Runaway Prophet - Jonah

As the book of Jonah opens, God is speaking to him, giving him his commission. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2).

Jonah was a native of Gath-hepher, a town near Nazareth. He lived in the reign of Jeroboam 2 and aided him in making the northern kingdom of Israel very powerful and prosperous (2 Kings 14:25). Jesus Christ himself made the book of Jonah important. When he was asked for a sign to prove his claims, he gave the people the sign of the prophet Jonah (Mathew 12:38-40). Two events are of great importance in Jonah. One is the great fish swallowing Jonah and the other the possibility of such a large heathen city as Nineveh being converted by an obscure foreign missionary in just a few days.

Chapters 1 and 2 we see God speaking to Jonah to go and preach against the people of Nineveh. God is very definite with his orders. He told Jonah to arise and go. “But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa” (Jonah 1:3). He said no to God. Assyria, where Nineveh is, was Israel’s dreaded enemy. (Jonah 4:2). Jonah might have feared that Nineveh may repent and be spared from God’s punishment.

As soon as Jonah fled, God began to act. “then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up” (Jonah 1:4). God loved Jonah too much to let him prosper. Failure never relieves us of responsibility to serve.

God’s way is best. If we don’t accept it, he forces strange things upon us. The story of Jonah 2 tells us how Jonah came to the end of himself. After much praying, he confessed that he could do nothing by himself. “Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). Then God could afford to set him at liberty (Jonah 2:10).

In the chapters 3 and 4 we see God giving Jonah another chance to be of service. “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time” (Jonah 3:1). It was not easy for Jonah to go through the streets and cry, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned” (Jonah 3:4).  There was no mercy in his message. There was no tear in the prophet’s voice. He was obeying God, but his heart was unchanged (Jonah 4:1-3). The common people of Nineveh repent first. Then the nobles followed. This is always true. Revival starts among the people first and move to higher authorities.

Two things hindered Jonah when God told him to go to Nineveh – his pride of self and his scorn of the rest of the world. God took this out of him in the fish’s belly.

When you read this book, we of course understand Jonah was a type of Christ in his death. Another truth behind this historical story is about us and the decisions we make. God provides us the best in our life. But when we run away from God and try to do things on our own, we end up inside the fish and then plead God to rescue and confess our mistake. May this book help you to understand this truth and walk according to the desire and wish of God.

Judgement and Hope - Obadiah

The book of Obadiah is the shortest in the Old Testament. It contains only 21 verses, but it includes 2 important themes – the doom of the proud and rebellious and the deliverance of the meek and humble. It is directly spoken to Edom and Zion and represents Esau and Jacob, the two sons of Isaac. But it appeals to us all with our two natures – the earthly represented by Esau on one side, so proud and bold, and the spiritual by Jacob, chosen and set apart by God.

From Obadiah 1 to 16 we hear the doom of Eden. This prophesies was written because of the confederacy against Jerusalem in which Edom took part of the enemy (Obadiah 7-14). Against this people, the prophecy of the unknown prophet Obadiah, “a worshipper of Jehovah” was directed. Edom looked on while Jerusalem was being plundered. They seemed to manifest fiendish delights in the calamity that overtook its inhabitants. Because of the pride and cruel hatred of Edom, her utter destruction was decreed (Obadiah 3 – 4, 10). Nothing could save the guilty nation. The people were driven from their rocky home 5 years after the destruction when Nebuchadnezzar, passing down the valley of Arabah that formed the military road to Egypt, crushed the Edomite’s.

From Obadiah 17 to 21 we see the deliverance of Zion. Book of Obadiah closes with the promise of deliverance for Zion. “But on Mount Zion will be deliverance; it will be holy, and the house of Jacob will possess its inheritance” (Obadiah 17).

Gods judgement on Edom as Israel’s notable enemy should warn nations today that God has not cast off his people and nations that oppress them will surely bring down his judgements (Genesis 12:3). Obadiah also predicts the coming of the day of the Lord and the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom.

In all these, we saw how God is taking care of Israel, his chosen one. But remember, a Christian, too, is an heir of promises to be fulfilled when Christ comes. The believer possesses all things in Christ (2 Corinthians 6:10). Many God help you to understand the importance of being a believer and prepare yourself to meet the King of Kings, when he returns.

