In this blog, I will discuss the character test. The dictionary defines character as: fiber, the inherent complex of attributes that determines a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions; a distinctive trait; quality; attribute; the pattern of behavior found in an individual or group; moral strength; self-discipline; fortitude; a peculiar quality, or sum of qualities, by which a person is distinguished from others; the principles and motives that control the life. God allows kings, and jealous government officials to test the four testees who are found in the book of Daniel in this area. Were these testees successful, or did they fail? Continue reading to see what happens.
King Nebuchadnezzar has conquered Jerusalem and taken captives back to Babylon. Among the captives are handsome, intellectual young men of nobility who became chosen trainees to be taught the language, customs, arts, letters, wisdom, and laws of Babylon. In the group are four young men whose names can be found in Daniel 1:6-7 which states, “Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.” No doubt the name change was to mark a new beginning and to obliterate their past.
In Daniel 1 we read the attempts to indoctrinate and assimilate these young men into the Babylonian culture; for it was the king’s desire after the three years training program to use the brightest of the trainees in his government. Besides the studies, the trainees were fed sumptuously from a diet that was contrary to their heritage and religious teachings. Rather than succumb to the lifestyle of Babylon, these four trainees refused to partake and defile themselves like their counterparts. Daniel requested, “Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king’s meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.” At the conclusion of the allotted time, their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter than the other trainees; so, they were permitted to continue with their restricted diet. Also, at the end of the three years the king communed with them and found them to excel above all the other trainees, magicians and astrologers in the land for God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
In Daniel 3, years have gone by and King Nebuchadnezzar has made and set up a golden image that the people are required to bow down and worship. It was reported to the king that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not following this mandate. This report infuriated the king, and he had them brought before him for questioning. Here are the details of this encounter as found in Daniel 3:14-18, “Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Further infuriated by their reply, the king has Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bond and cast into the furnace which he had made seven times hotter and to his astonishment, he sees them and another man which he deemed the Son of God walking in the furnace unharmed. The king calls for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to come out of the furnace; he acknowledges their God to be a God that delivers, decrees that anyone that speaks against their God will be slaughtered, and he promotes Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in his kingdom.
Lastly, in Daniel 6 Daniel, who is in senior years, have lived through the reign of several kings, is now assigned as the senior president in Babylon by King Darius. This appointment causes jealousy among his constituents (presidents and princes), and they plot to have him killed. They fool the king into making a decree that anyone that ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, except the king shall be cast into a den of lions. They knew that Daniel would not adhere to this decree, and when Daniel, in his usual custom, prayed to his God, they reported Daniel’s actions to the king and insisted that Daniel is punished. The king reluctantly enforced his decree, and Daniel was cast into the lion’s den. The king spent that night fasting, and in the morning he goes to the den, and in a lamentable voice he spoke these words to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Daniel responded and said, “O king, live forever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.” The king was ecstatic, and he removed Daniel up out of the den, commanded those men who accused Daniel along with their families be cast into the den of lions and wrote the following decree, “ Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast forever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” The chapter concludes by saying, “So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.”
In all three incidents, we see men’s character being tested; however, unlike their fellow countrymen, they refused to be tainted, influenced, or persuaded by the society in which they were thrust. Their actions and righteous behavior caused attacks; yet, they stood firm in their morals and ethics. They displayed self-discipline and unwavering trust in the God of their forefathers, and for this, they found favor with man. They lived the same throughout their lifetime, showing believers that no matter where we find ourselves, we can maintain a Godly character.
As I stated in my last blog, in this blog, I will share more information on the three components of a test as I understand them. To do this, I want to examine the components (tester, testee, and test) as we experienced them during our formal education.
The first component of a test is the tester, who is the one administering the test. This tester usually prepares the testee for a test by sharing material in advance of the test. Also, the tester may use various tools to accomplish this goal of learning. During the test, the tester is present and silent; he/she will not engage you in conversation; there is no talking by either tester or testee. The result of the test provides the tester with knowledge concerning the testee’s skills, aptitude, fitness, and comprehension. With this information, the tester will make a decision on the advancement of the testee.
