah was going to do next. This was an object lesson that Pharaoh wouldn’t have liked… Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon would soon attack Egypt and place his throne on these very rocks buried by Jeremiah. This was a prophetic warning against Egypt, not Israel, which means Jeremiah was an equal opportunity prophet. (chapter 43).
5. God told Jeremiah to write down every warning of judgment against Babylon that the Lord had told him through the years. Every word. Take a long scroll, Jeremiah, and write it down on both sides if you have to, but go to the trouble of recording everything spoken against Babylon. Then, I want you to give this scroll to a spokesman who is going to Babylon. This person is going to walk the streets of Babylon yelling very loudly everything on that scroll. Make sure everyone has heard these denouncements, God is saying. Then when he is done shouting God’s judgment on Babylon, have this man take the scroll, tie it to a big stone, and throw it into the Euphrates River. Make sure it sinks out of sight in public view. The Babylonians won’t like this, Jeremiah, but that was God’s way of saying that Babylon is going to sink without a ripple and never rise again. (chapter 51).

(3.) Habakkuk. WANTED:

Habakkuk 3 is a song that is one of the highlights of the Hebrew Bible. After all their earlier dialogue, Habakkuk stands in awe of God, he is astounded at the Lord’s greatness. Habakkuk has only one petition in mind… Work your redemption, Lord, during the time of punishment. He pleads for compassion in the midst of judgment with his famous words, “In wrath remember mercy.” (3:2). This brings to mind the Lord’s assuring words in Isaiah 54:8, “In overflowing wrath for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you, says the Lord, your Redeemer.” Habakkuk then poetically recalls Israel’s history and God’s ongoing interventions, the faithfulness and power of God.

Habakkuk is the presumed author of this book, and little is known of his life as a prophet. We do know he was probably working as a prophet during the reign of Jehoiakim, between 612-588 BC. His name means “embracer” or “one who clings to.” Habakkuk is often referred to as the “prophet of faith.” He didn’t speak God’s word to the people in this book as much as speak the people’s word to God. He asked universal questions in utter frankness before God, yet he remained a man of genuine faith throughout the questioning. He had questions, and he knew Who to ask for the answers. The final three verses in his song in chapter 3 indeed establish him as a man of monumental faith.

THE BOOK. Habakkuk more or less interrogated the Lord twice, and both times God provided His answers. Habakkuk first asked the Lord why He wasn’t punishing the people of Judah for their wickedness. Why do the evil-doers in our midst prosper while the righteous seem to suffer? After a series of evil kings in Judah, the nation had indeed sunk into lawlessness, immorality, injustice, violence, and was a place where “the wicked surrounded the righteous.” God answered that He is going to punish Judah by sending the Babylonians to conquer them. Be patient, God said, and you will see the Sovereign Lord in control and ready to discipline Judah through the Babylonians (Chaldeans). The seeming prosperity and success of the wicked is only temporary.

The second question from Habakkuk referred to the Lord’s use of Babylon to exact His judgment. How can you punish the bad with something worse? The Babylonians are cruel, treacherous pagans! You are sending a godless nation to punish your Chosen People? God responded by stating that He is indeed going to punish the Babylonians in due time for their sinfulness. Take the long view, God says, look at the big picture. With me in control, there is ultimate justice and moral accountability in this world, and I know what I’m doing, says the Lord. God encouraged Habakkuk to trust Him that He has a long-term plan. God’s word of advice to Habakkuk was, “If justice seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place.” (2:3). God will execute judgment in due time.

WATCHMAN. Habakkuk said in 2:1 that he was going to his watchtower to wait for the Lord. The standard prophet’s stance was that of the watchman, waiting and listening with an attitude of expectation, patiently watching for God, keeping an eye out for the Lord to speak and act. It’s doubtful Habakkuk was referring to a literal watchtower, where one could see in the distance for any visitors approaching the city. Instead, Habakkuk’s watchtower was his undisturbed place of spiritual meditation and focus. His watchtower was where he was to receive God’s word. It was his spiritual lookout tower to wait for the Lord’s response. In this case, his watching and waiting bore fruit, because God indeed approached him and speaks about all the reasons God wants to punish the Babylonians: pride, arrogance, greed, corruption, violence, extortion, murder, gluttony, idolatry. And the list goes on. God will not stand for all those deadly sins running rampant. Is it any wonder, God asks, why I want to punish them severely? The clock is ticking, their time is coming

