Matthew 26-28: Dark Before the Dawn

The end of Jesus' ministry is fast approaching, but it is not the end his disciples and followers were anticipating when they entered into Jerusalem triumphantly.  This is the worst of ends, reserved only for thieves and murderers.  As much as Jesus tried to prepare the disciples for what was going to take place, they still failed to comprehend it completely.  He alluded to the end when the woman anointed him with the costly perfume.  "She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." - Matt 26:10-13 NIV

He told them the worst about themselves, that they would all disappear when he needed them most, and  prepared them for his resurrection, but they were in denial that either would occur: 
Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
   " 'I will strike the shepherd,
      and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee."  - Matt 26:31-32 NIV

When the soldiers arrested Jesus and it became obvious that there was not going to be a good outcome, all of the disciples fled.  Peter, the one who was adamant that he would never disown Christ followed at a safe distance, only to hear the cock crow after his third denial.  Then Jesus was left totally alone to face his accusers.  'Crucify him,' they called to Pilate. 'Let his blood be on us and on our children.(Matt. 27:25)

Through the years, there have been many who were killed for their faith.  They have been beheaded, thrown in dungeons, thrown to the lions, shot by firing squads and left to rot in prison.  But not one of those martyrs was the Christ, who after being beaten and drug through the streets, died an ignominious death; hanging on a wooden cross, with a crown of thorns on his head.  Not one of those martyrs bore the burden of all of the sins of the world.  Not one of those martyrs descended into hell.  Not one of those martyrs rose again.  Not one of those martyrs  could say, And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." - Matt 28:20 NIV

Matthew 23-25: The End of Time

'Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees,' Jesus tells them in the temple.   You hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matt. 23:13 NIV)   You set up a lot of rules for others to follow but neglect the most important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness.  To everyone, you look like you're righteous, but inside you're full of greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy and wickedness. 

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." - Matt 23:37-39 NIV

This started the disciples to thinking and as they left the temple, they asked Jesus to tell them,  "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"  - Matt 24:3 NIV

'There will be wars and rumors of wars.'  he told them.  'Nation will rise against nation, there will be famines and earthquakes.  But these are just the beginning.  Of more importance is what will happen to believers at the end.  Just like in Jesus' day, they will be persecuted.  Many believers will turn away and betray and hate each other.  There will be false prophets and many will be deceived.  The love of the believer for the beloved will grow cold.'

For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time.  - Matt. 24:21-26 NIV

Keep watch, Jesus told them, for you do not know the day or the hours.  Don't be fooled by a lot of predictions and speculations.  Keep about the Father's business of feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, taking care of the sick, giving the homeless a place to live, and visiting those in prison.  For those who do so,  will be told by the King of heaven and earth: 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.'  - Matt 25:34 NIV

Keep watch, Jesus told them.  Keep watch over your heart. 

Matthew 21-22: Triumphant Entry

Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem should have been hailed by the religious leaders of the time, but it was not.  The crowds followed him, but it was probably the same crowds that had followed him throughout his ministry, the ones at whom the religious leaders of the day turned their noses up:  the sick, the lame, the blind, the untouchables, the sinners, the prostitutes, the crazy men, the sinners, the most repulsive of society.  All of these saw a king that they could follow, but not so the wealthy religious leaders.  Jesus didn't make them any happier when he entered the temple and overturned the tables where they were making money off of the poor who needed to buy a dove or lamb in order to make their sacrifice.  To make matters worse, there were children in the temple area shouting 'Hosanna to the Son of David.'  The chief priests and teachers of the law were indignant.  Whose temple did they think this was anyway?

The religious leaders of the day were following and serving God in name only. Jesus saw the truth as always and was not afraid to tell them so.   Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him..  - Matt 21:32 NIV

You are rejecting the very thing you should be seeking after, he told them.
" 'The stone the builders rejected
      has become the capstone;
   the Lord has done this,
      and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
 "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." - Matt 21:42-44 NIV

The chief priests and Pharisees took this as a direct assault and from that moment on began to plot how they could remove Jesus, and the kingdom of heaven that he was proclaiming, from the earth.  So much for the triumphal entry.  But, Jesus didn't come to save the righteous but sinners.  For the ones whose lives had been changed by his touch, he would always be triumphant.

Matthew 18-20: Not to be Served, but to Save

'It's not a matter of one-up-manship', Jesus told his disciples.  'The hierarchy in my kingdom is that the first shall be last.  You have to become like a little child before you can enter the kingdom.'

