David Pawson - ’Unlocking the Bible’ Podcast

Part 48 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson says that, though some of the Minor Prophets occupy just one page in our Bibles, they are very important. “Minor” refers to the size of the book rather than their message. These written prophets seem to all relate to the exile of the people of Israel, either warning of its coming – before the event, (Obadiah then Joel were the first 2 in this category); seeking to comfort them once it happened, or encouraging them to get settled back in their own land when the exile finished. David says a prophet speaks for God which means that he has also heard from God, so he needs both the sensitivity to hear, and the courage to deliver. God usually sends prophets when something is going wrong, and it is part of his goodness that he warns people before bringing punishment. Obadiah actually didn’t speak to God’s people but to one of Israel’s neighbours, Edom. At this time it was a radical thought that the God of Israel was the God of all other nations as well, and judgment would come from him. Edom was the first nation to be warned that they would be judged for what they had done to Israel. There is no trace of the Edomites in the world today.

Part 47 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  Hosea was the prophet who gave God’s final appeal to the Jews to repent of their unfaithfulness to him. God’s relationship with Israel was one of covenant love so loyalty was a key part. God was looking for glad, eager obedience that wanted to live the way he wanted her to live. Hosea had to experience what God was suffering by marrying a woman who would be unfaithful. But, like God, he was to remain true to her. The sins of Israel listed are Infidelity – in their marriages as well as to God; going after other gods as Hosea’s wife went after other men; Independence – they had set up their own independent kingdom; Intrigue – lies and deceit, treaties outside the people of God; Idolatry – worshipping a golden calf; Ignorance – when they should have known about God, they didn’t bother; Immorality - drunkenness, promiscuity and violence were rife; Ingratitude -  he had redeemed them but they were ungrateful. The Priests, false Prophets, false Princes and the Profiteers were accused by Hosea. He warned of suffering ahead – Barren women, Bloodshed and Banishment from the land.

Part 46 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson unravels the second half of the book of Daniel as it is very difficult to understand. This section is primarily for God’s people, having been mostly written in Hebrew. This moves on from Daniel’s life in the present to extremely detailed predictions of the future, some far removed from his time. Chapters 7-12 are not continuous or consecutive, but are separate visions of the future. They vary in duration and some overlap. Altogether, they cover a vast amount of time. There were to be successive kingdoms of lessening power before the coming of the divine Kingdom heralded by Jesus Christ’s coming, but then this divine Kingdom would exist alongside human kingdoms until Jesus’ second coming. Daniel even revealed the length of time from his prediction about Jesus’ coming until it came to be. 135 major events were predicted in 35 verses. God knows the end from the beginning. No other book of the Bible contains such a concentration of predictions about the future. Daniel is both an encouragement and a warning for the future.

Part 45 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  Much of Daniel is well known but David Pawson explains the more difficult passages. Because the Bible is a divine book penned by human beings, the supernatural is involved. Amazingly, though the book spans 75 years of Daniel’s life, it covers 2400 years of history – including events of the distant future. Those who discount miracles can’t believe that Daniel accurately predicted events which took place centuries afterward. Approximately 200 details in chapter 11 came to pass. David points out that there is far less evidence that Julius Caesar invaded England in 55BC than that Jesus was resurrected, yet nobody questions Julius Caesar. There is a built-in reluctance to accept the supernatural dimension of scripture in many people. The first half of Daniel is all miracles and the second, prophecy. The first half is written about him and the second by him about the future. David explains the background of the time. Daniel’s character showed firstly in small issues such as diet, and would be tested in larger things as time went on. David says, Daniel was a man whose quality and integrity everybody recognized, a wonderful model and example for young men.   

Part 44 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  In this 3rd talk in the series on Ezekiel, David Pawson deals with the later messages the prophet had for his people in exile in Babylon. God assures them their enemies will be punished. David tells how amazingly some of Ezekiel’s prophecies came true. God says that when his predictions come true, “then they will know that I am the Lord.” After having to tell them earlier that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, now he is able to deliver the good news that they will be going home. Some prophets, priests and kings had been bad shepherds but now God says he will be the Good Shepherd of both Ephraim and Judah. Some of Ezekiel’s predictions are about end times and have not yet been fulfilled. He mentions Gog and Magog and these two names can be found in Revelation as well. David says that some of the prophecies are dated and need to be fitted into the history, whereas others are timeless. One of his later messages assures the exiles about the restoration of the temple and this would have given them hope. David says that God will never allow his people Israel - or his church - to disappear.  [David mentions a book he has written titled The Fourth Wave; this has since been renamed Word and Spirit Together.]

