The reading for day 66 was Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, and Nahum. You will probably never hear your pastor preach anything out of three of these four. At least you'll have my rambling short commentary :)
Obadiah is a very short book (just 1 chapter) and it is a declaration of judgement against Edom (Esau). This little book really brings out what Paul quotes in Romans 9 from the book of Malachi "Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau..." (Malachi 1:2,3 NASB). There is no hope for Edom because God hates them. 1:10 For [thy] violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
Thats a long time to be cut off...
Jonah is probably the only one of these books that pretty much everybody is familiar with. One thing I hadn't noticed before was how Jonah's disobedience led directly to the sailors on the ship apparently turning to God. 1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.
1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.
Wow...the sovereignty of God is an awesome thing. Had Jonah not disobeyed, these men would not have turned to fear God.
Jonah's prayer in chapter 2 is incredible. Read it!
It would be interesting to see the church do what the people of Ninevah did when they heard of their immenent destruction. 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that [is] in their hands.
What kind of changes do you think could be made in our culture and how many people do you think would fear God if they saw the church repent of her sins in this way?
The book of Micah begins with a proclamationof wrath to come upon Israel. It seems to me that the main thing that God brings punishment for is idolatry. 1:7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered [it] of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.
In chapter 3 of Micah God rebukes the leaders of the people, their elders and priests and prophets. 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed [as] a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.
This, to me at least, sounds a lot like what goes on in church today. How many pastors have you seen who you know are just in it for the money? Especially on T.V. ? This should serve as a warning to the church today. If our leaders are wicked, our followers will end up being wicked to.
Chapter 5 of Micah speaks of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. 5:1 5:2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting.
It is certainly interesting to see the other things mentioned in this chapter after this verse.
A couple of cool verses:
6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD [shall be] a light unto me.
7:18 Who [is] a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth [in] mercy. 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
The book of Nahum is a judgement against Ninevah (the city that Jonah preached to). Ninevah was the capital city of Assyria. They were, at this time, oppressing Israel. God lets them know that He is going to save His people. 1:3 The LORD [is] slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit [the wicked]: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds [are] the dust of his feet. 1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
The last thing I'm going to mention (in this blog) is verse 15 of chapter 1. 1:15 Behold, upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! Keep thy feasts, O Judah, perform thy vows; for the wicked one shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
This, in the New Testament, is speaking of the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This, in the context of Nahum, refers to the Assyrians no longer having dominion over them. What does it mean in the context of the gospel? That sin is cut off? What do you think? |
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