The tester in this blog series is God who is omniscient; therefore, the test is not to reveal anything to Him but rather for the testee’s enlightenment and feedback. God has provided His Word, which contains instructions to allow the testee to successfully pass the test if he/she adheres to the guidelines. In biblical times the commandments, laws, and statutes of God were sometimes hidden, and if not previously, taught or shared with the people they were ignorant concerning God’s principles. Fortunately, success is available for most of us present-day believers because we always have an open book exam. As we go through our time of testing, we can still search the Word for answers. It may cost us time, pleasure, and comfort, but the reward and result will be worth it all.
The next component is the testee, who is the person taking the test. The age of the testee can vary, and this will also determine the severity of the test. It is the responsibility of the testee to study and prepare for the test utilizing the teaching materials and tools offered to them. During the teaching and learning period, the testee can ask questions. However, once the test begins, communication with the tester is halted. Usually, if a testee is talking during a test it is because they do not understand the test, they need clarification, or they are trying to cheat. Engaging in any of these practices can result in failure of the test.
For this series, the testee who is taking the test will either be a person or nation. I will share with you the lives of biblical personalities and how they handled their test. Prayerfully, we will learn from their success and failures.
The final component is the test which is the instrument used to see if the information previously given was successfully learned, and it can vary in style, duration, intensity, location, requirements, and frequency. The result of the test determines if you graduate. If you fail, you are detained in the same grade another year and you are given the same test over again. The tester will use the same standard curriculum; it is not new, and your promotion depends solely on you learning the old material. Also, at the beginning of the school year, a tester may give a pre-test which will reveal what you already know, and at the end of the year, a post-test is given to determine if the testee has retained any knowledge from the year’s work. So testing can happen at any time, and it pays to be alert and ready.
I hope the above information has been informative. In closing this blog, an excellent principle to learn is: PREPARATION FOR A TEST IS PARAMOUNT AND CAN BE THE KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS.
In Psalm 11:4-5a David states these words, “The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous.” In the bible the actual word “test” is not found; however, the two words “try” and “trieth” as seen in the above scripture in the Hebrew language means to test, and these similar words can be found numerous times.
The dictionary meaning for the word test is: an examination, experiment, or trial, as to prove the value or ascertain the nature of something; a method, process, or means used in making such an examination or trial; a standard or criterion by which the qualities of a thing are tried; an event, set of circumstances, that proves or tries a person’s quality; a set of questions, problems, or exercises for determining a person’s knowledge, abilities, aptitude, or qualifications; an examination.
Throughout the Bible, we see nations and individuals being tested by God. In Psalm 11, David realized that his life experiences were not just some random occurrences, but God was testing him. Recognizing this fact, I desire to share with you the various tests that are depicted in scripture and the results of these tests.
There are three components to a test, and they are the tester, the testee, and the test. The tester is the person who prepares you for the test by giving you information on the test in advance. The tester uses tools to accomplish this goal. The testee is the one who is taking the test. It is their responsibility to learn and study by using the tools give to them by the tester. The test is the instrument used to see if the information previously given was successfully learned. For this series the tester is God, the testee will be either a person or nation and the test will be the event that is experienced
In my study, I have found approximately twenty-two kinds of test. I am not sure that I will blog on all of them; but as the Holy Spirit leads, I believe I will be sharing the ones that will be beneficial to all of us.
In my next blog, I will further discuss the three components to a test. I am looking forward to sharing with you, so please check out my blog every week. Until then, God bless and strengthen you as you go through your time of testing
Haggai 1:1-7 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built. Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.
The definitions of the word consider are to look at closely, observe, examine, to think about in order to understand, show consideration, or to think carefully or seriously. This is the keyword used by God in the above scriptures to the Israelites. Let me share with you the reason for this message to them.