(4.) Haggai. WANTED:

The first of three groups of exiles from Babylon was released after 70 years of captivity. This remnant returned to Jerusalem and recognized what they had missed all those years… their homes and livelihoods, their ancestral land, and the Temple that contained the very presence of God. So they immediately went to work building the foundation for the new and rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. Solomon’s spectacular Temple lay in ruins because of God’s decree of punishment for Israel’s sins. So the foundation was a good start to the big project of rebuilding the Temple. But between the priority placed on rebuilding their own homes, and the strong opposition of neighboring peoples, the returned exiles let the foundation lay bare for sixteen years. They were indifferent, intimidated, and discouraged. So they dragged their feet in the big project to restore worship to the center of Jewish society.

After all this time, God seemed to grow impatient with the rebuilding of His House. So He tapped two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to take on the mission, the high calling, of inspiring the people to get on with the Temple rebuild. For three and a half months Haggai in particular proved to be the inspiration for the people of Judah. His words of the Lord encouraged the people, inspired them, and led them to pick up their building tools once again. Haggai was like a cheerleader prophet. He would call to the people and ask questions like, How could you be comfortable in your own nice homes, when God’s House lay in ruins? How come you work so hard at having a nice life for yourselves, when the Temple is destroyed and unusable?

Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest, joined into the project by helping to make it happen. And Haggai was there during this time leading the cheers, with his encouragement to stay strong, have courage, the Spirit of the living God is with you. It might have taken a few months to sink in, but eventually the leadership of Zerubbabel, Joshua, Haggai and Zechariah helped the people to get to work. Haggai let the people know that rebuilding His House would truly bring God pleasure. They listened to Haggai, for they knew a true prophet of the Lord when they heard one. They knew that Haggai’s words were from the true God, and if they continued listening to Haggai, they would be honoring God with their efforts. Sure enough, after four and a half years of hard work, the rebuilt Temple was completed.

This rebuilt Temple has come down through history known as Zerubbabel’s Temple, but that is a little misleading. It could be easily known as Haggai’s Temple as well, since he was the one cheering from the sidelines and in the middle of the action, saying, You can do this! Do this for the Lord! He is with you! When this Temple project was finished, the second group of exiles returned from Babylon, led by Ezra the priest. He had the mission of rebuilding the people, not the Temple. He had the calling of restoring worship of Yahweh into the mainstream of Jewish culture. He is the one who helped turn that Temple into a usable worship space, the center of Jewish life in God, with sacrifices, celebrations, Scripture teaching, and religious festivals. It turned out that Ezra was just as successful as Haggai. After a much-needed national repentance and turning to God, the religious culture was rebuilt from top to bottom, and worship in the new Temple was right there at the center of it all.

Haggai was primarily concerned with the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the exile. But he ended up being quite a preacher of the Gospel as well. He directly pointed to a New Temple in the distant future of Jerusalem. Haggai anticipated the messianic age when a New Temple will be filled with glory and splendor. And he said that this Temple would be where God would give His peace. (Haggai 2:7-9). Haggai clearly pointed to Jesus Messiah, who not only was full of God’s glory (John 1:14), but also was the very Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6-7). This New Temple is Christ Himself, as Jesus clearly stated in John 2:19-22,

(5.) Malachi. WANTED:

The book of Malachi is the bridge between the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. He was a prophet in Jerusalem almost a century after the 2nd Temple was completed in 516 BC. Unfortunately, God’s chosen people had slipped into many of the same sins that had caused God to punish them with exile into Babylon a century previous: carelessly following the Law; arrogance; apathy in worship; a casual and mostly empty faith life; men were divorcing their faithful wives at a whim and marrying pagan women, and so their home life was a mess. Besides all that cultural and spiritual disintegration, the priests were lazy and unfaithful when it came to leading sacrifices and worshiping Yahweh. The people needed solid spiritual examples, and the priest were not up to the job. There was still a small remnant of genuine believers, so there was a note of hopefulness in Malachi’s prophecies. But God’s judgment was definitely just around the corner.