Jonah, Pt. 3 - "The Confrontation"

Imagine. God pitted against His own prophet. It only takes us reading three verses into this book to see the two very regretful words "But Jonah...". In open defiance, God's own man shakes his fist at YHWH and runs in the opposite direction. But God will not be mocked. We see in verse 4, in a very direct way, YHWH strikes back.



As we saw in the last article on Jonah, the storm was severe. So sever that even the hardened sailors began to pray as they recognized that this storm had a supernatural cause. And as the Captain ran out of options in trying to rescue himself and his crew, he find Jonah "sound asleep" in the hold of the ship (vs 5). Astonished, he cries out "How is it that you are asleep? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."

Notice the words of the Captains command. Jonah, while trying to gather his senses from his deep sleep, must have thought he was in a nightmare. Being roused suddenly to find himself in a fierce storm, and to hear words that were stingingly close to those of YHWH in verse 2. We recall that the LORD said "Arise, go, cry". And here the Captain says "Get up, Call!" We can constantly be amazed at the detail of Scripture. No word is repeated without meaning.

In verse 7 what we learn is that Jonah shows no sign of repentance. Notice that even at the rebuke of a pagan calling fro the prophet to pray, Jonah refuses. He also refuses to offer any information until the lot falls to his person in verse 7. Jonah, of all people, should be about prayer, about repentance for his actions, and about evangelism (to use a New Testament term) with these men who have been made spiritually sensitive to their need of salvation at least at some elementary level. And so Jonah's defiance continues. The sailors then confront him with a barrage of 5 questions that come in staccato fashion.

"Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?"

And then when we think we have seen the worst from this disobedient prophet, Jonah does the unthinkable. Notice his answer:

"He said to them, 'I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.'"

We first need to clarify that this was not a great, confident declaration of a prophet who had a heart for lost men needing to know the saving power of YHWH. Remember, he is running so that foreigners would not see salvation. Also, this answer does not come from Jonah until he is pressed to speak. So we can read this as a very hesitant answer. With a bit of sanctified imagination, perhaps he barley lifted his eyes when speaking this.

Yet, with all of the designations that Jonah could have chosen to describe the true God, why this one? Why highlight that He is the One who "made the sea and the dry land"?. For one simple reason; He wanted to be tossed overboard. His sinful behavior has so clouded his ability to reason that he considered death by drowning a better choice than obeying the word of YHWH. It is significant to note as well that to the Jewish mindset, drowning in the sea was the worst way to die. This is illustrated by Jesus' words of warning in Matt 18:6:

"but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

A natural question would be why Jonah would not jump ship himself, if he wanted to die in order to escape God's commands. The text does not say. Perhaps he was acting as a coward. Perhaps he could justify his desire to die if his life was taken by these sailors rather than committing suicide. But either way, Jonah's description of YHWH prompts the men to ask the very question he was waiting to hear in verse 11.

To be continued...

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Some Good articles

Take a look at these, very informative

Body Piercing Saved My Life

Plagiarism in the Pulpit

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Edward's Resolutions - 11-20

Contend Earnestly uses our weekend posts to quote men of the faith that have been a great encouragement to church. Today's post will be a continuation of Edwards' resolutions, numbers 11-20.

For a full reading of the Resolutions, click here.


RESOLUTIONS 11-20
of Jonathan Edwards

BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD'S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so, at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance, in eating and drinking.

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70 Resolutions

Contend Earnestly uses our weekend posts to quote men of the faith that have been a great encouragement to church. This morning we are going to start a mini-series on the 70 Resolutions written by Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was considered by some the greatest mind the United States has ever seen; in both the disciplines of theology and science. Edwards re-read his list, for his own sake, at the end of every week, month and year as a reminder of the commitments he made before the Lord at the age of 18 when he was called to Pastor his first congregation, having been saved for only a year.

For a full reading of the Resolutions, click here.

THE RESOLUTIONS
of Jonathan Edwards

BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD'S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

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God is Wrathful but He is Good - Pt 1 (Nahum 1:1-8)

Are you saved? Do you believe in the power of Christ’s death and resurrection? Is He your Lord? How do you know if you are saved?

“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
“He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
John 14:23,24

Yeah, but I said a prayer when I was 5, and I was told that prayer saves me. Wrong, no prayer will save you only faith in Jesus Christ will save you, which changes your life to live for Him. You are a new creature, your goals are to please Him in all respects of your life, that is the essence of repentance. To change.

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
James 2:19

You must be born again to be a true disciple of Christ, you must believe in Him and that faith changes you, it changes the way you think, the way you talk, the way you walk, your desires are for Christ and Christ alone. Will you trip every once in a while and sin? Yes, but your goals should be solely for Christ.

So, how does God see you if you are still in your sin and do not have the saving faith in Christ?

Look at Nahum 1:1-6

Adversary: an adversary is someone who is against something else. It is used also using the words to oppress or to be a foe of someone. We also know that the devil is called our adversary.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert, Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour
1 Peter 5:8

Because of this close relationship, Christ calls the Pharisees in John 8:44, sons of the devil.


