{"id":9213,"date":"2023-05-27T07:19:35","date_gmt":"2023-05-27T11:19:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/?p=9213"},"modified":"2026-06-15T18:13:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T22:13:38","slug":"the-prophets-punishing-end-times-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christskingdom.org\/staging\/8402\/the-prophets-punishing-end-times-message\/","title":{"rendered":"The Prophets’ Punishing End-Times’ Message! (277)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The Prophets' Punishing End-Times' Message!<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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By Steven J. Hogan<\/p>\n

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~ A Saturday Morning Post #277 ~

<\/em>The prophets’ punishing message is particularly relevant as we think about what’s now happening to the United States? The border is being overrun, there\u2019s two-tiered justice, massive debt problems, unchecked crime, the fentanyl crisis, evil rulers, families falling apart, children under attack, homelessness, human trafficking, socialism, communism, countries turning against us, etc.

Habakkuk 1:3-4 sums up what I know many of you have been thinking: \u201cWhy do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. The law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.\u201d<\/em> It’s the prophets that explain why all this terrible but justified evil is now occurring in our country!

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The news media surely doesn\u2019t give you any answers. The real problem isn\u2019t the economy, the schools, the government, the border, the climate, etc. You must get past the surface to the heart of the problem, and it\u2019s the prophets that tell you our root problem is spiritual in nature – it\u2019s sin, it\u2019s turning from God to idols. And what you are now witnessing in our country are the consequences of our sin, God\u2019s righteous judgment of our wicked ways. \u201cThe wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.\u201d<\/em> Romans 1:18-32

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The prophets, from Isaiah to Malachi, make up one fourth of the Bible, a major portion of God\u2019s word, and they need to be read to understand this present time. They illustrate the sinful condition of countries and cities and how God punished them. Thus, they give us wisdom, enabling us to see and sort out what\u2019s now going on in our own country and in our own cities. \u201cJerusalem has sinned greatly\u2026 Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. The Lord has brought her grief because of her many sins.\u201d<\/em> Lamentations 1:8,5

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The prophets tell us that sin, at its core, is two sins – it\u2019s rejecting God and turning to false gods, it\u2019s forsaking God and loving other gods. \u201cThey went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty\u2026 My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 2:5, 13). \u201cNations will be gathered against them to put them in bonds for their double sin.\u201d<\/em> Hosea 10:10

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This double sin, this root sin, results in many other sins. There\u2019s drunkenness (Is. 5:22), denying justice for a bribe (Is. 5:23), rebellion, stubbornness (Jer. 5:23), arrogance, overeating (Ezek. 16:49), cursing, lying, stealing, murder, adultery (Hos. 4:2), idolatry (Hos. 4:12), disobedience (Jonah 1:3), rejecting God\u2019s law (Amos 3:4), laziness (Amos 6:1), love of food, wine, and music (Amos 6:4-6), coveting, defrauding (Mic. 2:2), hating good and loving evil (Mic. 3:2), divorce (Mal. 2:14-16), robbing God (Mic. 3:8), etc., etc. The sins that took place over 2500 years ago are, for the most part, the same sins now being committed in our own country.

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God must punish all sins for He is holy – He can\u2019t just let them go. \u201cI will punish you for all your iniquities\u201d<\/em> (Amos 3:2). And the prophets specifically tell us how He punished these sins. Here are some examples: \u201ca lion from the forest will slay them\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 5:6); \u201csickness and wounds\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 6:7); \u201ctheir houses shall be turned over to others\u201d <\/em>(Jer. 6:12); \u201cI\u2019m bringing disaster on this people\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 6:19); \u201cneighbors and friends will perish\u201d <\/em>(Jer. 6:21); \u201can army is coming – they are cruel and show no mercy\u201d<\/em> (Jer. 6:22-23); \u201cI will ruin her vines and fig trees\u201d<\/em> (Hos. 2:12).

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\u201cI will ignore your children\u201d<\/em> (Hos. 4:6); \u201ca nation has invaded my land\u201d<\/em> (Joel 1:6); \u201cthe people\u2019s joy is withered away\u201d<\/em> (Joel 1:12); \u201cthe seeds shrivel\u2026 the grain is dried up… herds of cattle wander aimlessly\u201d<\/em> (Joel 1:17-18); \u201cI will send fire\u201d<\/em> (Amos 1:4); \u201cI will destroy the king\u201d<\/em> (Amos 1:5); \u201cI gave you empty stomachs\u201d<\/em> (Amos 4:6); \u201cI will send you into exile\u201d<\/em> (Amos 5:27). In the past, God punished sinners in many ways, and now we are watching God’s diverse and dreaded judgment of the United States. By reading the prophets you can understand what\u2019s taking place, that we are greatly sinning and are being greatly punished by God.