Part 43 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson begins this talk with the call of Ezekiel. He could not fulfil his priestly role because he was in exile from Israel in Babylon. Now the synagogue replaced the temple. His career as a prophet of God began with a vision which was quite strange, but David gives us an explanation. The 4 creatures of the vision represent all of God’s creation. Above them is the Creator on his throne. The wheels supporting his throne illustrate that God can be anywhere at any time. This was very significant during the Israelis’ exile as, until then, God’s presence had been static in Israel. The eyes of the vision relate that God can see everywhere as well. Although the messages the prophet had to give the people were severe, they were sweet to Ezekiel because they came with the encouragement of the vision he’d received. Ezekiel is an example of apocalyptic prophecy, an unveiling or revelation usually via visions. 27% of Bible verses have a prediction about the future and Ezekiel has a high concentration of them, and to date, over 75% have already come true to the letter. This 3-part series gives a very comprehensive study of this unique book.

Part 42 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson takes time to explain the background to Ezekiel as he says it is probably the most neglected part of the Old Testament and also difficult. Its messages were given over 20 years. Ezekiel reveals a severity in God’s character which is not usually emphasized. Paul in the New Testament referred to the “goodness and severity” of God as well. Because preachers usually concentrate on the goodness of God, listeners tend to have a one-sided view of what God is like. The southern two tribes of Israel should have known that they needed to heed God’s word because they had seen the northern 10 tribes carried off in exile. Yet they ignored prophets Isaiah, Micah, Jeremiah and Habakkuk. King Josiah tried to restore the worship of God, but the people didn’t really follow his lead. Various nations attacked the land until only Jerusalem was left to the very poorest people who had not been deported.  Ezekiel was taken away in the first deportation, as was Daniel, so was never able to serve as a priest but God called him to be a prophet.  He preached and performed miracles.

Part 41 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson says that Lamentations was written by Jeremiah in tears over the state of his people. As a matter of fact, in the Greek translation of the Old Testament it is called “Tears”. David says that if you picture the desolation of Hiroshima during the second World War, that is what Jerusalem looked like to Jeremiah. He had composed a lament for the whole nation to sing when King Josiah was killed in battle as he was a poet and songwriter. The 5 chapters of Lamentations are really 5 laments and 4 of them are written in the form of an acrostic – using a letter of the alphabet to begin each section. David Pawson believes that using the alphabet actually helps an author to put his feelings in order. David sees the 5 themes of these laments as: The Catastrophe, The Cause, The Cure, The Consequences, The Cry. Jeremiah’s problem was that when God’s anger was simmering nobody would take it seriously. Then it boiled over as the consequence. God’s mercy allowed exile, not extinction. David says there are 2 destinies open to us – weeping forever or having our tears wiped away.

Part 40 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson says that when Jeremiah looks further into the future, he has a lovely optimism about the ultimate restoration of his people. David looks at the structure of the book. Though the book is a collection of his messages and not in chronological order, there is a pattern. God says the way to peace for Israel is not by making alliances with other nations; they simply need to trust God to look after them as he does when they walk in his ways. Though Jeremiah has similar messages for the people as other prophets of God, he also has some unique things to say. He emphasizes spiritual living – religious ritual is worse than useless if your heart isn’t in it. David points out that going to church is no substitute for godly living. God had largely dealt with his people corporately, but Jeremiah is introducing the concept of God dealing with individuals once they returned from exile. This is extremely important as each of us will stand alone before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Jeremiah’s political message was seen as treason by the king and Jeremiah suffered as a result. Assassination attempts failed however.

Part 39 of the David Pawson 'Unlocking the Bible' Podcast series  David Pawson shows that there is sunshine in Jeremiah as well as cloud. David identifies with the author and he shows why this book should be read and studied. We are helped to understand Jeremiah the man because he reveals his heart and his own struggles. David looks at the situation the prophet addressed, he examines the man himself (for instance, he was a lover of nature), looking at his background; and also his method of communication. He didn’t simply speak his messages, but sometimes acted them out. Like other prophets, he had to warn his people that, because of their sins, God was going to bring judgment upon them. He suffered for his message – the Jews call him the weeping prophet. Although the prophet called the people to repentance to save themselves, they refused to heed the message. One vital aspect of this talk is to hear David explain the true meaning of God as the potter and human beings as the clay. Jeremiah sometimes spoke in poetry, bringing out the feelings of God. Despite the doom and gloom, there is promise of a New Covenant with God.  David says we need Jeremiah’s messages today.