Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah – 3 prophets because of 3 arch-problems

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The three prophets Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah were dealing with a hopelessly apostate and astray people of Judah. The consequence of this was the attack of the Chaldeans and the subsequent deportation of the people into exile. However, the three main problems denounced by the prophets are timeless.

Three prophets and three arch-problems

Three prophets of the Old Testament each represent, in their respective typology, a fundamental problem within the people who have fallen away from God. The prophets Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah each focus on a reason or circumstance that can be observed to this day. All three prophets appeared at approximately the same time, but in different places and under different circumstances. Only Jeremiah continued to work in Jerusalem even after Judah was taken to Babylon.

Daniel and the utter apostasy

The prophet Daniel was taken from Jerusalem to Babylon when he was still an adolescent. In exile he grew up and remained steadfast and faithful to God despite full paganism. Even at the beginning of his exile, Daniel adhered to God’s statutes by not defiling themselves with the food of the Babylonians and three of his friends. Over time, Daniel achieved a high political position in the state.

The people of Judah were given over to the Babylonians because of their permanent apostasy from God. Daniel’s lamentations concerned the continuing and even increasing apostasy of the people from God in Babel. In the book of Daniel, chapter 9, you can read the prophet’s urgent plea for his people.

Daniel’s focus was on apostasy from God and His statutes or commandments.

Ezekiel and syncretism

Like Daniel, the prophet Ezekiel was taken from Jerusalem to the land of the Chaldeans. Ezekiel was born around 593 B.C.E. Called by God to be a prophet on the river Kebar in 400 BC. Ezekiel then worked among the people who were deported to Babel, while Daniel was in his position in the royal palace.

The crime primarily denounced by Ezekiel concerned syncretism among the people of Judah. The priesthood in particular led ordinary people to mix the true faith with the superstitions of paganism. Chaldean practices, rituals and symbols were integrated into the belief in the one, true Creator God. The result was a mixture of pure gospel and paganism.

Ezekiel’s emphasis was on mixing or syncretism.

Jeremiah and the Sacrifice of Truth

The prophet Jeremiah worked until around 580 BC. BC in Jerusalem. He primarily denounced the complete apostasy of King Jehoiakim (Jehoiakim). Jeremiah warned urgently of the impending attack by the Chaldeans and the subsequent deportation. A consequence initiated by God if the people did not finally come to their senses.

Jeremiah also denounced the numerous false prophets who led the people astray with false proclamations. The false prophets promised “security and peace” and thus the exact opposite of what God announced to his prophet Jeremiah. King Jehoiakim was so wicked that he even burned the warning words of God written by Jeremiah. As a true prophet of God, Jeremiah was the declared enemy among his own people.

The king, on the other hand, listened to the false promises of the “house and court prophets”. These announced “prophecies” that did not come from God, but were tailored to the needs of politics and society.

Jeremiah’s main charge was the sacrifice of the truth for the benefit of political and social structures. This was also the case at the time of Jesus Christ and the work of the Pharisees.

There is nothing new under the sun

In summary, the three prophets faced complete apostasy, syncretism, and sacrifice of truth for worldly interests. This was primarily borne by those responsible, i.e. the priestly caste at the time and the self-proclaimed prophets.

A constellation that is actually timeless, because the priorities denounced by the prophets also fit seamlessly into our time. Atheism is constantly increasing and the majority of those who call themselves believers and Christians usually maintain a jumble of gospel, paganism, myths and legends. The Roman Catholic Church and its countless, legendary traditions are particularly predestined for this. The former Protestant churches in particular have dedicated themselves to adapting theology in favor of the secular spirit of the times (Info).

You don’t even need to be a prophet today. It is enough to simply confront the truth of the gospel to feel the full force of the anger. The words that are reflexively hurled are “splitter” and “enemy of unity”. You are insulted, locked out, marginalized. But it won’t stay that way, because the dragon is “only” angry at the woman (now whore) and is concentrating on persecuting the rest of her seed (dragon – woman – whore – Info). “There is nothing new under the sun,” said King Solomon.

Bible verses from King James Version