1: I can feel for Ezekiel when he is trying to describe his visions. My dreams are sometimes so obscure that only a picture is left in my mind and the more I try to explain it, the more fuzzy the picture gets. Ezekiel has to use comparisons that may or may not be what he actually saw, but to have to people understand he had to make the description lengthy. I am sure there is lots of symbolism involved, luckily no feet..
36: Here God shows a selfish side; He says He is not saving them for their sake but for the sake of His name. It makes sense then to give the people new hearts. All this work would be for nothing if they do not change their hearts. A new creation is coming but it is for the Lord, but isn't everything.
37: We said before that the Prophets were for the time of those people and not of Jesus. But here, the raising of the dead seems to indicate the coming of Christ. Is it? I just realize I probably won't get the answer to some of these questions because it is our final... sad day. Peace is coming to God's people.
Malachi (we skipped quite a few) - apathetic worship is my number one pet peeve about Christians. I know that in Bible times it had to do with sacrifice but tithing and worship still applies today. I feel that people who go to church to be seen as a Christian are wrong. If it is not true in you heart, don't go! I am having trouble right now and am feeling distant from the church so I am not going. I will not sit through service pretending that I want to be there like so many people do. This class is my church for now and if New Testament does not fulfill a need, then I might just come to your church, Dr. Pigott.
1: I like that God compares worldly power to Him and asks the people what they would do in the same situation but with a different master. He knows that they would be more afraid of the present danger than of His unseen works. God does not want them defiling sacrifices because that shows they are not fully following Him.
3: In Brit Lit, we just read about the refining fire, I think in Elliot. But after he converted to Christianity, he felt that the refining fire was one way of being cleansed. The fire and the rose become one! Here it is for purification. Malachi deals with the people personally. He chooses things that they do in their daily life to rebuke them about. Tithing is a big thing in some churches. Some believe that if you give your first fruits God will provide. I am conscious about where my money goes, so I would want to make sure that the church is doing something with my funds, but that is a bad perception to have. God will take care of things if I give to Him freely.
4: God does use a lot of fire I have noticed. God will save them once more. God's mercy is unfathomable to humans. I would have killed them all centuries ago. Luckily, I am not God. And am thankful that He spared us.
That brings us to Jonah, the ultimate example for why humans are not in charge.
1-4: Something I learned in class is that Tarshish is the furthest most known place from Nineveh. Jonah really wanted to get away. The ship-mates wanted to have compassion on Jonah even though he was the one causing the storm. They did not want the wrath of this powerful God upon them for killing Jonah.
Jonah's prayer is not one of pleading for forgiveness, he is simply stating that God was always there for him and that he will always remember God in times of trouble. I do not think that he is telling God he will go to Nineveh but I think he was contemplating it if God had waited any longer.
I do think that is a little ridiculous that Jonah says one line and the people repent. This is suppose to be the worst city ever and that's all it took. Some would say that is the power of God and I would believe them because maybe Nineveh had never felt threatened, maybe they were always the top-dog so when fear came they cowered.
The more the idea is in my head and after reading how the book ends, I could see how people would believe that it is fiction, a parable or satire of humans. However, that is too challenging for my faith. I believe that everything God does can be miraculous. Many of the miracles Jesus does could be seen as simply a lesson learned, but I believe those are true. Is there a difference. I know the main focus is on the meaning and I understand it - compassion. I'm just not ready to admit that stories could be false without proof.
3: In Brit Lit, we just read about the refining fire, I think in Elliot. But after he converted to Christianity, he felt that the refining fire was one way of being cleansed. The fire and the rose become one! Here it is for purification. Malachi deals with the people personally. He chooses things that they do in their daily life to rebuke them about. Tithing is a big thing in some churches. Some believe that if you give your first fruits God will provide. I am conscious about where my money goes, so I would want to make sure that the church is doing something with my funds, but that is a bad perception to have. God will take care of things if I give to Him freely.
4: God does use a lot of fire I have noticed. God will save them once more. God's mercy is unfathomable to humans. I would have killed them all centuries ago. Luckily, I am not God. And am thankful that He spared us.
That brings us to Jonah, the ultimate example for why humans are not in charge.
1-4: Something I learned in class is that Tarshish is the furthest most known place from Nineveh. Jonah really wanted to get away. The ship-mates wanted to have compassion on Jonah even though he was the one causing the storm. They did not want the wrath of this powerful God upon them for killing Jonah.
Jonah's prayer is not one of pleading for forgiveness, he is simply stating that God was always there for him and that he will always remember God in times of trouble. I do not think that he is telling God he will go to Nineveh but I think he was contemplating it if God had waited any longer.
I do think that is a little ridiculous that Jonah says one line and the people repent. This is suppose to be the worst city ever and that's all it took. Some would say that is the power of God and I would believe them because maybe Nineveh had never felt threatened, maybe they were always the top-dog so when fear came they cowered.
The more the idea is in my head and after reading how the book ends, I could see how people would believe that it is fiction, a parable or satire of humans. However, that is too challenging for my faith. I believe that everything God does can be miraculous. Many of the miracles Jesus does could be seen as simply a lesson learned, but I believe those are true. Is there a difference. I know the main focus is on the meaning and I understand it - compassion. I'm just not ready to admit that stories could be false without proof.
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