The Attributes of God:

Judgement and Grace Obadiah and Jonah “I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and one who relents concerning calamity.” Jonah 4:2                   One reason people do not like to read the Old Testament, especially the prophetic books, is that they seem so dark and foreboding. The continual pronouncement of coming judgment becomes unrelenting. From the prophetic passages, people conclude that the wrath and severity of judgment conflict with Christ's message that God is gracious and abounding in mercy. However, we often miss one very important truth. All the judgments pronounced in the prophets came  before  the events rather than after them. Such is the case with the pronouncement of Obadiah of God’s impending judgment upon the nation of Edom for their violence and spiritual arrogance. Rather than follow ...

Seeing our nation through the lens of God. Amos 1-5 “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (5:15).                   In a politically divided world, it is easy to see the faults of the other political party but remain ignorant of the sins of our own party.  We tend to look at our nation through the lens of the party with which we affiliate. However, political lenses are always distorted.  We condemn the other party while overlooking the sins that are perpetrated by the party we affirm. This was the fault of Israel.  They were quick to judge and condemn the governments and people around them while justifying their own actions.                     The book of Amos begins with the condemn...

When Famine Strikes Amos 6-9 “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.”                   In an age of the internet, podcasts, and social influencers, it is easy to find people who say what we want to hear and affirm what we want to believe. The vast amount of information available online has ushered in a new phase, “confirmation bias.” Confirmation bias is when we seek out information that affirms what we want to believe and reject or ignore information that challenges what we believe. But confirmation bias is not new; it has plagued people since the beginning of time and afflicted the people of Israel during the time of Amos. When Amos warned the people of God’s judgment because of sin, instead of listening to him, they accused him of promoting insurrection a...

Seeing our nation through the lens of God. Amos 1-5 “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord of hosts may be gracious to the remnant of Joseph” (5:15).                   In a politically divided world, it is easy to see the faults of the other political party but remain ignorant of the sins of our own party.  We tend to look at our nation through the lens of the party with which we affiliate. However, political lenses are always distorted.  We condemn the other party while overlooking the sins that are perpetrated by the party we affirm. This was the fault of Israel.  They were quick to judge and condemn the governments and people around them while justifying their own actions.                     The book of Amos begins with the condemn...

The Grace and Justice of God Joel 1-3 “The Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and earth tremble.  But the Lord is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel.  Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” 3:16-17.                   The Day of the Lord has always posed a challenge for the student of the Bible. It speaks of a time when God will pour out the devastation of His judgment, as well as a time of salvation for His people. It is a day of terror and a day of hope. The Day of the Lord encompasses events in the past as well as those still to come. Joel begins with the pronouncement of God’s coming judgment upon the nation of Israel. In 1:1-2:17, the message is similar to that of the other prophets, a pronouncement of coming judgment upon the nation for its sins. Throughout the prophets, we find warnings of God’s i...

The Longing of God Hosea 11-14 “I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love.”                   We often view God as distant and impersonal.  We see Him as one who is in heaven, detached from our lives and the affairs of the world.  However, as we read through the prophets, a different picture emerges.  Although God brings judgment upon sin because of His holiness, he is still a compassionate God who longs to have a personal relationship with us.  Throughout the book of Hosea, the themes of Judgment and grace are interwoven to present us a picture of God.  God is not in heaven detached from His creation and from us.  The more Israel rebelled, the more He sent the prophets to call them back (Hosea 11:2).  Despite their sin, He still has compassion for His people in 11:3-4. Looking back at the Exodus, God reminds them that H...