Amos 9:11 – Nahum 3:19
Overview
Day 66 of the Bible in 90 days seemed like a whirlwind. Today’s reading included the 5 minor prophets Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micha and Nahum. We know that Amos was not your typical prophet. He was a Shepard who God used in a mighty way to bring news to the people that the party was over and they would be among the first to go into exile. As Amos put it, “your feasting and lounging will end.”
Obadiah is the shortest book in the entire Bible. He was a prophet who delivered a message about the Edomites. We have read about them beginning when Moses and the people were in the wilderness. They have always been against Israel. Now, in Obadiah, we learn that the Edomites celebrated the plight of Israel and Obadiah’s message from God says that they will see their evil deeds punished.
Jonah is different than the other prophets. Instead of answering the call of God like the other prophets, Jonah runs from God because he doe not want to save the people of Nineveh. He is quickly humbled and obeys God after he is almost killed in an ocean storm and then held in the belly of a large fish before being regurgitated.
Micha brought the message of judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem. He said that God was going to wipe away all of the high places where people conducted their idol worship practices. They were also planning and scheming their sin upon their fellow man. Because of this they would be either killed or carried away into exile.
We conclude our reading today with the book of Nahum, once again we see a prophet of God speaking out to the people of Nineveh, the capital city of the Assyrian empire. God did use the Assyrian Empire as a tool to punish the people of Israel and now we see that the punish-er will be subject to the same wrath because of their pride and hatred.
Scripture Jonah 1:7-9
7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, I will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’”
Jonah Is Thrown Overboard
Observation
Jonah had been literally running from God. While trying to get as far away from Nineveh as possible, he finds himself trapped in a life threatening storm at sea and is finally thrown overboard by the crew of the ship. Jonah finds himself surrounded by doom, darkness and despair. He is in the belly of a great fish and when there seemed to be no more hope, prays his fox-hole prayer. He holds to the truth that his prayer will reach God. He agrees that those who hold to worthless idols give away God’s love. Regardless of his circumstances, Jonah promises God that he will praise the Lord and sacrifice to him. All of his promises to God will be kept and he will speak out for the Lord.
Application
We all have been in what we thought were hopeless situations. We prayed out to our Lord, “God, if you help me, I promise I will ……..”. Jonah was in a similar situation while he was in the belly of the great fish. His sincere prayer was not only for help but it was to praise and worship the Lord as well. There is nothing more important to hold to and hope for than the promises of God. When we are presented with what we think are “hopeless circumstances”, remember God will hear you. Regardless of the outcome, God wants us to talk with, worship and praise Him because he is a loving, holy God. Sometimes we might feel very far from our Lord but just like Jonah, God hears our prayers, even in the depths of the sea inside a great big fish.
Prayer
Father, thank you for hearing my prayers and loving me. I praise you for being Lord of my life. Thank you for your Word of truth that it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that I may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
