Prophets are not insensitive machines. They are people of flesh and blood, with hearts and feelings and minds. But they and their personal lives are completely taken over by the Lord.
Thus, the prophet Hosea (whose name means redemption) has to marry a woman who is a prostitute, and to raise children born of a lewd woman,1 in order to demonstrate the relationship between the Lord and the unfaithful people of Israel. To show that God still loves these unfaithful ones, in spite of everything. Hosea later pays a ransom for this woman,2 his wife Gomer who has run away, but he punishes her by keeping her in isolation. To make something clear to her. In the same way Israel will remain without a king, without a monarch, without a sacrifice, without a sacred stone, without the ephod and the teraphim for many days. Israel’s adulterous attitude going after other ‘gods’ instead of the God Who married her, is portrayed by Hosea’s marriage.
Ezekiel has to suddenly lose his wife and he is not allowed to mourn for her, even though she was the loveliest thing he possessed.3 His behaviour is to make it clear that Jerusalem and the Temple will fall so suddenly Israel will not even be able to mourn. The same Ezekiel also has to teach with physical actions.4 He has to lie on his left side for three hundred and ninety days, because of the unrighteousness of Israel, and for forty days on his right side, because of the unrighteousness5 of Judah. The prophet Jeremiah is not allowed to marry and he may not have any children.6 He is beaten with a stick and put in the stocks.7 He opposes the prophet Hananiah8 and announces a political view that does not make him popular, by proclaiming the enemy’s victory. He is therefore put in prison,9 and later thrown into a pit.10 And indeed, Jerusalem is conquered. The prophet is taken to Egypt against his will, and there his opposition against the idolatry of the ‘queen of Heaven’ (Astarte)11, causes an angry crowd of people to rise up against him and—according to legend—to stone him. That was what Jeremiah went through in his call to prophesy before kings and nations and before peoples and languages.
This is also the case in the New Testament. After being taken prisoner Paul appears before the Jewish Council (Sanhedrin),12 Felix, Festus, and Agrippa.13 Finally, he was brought before the Emperor in Rome, where tradition has it that he was beheaded. “They will seize you and persecute you”, the Lord Jesus had said. “They will hand you over to synagogues (better translated as ‘public gatherings’) and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all because of My Name. It will give you an opportunity for your testimony. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.14 When you are brought before the synagogues/public gatherings, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”15 It is not your opinion that you are ventilating! That is what the Lord says! That is what the Word of God says! Be reconciled to God! Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”16 Before “the ark is shut” and it is too late!
• Many courageous young people are still going into Christian missions. Christians are showing compassion to drug addicts, girls who are in prostitution, and foreigners who have fled the horrors of their own land and as refugees are looking for asylum. Christian parliamentarians are still speaking courageously to the other representatives of the people and the government. Churches and assemblies are still holding evangelistic crusades, in spite of derision.
• The Lord is still confirming His time of grace by signs and wonders, including healing today. But for how long will He continue to do so? Only He knows. Let us therefore work as long as it is still day, before the night comes, when no one can work.17
Bible References:
1. Hosea 1 2.Hosea 1:3, 3 3.Ezekiel 24:15–27 4.Ezekiel 4 and 5 5.Ezekiel 4:4–8 6.Jeremiah 16:1–2 7.Jeremiah 20:1–2 8.Jeremiah 28 9.Jeremiah 37:11–21 10.Jeremiah 38 11.Jeremiah 43 and 44 12.Acts 22:23–23:11 13.Acts 24, 25 and 26 14.Luke 21:12–15 15.Luke 12:11–12 16.2 Corinthians 5:20 17.Genesis 7:16 18.John 9:4
