On this site, I critique the Bible and Jewish prophecy as well, however, to bring some balance to the discussion, and to give a voice to the Jewish prophets, I post this page which describes the viewpoint of the Jewish prophets on how future events were to unfold, and their reasons for seeing things this way...

     I find a lot of lovely poetry and statements of faith as a form of prophecy in the Book of Isaiah. I decided to post something describing the way events were supposed to unfold when Yahweh returns, according to the prophets in the book of Isaiah. They predicted a number of things would happen. First, they predicted that those said to be believers would refuse to answer the call when it came. They then predicted that the 'log jam' (in my words) would eventually be broken when Yahweh caused rains to fall on the desert, and the desert burst into bloom. The largest and most god-forsaken desert in the world is the Sahara desert, and so, if it comes to pass that it rains there, and the place becomes 'an Eden' (the words of the Isaiah prophets), remember that you heard about it here first, will you...

     The prophets described a group of believers who had long ago been 'divorced' and sent away for their sinful behavior (if anyone checked the tool box of the churches throughout the ages, you would find in there holy water, rosaries, and other 'tools of the trade', as well as the ever present hammer and a box of nails for use in crucifying people who violated church dogmas...) When they were called they refused to return. There follows a description of rivers drying up with 'fish stinking in them for lack of water.' This brings to mind an incident from 1998. I was preaching to many churches the passage in Jeremiah that states that the laws of whole offerings were forged by priests and the following passage that states that because of this forging of laws, the people no longer had wisdom from God. Jeremiah also predicted that the land would dry up and become like a desert, because the people had rejected the requirements of God, and so I warned the churches that this could happen to them in the winter of 1998. The next summer rivers were drying up in the eastern United States, and I recall even reading one account that described the fish in them dying for lack of water. A coincidence? Maybe, but it was a handy coincidence. After describing something like this, the prophecy then goes on about persecution. There is a curse pronounced against those who go around 'lighting fires'. The prophecy then ends with a prediction of a desert becoming an Eden, as a metaphor for restoration of the believers...

"Thus says YAHWEH: "Where is your mother’s bill of divorce, with which I put her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was put away.Why, when I came, was there no man? When I called, was there no one to answer? Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, by my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a desert; their fish stink for lack of water, and die of thirst.I clothe the heavens with blackness, and make sackcloth their covering."YAHWEH GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary. Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.YAHWEH GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward.I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.For YAHWEH GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.Behold, YAHWEH GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.Who among you fears YAHWEH and obeys the voice of his servant, who walks in darkness and has no light, yet trusts in the name of YAHWEH and relies upon his God?Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who set brands alight! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the brands which you have kindled! This shall you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment."Hearken to me, you who pursue deliverance, you who seek YAHWEH; look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were digged. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him and made him many.For YAHWEH will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of YAHWEH; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song." (Isaiah 50:1)

      There are two more prophecies which employ the imagery of a desert blooming to describe the time of the return of Yahweh...

"The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocusit shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of YAHWEH, the majesty of our God.Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you."Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein.No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.And the ransomed of YAHWEH shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Isaiah 35:1)

"Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation may sprout forth, and let it cause righteousness to spring up also; I YAHWEH have created it." (Isaiah 45:8)

Follow the link at the bottom of the page, to go on the next page, which I have titled 'Sahara Watch'. Here I will be monitoring the desert to see if the prophecies of the Jewish prophets comes to pass...

     There are other interesting prophecies that seem relevant. There is a prophecy concerning 'millionaire preachers' found in the Church Testament.

"If any one teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness,he is puffed up with conceit, he knows nothing; he has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions,and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.There is great gain in godliness with contentment;for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world;but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content.But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs.But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, (1 Timothy 6:3)

     The following descriptions are taken from Isaiah and Jeremiah...This might make more sense to you after you have surfed some of the Biblical critique I have posted on this site, including examples of Biblical critique practiced by the Jewish prophets. The following examples are typical of Jewish prophecy, and represent a style of preaching characteristic of outsiders who through long experience, had been persistently persecuted and rejected for telling the truth, and had run out of patience.

"His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. The shepherds also have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. (Isaiah 56:10)

"He who slaughters an ox is like him who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, like him who breaks a dog‘s neck; he who presents a cereal offering, like him who offers swine’s blood; he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like him who blesses an idol. These have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations." (Isaiah 66:3)

"The priests did not say, ‘Where is YAHWEH?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit." (Jeremiah 2:8)

"As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets ... Why do you complain against me? You have all rebelled against me, says YAHWEH.In vain have I smitten your children, they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.And you, O generation, heed the word of YAHWEH. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to thee’?Can a maiden forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.How well you direct your course to seek lovers! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways.Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these thingsyou say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’How lightly you gad about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.From it too you will come away with your hands upon your head, for YAHWEH has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them."" (Jeremiah 2:26)

"They have spoken falsely of YAHWEH, and have said, ‘He will do nothing; no evil will come upon us, nor shall we see sword or famine.The prophets will become wind; the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them!’Therefore thus says YAHWEH, the God of hosts: Because they have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall devour them." (Jeremiah 5:12)

"Thus says YAHWEH of hosts, the God of Israel: "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh.For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.But this command I gave them, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day;yet they did not listen to me, or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you.And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of YAHWEH their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.Cut off your hair and cast it away; raise a lamentation on the bare heights, for YAHWEH has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.’For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, says YAHWEH; they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to defile it.And they have built the high place of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says YAHWEH, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter: for they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere.And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth; and none will frighten them away.And I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land shall become a waste.At that time, says YAHWEH, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be brought out of their tombs;and they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have gone after, and which they have sought and worshiped; and they shall not be gathered or buried; they shall be as dung on the surface of the ground.Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, says YAHWEH of hosts.You shall say to them, Thus says YAHWEH: When men fall, do they not rise again? If one turns away, does he not return?Why then has this people turned away in perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, they refuse to return.I have given heed and listened, but they have not spoken aright; no man repents of his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’ Every one turns to his own course, like a horse plunging headlong into battle.Even the stork in the heavens knows her times; and the turtledove, swallow, and crane keep the time of their coming; but my people know not the ordinance of YAHWEH."How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of YAHWEH is with us’? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.The wise men shall be put to shame, they shall be dismayed and taken; lo, they have rejected the word of YAHWEH, and what wisdom is in them?" (Jeremiah 7:21)

"And YAHWEH said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.Therefore thus says YAHWEH concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come on this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed.And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their wickedness upon them.You shall say to them this word: ‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is smitten with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.If I go out into the field, behold, those slain by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land, and have no knowledge.’"Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? Does thy soul loathe Zion? Why hast thou smitten us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror.We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee.Do not spurn us, for thy name’s sake; do not dishonor thy glorious throne; remember and do not break thy covenant with us." (Jeremiah 14:14)

"Therefore thus says YAHWEH of hosts concerning the prophets: "Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and give them poisoned water to drink; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone forth into all the land."... Thus says YAHWEH of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes; they speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of YAHWEH.... I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.... I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’... How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, (Jeremiah 23:15)

"The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?" (Jeremiah 5:31)

"For from the least to the greatest of them, every one is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, every one deals falsely. (Jeremiah 6:13)

"For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are stupid children, they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but how to do good they know not." (Jeremiah 4:22)

"If I go out into the field, behold, those slain by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land, and have no knowledge.’" (Jeremiah 14:18)

"Then they said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not heed any of his words." (Jeremiah 18:18)

"The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of YAHWEH.... And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that YAHWEH had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, You shall die!... Then the priests and the prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.... Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of YAHWEH our God." (Jeremiah 26:7)