14: Joseph, pt. 1
The beginning of the story of Joseph and his fancy coat.
Four Truths About the Minor Prophets
This summer we begin a series that walks through the books of the Bible known as the minor prophets. The Teaching Team won’t go through every verse in every book. We will do more of an overview. Our hope is to uncover the essential message of each minor prophet as it relates to one of its major themes: the love of God.
Some believers have gone their entire lives without reading these books. Maybe it’s because the minor prophets feel confusing, obscure, or simply too far removed from the New Testament. Others who have read them often have done so in a piecemeal format – reading a verse here or a brief passage there. Still, there are others who think these books are full of prophecies for the modern world and thus, must be read with a newspaper in hand. As far as the minor prophets go, misconceptions can easily abound.
So, in order to reduce some confusion and help us maximize our time in this series, here are four truths about the minor prophets that you might not have known.
They’re not called the minor prophets because they’re insignificant.
There are four major prophets in the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. They are called major because of their length. Fun fact: these books are also ordered together in our English Bibles with only Lamentations stuck in the middle. Thus, the minor prophets, twelve books in all, are named so because they are comparatively short, not because they are of lesser importance.
The major and minor prophets are collectively known in the Hebrew Bible as the Latter Prophets (or Writing Prophets, because they authored their own works). This is because they came later in Israel’s history, as opposed to the earlier books of Joshua, Judges, 1st and 2nd Samuel, 1st and 2nd Kings. These books are referred to as the Former Prophets.
The prophetic books aren’t all prophecy.
To read any of the minor prophets is to find books composed of different genres of literature in addition to prophetic material. These writings also contain genres such as narrative, apocalyptic, wisdom, poetry, songs, and even sermons. This means that in interpreting these books well we must have different rules for reading different styles of writing. That may sound challenging but it’s worth it because it allows us to better understand the books as they were originally given.
For the record, if this kind of thing stresses you out, I highly recommend taking Clear Creek’s class “How To Study the Bible” in the fall. It will give you the tools and training to engage and interpret the different literary genres that we encounter in studying the Bible.
The prophecies in the minor prophets aren’t always about our future.
One of the most common misconceptions about the prophetic books is that the prophecies therein are entirely about the days and times still awaiting modern folks. We need to remember that those prophecies were meant for the original audience thousands of years ago. Many of those prophecies, while yet to be fulfilled in the future for them, actually came to pass centuries ago for us. Scholars Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart point out in their co-authored book, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (page 166),that less than 2 percent of Old Testament prophecy has to do with Jesus, less than 5 percent deal with the New Covenant age (e.g., the age we currently reside), and less than 1 percent concerns events yet to come.
Prophets didn’t just spend time foretelling the future.
It is true that part of a prophet’s role was to foretell the future. The most popular Hebrew name for prophets was nabi which meant “called” and very likely was tied to the fact that these individuals were “called” by God and also “called out” to the people on God’s behalf. But prophets had additional functions central to their role. One helpful way to see this is in the difference between forthtelling and foretelling.
We rightfully think of the prophets as foretellers of the future. However, the prophets spent a lot of their time forthtelling. As scholar Sidney Greidanus notes, the prophets “uncover and point out the idolatry, the corruption, the injustice that exists under the veneer of religiosity, and they call for a radical change” in God’s people (The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text, 230). Essentially, the prophets are God’s covenant enforcement mediators for ancient Israel. Much of reading the minor prophets is to see text after text not of a prophet predicting the future but calling Israel to be faithful to God’s ways in the present.
When you better understand the role of the prophets and the messages they gave in Scripture, the minor prophets can take on a whole new meaning for followers of Jesus. We just have to take the initiative to study these books. Many Christians are amazed at how texts written to God’s original covenant people can feel so timely and appropriate for for Christ’s New Covenant family today.
Not only is that my hope as we begin our series in the minor prophets but that we would be awash in amazement and gratitude for a God who not only redeems his people but cares how they live and love in the world in which he has placed them.
040: Elders – Shepherding the Church through Servant Leadership
Why do we have elders at Clear Creek? What do our elders actually do and how are they chosen? On this episode, Rachel Chester talks with Aaron Lutz and Dave Vanderweide about the biblical call for eldership and a glimpse into what this looks like at Clear Creek Community Church.
