Jonah — Belief Contradicted by Behavior! (Part 2)

We are working on the “minor prophet” Jonah in this series.  Not only does 2 Kings 14 refer to Jonah as an historical person, but the Lord Jesus as well testifies that he was not simply a “fable with a message” (as some critics have said).

In Matthew 12 we read: ³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” ³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 

Jesus refers to “the sign of the prophet Jonah.”  It seems obvious that the Lord Jesus believed Jonah was real, his three days in the belly of the sea creature was real, and the repentance of the people of Nineveh was real!

We will eventually discuss Jonah’s being swallowed by (perhaps) a specially-created sea creature in a subsequent post.  But the point right now is that Jonah was real, historical, and served as a point of comparison for the Lord Jesus!

There were probably a number of aspects of being a prophet of God that were attractive.  Some were not.   And being called to go to the hated Assyrians with a message from God could not have been more unpleasant for Jonah.

We don’t know how “the word of the Lord came” to Jonah, only that it did.  It was undeniable and not open to debate.  But the certainty of the command does not automatically lead to an obedience to the command, and Jonah flees.  We will look at Jonah’s response in our next post.

A prayer for today:  “Lord, thank You for the historical nature of the story of Jonah.  Help me today to listen to Your Word — and to do what You call me to do.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.” (to be continued)

 

Psalms of the Salter: Some Thoughts on Really Living for the Lord (Psalm 119): Part 21

ש Sin and Shin

¹⁶¹ Rulers persecute me without cause,
    but my heart trembles at your word.
¹⁶² I rejoice in your promise
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³ I hate and detest falsehood
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous laws.
¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law,
    and nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, Lord,
    and I follow your commands.
¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes,
    for I love them greatly.
¹⁶⁸ I obey your precepts and your statutes,
    for all my ways are known to you.

 

Psalms of the Salter: Some Thoughts on Really Living for the Lord (Psalm 119): Part 1

Psalm 119

א Aleph

¹ Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
² Blessed are those who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart—
³ they do no wrong
    but follow his ways.
⁴ You have laid down precepts
    that are to be fully obeyed.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.
⁸ I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.

 

Psalms of the Salter: Some Thoughts on Really Living for the Lord (Psalm 56)

Psalm 56

For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.

¹ Be merciful to me, my God,
    for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
    all day long they press their attack.
² My adversaries pursue me all day long;
    in their pride many are attacking me.

³ When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
⁴     In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?

⁵ All day long they twist my words;
    all their schemes are for my ruin.
⁶ They conspire, they lurk,
    they watch my steps,
    hoping to take my life.
⁷ Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
    in your anger, God, bring the nations down.

⁸ Record my misery;
    list my tears on your scroll—
    are they not in your record?
⁹ Then my enemies will turn back
    when I call for help.
    By this I will know that God is for me.

¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise—
¹¹ in God I trust and am not afraid.
    What can man do to me?

¹² I am under vows to you, my God;
    I will present my thank offerings to you.
¹³ For you have delivered me from death
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.

 

Psalms of the Salter: Some Thoughts on Really Living for the Lord (Psalm 1)

Ah, he starts with a pun!  “Salter” looks a bit like Psalter (a word used to describe the entire book of the Psalms).  Very clever.

The idea is that God salts us and scatters us over His world to make others thirsty for Him.  I’ve given the following poem in a much earlier post, but it goes something like this:

“I was a nut in a tired, paper bag.

One day, Jesus found me, cracked me, salted me

And threw me into the world to make it thirsty for Him.”

Great poem, don’t you think? (I didn’t write it).  I’ve been asked to teach the book of Psalms in S. Korea next June!  There is a Word of Life Bible Institute there, so I’d like to start getting prepared for that course.

Those of you who follow my blog know that I’ve already gone through all 150 of the Psalms in a series entitled “Psalms of My Life.”  But I need a refresher — how about you?

Let’s take a quick look at Psalm 1.  There we read —

 

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Here’s my one takeaway for today:  If I want to lead a blessed life, I must give my primary attention to God’s Word!

My prayer: “Lord of Joy, forgive me my poor substitutes of happiness.  Give me a burning desire to know and obey Your Word, not primarily so that I may be ‘happy,’ but so that You may be magnified in my life.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”

 

Psalms of My Life (Psalm 119): Part 1

Psalm 119

א Aleph

¹ Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
    who walk according to the law of the Lord.
² Blessed are those who keep his statutes
    and seek him with all their heart—
³ they do no wrong
    but follow his ways.
⁴ You have laid down precepts
    that are to be fully obeyed.
⁵ Oh, that my ways were steadfast
    in obeying your decrees!
⁶ Then I would not be put to shame
    when I consider all your commands.
⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart
    as I learn your righteous laws.
⁸ I will obey your decrees;
    do not utterly forsake me.

 

Psalms of My Life (Psalm 19)

Psalm 19^[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
² Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
³ They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
⁴ Yet their voice^[b] goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
⁵     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
⁶ It rises at one end of the heavens
    and makes its circuit to the other;
    nothing is deprived of its warmth.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
    refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
    giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
    giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
    enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
    and all of them are righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
    than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
    than honey from the honeycomb.
¹¹ By them your servant is warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² But who can discern their own errors?
    Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.