In 606 – 605 BC the children of Israel finally returned to Jerusalem after being in captivity in Babylon for seventy years, and the main reason for their captivity was the sin of idolatry. When they first arrived, they were in a time of restoration and rebuilding for Nebuchadnezzar, and his army had torn down the walls, destroyed the temple and burnt the city. During their time of rebuilding the temple, the people came under great persecution, and consequently, they stopped working on it. (Please know, in this life hindrance, obstacles, and persecution will always present itself when you are attempting to accomplish things for God.) Many years passed, and the Israelites were busy building their own homes and given little thought to God’s house. Therefore, He sends a word to them through the prophet Haggai, “Consider your ways.” All of their efforts to gain material things for themselves were made for naught, for God was not allowing them to prosper.
I find these three words given thousands of years ago are still applicable to fellow believers and me. Often, we get caught up in the cares of this world, maintaining our various standards of living and forgetting to put God and his kingdom first. I can only speak for myself and say there are many, many, many material things that I want and He knows. If I focus solely on obtaining those things and withhold my support from advancing God’s kingdom, my efforts will be fruitless and the blessings of God absent.
In Matthew 6:32 – 33 I believe Jesus summarizes Haggai 1 in His admonishment to the people with these words, “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” When we advance His kingdom, He advances us.
I believe for continued success; our stewardship needs to be a three-fold commitment: to God, to give and to serve. As we become productive in our daily lives, we must stop and consider our actions. How does God view what we are doing? Are we just building treasures for ourselves? Are we decreasing instead of increasing? Are we continually loosing and not gaining? Are we working hard and not seeing any results? Maybe the solution to all of these negative responses is to prioritize our efforts and place God at the top of our list.
I am happy to say after the Israelites received the word they changed, and they completed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 6: 13-22). The opposition was still there, but they did not allow it to hinder them; therefore, they prospered physically as well as spiritually. Hence, today, my prayer for all believers is that we consider our ways and make the necessary adjustments which will cause the favor and blessings of God to rest on us. So, now a decision is placed before you, and I close this blog with these words “CONSIDER YOUR WAYS.”
CHAPTER 4
Let me start this blog with a review of the first three chapters of Jonah. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach a judgment message to the Ninevites. Jonah rebelled and got on a ship going to Tarshish. When a relentless storm arose, it was determined that Jonah was the cause, and he was thrown overboard. Jonah was swallowed up by a great fish and remained in the fish for three days at which time he repented and asked God to be merciful to him. God answered Jonah’s request, and he had a second chance to complete his assignment. The city of Nineveh responded positively to the judgment message, and they repented; which caused God not to destroy them.
Now to chapter 4 which is a revealing and disturbing chapter on discrimination. This chapter reveals the reason Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh, and it shows the depth of anger and discrimination that a believer can have toward others.
Jonah 4:1-3 states, “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”
First and foremost Jonah who just survived a near-death experience by the mercy of God is angry because God shows mercy to the Ninevites. His attitude reveals a flaw: he does not love his enemies, and neither does he want God to love and care for them. He fails to realize that even though they were an enemy to Israel, God still loved them and desired to save them. God’s love goes beyond a nation; He loves all the people in the world.
He also gives the reason he fled to Tarshish: he did not want to be the messenger who caused the Ninevites to turn to God. He wanted God to punish them, not save them. Jonah wanted to be in control of the fate of Nineveh, and it would not be good. Jonah wanted his words to come true or possibly he could have felt if his judgment message did not happen people would think he was a false prophet which would bruise his pride.
Finally, his anger fueled by hatred and animosity to the Ninevites was so great he rather die than see God’s love and mercy be extended to them. Are we like Jonah? Are their individuals that we want God to destroy because they’ve hurt us or someone we loved, and are we wanting to die because our enemies appear to be prospering instead of declining? God’s answer to Jonah for his attitude and thoughts was, “What right have you to be angry?”
Jonah leaves the city and sets up camp outside of it to watch what God was going to do. What Jonah wanted to see was the calamity of the Ninevites. Jonah failed to realize his opposition to God’s plan was aligning him with Satan. Jonah sadly preferred annihilation than redemption. He was blinded by anger and discrimination. These were not his people, and besides, in the past, they bought destruction and mayhem to Israel. His hatred was so great it did not allow him to celebrate the success of his ministry; for his ministry saved the lives of more than sixty thousand Ninevites.