Be Humble

Humility is part of Christian faith. Even though most of the followers of Christ don’t have this humility, the word of God commands everyone to be humble. Recently we saw how a Catholic bishop (Indian) who should be a most humble person, spreading malicious statements against a rape victim, in which he is the prime accused.

                When a person is elevated to take care of higher position, he is supposed to have wisdom. Bible talks about two types of wisdom. One is spiritual wisdom and another is earthly wisdom. In the book of James 3 and 4, it talks about earthly wisdom. They will have selfish ambitions and for that they will indulge in evil practises.  When they don’t get what they desire, quarrel and fights happens. They don’t want to ask God on their needs, because they know it will not be answered by The Lord, since they are asking with wrong motives. A friend of the world is an enemy of God.

                Godly wisdom will help you to take wise decisions in critical situations. When you are filled with Godly wisdom you become humble. In Mark 9:30 – 37 on seeing the disciples arguing on who is the greatest among them, Jesus heard and told them anyone who wants to be first must be the very last and servant of all.

                A wise person will not be selfish or boastful. He will be filled with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. He will show the character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. In James 3: 13 – 4:10 we see God gives grace and favour to the humble.

                It is easy to be a friend of the world. Friend to the world is enemy to God. You need to submit yourself to God and resist the devil. The scripture tells us in James 4, when we resist the devil, the devil will flee from us. May God give you a heart to go behind him and humble yourself for God to lift you high.

Future Prophet - Amos

Prophet Amos was a sheepherder and dresser of the sycamore trees. In his book, we find one instance of God calling a man when he was occupied in his daily work (Amos 1:1). God called him, shepherd’s crook in hand, and sent him forth to gather his straying people. David was caring for his sheep and Gideon was at the threshing floor when they received their commissions.

On the wild uplands of Judah, beyond Tekoa, Amos received his training as a prophet straight from the hand of God. Though a native of Judah, he prophesied in and about Israel. He prophesied while Uzziah was on the throne of Judah and Jeroboam 2 was king of Israel. He feared God so much that he feared no one else at all. He always hit straight from the shoulder (Amos 1:2). He didn’t fail to tell even King Jeroboam 2 what he should do. God wanted someone to bear his message courageously, and Amos did not fail him. Israel needed a prophet who would tear the scales from their eyes and let them know the sure consequences of their idolatry, and Amos fearlessly set them forth. God abhors sin. The horrible cruelty of sin must be punished. The Law of our respective countries will be kept when we learn to keep the law of God. The Law of God is fulfilled in love.

Amos was humble, wise, clever, fearless and faithful.

In the first 2 chapters we see the Judgement against nations. Bethel was the religious capital of the Northern Kingdom. Idolatry was there. They had substituted calf worship for Jehovah. The people felt no need of preaching. But Amos started his preaching to the assembled crowds at Bethel, for it was a sacred feast day, by proclaiming the Lord’s judgement upon six neighbouring nations – Damascus (Syria), Gaza (Philistia), Tyre (Phoenicia), Edom, Ammon and Moab. Then he came near home and pronounced judgement against Judah (Amos 2:4), and against Israel (Amos 2:6) and finally the whole nation (Amos 3:12).

In chapters 3 to 6 we see the judgement against Israel (Northern Kingdom). Amos was called to tell of certain punishment (Amos 3). If people will reject the repeated warning of God, they must be punished (Amos 5). He told the people of Israel they were greedy, unjust, unclean and profane (Amos 2:6-12), and that they defended and excused themselves on the ground that they were God’s chosen people (Amos 3:2). He remained then that this made their sin the greater. The Israelites looked at their relationship to God differently. They saw it as merely as an outward and formal thing. They boasted that they were the chosen nation and no real evil could befall them. We see many professing Christians today in the same danger. They imagine their salvation is secured by their being members of a church. They are conferring a favour upon God and he cannot condemn them (Amos 5:21, 23-24).

