The Old Testament Made Easier, Vol. 3 Quotes

“15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight [nothing can be fixed]: and that which is wanting [lacking] cannot be numbered [counted]. Another interpretation of verse 15, above, might depict pessimism in dealing with people. It could be saying that people never learn their lessons, and that their foolishness seems to be infinite.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“11 There is no remembrance of former things [nobody remembers the past]; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after [neither will the future be remembered by those who come after it; in other words, nothing changes]. By the way, you can probably see that verses 9–11, above, could also be interpreted as saying, in effect, that nobody ever seems to learn from the past, which in many ways would be true of worldly societies and people.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“THE BOOK OF Malachi was given about 430 BC (see Bible Dictionary, under “Malachi”). It is the last book of the Old Testament. After Malachi, there is about a 430 year gap in the Bible, until the New Testament.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“11 Then said the LORD unto me [Jeremiah], Pray not for this people for their good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. 13 ¶ Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets [the false prophets among the Jews] say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place [in effect, the false prophets have told the people that sin is not really sin and that there can be peace in wickedness].”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“Jeremiah was one of the few ancient prophets who prophesied destruction for the people and then saw the fulfillment of his prophecies during his own lifetime.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“JEREMIAH IS A well-known prophet in the Old Testament. There are at least sixty-two prophecies given in his writings. The book of Jeremiah has almost twenty-two thousand words, making it somewhat longer than Isaiah, and making it the second longest book in the Old Testament (only Psalms is longer).”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“The thing that “chosen” does not imply is that God arbitrarily chooses some people over others to be saved.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“Then said I, Lord, how long [will people be like this]? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate [in other words, as long as people are around],”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“For example, in the chiasmus used by Isaiah here in the first eight verses, the main message is found in verse 5, where he emphasizes that when a society collapses because of wickedness, everyone is persecuted and oppressed by everyone else.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“IN THIS CHAPTER Isaiah describes the downfall of Jerusalem because of wickedness. In a significant way, it is a pattern that applies to any nation or society in which personal sin and wickedness become a way of life for the majority of citizens. Beginning with verse 16 and continuing to the end of the chapter, Isaiah points out, in effect, that women are generally the last stronghold against the downfall of a nation, and that when they also turn to pride and personal wickedness as a lifestyle, the nation is doomed.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3

“ISAIAH “The Lord is salvation. Son of Amoz, a prophet in Jerusalem during 40 years, 740–701 BC He had great religious and political influence during the reign of Hezekiah, whose chief advisor he was. Tradition states that he was “sawn asunder” during the reign of Manasseh; for that reason he is often represented in art holding a saw.”
― David J. Ridges, The Old Testament Made Easier Part 3