Thus says the Lord: As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who live in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and part of a bed.
Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob says the Lord God, the God of hosts:
On the day I punish Israel for its transgressions, I will punish the altars of Bethel, and the horns of the altar shall be cut off and fall to the ground.
I will tear down the winter house as well as the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish,and the great houses shall come to an end says the Lord.
Hear this word, you cows of Bashan (wealthy women of the city) who are on Mount Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, “Bring something to drink."
The Lord God has sworn by his holiness: The time is surely coming upon you,when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. Through breaches in the wall you shall leave, each one straight ahead; and you shall be flung out into Harmon says the Lord.
Come to Bethel—and transgress; (sites of worship) to Gilgal—and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; bring a thank offering of leavened bread, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel! says the Lord God.
I was recently questioned about how on earth politics was involved in our practice of religion.
How, indeed.
How is our religion involved in our politics?
How, indeed.
Would God know we were God's people by our practice of religion or politics?
By God's holiness, God swears the time is coming upon us...
We don't just get to listen to the parts of scripture that affirm us. Who are we in this passage? And we don't get to dismiss the judgment because we, individually, are nice people. God in scripture seldom speaks to the individual. God's concern is collective. We live together. We govern together. We worship together. Together we succeed; together we sin.
If we truly believed God would arrive in person and face-to-face on December 25, would we be proud of who we all are and what we all have done?
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