RESOURCES:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justin-taylor/what-are-the-requirements-to-be-an-elder/
A Study of Joel: The Serious Love of God
In the summer 2020 message series “For the Love,” the Clear Creek Community Church Teaching Team will examine one of the least known sections of the Bible, the books known as the Minor Prophets, to better understand the great love of God and our faithful response to that love. Join with us in reading each book along the way! Each Sunday afternoon we will post an introductory video by The Bible Project and a 5-day reading plan with reflection questions to prepare you to hear the following Sunday’s message.
DAY 1—Read Joel 1:1-12
The book of Joel begins with the recounting of devastating tragedy. What natural disaster has affected the nation (v. 4-7)? What difficulties and disappointments are they facing?
In an agricultural society, the loss of crops was equivalent to a loss of life. What poetic comparison does Joel make in v. 8 in order to describe their mourning?
APPLY—As the locusts destroy their land, Joel’s countrymen watch their hopes disappear as “gladness dries up from the children of man” (v. 12). When have you faced this kind of loss? What does a godly grief look like when gladness feels impossible to find?
DAY 2—Read Joel 1:13-20
The second half of Chapter 1 begins by addressing Israel’s priests. How would the locust swarm have affected their responsibilities? How does he expect them to respond?
It seems that the locusts have been followed by more disaster. What difficulties have afflicted the land next (v. 17-20)?
APPLY—Joel ends the chapter with a description of the creation itself longing for God to meet their needs, for his judgment of Israel’s sin has affected the land as well as the people (v. 20). What sin do you need to turn away from today? What difference might that transformation make in the lives of your family and neighbors?
DAY 3—Read Joel 2:1-17
In Chapter 2, Joel connects an impending judgment to the destructive locusts and fire in the previous chapter. What is threatening the nation now? How will the land and people be affected?
“The day of the Lord” is a phrase frequently used by the biblical prophets to speak of a coming time of both judgment of evil and salvation for the righteous (v. 1, 11). Who is facing judgment in this passage? How does the Lord want them to respond, and what will happen if they do (v. 12-17)?
APPLY—Joel 2:13 contains a description of God’s character, using the same words that he proclaimed after the Israelites worshipped a golden calf at the base of Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:6). The Lord is recalling his past mercies, reminding them that he always responds to repentance with grace. How have you experienced his forgiveness in your own life? How can a reminder of his compassion for you affect your willingness to turn back to him today (Hebrews 4:16)?
DAY 4—Read Joel 2:18-32
In today’s reading, we see the Lord’s compassionate reversal of the judgments of the first half of the book—not because of their righteousness, but simply as a gift of grace. In the chart below, identify the judgments found in the previous passages and the promises of renewal in Chapter 2.
| God’s Judgment | Judgment Reversed | ||
| 1:1-7 | The locust swarm | 2:24-26 | |
| 1:10-12 | 2:23 | ||
| 1:19-20 | 2:21-22 | ||
| 2:1-11 | 2:20 |
Verse 27 promises that God will dwell among his people during this future renewal, both reminding them of his past presence in their midst and anticipating a greater fulfillment to come. What does John 1:14 reveal about how Joel’s prophecy has come to pass?
APPLY—On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the apostle Peter preached from Joel 2:28-32 in order to explain the day’s events to the crowd. The Holy Spirit had come in power to everyone who believed: young and old, rich and poor, slave and free. God was no longer simply dwelling amonghis people, but withinthem. What encouragement can you take from God’s promise to send his Spirit to live within you? How might his presence shape your daily choices, actions, and attitudes?
DAY 5—Read Joel 3
The final chapter of Joel begins with a reminder that God’s mercy is not universal. Who will be judged on the day of the Lord (v. 1-12)? In contrast, who will find a refuge in the Lord (v. 16)?
In verses 15-16, Joel describes the creation’s response to the Lord’s judgment. How do we see these same phenomena take place in Matthew 27:45-54? Who is receiving the wrath of God at the crucifixion, and who will receive salvation (Romans 5:6-9)?