You can't lord it over anyone.  You can't beg forgiveness and withhold forgiveness at the same time. The ones who give up everything to follow Jesus will receive a hundred times as much as those who stay home and build up their wealth.  There is no earning a place in the kingdom. The first will be last and the last will be first.  Furthermore, even keeping the commandments is not enough, as Jesus told the rich young ruler. 
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  - Matt. 19:21-24 NIV

The kingdom of heaven does not belong to the rich and powerful, it doesn't belong to the most intelligent, the most attractive or charismatic.  It belongs to those who recognize their need, their inability to do anything without God's power.  It belongs to those with childlike faith, with a forgiving spirit, with a servant's heart.

Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matt. 20:25-28 NIV
 
Those who would really follow Jesus must give up everything.  They must follow his example.  Jesus did not come to be served, but to save.

Matthew 16-17: Demand for a Sign

The signs were all around them, in the form of healing and miracles, but yet the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and asked him to show them a sign from heaven. Instead,  He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." - Matt 16:2-4 NIV

Once they got away from the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jesus warned the disciples to beware of their yeast.  The disciples, who were still mired in the earthly realm thought he was talking about bread.  Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." - Matt. 16:8-11 NIV

The same thing Jesus told his disciples about  money was true of the two kingdoms.  "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. - Matt. 6:24 NIV

The signs of the kingdom of heaven were all around, but the disciples could not cling to the earthly kingdom if they wanted to experience the heavenly kingdom.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?  - Matt.  16:25-26 NIV

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. - Matt. 6:33 KJV

Seek the one, seek it first, seek it above all else and it will become above all else.

 

Matthew 13-15: Parables and Miracles

Jesus described for his disciples what the kingdom of heaven would be about, but in case they didn't understand, he also gave them parables that illustrated the kingdom as well.  When his disciples asked him why he spoke in parables, he replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables:
   "Though seeing, they do not see;
      though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
   " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
      you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
 For this people's heart has become calloused;
      they hardly hear with their ears,
      and they have closed their eyes.
   Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
      hear with their ears,
      understand with their hearts
   and turn, and I would heal them.
' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. - Matt. 13:11-17 NIV

Jesus didn't just speak in parables, he illustrated the parables by healings and miracles.  He illustrated the difference between the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven by his actions.  When he heard of the death of John the Baptist, the one who had proclaimed his coming, he withdrew to a solitary place.  But when the crowds followed him, he left the earthly kingdom full of sorrow and grief, and once more began operating within the kingdom of heaven by healing the sick, feeding the five thousand, and walking on the water. 

Matthew 10-12: The Kingdom of Heaven is Near

'Go', Jesus told his disciples, 'go and proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near.  It is a kingdom unlike any you have seen.  Those who would be great in this kingdom will be persecuted.'  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. - Matt 10:19-20 NIV

This is not going to be a peaceable kingdom, Jesus told them.  Brothers will turn against brothers, a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.  Trying to preserve your life will do you no good.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. - Matt. 10:39 NIV

It will be a kingdom that is not understood by outsiders.  There will be nothing the citizens of this kingdom can do to please the world.  If they are strict and fast like John the Baptist, they will be called crazy and if they feast and drink like the 'Son of Man', they will say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners.- Matt 11:18 NIV

"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  - Matt 10:26-28 NIV

But the most important thing is that this kingdom is the Father's kingdom.  It will be hidden fro the world, but not from the Father's children.  The wise and learned of this world will not understand it, but it is his design, his good pleasure and it is the only way to find true rest from the forces of this world. 

 At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matt.  11:25-30

Matthew 8-9: A Ministry of Healing

Over and over again, the people came to Jesus and over and over again he healed their diseases and raised the dead.  He healed the man with leprosy.  He healed the centurion's servant.  He healed the two demon-possessed men.  He healed the paralytic.  He healed the woman who merely touched the hem of his garment on his way to raise the ruler's daughter from the dead.  He healed the two blind men.  He healed the demon possessed man who could not speak.  He was always willing:  when asked, he told the man with leprosy, 'I am willing'.  and it was always a matter of their faith.  'Your faith has made you whole.' he told the woman who touched his garment. 

Faith, forgiveness, and healing went hand-in-hand in Jesus' ministry.  This frustrated the religious rulers of the time. As he told them when they wanted to know why he hung out with sinners and tax collectors.  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Matt. 9:32 NIV

The faith of the religious leaders, who should have recognized God in the flesh, was in stark contrast to that of the Roman centurion, the leprous, the demon possessed and the untouchables.  Jesus pointed this out when the centurion told him that he believed that all Jesus had to do was say the word and his servant would be healed.

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matt 8:10

There was healing to be done, there was forgiveness to be meted out, there was good news to be preached  and yet those that should have been doing God's work were either oblivious to the need or so wrapped up in their own personal lives and ministry that the people were going without. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." - Matt. 9:37

The world had been waiting for the Savior all along.  The world recognized him even if his own did not.