Enemy: Here is the active part of the nouns used to describe God’s foes. If the adversary is who the person is, the word enemy describes the action of that person. The word means to be actively fighting against another. We see this in 1 Peter when it says that Satan prowls around he is active, and he hates us, just as those apart from God are active in their fight and they are called God haters in 2 Timothy 3:3,4. If you are unsaved you might say that you don’t fight against God and you don’t hate God but in God’s eyes if you are not for Him you are against Him.

Guilty: Understand that you are not innocent, you are not a good person. Romans 3:10 says that there are none that are good, no not one. Have you ever sinned? Have you ever lied, even once, ever coveted someone else’s belongings, ever said the Lord’s name as a cuss word, ever hated someone? If you have done this even once, James 2:10 says that you have broken the whole law. Meaning you are just as condemned as a murderer, you are just as condemned as the worst serial killer, just as worse as Hitler.

What does God do to these people? Look again in Nahum 1:1-3

He is avenging and wrathful: to avenge something it means to exact satisfaction for a wrong by punishing the person that did the wrong. How does God do this? Through His wrath and vengeance. It says that He will not let the guilty go unpunished. He takes His wrath out against those by punishing them forever in Hell.



It says that He stores up His wrath for his enemies.

Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12:19

Just think that every time you sin, it is another way of God storing up more wrath to take against you. If you sin 5 times a day and you live for 80 years you will sin 146,000 times so you allow the Creator of Hell and the Creator of you to store up wrath at least 146,000 times to take out on you for eternity. What will hell be like?

Solomon Stoddard, Edward’s grandfather, used to compare hell to “where they burnt their children to Moleck” at Topheth. There they burnt them as sacrifices to the devil, and made a noise with trumpets, that they might drown the noise of the cries of the poor children, they could not bear their cries. Hell is worse than these. Being in hell would be like suffering in the fire and brimstone that fell on Sodom: men, women, children, all like torches; their bodies blazed; how they scream out in pain and suffering. The difference is that agony was short lived, whereas in hell there is suffering everlasting burnings. Add thousands to thousands, and multiply millions by millions, fill quires of paper with numbers,when men have suffered never so long there is still an eternity remaining. This makes every part of their misery infinite, their pain will be infinite, the terror infinite.”



He would continue; God restrains the devil and his crew, but not in the next. The devil thirsts for the blood of souls, and tis only because God restrains him that they don’t lay hold of the soul before death; but as soon as ever the man is dead, God restrains him no more, but then these hell hounds fly upon their prey, these roaring lions dare then lay hold as it were with open mouths.

If you are not a Christian, be afraid, be fearful, for tomorrow is not promised. Repent tonight, may tonight be the night of salvation. For even the Mountains quake because of God. Nahum 1:8 ends with saying God will pursue His enemies into the darkness.

This is a scary thought, darkness is always meant to show evil and it is also used as a picture for hell. But don’t think you are safe in the darkness, don’t think you are safe when you are in hell, for God will continue to seek you out and will continue to pour out His wrath upon you even when you depart and go to hell. It is never ending, the burning will continue forever, and just when you think you can’t stand the burning anymore, you still have an eternity remaining. How long can you put your hand in a hot fire without screaming? Your whole body will be in the flames and you will never die, you will never rot, but will be as Stoddard put it, a torch.

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To Vote or Not to Vote

I simply have a question regarding the “Christian Duty” to vote. Recently we had the elections for the house and I was told numerous times that it was my “Christian Duty” to vote. If this is true, if it is my “Christian Duty” then shouldn’t that be mentioned in the Bible? If anything, we should cast lots to see who should be in office, but to vote for public office is a tough one for me.

I will start by saying I don’t disagree with voting and I don’t consider a sin to vote, but I just don’t agree that it is my Christian duty to vote. Is it a right in America? Yes, of course it is, but to label it as my duty to vote I find hard to follow. If it was a law that I had to vote then I would look on this differently, but it isn’t a law it is a choice.

Let’s see how Paul handles government affairs:

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
Romans 13:1

It doesn’t say anything besides that all governments and its officials are established by God NOT the people. I have heard some say, “If the Christians don’t vote, then imagine where America would be!” Imagine where America would be? Look where it is! We have voted throughout the ages in America and we have never seen it at its lowest that we see today. America is a terrible place of sin, of idolatry and now even taking God out of all aspects of public view. It doesn’t seem like our vote matters. Plus, shouldn’t I place my trust on God’s complete sovereignty? If all authorities are established by God then doesn’t that mean that God established Hitler to rule and also Ronald Reagan regardless of who voted or wasn’t allowed to vote?

The issue for me is to make sure that I am not approving someone by giving them my vote. If I vote for someone and they go on to take prayer out of schools or if they accept homosexual marriage, am I not partially now to blame? Candidates say one thing to get votes and then do another once they get into office, we all know this. So, knowing this how can I place my trust in what party they are in or what they say they’ll do? You are picking the best of the worse. The problem I have with the politicians these days is that they all lie and they all defame the others to get into office.

…And he who spreads slander is a fool
Proverbs 10:18

Am I to vote for a fool? I know that some will say that I am denying a fundamental American right, but I say that is fine. For I don’t answer to the President, I answer to my YHWH. At this time I don’t see how I can put my stamp of approval on ANY candidates and that is primarily the reason, why, at the age of 29, I have never yet voted for any individual and don’t see myself doing so.