APPLY—Joel concludes with a description of the Lord dwelling again in Jerusalem on Mt. Zion, in the midst of his people. In Revelation 21-22, John describes the New Jerusalem that we will inhabit following Christ’s return, using images that relate back to Joel’s writing. What do these images of peace and flourishing stir in your heart? How can a longing for eternity shape the way we walk with God and love others today?
A Study of Hosea: The Scandalous Love of God
In the summer 2020 message series “For the Love,” the Clear Creek Community Church Teaching Team will examine one of the least known sections of the Bible, the books known as the Minor Prophets, to better understand the great love of God and our faithful response to that love. Join with us in reading each book along the way! Each Sunday afternoon we will post an introductory video by The Bible Project and a 5-day reading plan with reflection questions to prepare you to hear the following Sunday’s message.
DAY 1—Read Hosea 1-3
In Chapter 1, Hosea is told to marry Gomer, a “wife of whoredom”—language that can feel shocking to us. She then abandons Hosea to pursue a life of sexual immorality. How is Gomer’s behavior representative of the nation of Israel? (1:2)
Chapter 2 gives us a poetic extension of the metaphor depicted by Hosea’s family. Who is the husband that Israel has spurned? Who are the lovers that Israel is pursuing? What does she believe that her lovers provide for her? Who is her true provider?
APPLY—Although the nation had forfeited many blessings because of their idolatry, Hosea still shares a hope of future restoration. How do we see this depicted in Chapter 3, both in Hosea’s marriage and in the nation of Israel? What hope can this give to followers of Jesus when we stray from obedience and intimacy with God?
DAY 2—Read Hosea 4-6
The remainder of the book contains the prophecies, or oracles, of Hosea—the messages he received from God to deliver to the nation of Israel. There are three types of oracles found throughout the books of the Prophets: warnings of judgment, calls to repentance, and promises of salvation. Which of these is most evident in the chapters you read today? What actions of his people have resulted in God’s response?
There are only a few verses in this chapter that provide a glimpse of hope to Hosea’s audience. Hosea 6:1-3 calls the Israelites to repentance with the promise of God’s mercy in return. When does the Lord promise to raise them to new life? How do we see this promise fulfilled in the New Testament? (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
APPLY—Hosea’s promise that God “will raise us up, that we may live before him” is no longer just a future promise. Though we have not yet experienced bodily resurrection, believers have already been rescued from spiritual death through God’s mercy. Read Ephesians 2:1-7. In what ways did our lives before Christ resemble the idolatrous behavior of the Israelites? How can God’s grace to us in Christ, despite our sin, give us a hope that will ultimately transform our lives?
DAY 3—Read Hosea 7-9
In Chapter 7, Hosea uses several examples of metaphorical language to describe the nation of Israel (also frequently referred to as Ephraim)? To what four things does Hosea compare them, and what characteristics does each seem to illustrate? The first has been completed for you.
| Object of Comparison | Characteristics of the People | |
| v. 4-7 | A heated oven | Angry and rebellious |
| v. 8-9 | ||
| v. 11-13 | ||
| v. 16 |
In Chapter 8, Hosea reminds his listeners that this is not the first time that Israel has violated their covenant with the Lord. To what past rebellions is he referring in verses 4-6? (Check out Exodus 32:1-14 and 1 Kings 12:25-33.) Is God’s coming judgment an impulsive lashing-out or evidence of his patience and compassion?
APPLY—Chapter 9 continues the description of both the Israelites’ failure to honor God and the coming judgment that their behavior deserves. Why is it difficult at times for us to appreciate the Lord’s commitment to justice in the same way as his love or grace? What difference can it make when we attempt to know God in allthe ways he reveals himself?
DAY 4—Read Hosea 10-11
Chapter 10 continues Hosea’s indictment of Israel’s lack of faith. Where are they placing their faith instead? In what circumstances are you tempted to trust in your own way rather than God’s plan?
Hosea creates an extended analogy in Chapter 11, describing God as a loving father. Who is his child? What has the father done to care for his child? How has the child responded to the father’s care?