Matthew 6-7: Earthly Praise or Heavenly Treasures

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. - Matt 7:21 NIV

Over and over again, Jesus makes it very clear that it is the heart that will be judged, not the actions. 

Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. - Matt 6:1

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. - Matt 6:6

But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, - Matt 6:17

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. - Matt 6:19

...do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? - Matt 7:25

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. - Matt. 7:1

'There are a lot of false prophets out there', Jesus says.  'They say the right things, but instead they are just waiting for an opportunity to rob people of earthly treasures.  They are just ferocious wolves in sheep's clothing. Don't go running after them or what they can offer.'  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matt. 6:33

The wise person can see the difference between the two kingdoms:  the one of this world and the kingdom of heaven.  The wise man puts his foundation down in the kingdom of heaven, one that is available to all.  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. - Matt 7:7-8 NIV

Matthew 4-5. The Kingdom of Heaven is Near

Jesus begins his ministry by going to the desert where after fasting for forty days, he was tempted by Satan.  The temptations he faced were the same that have plagued mankind since the creation....the temptation to exchange the kingdom of God for temporal pleasure in this limited universe.  But Jesus did not yield to the temptation and From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."(Matt. 4:17 NIV)

Crowds followed him.  They wanted what he could give:  the good news of the kingdom and healing of every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he knew he had to impart the entire truth of the kingdom to them, so he sat down on the mountain and began to teach.  The first words out of his mouth should have told them that this kingdom he was a part of was different from that to which they were accustomed.

 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  Blessed are those who mourn,
      for they will be comforted.
  Blessed are the meek,
      for they will inherit the earth.
  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
      for they will be filled.
  Blessed are the merciful,
      for they will be shown mercy.
  Blessed are the pure in heart,
      for they will see God.
 Blessed are the peacemakers,
      for they will be called sons of God.
  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5: 3-10 NIV

What's this?  A kingdom made up of the poor in spirit, mourners, people who are meek, people who hunger to be righteous, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers and ones willing to be persecuted.  A kingdom where you are to rejoice that you are persecuted and falsely accused. One where keeping the law means not just outwardly, but inwardly as well. One where you turn the other cheek and love your enemies. One where you are perfect as God is perfect. What kind of a kingdom is this?

Matthew 1-3: Prophecy Fulfilled

The first book of the New Testament begins with a recitation of the genealogy of Jesus, but Matthew was aware, not only of the lineage of Jesus Christ, but of the prophecies of the past which were fulfilled with his birth. 

From Micah, there was the promise of the one who would be God's anointed ruler, the shepherd of Israel:
" 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
      are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
   for out of you will come a ruler
      who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' - Matt. 2:6 NIV

From Jeremiah, in the same chapter where God promises a new covenant, there is also the prophecy that refers to Herod killing all the boys less then two years old in order to eradicate the king the Magi came to worship.
"A voice is heard in Ramah,
      weeping and great mourning,
   Rachel weeping for her children
      and refusing to be comforted,
   because they are no more." - Matt:  2:18 NIV

And from Isaiah, where Isaiah prophesies of the coming king who will tend his flock as a shepherd, mention is made of the one who would be John the Baptist. 
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
   'Prepare the way for the Lord,
      make straight paths for him.' " - Matt. 3:3 NIV

And if all of these prophecies being fulfilled was not enough, just as Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, the heavens open up and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." - Matt 3:17 NIV

The long expected consolation of Israel has come.

Malachi 1-4: You Cannot Rob God

 'You are under a curse', God tells the people of Israel through Malachi.  His message was especially directed towards the priests. ' How have we defiled you?' they asked the Lord.  By bringing crippled or diseased animals for sacrifice was God's answer.  Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty. (Mal. 1:8 NIV)  The priests have defiled the Lord by being unfaithful, to both God and their wives. The priests flood the altar with their tears and wonder why their prayers are not answered. 
 
But, God promises, a day of judgment is coming  "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the LORD Almighty.
 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.- Mal. 3:1-3 NIV

You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.  I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.  "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. - Mal 3:9-11 NIV

Trust me, try me, obey me, God says and see if I will not throw open the windows of heaven. 
And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not. - Mal 3:18 NIV

Zechariah 10-14: The Coming Day of the Lord

'Someday,' God said to Zechariah, 'Jerusalem and Judah will be rebuilt and re-established.'  On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations.  All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zech. 12: 3 NIV)

Not only will Jerusalem be rebuilt, and all the nations that attack them destroyed, but the relationship between God and his people will be restored.  Their hearts will be broken when they realize who Jesus really was.  "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on  me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. - Zech. 12:10 NIV