Amos condemned Israel as she was a chosen nation and knew God’s law, and so her sin was the greater. He called the women of his day “cows of Bashan” because they only cared for luxury and worldly pleasures (Amos 4:1). God always warns before a punishment, yes, and offers a way of escape. God denounces sin, but he offers a remedy for sin. Israel’s rejection of repeated warnings should lead her to prepare for God’s judgement (Amos 5). If Israel had sought the Lord, “the day of the Lord”, spoken of in Amos 5:20 would not have overtaken her.

Amos tells of Israel’s coming Judgement in 5 visions.

·         The devouring Locusts (Amos 7:1-3)

·         The consuming fire (Amos 7:4-6)

·         The searching plumb line (Amos 7:7-11)

·         The basket of ripe fruit (Amos 8:1-14)

·         The Lord at the alter (Amos 9:1-10)

From chapter 7 to 9 he speaks regarding vision of future. When he spoke of the doom of the surrounding nations, the people were drawn to him and they cheered him. He was silenced by a false prophet, Amaziah. He was driven from Israel. Freedom of speech was not given the true prophet of God. He was not safe in Israel. When he found that Israel would not hear him, he returned to Judah and put his writings in a book so all people could read and understand it.

Amos tells us of bright future for God’s chosen people. The whole land will once again be a kingdom under the house of David (Acts 9:11-12). The tabernacle of David now torn down, shall be rebuilt (Acts 15:16-17). Israel shall be restored to her land and prosper. A happy people shall dwell in a happy land. Always keep in mind that the Jewish people who have been scattered over the face of the world are being gathered back to their land of promise. National prosperity will again flourish. Jerusalem shall be the capital of a mighty kingdom. Converted Israel shall be God’s witnesses (Amos 9:13-15).

What we understand from this book is about why great empires have fallen and the answer is sin. The secret of a great person’s undoing is sin. I pray that this book help you to see sin in its true light so that you can plead forgiveness from Lord and be saved and live a truthful and faithful life.

Repentance - Joel

The Book of Joel starts with the verse “The word of the Lord that came to Joel son of Pethuel” – Joel 1:1. His name means “Jehovah is my God”. His ministry was to Judah. He has been called the prophet of “religious revival”. He knew that revival must follow repentance. He tried to bring his people to repentance. We will find access to grace and know the presence of the Holy Spirit when we truly repent.

The land of Israel had just suffered a terrible plague of locusts that had devoured every green thing, leaving only destruction. Joel believed that this had been a judgement send by God because of the sin of his people. He was the first to prophesy the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28). Joel appears just a little before Hosea, only he speaks to the southern kingdom of Judah. Hosea spoke to the northern tribes.

Joel called the people to consider the cause of the calamity. They must mourn with true repentance if they wished to be spared further judgement (Joel 2:1217). Desperate, they were ready to listen to anyone who could explain their plight. It was a great hour for the preacher, for now, in their extremity, people would turn to God.

In Joel chapter 2 we see the blast of the ram’s horn calling an assembly for a great fast. Everyone is there, even brides and bridegrooms on their wedding day (Joel 2:16). The priests came in black sackcloth, and bow to the ground and cry to God within the sanctuary. “Rent your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God for he is gracious and compassionate” (Joel 2:13). It was an event to bring the people back to God. He also assures the people that God will indeed send both temporal mercies (Joel 2:18-27) and spiritual blessings (Joel 2:28-32).

Spiritual deliverance is the great central promise of the book of Joel. Other prophets have foretold details concerning the Lord’s life on earth, and even his future reign. To Joel was committed the privilege of telling that God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh. He tells us that the blessing will flow forth from Jerusalem (Joel 2:32; 3:18). This prophecy we are definitely told was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost. Peter said, “this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16)

In the third chapter he tells about the judgement of the nations after the battle of Armageddon (Joel 3:2-7). Same is being said on Mathew 3:2-7 and Revelation 19:17-21.

The book of Joel is a lesson for us today. The church is in a desolate condition. It has been laid waste by many spiritual foes, well described in Joel 1:4. There are famine and drought on all sides. The call goes to Christians today to go into the dust before the Lord in the true repentance of heart. This repentance must begin with ministers and elders. It we will return unto the Lord, he will fulfil his promise to us by his outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May God enable you to walk close with him at this hour and get filled with the anointing of the Spirit to lead a life which glorifies him.

