PROPHETS: IDOLATRY, SOCIAL INJUSTICE, AND RELIGIOUS RITUALISM
BIBL 105 OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY

PROPHETS: IDOLATRY, SOCIAL INJUSTICE, AND RELIGIOUS RITUALISM I will be honest. I really struggled through this section. I do realize the importance of this subject however; the “feel good” moments just aren’t there like when you read other books of the bible. I mean, idolatry and ritualism are subjects that can be incredibly dry. But when asked to make it parallel to events of today I have found it to be shockingly intriguing. For example, the prophets played a key role in attempting to turn Israel away from its disastrous path of worshipping false idols. I don’t know, maybe it was the fact that they were tangible? I know that easily, the toughest part of the Christian walk is faith without sight. How easy would living this life be if we could touch or see God? You can touch and see false idols. Ezekiel 8 captured my attention completely. It paints such a vivid picture of how God sees us when we turn away from him. The entire chapter is of this vision given by a figure with flames from the waist down and gold from the waist up. He is taken to three different locations within Jerusalem and shown detestable images in God’s sight. I’ll just speak about the last paragraph in the chapter as you can almost feel God’s anger in the words. “He brought me to the inner court of the Lord’s temple. There, at the entrance of the Lord’s temple, between the porch and the altar, were 25 men facing towards the east with their backs to the Lord’s temple. They were bowing to the sun in the east. (Ezekiel 8:16) (Does this sound familiar? I believe this is the actions of those in the Muslim faith) “They have filled the land with violence, and they continue to provoke my fury……..even though they call out loudly to me in my hearing, I won’t listen to them.” (Ezekiel 8:17-18) Imagine that,