They will look on the one who was pierced and grieve for the one who was God's firstborn son.  Their sins will be forgiven.  "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. - Zech. 13:1 NIV

There will be a great battle that takes place over Jerusalem.
Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.
On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost.  It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime—a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.
On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea  and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.
The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name. - Zech. 14:5-9

Zechariah 8-10: The Coming King

Again the word of the LORD Almighty came to me. This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her."
 This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." - Zech. 8:1-2

What a marvelous promise, God will bless Jerusalem once more. People will come from every nation to seek the Lord in Jerusalem.  And what will they find there?  They will find the king...the one who will proclaim peace to the nations, the one who has freed prisoners from the waterless pit.  
  Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!
       Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!
       See, your king comes to you,
       righteous and having salvation,
       gentle and riding on a donkey,
       on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
   I will take away the chariots from Ephraim
       and the war-horses from Jerusalem,
       and the battle bow will be broken.
       He will proclaim peace to the nations.
       His rule will extend from sea to sea
       and from the River to the ends of the earth.
  As for you, because of the blood of my covenant with you,
       I will free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
   Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope;
       even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. - Zech. 9:9-12 NIV

The king may not be what the Israelites expected.  He will not be leading a massive army that terrorizes the entire known world.  Instead, he will be gentle, riding on a donkey.  But he will be righteous.  He will have salvation.  He will proclaim peace to the nations.  He will rule forever and ever.

Zechariah 5-7: Justice and Mercy, Not Fasting

The temple is well on it's way to being completed when the people of Bethel sent representatives to ask the priests if they should continue to mourn and fast as they have done in the past.  This prompted the following response from God through Zechariah:
Then the word of the LORD Almighty came to me:  "Ask all the people of the land and the priests, 'When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? - Zech. 7:4-6 NIV

'Fasting, feasting,' God told Zechariah, 'it doesn't make any difference.  It's what's in the heart that makes a difference.  My prophets have been telling the people the same thing for years.' 
And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah:  "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.  Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other.' - Zech. 7:8-10 NIV

" 'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the LORD Almighty.  'I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.' " - Zech. 7:13-14 NIV

God has told his people over and over again that fasting, feasting, offerings and worship are not what he is looking for.  He is looking for humble and contrite hearts.  He is looking for justice and mercy. 
 

Zechariah 1-4: The Man in the Myrtle Trees

The rebuilding of the temple by the exiles that had returned to Jerusalem ceased following the reign of Cyrus and was still halted when Darius came to power.  Haggai and Zechariah were were elders and prophets in Jerusalem when Darius  issued the decree authorizing the Jews to finish reconstruction of the temple.   Both men were instrumental in overseeing the work of rebuilding.  The officials in Jerusalem kept trying to stop the temple from being rebuilt, but the eye of God was watching.
  At that time Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates went to them and asked, "Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and restore this structure?"  They also asked, "What are the names of the men constructing this building?"  But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received. - Ezra 5:3-5

It was sometime during this time frame that Zechariah saw the man among the Myrtle Trees.  'It has gone on too long,' the angel told Zechariah.  Then the angel of the LORD said, "LORD Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah, which you have been angry with these seventy years?"  So the LORD spoke kind and comforting words to the angel who talked with me.
    Then the angel who was speaking to me said, "Proclaim this word: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I am very jealous for Jerusalem and Zion,  but I am very angry with the nations that feel secure. I was only a little angry, but they added to the calamity.' - Zech. 1:12-15 NIV

   "Come, O Zion! Escape, you who live in the Daughter of Babylon!"  For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye- I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me.
   "Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.  "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling. - "Zech. 2:7-13 NIV

God may have punished his chosen people, but he never abandoned them.  He never has and he never will.  They will always be the apple of his eye, and someday, he is coming to live among them along with many other nations who will be joined with the Lord.  Anyone who tries to take advantage of them will incur the wrath of God

.

Haggai: Build My House

Haggai was a minor prophet, his book in the Bible is one of the shortest, yet his message to Israel was one of importance.  These messages from the Lord come after some of those carried off to Babylon returned to the land of Israel.  They have gotten sidetracked after their return and instead of restoring the temple of the Lord, they concentrated on building their own houses, fields, and vineyards.  The end result has not been what they expected.  Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." - Hag. 1:5-6 NIV

God preserved and provided for them while they were in Babylon, and he would do the same for them now, but they have put their own well-being ahead of the Lord, and his response has been to withhold from them the prosperity they were expecting.   "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.   Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.   I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."  - Hag. 1:9-11 NIV

God's message, through Haggai, was if they will put him first, if they would build his house, mighty things would happen.  "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.  I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. 'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.  'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."  - Hag 2:6-9 NIV

Build my house, the Lord says.  Build my house and I will fill it with glory.  Build my house and the desired of all nations will come.  Build my house and you will find peace.