APPLY—Chapter 11 ends with a glimpse of hope that Israel will not be destroyed completely and permanently. Is this because Israel has changed their behavior (v. 12) or simply because of God’s love (v. 8)? In what ways have you experienced God’s grace in your own life, extending his compassion and blessings to you when you least deserve it?
DAY 5—Read Hosea 12-14
Hosea connects his nation to their historical context in Chapter 12 by retelling the story of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel by the Lord. Jacob was known as a deceiver from his earliest years (Genesis 25 & 27), yet he received a vision of God’s greatness and a promise of future blessing from the Lord (Genesis 28:10-22). Hosea argues that just as Jacob had to leave his home as a consequence of his behavior, so would the people of Israel be sent away from their land (v. 9). But hope can still be found in the commands given to Israel in verses 4-6. What are they commanded to do, and by whose help will they obey?
The history lesson doesn’t end with Jacob, for Hosea then gives more evidence of Israel’s record of disbelief. At the end of Chapter 12, he references the nation’s wandering in the wilderness (v. 9, 13), where they were forced to spend forty years after doubting God’s promise to bring them into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 1:19-2:15). This continues in Chapter 13—though God had provided for their needs in the wilderness, the nation failed to trust him even after they were brought into the land (v. 4-6). In what ways can comfort and complacency lead us into disbelief? How might we avoid this pitfall and continue in faith instead?
APPLY—In chapter 14, Hosea again pleads for Israel’s repentance, with a beautiful description of the blessings of a life lived under the mercy of God. Repentance always involves both turning fromsin and turning tothe Lord. What does Israel need to turn from? Why should repentance be a regular pattern in our lives, rather than a one-time event?
12: Jacob, pt. 2
On this episode, the story of Jacob continues. Be sure to listen to “Jacob, pt. 1” first if you haven’t already heard it.
Studying the Bible
As a 19-year-old, I moved miles away from my parents’ faith-filled home into my very own Ikea furniture-filled apartment.
Relying on my own beliefs for the first time proved to be more challenging than I had anticipated. My faith, which once felt simple and clear, grew murky against the backdrop of popular quotes from sermons circulating the internet and common but unbiblical phrases like, “God helps those who help themselves,” or “He won’t give you anything you can’t handle.”
My confusion and uncertainty in why I believed what I believed sent me on a mission to find out for myself exactly what my Bible said. Along the way, I learned how to study the Bible in three steps: observation, interpretation, and application.
Observation–What does this say?
Growing up in the Church meant that I had heard a lot of Bible stories throughout my childhood. I was familiar with Biblical characters (who were usually painted as heroes that taught some kind of moral lesson) and general concepts, but I had a false confidence that I knew more about the Bible than I actually did.
When I started taking the time to observe the text, it forced me to ask questions beyond the words on a page.
Why would he say it that way? This story reminds me of that story, is there some kind of connection between them? What’s up with these pharisees and why are they hating on Jesus so much?
The more questions I asked, the more intrigued I became with the text. The more intrigued I became, the more questions I would ask. It was an endless cycle that felt more like an adventure than a box to check on my to-do list of spiritual disciplines.
In learning to observe text, I grew confident that asking questions wasn’t a symptom of doubt like I had grown up believing. It wasn’t an indication of a weak or small faith, either. Inquisition was an essential tool to grow and sharpen it; it was the first step to standing firmly on my own faith and knowing exactly why I could rely on its foundation.
Interpretation–What does this mean?
Doing the hard work of interpretation showed me that I had a strong tendency to make the Bible about me.
I had a propensity to approach Scripture with egocentric expectations. I wanted immediate solutions to my problems, direction for my life, and to know how significant I was to God.
Before I knew better, I thought the Bible could mean one thing to me, another thing to you, and we could both have our cake and eat it, too.
What I didn’t know then is that the Bible isn’t actually about either of us. The Bible is a book about God written forus, not tous. Interpreting the Bible means uncovering the author’s intended meaning for his original audience. That meaning is objective, not subjective, so it will be equally true for those original hearers as it is for us today.