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Man’s sin and God’s judgment of his sin are God’s primary messages in the prophets, but there are many other themes. They tell you about God\u2019s identity, that He\u2019s the Lord (Is. 26:4), the Rock (Is. 26:4), the Judge (Is. 33:22), the Lawgiver (Is. 33:22), the Shepherd (Is. 40:11), the Creator (Is. 43:1), the Savior (Is. 43:3), the King (Is. 44:6), the Redeemer (Is. 44:6), the Holy One (Is. 45:11), the Servant (Is. 52:13), and our Husband (Is. 54:5).

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The prophets tell you about God\u2019s character, that He\u2019s holy (Is. 6:1-3), wise (Is. 11:2), supreme, powerful (Is. 40:12-31), just, loving, righteous (Jer. 9:24), true, living, eternal (Jer. 10:10), sovereign (Dan. 4:34-35), compassionate and forgiving (Micah 7:19).

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The prophets tell you about Christ\u2019s 1st<\/sup> coming, that He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14), would suffer (Is. 50:6), would be pierced (Is. 53:5), would die to pay for our sins (Is. 53:4-12), would proclaim the good news (Is. 61:1), would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2), and would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zech. 9:9).

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The prophets tell you the good news, that God shows you mercy if you repent of your sin and believe that His Son is the Messiah, the Christ who died to pay for your sin. Yes, God is judging this sinful country, but know that He judged His own Son so you could be forgiven, have hope, and be eternally loved. Isaiah 53, Ezekiel 37:23, Micah 7:18-20

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The prophets also tell you about Christ\u2019s 2nd<\/sup> coming, and the amazing hope God has for all His people. This is an extremely, eternally important message of the prophets. Sad to say, many people, even believers, don\u2019t see it this way. They believe the truths about Christ\u2019s first coming but not the truths about His 2nd<\/sup> coming, many which are found in the prophets. Much that is said about this hope is easily discovered on the pages of the prophets, but some, like hidden treasure, must be searched for. Here are some verses about this hope: Gen. 12:1-3, 17:4-8; Is. 2:2-4, 4:2-6, 9:6-7, 54:5-8, 61:2b-11, 65:17-25; Jer. 23:5-6, 32:37-44; Ez. 37:22-23; Dan. 2:44-45, 7:13-14; Hosea 1:10-11; Joel 3:16-21; Amos 9:14-15; Micah 5:4; Hab. 2:14; Zeph. 3:14-17; and Zech. 14:9-11.

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Here are some final points about reading the prophets and our future:
1. The prophets focus primarily on the Jewish people. There\u2019s nothing specifically in the prophets about the church age. But there are important lessons for all believers, ones that will help you grow in your relationship with God, and in faith, holiness, and hope.
2. The prophets, in general, are predictive. Some of the passages are about their present time and \/ or the years following. Some are about Christ\u2019s 1st<\/sup> coming. Some are about Christ\u2019s 2nd<\/sup> coming and the kingdom age. Others have a near and a far perspective.

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3. If you have not read any of the prophets, I\u2019d recommend you start with the minor ones, like Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, Jonah, and then move on to the major ones, like Isaiah and Jeremiah. I will admit, they are not always easy to understand, but ask God to teach you as you read them, and He will.
4. Be looking for the primary subjects in the prophets – God, man’s sin, God’s judgment, the Jews, Christ\u2019s 1st<\/sup> coming, salvation, Christ\u2019s 2nd<\/sup> coming, and hope.\u00a0

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5. I suggest that you write down the passages that talk about the hope of the Jews. That\u2019s because your hope, your future blessing as a Christian, is in many ways tied to the hope of the Jews. For example, both Jews and Christians will inherit the earth (Ps. 37:11, Matt. 5:5), and together they will be glorifying the Lord. Romans 15:8-12
6. This world is on a fast track to the end of this age, at which time the church will be raptured and the nations will be righteously judged. It’s not just the United States that falls under the judgment of God, but all nations in the world. Psalm 9:17-20; Zeph. 1; Rev. 6:12-17, Rev. 7:9-14, Rev. 8-9

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7. One reason why the United States needs to be judged and lose its position as the #1 power in the world is to make way for the Antichrist and his kingdom. I don\u2019t believe it will be long before this takes place, and the Antichrist is ruling this earth, but only for a very short time. Then Jesus Christ will come back to rapture the church, judge the world, save a remnant of Jews, and reign on earth. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Psalm 47
8. It is true that the United States is being judged and is going downhill. But remember the story of Jonah, and how God had mercy on that wicked city of Nineveh. As Habakkuk 3:2 says, \u201cIn wrath remember mercy.\u201d<\/em> Pray that God would bring revival. Might Daniel 9:4-19 be our prayer – \u201cWe have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from your commandments <\/em>(vs. 4)\u2026 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay<\/em> (vs. 19).

<\/em>P.S. I pray that you are awake, alert, and watching. We must not be asleep in times like these. We must be like the men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what they should do, and like John the Baptist who was preparing the way of the Lord. I suggest you read these two posts: “The Downfall of the United States Before the Return of Christ”<\/a><\/em>, and “The Day of the Lord: the Wrath of God on Earth.” <\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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