Zephaniah: The Great Day of the Lord

Zephaniah was of royal blood.  His great, great, grandfather was the king Hezekiah, When Hezekiah died, his son Manasseh succeeded him.  Would Hezekiah's son, Amariah, who was Zephaniah's great grand father, been a better king than Manasseh?  Who knows?  Was it power that corrupted Manasseh and his descendants while Amariah's sons and grandsons still followed after God?  Who knows?  Only God, and he knew that Zephaniah would hear his voice so he gave him a message for all those who thought they were in power.

God told Zephaniah that:  he was going to stretch out his hand against Judah, the Philistines would be destroyed, Moab and Ammon would receive justice for insulting the people of the Lord, Cush and Assyria would be destroyed by God's hand, Jerusalem would meet it's end, and even the whole earth would be consumed by the fire of God's jealous anger.  
 "The great day of the LORD is near—
       near and coming quickly.
       Listen! The cry on the day of the LORD will be bitter,
       the shouting of the warrior there.
  That day will be a day of wrath,
       a day of distress and anguish,
       a day of trouble and ruin,
       a day of darkness and gloom,
       a day of clouds and blackness,
  a day of trumpet and battle cry
       against the fortified cities
       and against the corner towers.
  I will bring distress on the people
       and they will walk like blind men,
       because they have sinned against the LORD.
       Their blood will be poured out like dust
       and their entrails like filth.
  Neither their silver nor their gold
       will be able to save them
       on the day of the LORD's wrath.
       In the fire of his jealousy
       the whole world will be consumed,
       for he will make a sudden end
       of all who live in the earth." - Zeph. 1:14-18 NIV

At the same time God issued this warning to all those in power, he gave a promise to those who fear him, the meek and humble,  who trust in the name of the LORD.
   The LORD your God is with you,
       he is mighty to save.
       He will take great delight in you,
       he will quiet you with his love,
       he will rejoice over you with singing."  - Zeph. 3:17 NIV

God is in the midst of those who love him.  He rejoices over them with singing, he quiets them with his love.

Habakkuk: God Answers Habakkuk's Complaint

Just as many today, Habakkuk looked around at all that was going on and asked God how long things were going to be allowed to continue as they were.
    How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
       but you do not listen?
       Or cry out to you, "Violence!"
       but you do not save?
   Why do you make me look at injustice?
       Why do you tolerate wrong?
       Destruction and violence are before me;
       there is strife, and conflict abounds. - Hab. 1:2-3

'I am going to stand on the ramparts', Habakkuk says, 'and wait for the Lord to give me an answer.'  And the answer that God gives, is not just for Habakkuk's time, it is for all time, for the end of time.
  For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
       it speaks of the end
       and will not prove false.
       Though it linger, wait for it;
       it will certainly come and will not delay. - Hab. 2:3

Someday, an answer will be given for all of the misery, wickedness, and greed that has plagued mankind since the fall.  Someday...For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. - Habakkuk 2:14 NIV

But until that day, when calamity will come upon all of the nations, we will continue to see violence and injustice.  And the response to all that is going on should always be that of Habakkuk:
     Though the fig tree does not bud
       and there are no grapes on the vines,
       though the olive crop fails
       and the fields produce no food,
       though there are no sheep in the pen
       and no cattle in the stalls,
    yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
       I will be joyful in God my Savior.
    The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
       he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
       he enables me to go on the heights. - Hab. 3:17-19

Nahum: A Jealous and Avenging God

Nineveh, the same city that Jonah visited, was the capital of the Assyrian empire.  By Nahum's time, almost 200 years have passed since Jonah's visit and the repentance of the people.  Just as Israel had done, the people of Nineveh resumed their sinful ways.  Now, Nahum, a minor prophet, about whom little is known, categorizes Niniveh's transgressions.  As Nahum says,
 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God;
       the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath.
       The LORD takes vengeance on his foes
       and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
  The LORD is slow to anger and great in power;
       the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished.
       His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,
       and clouds are the dust of his feet.   -Nahum 1:3 NIV
God gave the people of Nineveh a second chance when he sent Jonah to them to deliver a warning.  God acknowledged their repentance and didn't destroy the city, but this time is different.  While God is slow to anger, he will not leave the guilty unpunished.