Amazing Love of God - Hosea

God is Love and if you want to know more about him, and how he loves us, you need to read the book of Hosea. Brought up in a Lutheran Christian family, I was taught to preach short sermons as part of Sunday school competitions. At that age, I never understood the theology what I was speaking. I don’t think anybody understood the theology which was preached on Sundays. Most of the Sunday school and Youth competitions, I have got the topic “God’s Love” for preaching, and here are the things which they expect us to tell.

• All the commandments put together in one word is Love
•  God’s love to mankind is Jesus Christ.
• First in the fruits of the Holy Spirit is Love and so on…

I have heard and seen children preaching like professionals, even in other denominations and churches. I have seen the same people growing as adult, preaching with the same intensity, and not living by the word they preach, which means they don’t understand what they preach. Even other than the Bible students, I don’t think anyone will be able to concentrate hard to understand it. The Bible is given to us to study it and implement it in our lives and to get motivated with it.

The main character of this book, Hosea, is one of the greatest lovers in all literature. We find his love so strong that even the worst actions of an unfaithful wife could not kill it. We can see a bit of personal history of the prophet in Hosea 1:1. We hear God speaking his first words to Hosea himself (Hosea 1:2). We know little about Hosea other than that he had a very sad home life. The book pictures this man as gentle, frank and affectionate. He had a deep loving nature that made him attached to his home. Hosea was sent to the ten northern tribes called Israel. He prophesied in the reign of Jeroboam II of Israel. He lived in this Northern Kingdom when the splendours of Jeroboam’s brilliant reign of 41 years were beginning to fade into the black midnight of Israel’s captivity.

As chapter 1 opens, we see a young man marrying a girl unworthy of him. He loved her truly. God told him to do something that would have been very repulsive to him (Hosea 1:2, 3). It was a severe test. Hosea is told to marry a woman worthless in character, in fact, a harlot. God was using this for a sign to his people of how they remained the object of Jehovah’s love in spite of their sinfulness. This all seems very strange to us. But God was making this picture of his redeeming grace. Grace is unmerited favour.

Hosea obeyed God and married Gomer (Hosea 1:3). His name was hers. Home, reputation, God’s favour, comfort, was Gomer’s. All that he had he gave her. In return, Hosea’s name, domestic reputation, love, was all sacrificed on the altar of a shameful and worthless woman. How like our Lord Jesus this is! He not only came to us while we were yet in sin, but he also died the death of shame on Calvary for us that all he had might be ours (Titus 2:14).  Gomer ran away from home and left her young husband, Hosea, with 2 little sons and a daughter to care for. Lured away by the sin about her, she fell into the moral cesspool of the day and finally was carried off a slave. Through it all, Hosea was true to her. Still loving her, he tried everything to win her back to a happy family life. But she would not. What a sad picture of a person’s stubbornness! What a wonderful picture of God’s love!

Just as Hosea was married to an unfaithful bride, Gomer, so God was married to unfaithful Israel (New Testament Israel is the one who believes in Christ). This experience of Hosea helped him to understand God’s heart of love as he yearned over wayward Israel to come home to him. No doubt there were tears in his voice, for there was tragedy in his life. He had thrown himself worthy into his mission.

When you read Hosea 4 to 10 we see Hosea telling the people to return to the Lord as they went away from the Lord (Hosea 6:1). Hosea’s message was “Return to God and he will return to you”. We must understand God’s attitude towards sin. He says. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7).

Hosea 14 is one of the best chapters in the Bible for backsliders. Read the wonderful words of the Lord to backsliding Israel in Hosea 14:4. “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely”. God’s great heart is bursting with love, but our sins keep him from telling us all that is there. As with Israel, you may know the joy of barriers broken down and love poured out. “I will be like the dew to Israel: he will blossom like a lilly” Hosea 14:5. The dew speaks of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Just understand how God portrays his abiding joy in his people after they are healed.

This love of God for Israel is given to us through Christ Jesus. Like Hosea in this Book, Christ is perfect and he gave himself for us who are imperfect like Gomer. I pray that you will understand this great love story of God and leave the sinful life and be Holy in Christ and live a faithful life.