Malachi-Levi Showed Us What To Do

By Mary Vee
Malachi 2

From Malachi's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Malachi. I am a prophet sent to be God's messenger.

The leaders of the people, especially the priests have been teaching the people they did not have to obey God's law exactly as God has said.

In God's message, directed to anyone who leads from the oldest person to the youngest baby, God said he would send a punishment to anyone who does not honor His name. The punishment is that they will be humiliated and sent away.

God had made a covenant with Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and the leader of his tribe. His children and children's children would be the priestly leaders for the people. Keep in mind you who are reading this story today, that these truths spoken by God are for anyone who leads the oldest person to the youngest infant in Spiritual truths.

The covenant God made with Levi was a covenant of life and peace. God gave these to Levi. God expected reverence and Levi revered God and stood in awe of God's name. True instruction was in Levi's mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. Levi walked with God in peace and uprightness. He turned many people away from sin by his example and words.

This is what God wanted from the priests and leaders of the Jews living in Jerusalem and those still living in Babylon. The lips of the priest were to teach only the words God said. Not to change them so that the priest could profit or so the people could give less than what God expected.

The priests have turned the people away from God's truth, and have caused them to stumble. The priests have committed a crime against God by teaching words that are not His truth.

God told me to say to the priests, "Because you have not followed God's ways, but have shown the people they can do less than what I have said, they have seen your lies and have despised you so you are humiliated before all the people."

God loves men, women, boys and girls. He wants them to have good, truthful instruction.

*********************************************************************************************
sources: New International Version, New King James Version  

1. Who did God send this message?
2. Who was the messenger?
3. What did the priests and leaders do wrong?
4. Who was their good example?
5. What was the punishment for the priests?
6. Why did this bother God so much?

Jeremiah-Sprung from the Dungeon

By Mary Vee
Jeremiah 37

From Jeremiah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Jeremiah. I am a prophet, a person sent from God to give messages to the Israelites who still live in Jerusalem. There aren't many of us.

I've been in a vaulted cell of a dungeon for a long time. A few officials didn't like the messages I told them from God and talked the king into putting me into prison. This has not been the first time, and I have a feeling it won't be the last.

One day, King Zedekiah surprised me by asking his official to bring me to his chambers. The officials let me clean my face and wash up before I went to see him.

The king offered me a chair to sit then asked the guards to leave. We sat alone in the room. He spoke softly to me to make sure no one in the corridor could hear our conversation. 

"Is there any word from the Lord?"

I found his question amazing. Here he allowed the officials to throw me in the dungeon for a long time because they did not like the messages from the Lord and now he is asking me to tell him more?

I answered, "Yes. You will be handed over to the king of Babylon."

I took the opportunity to defend myself and said, "What crime have I committed against you or your officials or the people of Judah? Why have you put me in prison so long. Where are your prophets who prophesied to you? You know, the ones who said the king of Babylon would not attack this land? They were wrong weren't they? Just as God said.

"But now, oh king, please listen to my request. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan or I will die there."

King Zedekiah took a drink and set his glass back down. "All right."

He called for the guards. "Jeremiah is not to be returned to Jonathan's house. He is to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given bread from the street of the bakers each day until all the bread in the city is gone."

Photo Courtesy

The guard didn't look very pleased about his orders, but he obeyed. I'm still guarded like a prisoner, but at least I'm not locked in a terrible dungeon. 

From this place I saw people who came in and went out of the court. I told every man and woman the message from God. "Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine, or plague. But whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life. He will live. This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon who will capture it. This is what the Lord says.


Come back next time see what happened.

*********************************************************************************************

1.  Where was Jeremiah held as prisoner?
2.  Why was he there?
3.  Why did the king call Jeremiah to his chambers?
4.  What did Jeremiah ask for?
5.  Did the king give it to him

Jeremiah-Falsely Accused

By Mary Vee
Jeremiah 37

From Jeremiah's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Jeremiah. I am a prophet, a messenger sent from God to give messages to the Israelites who remain in Jerusalem.

I was set free from prison not long ago then went about the city and the countryside telling the people messages from God.

King Zedekiah sent a priest and a messenger to me. The message said, "Please pray to the Lord our God for us."

Of course I would.

Let me bring you up to date what is happening here. Pharaoh's army had marched out of Egypt to attack King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army. When the Babylonians heard the news, they stopped attacking Jerusalem and set out to fight the Egyptians.

God gave me a message to reply to King Zedekiah. "Tell the king of Judah, Pharaoh's army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt. Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city. They will capture it and burn it down.

"Don't fool yourselves into thinking the Babylonians will not return. They will! Even if you were to defeat the entire Babylonian army that is attacking you at this moment and only wounded men were left in their tents, they would come out and burn this city down."