Micah 5-7: He Will be Their Peace

Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, over 700 years before the birth of Christ, yet he saw what Simeon longed to see centuries later, the consolation of Israel.
   "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
       though you are small among the clans of Judah,
       out of you will come for me
       one who will be ruler over Israel,
       whose origins are from of old,
       from ancient times."
   Therefore Israel will be abandoned
       until the time when she who is in labor gives birth
       and the rest of his brothers return
       to join the Israelites.
  He will stand and shepherd his flock
       in the strength of the LORD,
       in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.
       And they will live securely, for then his greatness
       will reach to the ends of the earth.
   And he will be their peace. - Micah 5:2-5 NIV

Israel would be abandoned.  For centuries, it would appear there was no hope.  But one day, as Micah prophesied, one would come to shepherd the lost sheep.  His greatness would reach to the ends of the earth.  And he will be their peace.
     

Micah 1-4: The Mountain of the Lord

Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob,
       you rulers of the house of Israel,
       who despise justice
       and distort all that is right;
   who build Zion with bloodshed,
       and Jerusalem with wickedness.
  Her leaders judge for a bribe,
       her priests teach for a price,
       and her prophets tell fortunes for money.
       Yet they lean upon the LORD and say,
       "Is not the LORD among us?
       No disaster will come upon us." - Micah 3:9-11 NIV

Micah's prophecy and condemnation was no different from that of the other true prophets of God during the later reigns of Israel and Judah's kings.  The land was filled with bloodshed, wickedness, distortion, and false promises.  Although the people still thought they were trusting in God, their actions revealed that was not the case. Their view of God and themselves had become distorted.  God would not let the situation go on any longer.
   Look! The LORD is coming from his dwelling place;
       he comes down and treads the high places of the earth.
   The mountains melt beneath him
       and the valleys split apart,
       like wax before the fire,
       like water rushing down a slope. - Micah 1:3-4 NIV

While Micah's prophecy of punishment for the Israelites will come true, it will not always be lasting destruction.  Someday, it will all change.
  In the last days
       the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
       as chief among the mountains;
       it will be raised above the hills,
       and peoples will stream to it.
   Many nations will come and say,
       "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
       to the house of the God of Jacob.
       He will teach us his ways,
       so that we may walk in his paths."
       The law will go out from Zion,
       the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. - Micah 4:1-2 NIV

Someday, true justice and righteousness will prevail.  All of the nations will be drawn to the mountain of the Lord.  They will stream to it to learn God's ways. True justice and righteousness will prevail.
 

Jonah: A Whale of a Story

The great storm blew up because Jonah did not obey the word from the Lord to confront the citizens of Nineveh for their wickedness.  When he was thrown overboard and swallowed by the great fish, he came to the realization that:
 "Those who cling to worthless idols
   forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  -  Jonah 2:8 NIV

What was the worthless idol that Jonah was clinging to?  Was it pride?  Was it jealousy of God... that God might forgive the wicked people of Nineveh in the same manner that Jonah had been forgiven?   Was it selfishness that did not want to share the gospel with the inferior sinners of Nineveh?  Was it the idol of superiority.  Jonah said as much when the citizens of Nineveh, including the king, declared a fast , covered themselves in sackcloth and begged God for forgiveness.

He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.  Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."  - Jonah 4:2-3 NIV

Just like the vine that grew up to give Jonah shade, grace was not of his own making.  It was God's alone to give.

Obadiah: The Pride of Your Heart Deceived You

Obadiah may be one of the shorter books of the Bible, but it is a stunning indictment against Edom and the descendants of Esau.   From the day that Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, when he got the name Edom,  there had been animosity between their descendants.  The relationship didn't improve when Edom refused the children of Israel passage on their way to the promised land.  While the land of Edom was prosperous during the time of the Exodus.  Today it is primarily a waste land as promised by God. 
  "See, I will make you small among the nations;
       you will be utterly despised.
 The pride of your heart has deceived you,
       you who live in the clefts of the rocks 
       and make your home on the heights,
       you who say to yourself,
       'Who can bring me down to the ground?'
 Though you soar like the eagle
       and make your nest among the stars,
       from there I will bring you down,"
       declares the LORD.  - Obadiah 1:2-3 NIV

Edom's final act of rebellion against God was to look on with pleasure as Israel was being destroyed.  God's message to Edom still applies today.  Any nation that thinks they soar among the stars will be brought down if they go against God's anointed people.

Amos 7-9: A Basket of Ripe Fruit

Amos was nothing more than a shepherd.  As he said:  "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.  But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'  - Amos 7:14-15 NIV

The priests of Israel would not listen to or acknowledge Amos, but that didn't stop God from revealing the truth to him, illustrated by a basket of ripe fruit. 
This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: a basket of ripe fruit.  "What do you see, Amos?" he asked.
      "A basket of ripe fruit," I answered.
Then the LORD said to me, "The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "the songs in the temple will turn to wailing.  Many, many bodies—flung everywhere! Silence!"  - Amos 8:1-3 NIV

The ripe fruit will turn into famine.  A famine unlike any the people of Israel have feared.  It will be a most terrible day of the Lord.
  "The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD,
       "when I will send a famine through the land—
       not a famine of food or a thirst for water,
       but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.
   Men will stagger from sea to sea
       and wander from north to east,
       searching for the word of the LORD,
       but they will not find it. - Amos 8:11-12 NIV

The most terrible day of the Lord will not be when Israel loses their palaces, their temple, their homes, their flocks, their grain, or any of their possessions.  The most terrible day will be when they cannot find the word of the Lord.  The very thing the priests do not want to hear will disappear and they will stagger for lack of it. The time is ripe, the basket of ripe fruit is full.