Interpretation is hard work. But I’ve found it gets a lot easier when I remove myself from a throne on which I do not belong and demand my self-esteem be spoken to. When I approach Scripture in worship with a bowed head and bent knee, I’m far more inclined to let God teach me through a text than to manipulate it to say something I want to hear.
Application–Why does it matter?
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
I’ve found the accuracy of that verse to be most palpable when tasked with applying the truth of the Bible to my own life. The same verse that comforts a hurting friend convicts me. The same passage I studied last year, challenges me in a new way this year.
Applying the Bible to my life is a protection that prevents me from only engaging with the Bible intellectually. To examine my heart and my life in raw honesty before God and welcome his conviction is to cooperate in my sanctification.
Studying the Bible takes time. In the midst of a global pandemic, most of us have a lot more than usual. As we search Scripture for answers and hope in the face of uncertainty, we can find the satisfaction and peace our souls long for when we learn to handle the Word rightly.
It’s true: there are certainly no shortcuts when it comes to learning about the God of the universe. But when we try – when we commit to growing in our knowledge of God – we’ll find there’s also no pursuit more worthy.
My prayer as we engage with God through his word, is that we would pursue him with all of our hearts, souls, and minds.
As you begin your journey to gain a better understanding of the Bible, you may find these resources helpful:
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, Gordon Fee
Imago Dei: Beyond Dignity
Throughout history, the church has been called to be the champion of the vulnerable, the weak, and the persecuted.
This call for justice — whether to fight racial discrimination, defend the lives of the unborn, or end human trafficking — is an appeal to see every human being through the eyes of the Christian narrative which proclaims mankind’s creation in the image of God, or imago dei.
This truth is the foundation for all human rights.
All people have inherent dignity (i.e. are valuable) not because of any aspect of their lives or circumstance, but because they bear the image of God. Although human dignity found within the imago dei is often enough to convince people to avoid harming others, it does not always move us towards active love. In order to move towards the empathy, sacrifice, and desire for justice we are called to as God’s people, we have to understand the depth of what it means to be made in God’s image. It can be easy to downplay the significance of the imago dei, but it isn’t merely a reason to value others. The Bible tells us:
“So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
In the beginning, men and women were created by God to reflect his character and represent him in this world, but because of the Fall, this image was corrupted. Humans no longer reflected the character of God to each other as intended. Instead, men and women set up their own rules and ways of life, harming one another and persecuting the vulnerable, no longer loving and ruling as God had ordained.
Even the nation of Israel, the Old Testament people of God, did not reflect the love of God toward each other, despite continual commands from God to seek justice and protect the weak. We just cannot live and love as God created us to on our own.
But, a Savior has come in whom we see the true and perfect imago dei.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)
Jesus, fully God and fully man, shows us what the image of God really looks like: loving the lost, protecting the vulnerable, and sacrificing for others — even unto death. And, because of Jesus, by the grace of God, we can now walk in newness of life. Through faith in Christ, we are freed from the power of sin and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, to reflect the image of God, loving and living as Jesus.
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” (Romans 8:28)
Imago dei requires us to view all people as having inherent value and dignity. However, the imago dei is not only descriptive, it is prescriptive.
Image-bearing is not just a title, it is a calling.
We — those walking in the footsteps of Jesus — defend the rights of the unborn because every life is valuable. We should also care for orphans because we are representatives of God in his kingdom. We — the church — refuse to persecute the vulnerable because every person bears God’s image and has inherent dignity. We should also protect and love the persecuted, because as we are conformed into the image of the Son, we reflect his compassion and sacrifice.
One day, Jesus will return and make all things new: a restored world and perfect justice for all.
He will.
We rest in this certainty.
Until then, we live in the already and not yet, where there is uncertainty, injustice, and suffering.
Let’s remember that we were created in the image of God – a description of all people, and a call to Christians to be conformed into the likeness and love of our Savior,
Let’s spend less time creating our own rules and ways of life, and focus on reflecting to others a glimpse of what the kingdom of God looks like: peace, love, unity, and justice.
Let’s cling to Jesus.
11: Jacob, pt. 1
With Esau threatening to kill him, Jacob must flee to live with his uncle more than 500 miles away. Find out what happens on his journey in this episode of Who’s in the Bible.