Main news for 3 October 2019

Why were the prophets so rarely and reluctantly listened? And what means in general listening to the prophet? The prophets did say nothing quite new. They rethought very often the interpretation of the traditional representations about judgment, about the Kingdom, the communion with God and are the first ones to have spoken about the coming of the Messiah. Most of what the prophets said, somehow or other was known to their listeners: because they reminded them mostly of the Torah, the necessity of the observation of the commandments, because no sacrifice can replace a living communion with God, without which they simply make no sense. For many, it probably seemed that they did listen nothing interesting and new, that the prophets say banalities, and there is no need to listen to them. The fallen human nature is inclined to seek for varieties more than for the depths. The prophets tried to direct their listeners to the depth, having in mind first of all their spiritual life.

The novelty of the prophetic call in the life of a concrete person could appear only in case this person would really try to respect them, besides not sometimes, from time to time, but constantly, every day and hour. Then it would have become very fast clear to such a person that by the strictest he is not at all a righteous man, that he is infinitely far from the ideal proposed by the Torah. Man would have suddenly understood that it is more difficult to observe the commandments in particular in the daily routine, in which consists the life of every ordinary person.

It would have seemed to him quite appropriate any reminders about the commandments, as appropriate seems to the sentinel, being afraid of falling asleep in the post, every sound, which can prevent him from sleeping. People wishing such a life, were always little in all the times. Here is little only the religiosity manifested from time to time, here are necessary constant spiritual efforts, which become relevant when God becomes for the man a doubtless and genuine reality of his own life. The same, who He was for the prophets. Then acquires meaning the way of righteousness leading to the Kingdom of God. Otherwise, regrettably, all the calls to the observation of the Torah would seem to the listeners either banality, or empty words. Although the emptiness that they see is not in the words of the prophets, but in their own heart.