Amos 5-6: Let Justice Roll Like a River

God continues to tell the people of Israel, through the prophet, Amos, that he sees through all of their pretentiousness and falsehoods.  He sees more than the noble, devoted, side they present to their fellow worshippers in the temple.
 "I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
       I cannot stand your assemblies.
   Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
       I will not accept them.
       Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, 
       I will have no regard for them.
   Away with the noise of your songs!
       I will not listen to the music of your harps.
   But let justice roll on like a river,
       righteousness like a never-failing stream!  - Amos 5:21-24

God doesn't care how many fellowship dinners they hold, how big the tithes and offerings are, how loud the singing is, or how many instruments there are in the praise band.  He is looking for justice and righteousness. 
 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory
       and lounge on your couches.
       You dine on choice lambs
       and fattened calves.
  You strum away on your harps like David
       and improvise on musical instruments.
  You drink wine by the bowlful
       and use the finest lotions,
       but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
  Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile;
       your feasting and lounging will end.
  The Sovereign LORD has sworn by himself—the LORD God Almighty declares:
       "I abhor the pride of Jacob - Amos 6:4-8 NIV

As opposed to pride and self-congratulation, God is looking for righteousness and justice.  Righteousness and justice will fall on Israel, but they won't like the results.

Amos 1-4: The Lion Has Roared.

The prophet Amos was only a Shepherd, but he heard the words of the Lord.  Over and over again, God revealed his frustration and anger with his chosen people through the prophets.  It wasn't as if there was no warning to Israel that their sins, of both commission and omission, were taking them to the point of no return.
   Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing
       without revealing his plan
       to his servants the prophets.
   The lion has roared—
       who will not fear?
       The Sovereign LORD has spoken—
       who can but prophesy?  - Amos 3:7-9 NIV

God was fed up with their lip service when their actions belied what was in their hearts.
   "Go to Bethel and sin;
       go to Gilgal and sin yet more.
       Bring your sacrifices every morning,
       your tithes every three years.
  Burn leavened bread as a thank offering
       and brag about your freewill offerings—
       boast about them, you Israelites,
       for this is what you love to do,"
       declares the Sovereign LORD.  - Amos 4:4-5 NIV

God saw Israel's heart.  He had warned them over and over again with signs of his anger at them: drought, plagues, overthrown towns and villages, yet they still had not returned to him.  All the dire warnings of the prophets will be fulfilled.
  "Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel,
       and because I will do this to you,
       prepare to meet your God, O Israel."
   He who forms the mountains,
       creates the wind,
       and reveals his thoughts to man,
       he who turns dawn to darkness,
       and treads the high places of the earth—
       the LORD God Almighty is his name. - Amos 4:12-13 NIV

The Lion has roared...prepare to meet your God.

Joel 3-4: The Valley of Decision

Someday, the Lord told Joel, there will be an end to things as you know it. 

   I will gather all nations
       and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. ^[a]
       There I will enter into judgment against them
       concerning my inheritance, my people Israel,
       for they scattered my people among the nations
       and divided up my land.  - Joel 3:2 NIV

God's people will return from all the lands to which they have been scattered and there is going to be a great battle...a war to end all wars.  It will be such a great battle that even those exempt from war in the past, the farmer, the one who was too weak,  will join the fight.
  Proclaim this among the nations:
       Prepare for war!
       Rouse the warriors!
       Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
    Beat your plowshares into swords
       and your pruning hooks into spears.
       Let the weakling say,
       "I am strong!"
   Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
       and assemble there.
       Bring down your warriors, O LORD!  - Joel 3:9-11 NIV

All of these will gather for one last confrontation and judgment.  And once more, the dwelling of the Lord will be in Jerusalem and it will be there forever. While it will be a frightening time for many, it will be a time of refuge for God's people.  It has all been decided.  The die has been cast.  There will be judgment and a final irrevocable decision.

