Bible Reading Reflection from Zephaniah 1-3

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

ℤ𝔼ℙℍ𝔸ℕ𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟙:𝟟

"Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests."

It's most appropriate to be silent before the mighty God. Everyone will be silent in awe of God's judgment.

Even in our experience, when we are very afraid, we lost even our sound (voice). I remember when I was a child there were many times, I was afraid of ghosts. And I didn't dare even to shout out for help.

 

ℤ𝔼ℙℍ𝔸ℕ𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟚:𝟛

"Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD'S anger."

What a terrible judgment is laid out in chapter 2! But in it, God puts a ray of hope, a light on, for salvation.

Our God is indeed a Saviour. The meaning of our Lord "Jesus" is God saves. God always sends out good news even with a most devastating message. In fact, the good news is good because all other news is bad.

That's one of the reasons why we talk about bad news (that man is a sinner and shall die in his sin) before we give the good news of salvation (that Jesus came to save us).

 

ℤ𝔼ℙℍ𝔸ℕ𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟛:𝟙𝟛

"The remnant of Israel will do no wrong And tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will feed and lie down With no one to make them tremble."

The remnants are the saved ones. They are righteous and godly. They will have a life of peace.

Zephaniah was talking about physical salvation (from invaders and enemies), but that's the picture of real salvation too.

Righteousness, Godliness, and Peaceful Life are the indicators of saved ones! Yes, theoretically (position before God) and practically (every day of our real life). Let's claim them!

Bible Reading Reflection from Habakkuk 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

ℍ𝔸𝔹𝔸𝕂𝕂𝕌𝕂 𝟙:𝟞

"For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs."

Wow! God was raising up evil and wicked people (Babylonians) to punish and kill His own people (Judah).

Habakkuk was totally upset by the social injustice and ungodly lifestyle of his people. One would pray for reformation or revival in such a situation, and so, Habakkuk asked God to do something. Well, God sometimes brings revival in a society like Nineveh in the times of Jonah, but now is a time of judgment for Judah.

Btw, that's the heresy of Charles Finney that if we pray hard and work hard, revival will come. No! It's God who brings revival in His time. Even prophets like Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Isaiah couldn't bring revival because God was set to purge His people. In fact, God told some prophets to stop praying for the people.

May that be not our situation. Instead of judgment, may it be a time of revival in our generation! God is Awesome!

 

ℍ𝔸𝔹𝔸𝕂𝕂𝕌𝕂 𝟚:𝟚𝟘

"But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him."

Habbakuk found it difficult to accept what God said concerning Babylonians punishing Judah. Because they were worse or equally bad as Judah. And God revealed to him that He will overthrow the Babylonians too.

Thus, v20. God is not panicking. He is in control of everything. Let everyone be still before Him!

 

ℍ𝔸𝔹𝔸𝕂𝕂𝕌𝕂 𝟛:𝟚

"LORD, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy."

Habakkuk was praying for revival. He doesn't want to see his people taken into captivity by the Babylonians!

He was praying for mercy! Oh! How we need to intercede for fellow Christians, and even for our society!

Bible Reading Reflection from Nahum 1-3

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

ℕ𝔸ℍ𝕌𝕄 𝟙:𝟟

"The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him."

I have taught through the book of Nahum a few years ago in Derabassi, Punjab. I am pretty confident to answer any potential question from this book! So, fire on. However, I don't like to type an answer for questions that will not make us godlier!

I would contend that this verse, 1:7 is one of the key themes of Nahum, yes even of the message of the prophetical writings, yes even of the whole Bible.

Yahweh is good, no matter what we think of Him in any situation. Trouble will be always present in this world, in our life. But Yahweh is a stronghold, a shelter, a refuge (not a weak-hold btw 😎).

Yahweh knows who are His, those who worship Him, those who seek Him. The goodness of Yahweh is for those who are His. The wrath of Yahweh is upon those who rebel against Him. Trouble will always be here with us that's why we rely on God all the more!

 

ℕ𝔸ℍ𝕌𝕄 𝟚:𝟚

"For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob Like the splendor of Israel, Even though devastators have devastated them And destroyed their vine branches."

God allows misfortune in a believer's life, but He brings restoration as well! If we've lost anything for the cause of Christ, or for the cause of righteous living, let's remember, God is for us to reward more than we have ever imagined!