A series of events now occur to magnify Jonah’s resentful attitude. At first, God allows a gourd to grow and protect Jonah from the blazing sun, which made Jonah happy. Then He allows a worm to attack the gourd and it withered. Next, he sends wind and sun to beat down on the head of Jonah, which causes him to be faint and desire to die. Hence, Jonah’s states, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
God notes Jonah’s sympathy for the gourd, and he questions him saying, “Jonah, doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?” And he said, “I do well to be angry, even unto death.” In this chapter, we see that Jonah had an anger management problem. His anger kept producing a death wish. Jonah needed a reality check. His wrong attitude opened the door to anger, and anger is attempting to lead him to destruction. Satan was at work in Jonah’s life, stealing his joy, killing his desire to live and attempting to destroy his ministry. This man of God was out of order, and the chapter ends not with praise from God for an assignment well done, but a rebuke for having more compassion for a thing rather than people.
This last chapter reveals my theme for the book of Jonah: a need for an attitude adjustment. Jonah, who possessed a wrong attitude, was given a mission for which he rebelled. He then repentant for his rebellion but went on the mission with the wrong attitude. I believe God is calling all believers to examine their attitude toward witnessing and ministry. The question, “Is your heart in your ministry, or do you do it with regret?” For the ministry to be rewarding, it must also come from the heart. Compassion for souls must be reflected in our attitude; for doing things for God, begrudgingly is not worth doing. This then is a prayer issue that God can help us to resolve if we admit our attitude is not pleasing to him and request Him to help us make an attitude adjustment.
Finally, this study on the life of Jonah allowed me to do a personal examination and to check my attitude. I pray that it has also helped you to do the same.
CHAPTER 3
As a result of his near-death experience, Jonah repented for his rebellion and disobedience, and he is now ready to answer the call. His new attitude reminds me of the songs, “Lord, whatever you are doing, don’t do it without me” and “Lord, I’m available to you.” After chastisement and learning the correct way to respond to a Godly assignment, Jonah can attest the words of David in Psalms 119:71, “It is good that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” His time of correction put him back on the right road. Hence, Jonah 3:1-3 says, “And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” Aren’t you glad our merciful God will come and speak to us a second time? He continuously gives us opportunities to get it right.
The Bible reveals that it takes three days to travel through Nineveh. On his first day of travel through the city, Jonah starts declaring the word of judgment God gave him, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”
Also, the Bible reveals the Ninevites believed the judgment message from God and the king declared a fast for everyone (man and beast), to humble themselves in sackcloth, repent from their evil ways and cease from their violence. Consequently, the sincerity of the Ninevites canceled the pending judgment. A second chance was not only given to Jonah but also Nineveh, and in this text, God shows us His love, compassion, and mercy is not for just one nationality but for all who will serve Him.
Finally, the lesson to be learned from chapter 3 is: you can receive a second chance from God if you are willing to be submissive to His instructions.
CHAPTER 2
Chapter 1 of Jonah ends with Jonah in the belly of a fish for three days and nights. Also, chapter 1 revealed that Jonah’s disobedience to God’s assignment brought about this event.
Chapter 2 opens with this, “Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly.” It took Jonah three days to come to his senses; then in distress, he cried out to God.
Verse 2 speaks to the usual response of prayerless believers. It says, “And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” The situation or problem that he was experiencing made him realize he needed divine intervention. Many of us follow Jonah’s example. We reject God’s bidding and fellowship until we need Him to do something for us because we are in a situation that we are unable to rectify. Jonah described his situation as being in hell. It took solitary confinement, darkness, faintness, and no escaping to bring about a remembrance.
In verse 3, Jonah implied that God had cast him into the deep, into the midst of the seas. It appeared as if he was blaming God for the consequence of his actions. He forgot he told the mariners to throw him overboard and it was his actions that resulted in him being placed in this life-threatening situation.