Photo Courtesy

Once the last of the Babylonian army left to attack the Egyptians, just as God said, I left Jerusalem and walked to the land I had purchased. The land was in the territory of Benjamin. When I reached the city gate, though, the captain of the guard arrested me. He yelled at me, "You are deserting to the Babylonians."

I have no idea where he got that idea. "That's not true! I'm not deserting to the Babylonians." 

The guard refused to listen and once again, I was arrested and taken to the officials. This time they beat me and threw me in a prison at Jonathan's house. The prison was a dungeon. King Zedekiah left me there for a long time.

It was cold, smelly, dark, had nasty food, and I didn't like it at all. Sigh.

Come back next time see what happened.

*********************************************************************************************

1.  Where is Jeremiah and where is he?
2.  What army set out to attack the Babylonians?
3.  Why did the Babylonian army stop attacking Jerusalem?
4.  Once the soldiers left, Jeremiah went to ________
5.  What did the captain accuse Jeremiah of?
6.  This was not true. But, the captain wouldn't listen to Jeremiah. Instead he took Jeremiah to __________

Ezekiel-God Shows the People What Will Happen

By Mary Vee
Ezekiel 12

From Ezekiel's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Ezekiel. I am a prophet, a messenger sent from God.

Other prophets were given messages from God to tell the people of Israel. Recently, though, God has asked me to show the people His message.

This is what God asked me to do:

"Pack your belongings for exile [exile means someone is taking you from your home and not allowing you to return]. In the daytime, as the people watch, go from where you are to another place. Maybe they will understand what I am warning them.

"During the day, while the people watch you, bring out your belongings that you packed. At night, while they watch, leave the place like a person in exile would do. As the people continue to watch, dig through the wall and take your belongings with you. Put your things on your shoulder and carry them out at dusk. Cover your face so you cannot see the land."

I did as God commanded. I packed my things and took them with me. In the evening, I dug through the wall with my hands and took my belongings out with me, carrying them on my shoulders.  All of this was done while the people watched.

The next morning, God spoke to me, "Did the people of Israel ask you what you were doing?"

"Yes," I answered.

God said, "Tell them 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Everything you did concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all Israelites who are there. What I showed you is a sign of what will happen to those still in Jerusalem.

"The prince of Jerusalem will attempt to escape. He will be caught and brought to Babylon. He will not see the land and there he will die. His staff and troops will be try to run but will be captured and made prisoners. Then they will know that the God of Israel is the Lord."

I told the people His message.

Next, God said "Tremble as you eat your food and shudder in fear as you drink your water. Tell the people, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says will happen to those in Jerusalem. They will eat their food in fear and drink their water in sadness for the land will be ruined because of the evil there. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord.'"

Then God said, "I will do everything I have said."

*******************************************************************************************************

1. Who did God say would be punished? Where did these people live?
2. But who did Ezekiel tell the message to? Where did they live?
3. Why did God tell one group of people what would happen to a different group of people?

Ezekiel-The Mark That Saved

By Mary Vee
Ezekiel 8-9

From Ezekiel's Journal

Photo Courtesy

My name is Ezekiel. I am a prophet living in Babylon with the prisoners from Israel.

God has given me several messages to give to the people. This time, though, God is showing me in a vision what is going to happen. Afterwards, I am then to warn the people in Babylon.

Last time I told you about a man who glowed brightly from the waist up and had the look of fire from the waist down. He took me to Jerusalem and showed me the terrible things the priests and elders were doing. 

The people of the city then did as the priests taught them. I felt terrible. The people should not be worshiping other idols. They know there is only one God and that He alone should be worshiped.

After the man showed me the evil idol worship, he called out in a loud voice. "Bring me the guards." Six men came with weapons and another man came with a writing kit. They stood by the bronze altar in the temple. 

The Lord said to the man dressed in linen and carrying the writing kit, "Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who are sad and crying about the terrible idol worship that is taking place."

The Lord turned to the guards then and said, "Punish everyone who does not receive the mark. Bring those who have been punished to the temple."

I was left alone while the guards obeyed their instructions. I fell on my face and begged the Lord to forgive the terrible ways of the people.

The Lord said, "Their sin is very great. There is no justice in the city. They've said, 'The Lord has left the land. He does not see us or what we are doing.' So I will give them what they want. I will give them no mercy or spare them and will punish them for what they've done."

The man in white linen came back, carrying his writing kit. "I have done what you asked."

The Lord had warned the people not to worship other idols so many time. But the people would not listen. Sadly, they will be punished for not listening and obeying God. 

There is still more of this vision, I will tell you about it next time.

*******************************************************************************************************

1. What were the people doing wrong?
2. Where were the people?
3. The man in linen with the writing kit was told to ________
4. The guards with him were told to ____________
5. The people who were sinning thought God could not ______ them.
6. Is this true?

Ezekiel-The Most Amazing Vision

By Mary Vee
Ezekiel 1

From Ezekiel's Journal

Photo Courtesy

Jeremiah is the prophet that God tells his messages to back in Judah. Just because he stayed there and didn't get taken as a prisoner to Babylon doesn't mean his job is easy.

