From: Don Winterstein (dfwinterstein@msn.com)
Date: Fri Feb 21 2003 - 03:39:50 EST
Rich wrote:
>I would assume that most of the OT prophets predicted negative circumstances that would arise when the people forsook the Law and in this respect much prophecy was similar.
The prophets who wrote gave little support as a rule to the levitical laws and on occasion were anti-supportive. E.g., famously, "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice…." In fact, I can't think of a single case where they criticized anybody for violating one of the ceremonial laws. They strongly condemned those who violated moral laws of many kinds, and they most aggressively and at great length condemned sex with foreign deities (or, when speaking of individuals rather than nations, idolatry). The prophets also commonly pronounced God's judgment on many nations including their own. Interspersed among the criticisms and condemnations inevitably were words of love, affection and hope for, and promise of, a better future.
In my view, OT divine inspiration often reaches its peak in writings of the prophets. Some of the material is kind of repetitive and boring, but other parts more than make up for those parts.
Don
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