Am I crazy? Maybe, but would like any thoughts on the subject. I could be completely wrong in this area. I just don’t see how America has been better off because Christians have made their vote clear. I only see a society that is falling deeper and deeper into sin instead of higher and higher to the heavens. There are some further thoughts on this subject at Pulpit Magazine, the article is called, Can Christians Participate in Civil Disobedience?

May God be glorified and may we all remember what Christ told Pilate in John 19:10,11:

Pilate therefore said to him, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

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Jonah, Pt. 2

After Jonah's defiance of YHWH, he fled to Tarshish. Some scholars believe that this was the farthest destination Jonah could have chosen of the known world at the time. And while the exact location of Tarshish is disputed, we do know that it was in the opposite direction; further proof of his staggering pride to tell the LORD "No".

As the historical account continues in Chapter 1, we read that the LORD Himself "hurled" a great wind on the sea and caused a terrifying storm. This storm was so severe, that even the seasoned sailors became frightened, began to pray (which indicates that even they realized that this storm was of divine origin), and to toss their cargo overboard. This tells us that they indeed were expecting to die in this catastrophe. Their cargo was means of sustenance and was also how they earned their living.

On one trip into the hold of the ship, the Captain was astonished to see Jonah "sound" asleep.

More to come...

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Rediscovering Expository Preaching

This is an exerpt from an article written by Richard Mayhue, dean of the Master's Seminary. If you would like to read the entire article click here.

Biblical preaching’s authenticity is significantly tarnished by
contemporary communicators' being more concerned with personal relevance than God's revelation. Scripture unmistakably requires a proclamation focused on God's will and mankind's obligation to obey. With men wholly committed to God's Word, the expository method commends itself as preaching that is true to the Bible. The method presupposes an exegetical process to extract the God-intended meaning of Scripture and an explanation of that meaning in a contemporary understandable way. The biblical essence and apostolic spirit of expository preaching needs to be recaptured in the training of men newly committed to "preaching the Word."
* * * * *
The Master's Seminary joins with others in accepting the urgent responsibility for transmitting the Pauline legacy to "preach the Word" (2 Tim 4:2). The current series of articles in The Master's Seminary Journal signal an effort to instill in twenty-first century preachers a pattern of biblical preaching inherited from their predecessors.

Every generation shares the kind of dire circumstances that Amos prophesied for Israel: "`Behold, days are coming,' declares the Lord GOD, `When I will send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the LORD'" (Amos 8:11). The last several centuries have proven this need again.

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Lordship Salvation

I took this from Pulpit Magazine and thought it added to our thoughts on child salvation, because isn't this really what we are asking when a child asks, "daddy, I want to ask Jesus into my heart!" Aren't we asking, "do they really understand Lordship, do they really understand how to live for God?" So I am posting this excerpt from a post on Pulpit Magazine, if you want to read the whole thing click here

The lordship position teaches that salvation occurs at the moment of conversion, and that conversion includes a change of heart such that those who were enemies of Christ now love Him.
That’s pretty much it.
Lordship teaches that true Christians love Jesus. And that those who do not love Jesus are not true Christians.
After all, Jesus said, “If God were your Father, you would love Me” (John 8:42). Paul said that anyone who does not love Jesus is accursed (1 Cor. 16:22). And Peter described the belief of his readers in these terms: “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him” (1 Pet. 1:8).
And what does love for Christ look like?
He Himself tells us in John 14:15—“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” That is pretty straightforward: Love for Christ is a willingness to keep His commands.
The Free Grace camp attempts to keep salvation and conversion separate, such that a sinner can become a child of God and yet continue in hatred and unrepentant rebellion against God. We find this wholly unacceptable. It is not only illogical, it is also unbiblical. In salvation, the sinner is rescued not only from the consequences of his sin (in the life to come), but also from his slavery to sin (in this life—Rom. 6, 8:1-13). Those who claim to have been saved, yet remain slaves to sin, are deceiving themselves (1 John 1:5; cf. James 2:19).
Lou Martuneac’s position agrees with lordship that conversion and salvation are inseparable. Yet, Lou attempts to remove love for Christ from the change of heart that conversion necessarily entails. Since love for Christ is, by Christ’s own definition, a willingness to obey—then Lou is forced to promote a loveless, affectionless, devotionless conversion. Biblically this is impossible. But Lou has no other choice. The moment he admits that love for Christ is included in conversion, the debate is over. To concede that point is to agree with the lordship position.
Does this mean that new believers fully understand all that love for Christ entails at the moment of salvation? No, of course not. As John MacArthur wrote in chapter 12 of The Gospel According to Jesus:
Obviously, a new believer does not fully understand all the ramifications of Jesus’ lordship at the moment of conversion. But every genuine believer has a desire to surrender. This is what distinguishes true faith from a bogus profession: true faith produces a heart that is humble, submissive, and obedient. As spiritual understanding unfolds, that obedience grows deeper, and the genuine believer displays an eagerness to please Christ by abandoning everything to his lordship. This willingness to surrender to divine authority is a driving force in the heart of every true child of the kingdom. It is the inevitable expression of the new nature.