For example, Eric Liddell didn't run the Olympic 100 m race because it was scheduled on Sunday. He has been practicing for that race every day for 4 years. He refused to participate because it was Sunday. Now, imagine, representing himself for his country. What would his countrymen say of him, refusing to run? Well, he ran another race, a 400 m race on the next day, and won the race for which he didn't prepare.

Faithful people are amazing, but God's more amazing!

 

ℕ𝔸ℍ𝕌𝕄 𝟛:𝟙𝟡

"There is no relief for your breakdown, Your wound is incurable. All who hear about you Will clap their hands over you, For on whom has not your evil passed continually?"

It's natural to rejoice when wicked people are dethroned, dismissed, expelled, or suspended!

The Assyrians (Ninevites) were so cruel (bloody people v1) and they had assaulted every known nation around them. When the nations hear that the Babylonians are crushing them (Assyrians), there could be no news greater than that, they will clap their hands.

BTW, after that, God will crush the Babylonians also. God has the habit of raising wicked people to punish the wicked people.

There's even a proverb, right? "It takes a thief to catch a thief"😎

Bible Reading Reflection from Micah 1-7

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟙:𝟠

"Because of this I must lament and wail, I must go barefoot and naked; I must make a lament like the jackals And a mourning like the ostriches."

God is great! Man has greatly sinned. God's Judgment is great! Micah sees great suffering. His lamentation is deep!

Nowadays, people don't lament anymore. They don't even blame God anymore. They don't even curse God anymore. When they do such things, though blasphemous and sinful, at least, they acknowledge there's a God in heaven.

People ignore God these days. If they blame, it's upon the government or the environment! But the similarity is that people are not taking responsibility. God wants us to acknowledge our sins and His faithfulness to be saved!

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟚:𝟙-𝟚

"Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕤.They covet fields and then seize them, And houses, and take them away. They rob a man and his house, A man and his inheritance."

Injustices around us. Those who are in power mistreated those who are weak. And the weak in turn curse the powerful. People want power not just to protect themselves from mistreatment, but that they too can afford to live like others.

I can't imagine how kings conquered others' lands in the past. We can't do that now. Even in the case of war, people give back the land they have conquered like Israel giving back the land to Egypt.

Maybe, centuries later, we may look back to our capitalism of today, the billionaires of today, and wonder how such things happened!

Big businesses are becoming greedier. Rich in money and popularity; unfortunately, not in compassion and charity.

Greed is a vice; Compassion is a virtue.

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟛:𝟠

“On the other hand I am filled with power-- With the Spirit of the LORD-- And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin.”

Interesting verse indeed! Micah denounced all the prophets and rulers. He said they were all godless people. And in this verse, he was saying that he was not like the other prophets!

Imagine, if someone says, like this, in our time! A lot of people will label him "Proud" "Arrogant" "Boastful" etc.

Paul says, "Imitate me as I imitate Christ." We must live like Paul, like Micah, like, Nehemiah, to be able to tell others, "Look at the things I do, I am different. Imitate me!"

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟜:𝟞-𝟟

""In that day," declares the LORD, "I will assemble the lame And gather the outcasts, Even those whom I have afflicted. I will make the lame a remnant And the outcasts a strong nation, And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion From now on and forever."

God's Promises even amid prophecy of punishment! Because He is in control of everything. He does everything not only righteously but is also for our own good!

In that day! O that day!  We shall see, understand, affirm, and rejoice perfectly!

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟝:𝟚

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."

God has the habit of choosing unlikely people, stuff, and situations, to work wonders in life!

If we think, we are somebody, that is a sign that God will probably disagree with us.

I had some juniors who always asked for my help in my seminary days, and now they are pursuing their doctorate or pastoring a megachurch outside India. Well, I am still learning humility!

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟞:𝟠

"He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?"

One of the most well-known verses from the book of Micah! Redeemed People of God should be living like God's people, rich in righteousness and godliness. Even here, Micah pointed out what had been missing among the Israelites:

1. To do justice

2. To love kindness

3. To walk humbly with God.

We often cry for justice when we are victims, and cry for kindness when we are offenders.

What about the other way round: showing kindness to our offenders, and doing justice to those whom we have offended. Definitely, we will find ourselves walking humbly with God when we do that!

 

𝕄𝕀ℂ𝔸ℍ 𝟟:𝟠

"Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me."

What a confession of hope! It's easy to be bitter in trouble, in failings, in adversity. To be discouraged, to be complaining, to be envious of others.