   Multitudes, multitudes
       in the valley of decision!
       For the day of the LORD is near
       in the valley of decision.
   The sun and moon will be darkened,
       and the stars no longer shine.
   The LORD will roar from Zion
       and thunder from Jerusalem;
       the earth and the sky will tremble.
       But the LORD will be a refuge for his people,
       a stronghold for the people of Israel.
   "Then you will know that I, the LORD your God,
       dwell in Zion, my holy hill.
       Jerusalem will be holy;
       never again will foreigners invade her. - Joel 3:14-16 NIV

Jerusalem and all of God's people will be holy and wholly his.

Joel 1-2: The Day of the LORD is Great; It is Dreadful

Tell it to your children, the prophet Joel says.  Tell them of an advancing army of locusts that will destroy everything in their path.  There will be nothing left.
    Despair, you farmers,
       wail, you vine growers;
       grieve for the wheat and the barley,
       because the harvest of the field is destroyed.
   The vine is dried up
       and the fig tree is withered;
       the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree—
       all the trees of the field—are dried up. - Joel 1:11-12 NIV

This destruction will not be at the hand of the enemy, it is the army of the Lord that approaches.
    Blow the trumpet in Zion;
       sound the alarm on my holy hill.
       Let all who live in the land tremble,
       for the day of the LORD is coming.
       It is close at hand - Joel 2:1 NIV

This army of locusts, God's army, will plow down everything in it's path.
    The LORD thunders
       at the head of his army;
       his forces are beyond number,
       and mighty are those who obey his command.
       The day of the LORD is great;
       it is dreadful.
       Who can endure it?- Joel 2:11 NIV

Yet, there is still a promise if the nation returns to their God:
    "Even now," declares the LORD,
       "return to me with all your heart,
       with fasting and weeping and mourning."
    Rend your heart
       and not your garments.
       Return to the LORD your God,
       for he is gracious and compassionate,
       slow to anger and abounding in love,
       and he relents from sending calamity. - Joel 2:12-13 NIV

Not only will God relent, but he will restore.
   "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
       the great locust and the young locust,
       the other locusts and the locust swarm^]—
       my great army that I sent among you. - Joel 2:25 NIV

And not only will he restore, but God will do wonderful things.
    "And afterward,
       I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
       Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
       your old men will dream dreams,
       your young men will see visions. - Joel 2:28 NIV

The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful.  It will be like nothing we have ever seen, both the promised destruction and hope.  Rend your hearts and not your garments. The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful.

Hosea 12-14: Who is Wise?

 "You are destroyed, O Israel,
       because you are against me, against your helper.
 Where is your king, that he may save you?
       Where are your rulers in all your towns,
       of whom you said,
       'Give me a king and princes'?  - Hosea 13:9-10 NIV

It was inevitable that this day would come.  The people had rejected God's leadership generations before, when they asked Samuel to give them a king. 

But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.  - 1 Sam. 8:6-8 NIV

Samuel's first reaction was to take it personally when they asked for a king.  After all, he had been the prophet, priest, and judge of Israel for many years.  But it was not Samuel they were rejecting.  They were rejecting God. For generations now, the people have followed their king.  When there were godly kings, the people would follow God, sometimes halfheartedly at best, and the king and the people would prosper.  When the kings were evil, which became more prevalent as the years went by, the people resumed their old ways and trusted in their kings and hand-made gods over the one true God.

Who is wise? He will realize these things.
       Who is discerning? He will understand them.
       The ways of the LORD are right;
       the righteous walk in them,
       but the rebellious stumble in them. - Hosea 14:9 NIV

Hosea 9-11: Sow for Yourselves Righteouesness

Do not rejoice, O Israel;
       do not be jubilant like the other nations.
       For you have been unfaithful to your God; - Hosea 9:1 NIV

You can almost see the anger and turmoil of God through the prophet's words.
"Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal,
       I hated them there.
       Because of their sinful deeds,
       I will drive them out of my house.
       I will no longer love them;
       all their leaders are rebellious.
 Ephraim is blighted,
       their root is withered,
       they yield no fruit.
       Even if they bear children,
       I will slay their cherished offspring."
 My God will reject them
       because they have not obeyed him;
       they will be wanderers among the nations. - Hosea 9:15-17 NIV

God had told the Israelites how they were to live as his holy people.  He told them over and over again and yet they refused to obey.
Sow for yourselves righteousness,
       reap the fruit of unfailing love,
       and break up your unplowed ground;
       for it is time to seek the LORD,
       until he comes
       and showers righteousness on you.
But you have planted wickedness,
       you have reaped evil,
       you have eaten the fruit of deception.
       Because you have depended on your own strength
       and on your many warriors,  - Hosea 10:12-13 NIV

It is not in God's heart to destroy his children.  It breaks his heart. It has always been the plan of God for his people to prosper.  But you reap what you sow and instead of sowing righteousness, they have planted wickedness.