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Known by Your Fruit

I have been wrestling with this issue in my own life as I deal with my sin, both outward and inward. We are told that we will known by our fruits, whether or not we will saved or not. We are also told that some of our fruit that isn’t godly will be burnt up (1 Cor 3) yet still be saved. We are told that those practicing righteousness is truly a son of God and an heir with Christ and those who practice evil is of the devil. (1 John 3)

My question is that it seems in my heart that I practice evil and that most of the fruit that I produce is always followed up by either a temptation of selfishness or actually done out of selfishness. I do see that, my godly fruit is increasing but to say that I don’t practice evil would be foolish. I know of the fight that Paul was having in Romans 7 and I know that I am still in the flesh, but I am really sick when I see my sin.

I have been reading “Jonathan Edwards: A Life” and just got done with “A Bruised Reed” by a puritan named Richard Sibbes and they both make me feel a little better about myself saying that a Christian must or a person must go through a time of complete distraught over their sin before they can realize the depths of God’s love and mercy in salvation by sending His Son.

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah isn’t given the burning coal until he realizes how sinful and evil he was compared to the holiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, only then were his sins forgiven.

Micah 4:11-13 speaks of this as well; notice not until God’s people are laid on the ground, defeated, will He then gather them like sheaves.

Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion. But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

So here is the real question. Which is it? Am I sinning more or is it because I am understanding more of God’s holiness and His wrath and hate against that sin? Is this just a part of sanctification? Or should I fear that I am not saved? The puritans would definitely say this is part of our walk and I know as I read Jonathan Edwards he definitely dealt with this. Fleshly, that comforts me, spiritually I can answer to God by no man’s words or experience only His.

Thoughts?

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Remembrance

Winston Churchill honored the memory of the Royal Air Force pilots who sacrificed their lives to guard England during the air war with Germany in World War II. He declared, "Never in the history of mankind have so many owed so much to so few." A similar tribute appears on a memorial plaque in Belgium at the site of the Battle of the Bulge, one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II. The inscription, in honor of the 101st Airborne Division, reads, "Seldom has so much American blood been shed in the course of a single action. Oh, Lord, help us to remember." These are fitting tributes to the courageous men who sacrificed so much in battle. We want to remember those who have sacrificed their lives in order to defend us from our enemies and to protect us from harm. We should remember. We don't want to forget.There is another who sacrificed His life for us. We respect the soldier who died on our behalf, but this Man's sacrifice on our behalf was infinitely greater, and the stakes involved were infinitely higher. This Man is Jesus of Nazareth. His suffering upon the cross was far beyond anything we can imagine and infinitely above what any other human has ever experienced. I am referring not merely to His physical suffering, as great as that was, but to the spiritual dimension of His agony, which is far beyond what we can comprehend. He sacrificed His life in this unique act of atonement to deliver us from Satan, sin and death, to save us for the eternal judgment our sins deserve, to make us right with God. Never in the history of humanity have so many owed so much to one Man. We should remember. We don't want to forget. So we regularly, frequently partake of the Lord's Supper. Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me."

I was thinking about instituting a new element to our family worship time at the dinner table. We always start by praying and usually havea devotion time. I was thinking about actually starting the meal by breaking bread in remembrance of our Lord. As the family priest I alone would break the bread and then offer our prayer. Maybe we all tear some bread? or just Susan and I, as we remember, give thanks and offer our continued devotion and pledge to the Lord.

Since I have four children who are all eleven or younger none of them currently partake in communion or have been baptized. I was thinking that this would act as a bridge to those ordinances as well as give honor and remembrance. But I am very cautious about coming too close to an actual communion act which is only for believers. By keeping the drinking element out do I violate the intent or give myself a loophole?

Thoughts?

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Jonah - "The Hero"

I would hope that you are as disturbed by the title of this article as I was when I read it in my Bible dictionary under the entry labeled "Book of Jonah". This one statement communicated that the writer of this particular entry did not understand the major premise behind this biblical book. Jonah is by no means a hero! That God is abounding in lovingkindness and will work His will in spite of the sins of men, even His own chosen prophet, shows clearly that He is the hero of this incredible account.

When you have a spare 10 minutes, read through this short book, and take note of Jonah's character; namely that he is marked by racism, hatred, anger and staggering pride. And all of this done as a direct affront to YHWH of hosts.

Jonah is the only prophet who openly and persistently defied God. To be sure, there have been other disobedient prophets, those who hesitated, those who doubted. But Jonah ran. Jonah shook his fist at YHWH and there is no indication in the book that he was ever repentant. Two things to notice are the abrupt beginning and ending to this book.

The opening verses set the tone (unfortunately) well:

Jon 1:1-3
"The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. "

What amazing foolishness to think that he could flee from the presence of YHWH! The last words of Jonah are as follows:

Jon 4:9
Then God said to Jonah, "Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "I have good reason to be angry, even to death."

The force of the Hebrew language communicates that Jonah had the audacity to use expletive language with YHWH Almighty. Unthinkable.

So, who is the hero of this historical narrative? A spiteful, vengeful, selfish and self-centered, disobedient prophet who completed his mission simply based on the fact that YHWH is Omnipotent and Sovereign in causing His prophecy to be preached?



Or is it a patient, merciful and loving God who cares even for the wicked city of Nineveh? Who even cares for an ungodly prophet like Jonah? Who even cares for you?

