“The way of ruthless trust [in God] is not an abstraction but a concrete, visible, and formidable reality. It gives definition to our lives, reveals what is life-giving within us, shapes the decisions we make and the words we speak, prods our consciousness, nurtures our spirit, impacts our interaction with others, sustains our will-to-meaning in life, and gives flesh and bone to our way of being in the world.”

- Brennan Manning Ruthless Trust

The undefinable God revealed

The prophets make up nearly a 1/4 of the entire Bible.  They are described as "men of God" and his "servants."  They were ordinary men who were given specific calls by God that required radical obedience in the face of total social opposition.  Men like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, etc. stood up against the evils of their nation and proclaimed "the word of the Lord" no matter how taboo their message was.  They primarily spoke against Israel's sin, pronounced utter judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem, and predicted the beautiful and merciful restoration that was to follow (and some that is still to come).  Because they were direct spokesmen for God himself, their words are his and, therefore, allow us to get an unparalleled glimpse into the character of God.  Below is a short, incomplete list of the glimpse we have been given:
 
  • How people’s actions affect God – Ezekiel 6.9; Joel 2.18,19
  • How God feels about his people – Isaiah 46.3,4; Ezek 16.8-14; Hosea 11.1-4,8,9
  • How God treats the proud and humble – Isaiah 57.15; Ezek 17.24
  • How God feels about people going to hell – Ezek 18.32; 33.11
  • How God feels about the sin of his people – Ezek 16.15-34; ch 23; Jerermiah 44.22 (and 75% of all the prophets)
  • God’s desire to lead his people in ways that are good – Isaiah 48.17-19; Ezek 34.11-16; Jer 44.3
  • God’s foreknowledge of a person’s life – Jer 1.5
  • What God delights in – Jer 9.23,24
  • How God judges people – Jer 11.20
  • God’s intimate knowledge of people – Jer 17.10
  • God’s immensity and power – Isaiah 45.18; 51.15; 55.8,9; Jer 23.23; Amos 4.13; 5.8; 9.5,6; Nahum 1.3b-5
  • God’s feelings about destroying his people – Isaiah 54.7,8; Jer 42.10
  • God future plans for his people –Ezek 37.24; Hos 2.19,20; 14.4-9; Micah 7.18-20; Zephaniah 3.15-20 (and so much more)
  • Why God causes people to suffer – Amos 4.6-11
Mediate on a passage or two.  Remember that this is not a commentary on God but his actual words.  God, our creator, has revealed himself to us in very specific ways and wants us to understand his character.  Take some time and get to know him.
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