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May 14 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 134

We're reading another prophet today.  Here's the Bible Project video that describes what the book is about.

DAILY READINGS

Jonah 1-4 & Psalm 129

DAILY NOTES

Jonah 1
  • Notice the simple, direct message God gave Jonah.  There's no explanation for why Jonah doesn't follow through (yet).  As quickly as the word from God comes, he goes away.
  • The mariners have their own god to cry out to for help.  They ask Jonah to cry out to his God.  Did you notice he never did?  He only told them that he worships the Lord.  
    • The mariners feared the Lord after this.  
Jonah 2
  • When he and the others were in trouble, Jonah didn't cry out to God.  Now that he's sitting inside a big fish, he offers a prayer to God.  
  • And notice even the fish listens to God!
Jonah 3
  • The word of God comes to Jonah again.  This time Jonah responds.  And the people of Nineveh respond with faith in God.
  • Up to this point, everyone has had a change of mind.
Jonah 4
  • Now we know why Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh.  He doesn't like the people of Nineveh.  That'll preach.
  • Notice who gets the last word of the book.
Psalm 129
  • Reading Jonah and Psalm 129 together is interesting.  How would you feel about your enemies if you were Jonah or the psalmist?

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Jonah is meant to be read a bit tongue-in-cheek.  There are several points where it's totally appropriate to laugh at what's being portrayed.

There are many lessons to be learned from the short book.  I tend to focus on Chapter 2.  In that chapter the prophet cries out to God.  Jonah cries out to God with the expectation that God will hear him.  And he was right.  The chapter is a complete prayer of thanksgiving, acknowledging the power and mercy of God, and it ends with the assurance that "deliverance belongs to the Lord!"

Jonah knew that about God.  He just wasn't willing to live that about God.  That is, he wasn't all that ready to let others know/experience God's grace.  Why?  He didn't like the people of Nineveh.  They had a reputation.  Oh, and they had probably done some things to his people before.

Most people wouldn't blame Jonah for feeling disgust at the thought of having to talk with the Ninevites.  To preach to them.  To see them be forgiven by God.

And that's why we don't live according to our standards.  We look to how God sees the world.

I wonder if one of the lessons of the book is that it can be hard for us religious people to actually do that.

Stay blessed...john

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