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Preach the word (2 Tim 4:2)

A quote from a sermon that was instrumental in forming my understanding of true biblical ministry. By John Macarthur:

"Beloved, we need men who can go into the fray, men who can go into the battle who understand the Word of God clearly. Let me tell you something, Satan's deceptions are not without subtlety. Do you understand that? It's not always obvious on the surface what's really going on. It takes formidable men. It takes men who understand the Word of God clearly, carefully. It takes men who understand the issues of their time and it takes men who have a holy courage who are willing to step into the battle and identify the enemy and assault the enemy graciously but assault the enemy relentlessly with the truth. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10, our job is to smash fortresses, ideological fortresses and to bring everybody captive there into obedience to Christ. We want to set free the captives held in the fortresses that these dangerous epochs have erected. We're called to guard the truth. We're called to preach the truth. We can't do either if we don't understand the truth. And against the subtleties and nuances of Satan's devices, it takes well-trained skilled men and we're committed to that."

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Excerpt from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

The observation from the words that I would now insist upon is this. -- "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God." -- By the mere pleasure of God, I mean his sovereign pleasure, his arbitrary will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, any more than if nothing else but God's mere will had in the least degree, or in any respect whatsoever, any hand in the preservation of wicked men one moment. -- The truth of this observation may appear by the following considerations.

1. There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. -- He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?

2. They deserve to be cast into hell; so that divine justice never stands in the way, it makes no objection against God's using his power at any moment to destroy them. Yea, on the contrary, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins. Divine justice says of the tree that brings forth such grapes of Sodom, "Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground?" Luke 13:7. The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of arbitrary mercy, and God's mere will, that holds it back.

3. They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John 3:18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23. "Ye are from beneath:" And thither he is bound; it is the place that justice, and God's word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him.

4. They are now the objects of that very same anger and wrath of God, that is expressed in the torments of hell. And the reason why they do not go down to hell at each moment, is not because God, in whose power they are, is not then very angry with them; as he is with many miserable creatures now tormented in hell, who there feel and bear the fierceness of his wrath. Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation, who it may be are at ease, than he is with many of those who are now in the flames of hell.
So that it is not because God is unmindful of their wickedness, and does not resent it, that he does not let loose his hand and cut them off. God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so. The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.

5. The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him. They belong to him; he has their souls in his possession, and under his dominion. The scripture represents them as his goods, Luke 11:12. The devils watch them; they are ever by them at their right hand; they stand waiting for them, like greedy hungry lions that see their prey, and expect to have it, but are for the present kept back. If God should withdraw his hand, by which they are restrained, they would in one moment fly upon their poor souls. The old serpent is gaping for them; hell opens its mouth wide to receive them; and if God should permit it, they would be hastily swallowed up and lost.

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The Psychology of Impermanence

The "Seeker Friendly" philosophy of ministry is nothing new (Ecc 1:9). Consider these words from A.W. Tozer written c.a 1960's:







Time may show that one of the greatest weaknesses in our modern civilization has been the acceptance of quantity rather than quality as the goal after which to strive. This is particularly evident in the United States. Costly buildings are constantly being erected with no expectation that they shall last more than one short generation. . . . Not only in our architecture but almost everywhere else is this psychology of impermanence found. A beauty salon ad recently defined a term which has long needed clarification. It read: "Permanent Waves. Guaranteed to last three months." So, permanence is the quality of lasting three months! These may be extreme cases, but they illustrate the transiency of men's hopes and the brevity of their dreams apart from God. The church also is suffering from a left-handed acceptance of this philosophy of impermanence. Christianity is resting under the blight of degraded values. And it all stems from a too-eager desire to impress, to gain fleeting attention, to appear well in comparison with some world-beater who happens for the time to have the ear or the eye of the public. This is so foreign to the Scriptures that we wonder how Bible-loving Christians can be deceived by it. The Word of God ignores size and quantity and lays all its stress upon quality. Christ, more than any other man, was followed by the crowds, yet after giving them such help as they were able to receive, He quietly turned from them and deposited His enduring truths in the breasts of His chosen 12. He refused a quick shortcut to the throne and chose instead the long painful way of the cross. He rejected the offers of the multitude and rested His success upon those eternal qualities which He was able to plant in the hearts of a modest number of redeemed men. The ages have thanked God that He did.

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California Here He Comes!

Our friend, brother and fellow blogger is leaving us! Tony has been called by the Lord to head to Seminary in Southern California. This is a short blog, but I wanted to say that we are so excited for you, Tony. It's always hard to see those with whom we are so like-minded leave (geographically, speaking). But we are confident that the Lord builds His church.

Just one request from the lowly Non-Semmer's up in the dark Non Bible Belt Northwest (see Seth, I agree!): Keep blogging, as you are able! Even if its a copy and paste of scribbled notes from Barrick, Essex or Thomas' class, that will be enough to keep on feeding us. (and as a side, selfish note…take all your notes on your laptop and email me weekly!!)


Have fun, study hard, and prepare for His work. May the Lord bless you and your family.

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Mythology 101

What is mythology? For years I have been wanting to investigate the tales of the Greeks and the Romans. Like many of you my understanding is very limited and due mostly to bits and pieces of stories that I have heard over the years. Names like Zeus, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Medusa, Hades and the Titans come to mind. I am also familiar with authors like Homer and Virgil as well as books like Iliad and the Odyssey. I have vague memories of stories but over the years I must admit that the line between fact and fiction has become a bit blurred.