Well, this verse is an expression of hope and trust in God!

Sermon Tips from the text of 1 Peter 5:5-14

Sermon Tips for Expository Preachers, Listeners, and Students

Bible Reading Reflection from Jonah 1-4

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕁𝕆ℕ𝔸ℍ 𝟙:𝟞

"So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’"

Do you notice how many times the word "down" is mentioned there?

3 But Jonah rose TO FLEE TO TARSHISH from the presence of the LORD. He went DOWN to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went DOWN into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.  4 But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.  5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone DOWN into the inner part of the ship and had lain DOWN and was fast asleep.

Ravi Zacharias humorously commented that when you flee from God your life is all down, down, down, down, and down sleeping in sin.

He seemed to be relaxing in sin secretly and silently. Somebody had to wake him up! And it was embarrassing for Jonah. He wanted to die and asked them to kill him.

If we are relaxing and sleeping in sin, God might have to wake us up. And what shame will that be, yes, suicide will look sweet. But even in that shame, if we repent and not rebel God can bring bigger and greater works through us as He did in Nineveh through Jonah.

 

𝕁𝕆ℕ𝔸ℍ 𝟚:𝟙,𝟙𝟘

"Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish"

A very unlikely place to pray, huh!? If somebody can pray from the stomach of fish, we can pray anywhere and at all times, huh!? 🙂 Let's pray without ceasing as Paul had commanded us.

v10. "Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land."

Again, I will quote Ravi Zacharias, because I grew up listening to Ravi Zacharias, and at least, what I have heard his teaching on Jonah is good, excellent! 👌Unless you are offended... Ravi commented humorously that the disobedient prophet even made the fish sick and spat out! 😂

In a horror movie, we kind of enjoy watching a villain swallowed by a gigantic animal or snake, huh? In this case, even the fish didn't want to eat Jonah.

Some people said to others, "Even hell is not a place for you, you are so dumb!" 😂😂

BTW, God was not finished with Jonah yet. He granted Jonah repentance, and commitment to be faithful again. God gave him another chance. This is our God. He's also not finished with me yet! 😇🙏

 

𝕁𝕆ℕ𝔸ℍ 𝟛:𝟞

"When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes."

Led by the king, the people repented. This is a heathen nation, a heathen people, a heathen king, yet they chose to humble themselves before Yahweh, the God of Israel.

What a contrast we see in the book of Amos we read just last week! The king of Israel sought to banish the prophet of Yahweh!

Indeed, God calls everyone to repent and be saved! I am also not of the branch of Israel, a Gentile, but God has reached out to me and my community! Praises be to God! 🙏

 

𝕁𝕆ℕ𝔸ℍ 𝟜:𝟛

"Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

One of the revealing natures of man (Jonah) is Hatred. Jonah wants Ninevites to be destroyed. God is totally the opposite. His nature is Love. He wants Ninevites to be saved. Jonah knew that. So, he decided to disobey God so that Ninevites will keep on sinning and be destroyed. So, he preferred to die than to see Ninevites being alive!

All his attitude from the beginning till the end was basically, "I'd rather die than to see them be saved!" Yes, even after a journey to the stomach of a fish. In simple: Jonah is saying, "I want to die." Next time, when you hear people say, like that, call them, "Jonah" 😂

Do you know how did this book end again? It ended in v11, with God questioning. And where's the answer? How can a book end with a question? 😬🙄

You know what? Jonah answered God, "I want to die!"😎😂😂

This guy really wanted to die! 😂

Bible Reading Reflection from Obadiah

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

𝕆𝔹𝔸𝔻𝕀𝔸ℍ 𝟙:𝟙𝟘

"Because of violence to your brother Jacob, You will be covered with shame, And you will be cut off forever."

God is going to punish the descendants of Esau because they didn't help the descendants of Jacob. Jacob was the younger brother of Esau. Instead of helping his brother (Israelites), the Edomites attacked them.

I remember 1Timothy 5:8, where Paul says that if anyone doesn't take care of his family members, he is worse than an unbeliever!

Let's take care of our family members. Family members are our priority! Even Jesus took care of His earthly mom!

Bible Reading Reflection from Amos 5-9

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (JAC) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝔸𝕄𝕆𝕊 𝟝

v4. For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "𝕊𝕖𝕖𝕜 𝕄𝕖 that you may live".

v6. "𝕊𝕖𝕖𝕜 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕆ℝ𝔻 that you may live, Or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel."

v14. "𝕊𝕖𝕖𝕜 good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the LORD God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said!"