In verses 5-6, Jonah’s continued sea description mirrors that of a person who is drowning. However, some commentaries also believe that this experience happened inside of the fish. The exact location of these experiences is left up to the reader’s speculation because the bible does not clearly state how quickly after being thrown overboard that Jonah was swallowed up,
Wherever he was Jonah’s discourse reveals his desperation and desire to be near God. Also, the awareness that pride, a false sense of human abilities and idolatry hinder a relationship with God. When he had no hope or energy to live, he remembered God and God who is faithful, heard Jonah’s penitent cry.
Jonah’s prayer, which was compiled with a petition, thanksgiving, praise, and rededication resulted in a positive response from God. The last verse in this chapter states, “And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” God was so merciful to Jonah that he allowed the fish to regurgitate him, not into the seas where he would have to swim to shore, but to a safe place.
As I end this blog, my question to you is, “Now that you are in a hellish place, what are you going to do?” I suggest that you don’t blame God for your present unpleasant experiences but that you realize He is the only one that can help you. My prayer and hope for you is that you repent, rededicate yourself to God, and go and do the will of God for your life. Be bless and make this day count.
CHAPTER 1
Welcome to my Jonah Series. For the next several weeks I am going to blog on the book of Jonah. I believe that there is a lot to learn from his experience. I suggest if you have not read the book of Jonah, you do so and see apart from the information I will share what additional gems you can glean from it.
Jonah, the son of Amittai and a descendant of the tribe of Zebulun is introduced to us in Jonah 1:1. Also though categorized as a minor prophet, chronologically Jonah is the first missionary prophet who is sent to preach a word of repentance to the heathen nation of Nineveh.
Nineveh was known to be a pagan, flourishing, capital city of Assyria. It was a dominating world power with ruthless warlike people who were Israel’s enemy. They were known for skinning and impaling people who were yet alive and for beheading victims by the thousands leaving the heads stacked in piles at the city gates. It was here that God instructs Jonah to go and cry against their wickedness. However, Jonah did not want to follow God’s instruction; instead, he goes down to Joppa and gets on a ship headed in the opposite direction. Please note as Jonah attempts to flee from the presence of God he goes down (1:3).
Jonah first mistake was his disobedience. Directives from God are meant to be followed. We can reject God’s word, but there are consequences for doing so.
Secondly, he thought he could escape God’s presence, and for those of us who also believe this is possible, please ponder this scripture in Psalm 139:7- 12. “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” A simple fact to remember is, “There is nowhere that you can go that God is not present.”
Jonah’s disobedience and the act of rebellion now affect those with whom he is in contact, and a strong wind and tempest arise that is causing great turmoil on the ship. Thus, the Mariners start seeking solace from their gods and questioning, “Why this turmoil?” I cannot even begin to count the times in my distress that I have asked God the “Why.” How about you? I think this is His number one question.
Jonah oblivious to what is happening has fallen asleep in the bottom of the ship. Jonah’s action is reflective of many people who cause others grief, but they can rest comfortably as if they did nothing wrong. Are you like Jonah? Has your disobedience (sins) desensitized you to what is happening around you? If your answer is yes, you are in a dangerous place.
The shipmaster confronts Jonah about his actions and requests him to start praying to God for divine intervention. Jonah did not honor this request; he did not pray, nor did he feel the need to ask God for forgiveness. He did not admit he was the cause of the turmoil. He was willing to stand by and let others suffer while he did nothing.
The Mariners cast lots which result in Jonah’s rebellion being revealed. Listen to what Jonah says to them in 1:9-10, “And he said unto them, I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.” I think a good question with which to confront Jonah is, “If you really feared God, how could you flee from his presence?” for Jonah’s actions appeared to contradict what he believed. How many times have we praised God for who He is, what He has done, and for what He has said, and shortly after that we act as if He did not do or say anything? I find during storms in my life; it is easy to forget; that is why I must meditate on the Word day and night.