Many of you may know that I find great joy in watching USC football. I have been watching my beloved Trojans play since I was nine years old. I can’t believe I don’t know more about the Trojan Wars but I can tell you the names of all seven Heisman Trophy winners. I have not given it much thought but I now have a very clear understanding of the true story of the Trojan Horse. Without going into the whole story the Greeks tried to defeat the men of Troy but could not break through the city walls. So the Greeks devised a plan to hide their men in a giant wooden horse and leave it at the gate of Troy as a gift. At night when the city was asleep the men climbed out of the wooden horse, opened the gates and let the Grecian army into the city for a victory. Be honest, how many of you thought that was an actual historical event? Just one of many great myths found in Homers classic, The Odyssey.

How about the “warring men-haters” who were a nation of women, all warriors known as “Amazons”? Just a myth. And I hate to break it to you ladies but unicorns don’t exist either.

I find it fascinating that Greek and Roman mythology is generally supposed to show us the way the human race thought and felt untold ages ago. Through it we are suppose to retrace the path from uncivilized man to the man of reason and rationality. When these stories were being shaped we must understand that little distinction had been made between the real and the unreal. The imagination was vividly alive and not checked by the reason. So although real places were named and explanations for real things like creation, spiders, thunder, lightning and love were described reality was subjective.

The Greeks unlike the Egyptians, made their gods in their own image. Primitive man, whether in Indonesia today or ages ago in prehistoric wilderness has lived in fear and terror of who their maker was. The Egyptian gods had no semblance of reality. They were unlike all living things. A woman with a cat’s head, men with birds’ heads, lions with bulls’ heads and both with eagles wings deliberately made inhuman and mysterious.

Greek mythology humanized the world. Men were freed from the paralyzing fear of an omnipotent Unknown. The terrifying incomprehensibilities, which were, worshipped elsewhere, and the fearsome spirits with which earth, air and sea swarmed explained by the Greeks.

The “Unknown” or “God” as we would describe it was terrifying and irrational to Greeks. The Greeks felt as if they had freed the earth from the monstrous idea of the inhuman supreme over the human. We see the seeds that man is god.

Greek mythology is largely made up of stories about gods and goddesses but it must not be read as a kind of Greek Bible, or an account of the Greek religion. According to the most modern idea, a real myth has nothing to do with religion. It is an explanation of something in nature; how, for instance, any and everything in the universe came into existence: men, animals, trees, flowers, stars, storms, earthquakes all that is and all that happens.

It becomes very clear why the Bible begins with an explanation as to who made this world. The creator of the world is the God of this world. By trying to substitute Greek mythology into the science of creation the Greeks are able to eliminate God. We see the same war being waged today by scientists through the fable of evolution.

Myths are considered early science; the result of men’s first trying to explain what they saw around them. But there are man so-called myths, which explain nothing at all. These tales are pure entertainment. The sort of thing people would tell each other on a long winter’s evening.

The world of Greek mythology was a place of enlightenment to the beauty of man. They had no desire to create some fantasy shaped into their own minds. All the art and all the thought of Greece centered in human beings. Human gods naturally made heaven pleasantly familiar. Homer stated, “Greek artists and poets realized how splendid a man could be, straight and swift and strong, He was the fulfillment of their search for beauty.” And modern secular humanism was born.

The Greeks had no need for magic or ugly witches. The Greeks believed god was created in the image of man. We believe that man was created in the image of God. In this subtle difference man is really god according to the Greeks. The Greek gods are also described as being very human in their character. The most important god, Zeus is represented as falling in love with one woman after another and descending to all manner of tricks to hide his infidelity from his wife. He was not omnipotent or omniscient and he is not even the only god. It was a brilliant way to lower the true God to the level of man. Like man their gods are not perfect or holy.

I’m not sure if these myths originated as timeless tales or a masterful plan by the evil one to distract, misguide or even lie about the realities of how things came into being. It is evident to me as I learn more about them that they have been a stumbling block to many. Surely western political philosophy, which has been descended from Plato and extended to today, has been strongly influenced by these myths.

Finally be alert and stand firm for our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the schemes of the devil, the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph 6:11-12). See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ (Col 2:8) Where is the wise man? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God. The foolishness of God is wiser than men, the weakness of God and the wisdom of God (I Cor 1:18-25)

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It's the blood of Jesus, baby...

Tony, the faithful blogger. Thank you for not quitting! It has been an encouragement to me. Yes, it is amazing but true....I am blogging today! No excuses, so let's just get to it.

I love the post on the idea of "fun", and what is acceptable to the Lord. Interestingly enough, the idea that has been rolling around in my head has been something that has been related. I recently heard a song that hit me the wrong way. No surprise, really, since our culture is filled with songs that are worldly and reflect a wrong view of God and His holiness. But the song that I heard was not out in the world, per se. It was during a Bible study.