My name is Ezekiel and I am the prophet God gives the messages to for the people who are prisoners here in Babylon.

I was thirty years old when God first gave His messages. 

I was by a river in Babylon when God gave me this amazing vision. 

I looked and saw a huge dust storm come from the north, an large cloud with lightning flashing from it, a huge ball of fire glowing like bronze. Inside the fire were what looked like four creatures full of life.

Each looked like a human being, but also had four faces and four wings. Their legs were as sturdy and straight as columns, but their feet were hoofed like those of a calf and sparkled from the fire like burnished bronze.

On all four sides under their wings they had human hands. All four had both faces and wings, with the wings touching one another. They didn’t turn but went straight forward.

Their faces looked like this: In front a human face, on the right side the face of a lion, on the left the face of an ox, and in back the face of an eagle.

The wings were spread out with the tips of one pair touching the creature on either side. The other pair of wings covered its body. Wherever the spirit went, they went.

The four creatures looked like a blazing fire, or like fiery torches. Tongues of fire shot back and forth between the creatures, and out of the fire, bolts of lightning. The creatures flashed back and forth like strikes of lightning.

As I watched the four creatures, I saw something that looked like a wheel on the ground beside each of the four-faced creatures. The wheels were identical, sparkling like diamonds in the sun. It looked like they were wheels within wheels, like a gyroscope.

I'll tell you more about these amazing creatures next time.

*******************************************************************************************************

1. Jeremiah was the prophet in __________
2. Ezekiel was the prophet in _____________
3. Ezekiel was ____ years old when God called him to be a prophet.
4. Describe the creatures Ezekiel saw.

The Liar's Lament

By Mary Vee
I Kings 13:25-32

From The Prophet's Journal

I had heard that a prophet from Jerusalem came to the altar king Jeroboam set up. The prophet spoke a message from God to him. His message didn't exactly please, Jeroboam. In fact, Jeroboam wanted him arrested. 

A strange thing happened. Jeroboam had reached out his hand to yell at the prophet, and immediately it became paralyzed. Those who witnessed the event said they were amazed. Jeroboam ordered the prophet to pray to his God to heal the hand. The prophet did then finished his message. 

I'd heard he went back home down the road that went past my home. I went out looking for him, to offer food and rest. Not far away I saw him sitting under a tree. I invited him to my home, but he refused saying, "God instructed me not to turn back, I am not to eat bread or drink water with you in this place."

His droopy eyes showed how tired he was. Probably hadn't eaten or drank in a while. I said, "Come on. I too am a prophet, as you are." He looked up at me, brow furrowed as if not sure of my words. I really wanted to help him so I lied, "An angel said to me by the word of the Lord: 'Bring him back with you to your house and give him bread and water.'"

I reached my hand out to help him up. I felt honored to have him in my home.

Again something strange happened. While we sat down to eat I received a message from the Lord. Imagine! Me. The words flowed from my mouth without a thought. I said, "This is what the Lord says, 'You have defied the word of the Lord and have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore you will die and not be buried with your fathers."

I hardly believed the words from my mouth. Maybe God wanted to scare the prophet. After we ate, I packed my own donkey for him and watched him leave. 

A short while later some people passed by my house telling news. They said, "Further down this very road we saw a body thrown down. And there was a lion standing beside it!"

I knew who it was. "It is the man of God who did not obey the word of the Lord. The Lord has given him to the lion which has killed him as the word of the Lord had warned."

I called my sons to help me. "Saddle the donkey for me." As soon as the donkey was ready I mounted and rode as quickly as possible to the place. There I found the prophet's body with  the donkey I gave him standing near and the lion, too. The lion had neither eaten the body nor hurt the donkey. 

I pick up the prophet's body and laid it on the donkey he rode. Tears flowed down my face. I took him straight to the tomb I had set aside for myself. I wept bitterly for him. "Oh, my brother!"

I called my sons closer and instructed them, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried. Lay my bones beside his bones. I now know the message he brought from the word of the Lord saying all of Jeroboam's priests will be killed is true. His words against the altar in Bethel and the shrines on the high places is true. This, my sons, was a true man of God."

Despite this prophet of God's words, king Jeroboam didn't change his evil ways. He instead appointed more priests for the high places choosing anyone he please. And none were Levites as the Lord commanded.

What terrible days are ahead. And I wept more.

*************************
photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. Why did the prophet of Bethel invite the prophet from Jerusalem to his house?
2. While at the prophet of Bethel's house, what happened?
3. Did either man believe it would happen?
4. What news came to the prophet of Bethel from travelers on the road?
5. What did the prophet of Bethel do?
6. Why did the prophet of Bethel cry?
7. Did king Jeroboam listen to the prophet of Jerusalem?