3 times it is repeated with a command of Seeking God. 2 times it is reiterated about the vanity of Sacrifice before God.

Indeed, what is life without God? Where is the home without God? Where is salvation without God? God is the solution, the salvation, the solace. God is sufficient. He is the ultimate satisfaction!

 

𝔸𝕄𝕆𝕊 𝟞:𝟡-𝟙𝟙

“And it will be, if ten men are left in one house, they will die. Then one's uncle, or his undertaker, will lift him up to carry out his bones from the house, and he will say to the one who is in the innermost part of the house, "Is anyone else with you?" And that one will say, "No one." Then he will answer, "Keep quiet. For the name of the LORD is not to be mentioned." For behold, the LORD is going to command that the great house be smashed to pieces and the small house to fragments.”

God's Judgment is so fierce that they will not only be afraid to mention the name of God. They will not like to mention His name. In the good days, they took pride, honor, and glory to have Yahweh as their God who chose them among all (3:1-2) Now they will feel terrible to have Yahweh as their God.

Has there been a time when you don't want to say you are a Christian because of your lifestyle? Has there been a time that you don't want to let people know such and such person is a professing Christian because of his sinful lifestyle?

In this context, it's a judgment of God for their sins that will make them feel embarrassed, fearful, and hopeless.

 

𝔸𝕄𝕆𝕊𝟟:𝟠

“The LORD said to me, "What do you see, Amos?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said, "Behold I am about to put a plumb line In the midst of My people Israel. 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕟𝕠 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕣."”

Before this verse, Amos pled God to spare His people, and God relented His 2 serious judgments about to inflict upon them. What a merciful God we have! What an important role a spiritual leader has for believers!

These people didn't know that if it wasn't for Amos' intercessory prayer, they would have been destroyed. And interestingly, these people spearheaded by King Jeroboam and Priest Amaziah wanted to banish Amos from the kingdom. Well, God was not going to spare them this time according to v8.

Have you ever taken time to think about how you have been delivered from such and such situations because your spiritual leaders are interceding for you? Do you know that? Spiritual leaders are doing something miraculous that members do not know, and how often are they underappreciated, criticized, and dishonored.

Moses interceded for the Israelites, and God spared them. The Israelites didn't know that. Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, they didn't know that. But Lot and his daughters were saved. And Jesus interceded for us, that's how we are Christians now.

 

𝔸𝕄𝕆𝕊 𝟠:𝟚

“He said, ‘What do you see, Amos? And I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘The end has come for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer.’”

This is the fourth vision. It is summer. It is the time of fruits, and they are ripened. The vision is not of delight, not of prosperity, but of the end. The end for God's people has come. As Keil and Delitzsch observed, this is not about the ripeness of the judgment, but of destruction. Judgment has been already on. It's the time for destruction now, complete destruction.

We read in Romans 1:18 that God's Judgment is already being revealed since long time ago, and the world is heading towards complete destruction someday. What manner of people ought we to be?

Evidently, v11 says that these people weren't attentive to the word of God, and by doing so, their worship was shallow and even contradictory, and their lifestyle was like that of unbelievers. They were greedy, and materialistic (business-minded); instead of being compassionate and helpful, they trampled the poor under their feet v3-6.

 

𝔸𝕄𝕆𝕊 𝟡:𝟚

"Though they dig into Sheol,

From there will My hand take them;

And though they ascend to heaven,

From there will I bring them down."

I've been reading the Bible consciously and consistently for over 16 years of my Christian life. And I've written even a seminary-level paper on the book of Amos, but I feel like I've never seen this verse before! Well, that's because the later part of this 5th vision of Amos is about restoration, salvation, and prosperity (11-15). So, obviously, focussing and remembering the sweeter parts. However, v1-10 is equally important to be remembered and studied well, because as much as the promise is sure, punishment is and was sure!

This verse says the Inescapability of God's Judgement. Even if one flees to hell, God will bring them up. Even if one flees to heaven, God will cast them down. No excuse. No refuge. No salvation. No escape. Neither in death nor in life. Nothing!

This is a direct contrast to Psalm 139, where David mentioned the inescapability of God’s love, neither by fleeing to hell nor to heaven. We, believers rejoice with Ps. 139, while Amos 9:2 is for the wicked!

And the book of Amos ended with a vision of judgment and restoration!