Before I get too far into this, let me clarify that I am not making a judgment on the heart of the person that wrote the song. And from what I heard, there was only one word that caused my consternation. So the rest of the song was fine, and actually extolled the truth that Christ shed His blood as a perfect atonement for our sin; a good thing! Here is how the chorus went:

It's the blood of Jesus
It's the blood of Jesus, baby
It's the blood of Jesus that sets us free

Again, I love the overall message that is conveyed. But I have a problem with the insertion of the word "baby" when talking about the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior. The one who was sinless, perfect, holy and fully Divine. The Word which became flesh (John 1:14). The one who became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). At the risk of sounding harsh, this is a flippant chorus as set against such a great and holy truth. I do believe that we have to be very careful when we examine how we approach our Bible study's and worship services.

Recently I went on a bit or a rant during the College/Career Sunday school study when talking about this issue. I use the word "rant" because I mentioned some things that were a personal conviction of mine, and did not clarify fully that these were not legalistic rules that I was looking to impose on everyone else. I was discussing the glorious truth of the holiness of God, and that we have the privilege to come into His presence to worship the Creator! I warned the class to be careful not to approach this time with carelessness. And I think I myself can approach the corporate worship service with too lax of an attitude.

- coming in late
- leaving early (to get the kids from the nursery, etc)
- standing during the time of singing while holding a cup of coffee
- getting up during the service for any reason that is not a dire matter of health or safety!
- not opening our Bibles during the sermon
- closing our Bible's and bags during the ending prayer
- or even worse, not having our Bible at all!

I could probably keep going. And the risk of stating concerns like this is that people may think that the above "standards" are a demarcation of true spirituality and devotion. But this leads us quickly to legalism. The things above are only indicators of where we are at. They are not catalysts for spiritual growth. In other words, do not set out on a quest to make the things above a "checklist" to begin your spiritual growth because it won't work. At the risk of being redundant, they are only indicators. Not tools for growth.

So when I heard the song above, it hit me that we are sometimes too casual with our declaration of the great things of God and His word. I would expect us to say things like "Man, that was a great jump shot, baby!" (~insert sound of high five here~) or "Oh baby, that steak looks good!" or "Do you want to go jet skiing today?"...."Yeah, baby!". But the last thing I would expect would be to use slang when talking about the shed blood of Christ.

We were bought with a price. We are His children, true, but remember that Paul considered himself a slave of Christ (Rom 6:18, Eph 6:6). He is our friend, but also our Master (Eph 6:9, Col 1:4). Let us boldly approach His throne of grace (Heb 4:16) but never forget that it is only because of His grace that we can come at all.

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Fun

Recently I read a paper entitled “Is the Holy Spirit fun?” As a younger man and one who enjoys the lighter side of life I must admit I felt a bit convicted when I reflected on my teaching style. I never realized the danger in having too much fun in a teaching environment. Not that I have ever felt the pressure to be entertaining or liked when I teach but I must admit especially when I speak to young people that I tend to be more of a “wise guy” than a guy who is “wise”.

I was reminded that we are living in an entertainment-based world and that most people have a very short attention span. I also recognized that fun-focused learning practitioners, like myself at times, are slaves to the latest thrill.

As one who teaches high schoolers at times I would hate to think that I am contributing to their future entertainment based thirst when it comes to God’s holy word. I would hope that my style would encourage them to want to learn more about the word and dig deeper. I can even evaluate my own spiritual growth and see that my true growth has come from having a hunger for righteousness and then being fed without any need for fun. Even one of my favorite speakers I have a hard time visiting because too much of his message is based on stirring up the crowd rather than just giving the message straight up.

Finally I note that one of my favorite authors, Francis Schaeffer, commented on the impoverished value of personal peace. Personal peace means wanting to have my personal life pattern undisturbed in my lifetime. That personal life pattern is the recreation, hobby, interest, or fun that each individual is in pursuit of to make them happy. Today the pursuit of affluency and fun are the marks of many Christian Americans, myself included.

Schaeffer sees the pursuit of personal peace as a primary danger because the pursuit becomes their life mission and the object becomes their god (i.e. most Christians will watch hours of television each night while passing on reading their bibles entirely). It’s simply more fun to watch T.V. than to read Exodus. Fun is a very real diversion from a difficult life into a world of fantasy and escape. Pleasure, recreation, entertainment, “FUN” is the god of our age.

But…

I have questions regarding Fun. I recognize that the pursuit of fun needs to be kept in check. The idea of making everything fun is dangerous and wrong but we are allowed or permitted to have fun. Given that one has fulfilled his work obligations, familial duties, and ministry opportunities then what is an acceptable form of fun? I guess I will start by saying these are some of the things that I find fun to do which I do not see as particularly spiritual:
1.Watching USC football.
2.Drinking Starbucks mochas.
3.Playing with my kids.
4.Listening to country music.
5.Watching movies like Gladiator and Star Wars.
6.Watching a tv show like Seinfeld.
7.Listening to Jim Rome.
8.Listening to Dennis Prager.
9.Reading the sports page.
10.Driving with my wife.

These are 10 things which I enjoy doing for non spiritual reasons. Now to the questions:

1.Why do Christians enjoy non Christian music?
2.Why do Christians enjoy counter cultural anti Christian value shows?
3.Is it okay to have diversions such as sports and music?
4.Are talk shows a waste of good bible tape time?
5.Is it really wrong to pursue fun activities with the kids?
6.While we are having “FUN” people are going to hell everyday should we just be in GO,GO,GO mode all the time?
7.How do we respond to those who are judgmental towards others liberties?
8.Should I be concerned that I enjoy these things (not that I enjoy them more than studying God’s word, teaching my family, having Christian fellowship, singing praises, etc.)?

