What is the Bible? (Prophecy)

Published Jan 14, 2025, 10:00 AM

In this captivating episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast, hosted by the esteemed Dr. Andrew Farley, listeners are taken on a profound journey into the world of Biblical Prophets. Dr. Farley begins by unraveling the essential structure of the Bible, introducing its six distinct sections, with a particular focus on the Prophetic books. With wisdom and clarity, he reveals that the prophets were not mere fortune-tellers but rather covenant lawyers, conveying God's passion for Israel and His plan for redemption.

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This episode delves deep into the poetic and metaphorical nature of the prophets' messages, emphasizing the dual themes of judgment and triumph, which continue to inspire and offer hope. Dr. Farley brings these timeless lessons to life, making them accessible and relevant for the modern listener.The narrative draws a bridge between the Old and New Testaments, highlighting John's role in foretelling Jesus' coming and the transformative impact of His ministry. 

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Let us pray. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise as some count's slowness, but he is patient with us, not wishing that any one should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Tewod Peter Chapter three, verse nine. Heavenly Father, you balance mercy and wisdom in your hands. You warn me of the consequences of sin while offering me a beautiful way forward. You empower me by your spirit to walk upright before you. You speak to me through your word and the new heart you have given me. Thank you for counseling me and comforting me even in my failures. Remind me to day of my total forgiveness and my perfect union with you. In Jesus name, I pray Amen, Thank you for praying with me to day. Now discover the profound intricacies of Scripture through pre dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with Doctor Andrew Farley.

Welcome back to another episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. I'm doctor Andrew Farley and it's a joy to have you with me today as we delve deeper into the structure of the Bible. The Bible can be divided into six sections law, history, poetry, prophecy, Gospel, and letters. Today we explore the prophetic books of the Bible. The major prophets wrote Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel. And there are twelve minor prophets Hoseiah, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahoum, Habacchic, zeph Andiah, Haggai, Zachariah, and Malachi. We also have Revelation, which is a prophetic book too. The biblical prophets are God's messengers, tasked with talking to Israel about his passion for them and his plan for redemption. They were commissioned not just to be future tellers, but to act as covenant lawyers, pointing out how Israel had broken their commitment to God like a wife who cheats on her husband. Israel turned to other gods.

Moreover, Yahweh said to me, in the days of Josiah the King, have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done. She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and has played the prostitute there. I said, after she had done and all these things, she will return to me. But she didn't return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. I saw when for this very cause that backsliding Israel had committed adultery. I had put her away in given her a certificate of divorce. Yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear. But she also went and played the prostitute. Because she took her prostitution lightly, the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with wood. Yet for all this, her treacherous sister Judah has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense, says Yahweh Jeremiah three six through ten.

The prophets spoke of present and future realities with poetic imagery, often using metaphor to prove their point. People mistake prophecy for literal future telling, but it can sometimes be more nuanced and beautiful than that. The prophets balance present commentary on the state of Israel while also looking forward to future judgment, suffering, mercy, and redemption. They even did some strange things to be heard, and sometimes lived on the fringe of society. Although their contemporaries shunned them, eventually their words were shown to be true, and people revered them long after they persecuted them. The prophets conveyed a dual message of judgment and triumph that continues to inspire today. Despite our struggles, God will still turn our tragedy into something for his glory.

God saw this, and his heart broke. The blighted wind came in from the north, and Jeremiah began to sob. The Lord spoke to him again, saying, I am the Lord who has made the earth. I will restore this city once again. I will heal them and reveal my goodness. The Lord's words touched Jeremiah's heart as he looked upon the ashy city below. How could God fix this, Jeremiah must have thought, I will cleanse my people from the guilt of their sins. I will forgive them and wash them clean. After this destruction, there shall again be the sound of wedding bells, the voice of a groom singing over his bride. All shall be made whole again. God declared. This was another image of what God would do in his people. Hundreds of years from then, a new king would arise and walk the streets of Jerusalem, sod enter and wash the people white as snow.

Biblical prophets used metaphor and storytelling to reveal God's intentions to man in a way that was understandable. The prophets also announced the day of the Lord or God's judgment, which is an ever present theme throughout their books. Consider Jeremiah twenty nine as a good example. Although judgment came to God's people through Babylon, the Lord had plans to restore them. In this message, there's a warning of future judgment coupled with a promise of hope.

For Yahweh says, after seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you hope and of future. You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me and find me. When you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says Yahweh. And I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says Yahweh, I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive Jeremiah twenty nine ten through fourteen.

The prophets emphasized obedience to God while also looking forward to the future Messiah, Israel's ultimate hope.

Slowly, the culture of Israel and Judah began to reform. Sacrifices were made in the temple, and God's law was proclaimed in the courts. Yet there was something missing. There was a lingering emptiness that all in the land felt. There was a longing for the presence of God to be near, and felt the temple was supposed to be that place where God would meet with his beloved. Yet there was a hidden sense that something greater was coming, something that the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel spoke of. Not just a rebuilding of the Temple of God, not just a rebuilding of the city's streets, not just a rebuilding of the schools and teachings. No, there needed to be a rebuilding of the heart. Their hearts of stone needed to be replaced with hearts of flesh. This would not come to pass until much later, until the true presence of God dwelled in the city streets of Jerusalem. One day the fullness of God would re enter the Temple, but it would not be via sacrifices or sense. It would be through the footsteps of the Messiah.

The prophet spoke of a redeemer that would save humanity from their sin. The Old Testament ends with a grand promise of salvation. Then the New Testament begins with the words of another prophet, John the Baptist, who stands as a pivotal figure in the Divine narrative, heralding the arrival of Jesus Christ with unparalleled enthusiasm and clarity. He recognized that Jesus was not just another prophet or teacher. He was the Lamb of God, poised to take away the sin of the world, not merely covering them temporarily as the blood of animal sacrifices had done under the Old Covenant. John proclaimed Jesus as the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, signaling a profound transformation and the ushering in of a new era. Those who believe in Jesus are not just cleansed externally, they're placed in Christ, born of God. And in dwelt by the Spirit. This is not a mere change of status. It's a radical rebirth and renovation from the inside out of our very beings. We're not just declared righteous, We're made new. The excitement in John's voice, the urgency in his message, stemmed from this stunning revelation. He saw that in Jesus, humanity was offered something incomparably greater than the little by little progressive forgiveness in the Old Testament. In Christ, we find a permanent, transformative solution to our sin problem and were invited into a vibrant, intimate relationship with God himself. Let us therefore reflect on the magnitude of this gift, rejoicing in the freedom and life we have in Jesus. Now we can live in the reality of being born of God, placed in His spirit, and united with Christ forever.

The people marveled at John's words. John's eloquence and bravery stirred the children of God. They began to mumble rumors of him being the promised Messiah. John paused for a long moment, and the people were silent as they waited for him to speak. John touched the water and let it fall out of his hands. I baptize you with water, John said calmly. But the one who comes after me will baptize you with the fire of the Holy Spirit. John's words were interrupted as he saw a man standing in the crowd. John's eyes widened and his lower lip began to quiver. The man stepped forward from the group of people standing on the shore. A few tears streamed down John's hairy face as he watched Jesus walk into the water. John could barely speak. His entire purpose in life was to prepare the way of God's chosen and here he was standing before him. Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, he whispered to himself.

Thank you for listening to today's episode of the Heartbeat of Faith podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about the Bible, share it with a friend or family member, download the Prey dot com app, and for more encouragement in God's grace, visit Andrewfarley dot org. That's Andrew Farley dot org.

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