The mariners understood it was necessary to rid themselves of the cause of their problem, namely Jonah, and they politely asked Jonah for suggestions. Jonah told them to throw him overboard, but the mariners were reluctant to do that; so they tried to bring the ship to the shore. When their efforts failed, they asked God for mercy and threw Jonah overboard and this resulted in the sea calming down and the mariners fearing God. This action brought an immediate positive response from God and an acknowledgment that there is a higher power that must be recognized and obeyed. What is causing turmoil in your life? Like the mariners, you may need to get rid of it to acquire some peace.
Chapter 1 ends with this, “Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Rather than allow Jonah to drown, God had a plan to bring Jonah into submission, and he is enveloped in a dark confined place. Now he has to give an account for his actions.
Jonah’s response to this situation can be found in chapter 2 and will be discussed in my next blog. I pray this first chapter has given you food for thought.
In life, many people run into problems because they do not read the fine print in their contracts, or they do not look at the attach conditions written into the contract. For many, the fine print and attachments are read when an issue arises, and it is often too late. Unfortunately, this is also the case with believers; we read the Word, get excited about the promises but overlook the conditions that come with the promises.
As believers, we have the right to claim the blessings of Abraham, but along with the blessings comes responsibility. If we act irresponsibly, we open the door for the consequences. Also, many believers think that God is a Santa Claus who comes bearing gifts (things we want). We forget the words from the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” which imply if you are naughty (disobedient), you will not be getting any gifts.
In the Bible, the word “if” often introduced a condition or requirement God was making with individuals. According to Strong Concordance, the word “if” is used 1521 in the Bible: 1029 in the Old Testament and 492 in the New Testament. Rather than me giving examples of “if” scriptures, I suggest after reading this blog that you do your own personal study. Examine what these scriptures are saying and see if you met the “if” conditions. Maybe you have been praying and asking God why things have not been going right in your life. After your examination, you may receive your answer.
Finally, God’s actions toward humanity are that of a gentleman. He does not force Himself of us, and He allows us to choose which path we will follow. After reading the Word and seeing the curses and consequences that people experienced, we then have a decision to make, and because we are in a battle with our flesh, it takes prayer, humbling ourselves and resisting the spirit of disobedience. So, my prayer for all of us is, “God help us to fulfill your conditions.”
My blog for today is taken from 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, with the main focus on verses 11-13. Using the Message Bible, it reads, “Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased. The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—“First the people partied, then they threw a dance.” We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them. These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence. No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”
First, let me share some background information. Corinth, a mecca for international trade was known to be the wealthiest and most corrupted city in Greece; and it was here during his second missionary journey that Paul ministered for eighteen months and founded a church. Several years after his departure from Corinth, Paul receives alarming information concerning the church. Some of the words used to describe the church at Corinth were: defiled, divided, and disgraced. In response to the discouraging reports and many problems that arose among the brethren, Paul who is now in Ephesus pens two letters to the church in hopes that it will provide clarity, instruction, and correction. The content of chapter 10 is found in the first letter.
In chapter 10:1-4, Paul discusses the forty-year wilderness experience of Israel, the privileges given to them by God and their displeasing responses. In verses 6-10 he shares Israel’s downfall by their engagement in idolatry, immorality, and murmuring against God. Finally, to the key verses of this blog, verses 11-13, Paul states this letter is not only for the Corinthian church but to admonish and encourage future believers.
If you take a moment and meditate on this scripture, I am sure you will obtain vital principles that apply to your life. Here is a list of principles I gathered:
1. As I witness and hear the life stories of others, I must glean and learn from them.
2. People have similar experiences: victories and failures.
3. Don’t take God’s grace and mercies for granted they may not always be available.
4. My display of ingratitude will cut my blessings
5. Choose God’s way over my way; my way can lead to disaster.
6. Look out for danger signs; they are present for a reason.
7. Temptation is not limited to a particular age group; everyone is tempted.
8. God does not exempt believers from temptations, but He makes temptations manageable and conquerable.
With all that is going on in the world and my life, the study of this passage has been helpful for me. I pray that for you, it has done the same and that you will also heed the warnings from history.
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