This is not a question of legalism but a look at trust and devotion. Last week I studied Psalm 119 which is has 176 verses all point to faith, hope, trust, reliance, total dependency on God and His word.

What does 1 John say about loving the world or the things of the world? “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of they eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father but is from the world” 1 John 2:15-16

James 4:4 calls those who have friendship with the world hostile toward God. Adulteresses, Enemies of God.


Is your goal in life to be righteous? To walk according to the book? Are you satisfied with a little sin here or there as long as the scales of justice weigh heavier on the good stuff? Is your goal to “Be like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your behavior.” 1 Pet 1:15 “You are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt 5:48

So let’s be careful what we consider fun but let’s have “FUN”!

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Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

I can remember watching Leave It To Beaver when I was a kid and thinking that was the perfect American family. Dad would go of to his 9 to 5 job while the kids went to school and June Cleaver happily stayed home taking care of the house and the family while in high heels, pearls and a dress. Ironically some 50 years later the first lady of the United States Hillary Clinton would mock the June Cleaver and her cookie baking. Really what was being attacked was the idea that the Cleavers lifestyle represented an outdated Judeo-Christian 50’s lifestyle, which doesn’t work anymore.

American families have come a long way since the days of Leave It To Beaver and Father Knows Best. Americans spend more time than ever watching other families in movies and TV. Take a moment to think about the most popular families on screen today. Shows like The Sopranos, The Osbournes and this year’s phenomenally successful movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding demonstrate pop culture’s unprecedented embrace of households that make no attempt to seem normal. There is a trend to focus on weird, eccentric, even combative intact families.

Before you think that I’m trying to be a killjoy I will start by saying that one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time was My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I really had a good time watching the movie with wife. With that said I would pick on this movie for this topic.

So what’s wrong with My Big Fat Greek Wedding (MBF)? MBF glamorizes many traditional values such as:
1.The relationship between the mother and father contains manipulation on both sides. Mother and daughter conspire against the father.
2.The mother is the true head of the family even though the father has the louder bark. I’ll never forget this statement, “The man may be the head but the woman is the neck and the neck turns the head.”
3.The daughter sneaks around behind her parents back. Nia goes to school under false pretenses and begins a relationship in secret.
4.The daughter engages in pre marital activities.
5.This charming couple comes from different religious backgrounds. Not only are they unequally yoked but also they belittle their own faiths.
6.The family as a whole is constantly bickering with each other.
7.The subtle hint of racism. As a proud Greek the father had difficulty accepting any other nationality.

Why am I pointing this out? When you formulate what your family is going to be like and pictures of these dysfunctional families race through your mind what kind of impact do you think they might have if any? Don’t think that shows like Married with Children, What about Ray, and even cartoons like the Simpson’s haven’t already penetrated into your mind.

The TV show Everyone Loves Raymond glorifies many marital struggles as if they are okay. The parents seem to dislike being with their children. The in-laws live across the street and are constantly intruding on Ray’s family. The husband is a wimp who doesn’t want, desire, or accept headship in his family. The wife hates the husband’s friends, family and any hobby Ray seems to have. The couple’s favorite sport is ridiculing one another. The whole show is based are arguments and family strife. There is never any real conflict resolution.

As funny as Everyone Loves Raymond may be, who would want to have a family like theirs? What TV family would you like to pattern your family after? When was the last time you saw a devout Christian family on TV? The last show I can remember was 7th Heaven, which had more family problems than any show I’ve ever seen.

Unfortunately we don’t have examples of family life in the Bible. We do find principles for family living throughout the pages of Scripture by which we can follow. More important we have our own families and we have church families.

The next time your thinking about watching a movie or a few hours of TV maybe you should spend some time fellowshipping at some church members home watching how they set up shop. And if you want drama try reading Genesis and the family of Abraham, Jacob and Moses.

When James warns us about being adulteresses do we listen? We must be very careful what we fill our minds and hearts with. The enemy is cleaver and subtle. He finds his way into our lives through beauty and humor which the world generously gives us through meda and art

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whover wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

Are we going to find the path of righteousness through movies, music and sitcoms? What is a family? What are the roles of husband, wife, and children? The bible teaches us the following while the world contradicts every foundation principle that we cling to:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as the Lord. Ephesians 5:22

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching , reproof, correction and training in righteousnes, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

For whatever you do whever you eat or drink do for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

Blessed in the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, stand in the path of sinners or sit in the seat of scoffers for his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in His law he meditates day and night Psalm 1:1-2

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Proverbs 1:7

How can we start our day bathing ourselves in the pure water of our Lord only to spend the rest of the day in the filthy lake of the devil? Be alert! Be on guard! Be ready!

I say all this to my own shame. As you can tell by my descriptions of some of the shows above I have watched them and have remembered them so clearly that I can review what I have seen years ago. What does that tell us about the impact of those shows?

So put on your full armour and make sure that you are careful what your little eyes might see.

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