July 30, 2024 • 13 mins
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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For more encouragement in God's grace visit AndrewFarley.org.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
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.
(00:25):
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
(00:48):
and my perfect union with you. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen,
Thank you for praying with me to day. Now discover
them the profound intricacies of Scripture through pre dot COM's
podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with Doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
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
(01:39):
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,
(02:01):
zeph Andiah, Hagai, 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
(02:23):
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.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
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
(03:02):
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 certificate of divorce. Yet treacherous Judah,
her sister, had no fear. But she also went and
(03:26):
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.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
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
(04:15):
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
(04:36):
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
(04:58):
something for his glory.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
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
(05:26):
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.
(05:50):
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. You would
enter and wash the people white as snow.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
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
(06:25):
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.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
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
(07:05):
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
(07:28):
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.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
The prophets emphasized obedience to God while also looking forward
to the future Messiah, Israel's ultimate hope.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
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
(08:23):
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
(08:43):
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 incense. It
would be through the footsteps of the Messiah.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
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
(09:30):
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.
(09:55):
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,
(10:16):
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
(10:41):
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
(11:04):
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.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
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,
(11:53):
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
(12:14):
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.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
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 Andrew Farley dot org.
(12:57):
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
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.
(00:25):
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
(00:48):
and my perfect union with you. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen,
Thank you for praying with me to day. Now discover
them the profound intricacies of Scripture through pre dot COM's
podcast The Heartbeat of Faith with Doctor Andrew Farley.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
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
(01:39):
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,
(02:01):
zeph Andiah, Hagai, 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
(02:23):
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.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
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
(03:02):
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 certificate of divorce. Yet treacherous Judah,
her sister, had no fear. But she also went and
(03:26):
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.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
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
(04:15):
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
(04:36):
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
(04:58):
something for his glory.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
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
(05:26):
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.
(05:50):
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. You would
enter and wash the people white as snow.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
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
(06:25):
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.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
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
(07:05):
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
(07:28):
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.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
The prophets emphasized obedience to God while also looking forward
to the future Messiah, Israel's ultimate hope.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
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
(08:23):
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
(08:43):
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 incense. It
would be through the footsteps of the Messiah.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
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
(09:30):
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.
(09:55):
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,
(10:16):
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
(10:41):
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
(11:04):
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.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
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,
(11:53):
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
(12:14):
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.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
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 Andrew Farley dot org.
(12:57):
That's Andrewfarley dot org.
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