anitasanecdotes

Micah 1, 2 and 3 begin a prophecy against Israel, Samaria and Judah. The kings have been leading the people to sin. They have been oppressing their own and have encouraged the worship of idols. The prophets have been saying what they know the wealthy want to hear in order to reap the rewards. They have not been faithful to God’s commands. Therefore, God will bring them down. Their cities will lay waste. Enemies will inhabit their lands. The people will be driven out or killed.

Just because they call on the Lord they cannot expect salvation. Their lives do not reflect their words. The intentions of their hearts speak against their actions. The Lord knows their cries are not sincere. They will be punished.

Psalm 144 is a song of praise to the Lord who is our rock and fortress. The Lord rescues us from harm and gives us blessings of every kind.

In Jonah 3 and 4 God again tells Jonah to go to Ninevah. Jonah calls the Ninevites to account. The Ninevites repented and God did not punish the people.

Jonah became angry that God withheld punishment. Jonah preferred to die rather than live knowing that his prophecy helped the Ninevites. God did not understand Jonah’s anger. Why shouldn’t the Lord have compassion on those who need to be saved?

We may not always understand why God does what He does. There may be those who have discovered God’s love whom we do not believe deserve it. That is none of our business. Unlike Jonah we should be happy that God has shown mercy on them just as He has sown mercy on us. None of us deserve God’s grace. All of us are blessed when God looks upon us with favor.

In Revelation 11, still before the seventh trumpet is sounded, two witnesses appear and prophesy. They will be killed but will be raised from the dead.  After an earthquake some are killed and the rest give glory to God.

The seventh angel sounds the trumpet and everyone in praise the establishment of God’s kingdom.

In Jonah 1 and 2 God tells Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them that they will be punished if they continue to sin. Jonah doesn’t like the people of Ninevah and refuses to go. He tries to hide from God by sailing away. God sends a storm and Jonah knows that the only way to save the ship is to throw him overboard.

God sends a large fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah remains in the fish for three days and three nights (Jesus made reference to this time period regarding his burial) Jonah prays acknowledging that God saved him from certain death. He agrees to obey God’s command. The fish spits Jonah onto dry land.

There are times when we know what God wants us to do and still we refuse to do it. God will ultimately win these arguments. Perhaps when we are trying to be like Jonah and run away we will remember how futile it is and obey without question.

In Revelation 10 before the seventh angel blows the trumpet, another angel appears with a little scroll. John is told to swallow the scroll and keep both the contents of the scroll and the words this angel said secret.

Obadiah is a short prophecy against the land of Edom. Edom is where Esau settled when he and Jacob parted ways. The people of Edom did not help God’s people when enemies attacked it. In fact, they gloated over Israel and Judah’s destruction. God promises to punish them for their deeds.

When we see others suffering we should not stand by and watch nor should we be happy when even our enemies suffer. God will hold us to account.

Psalms 142 and 143 are both prayers of supplication in times of trouble. They remember how God has helped in the past and ask for His aid in the current situation.

In Amos 9 God declares punishment on those who sin against Him. God will call out the faithful remnant and will reestablish them on their land never to be taken from it again.

God does not completely destroy His people. This is the covenant he gave to Moses and God keeps His promises. There is always a remnant of the people who remain faithful and ultimately receive God’s blessing.

In Revelation 9 the plagues from the trumpets continue to wreak havoc upon the earth. Those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads suffer under the attacks. This is as much a spiritual battle as a physical one.

The remnant in Revelation is those who have received the seal of God. They are protected even in the midst of God punishment of the earth.

In Amos 7 and 8 Amos is concerned with the harshness of God’s punishment on Jacob (Judah?). God relents and puts up a protection. The term used is plumb line. Most scholars believe this is a mistranslation. The walls of cities were often covered with a layer of tin to protect them from bombardment. It is believed that God was speaking about this layer of tin.

Israel on the other hand will be punished for its sins and King Jeroboam will be killed. The priest Amaziah asks Amos to leave Israel and stop prophesying such destruction. Amos says the Lord told him to prophesy and continues to tell of God’s judgment on His people.

In Revelation 8 there is a time of silence. Then seven angels begin to blow trumpets one after another. With each trumpet another punishment is placed upon the earth. These punishments are similar to the plagues experienced by the people of Egypt in the time of Moses.

Amos 5 and 6 speaks out against Israel’s lack of justice and righteousness. The leaders are oppressing the poor and using the labors of the people for their own wealth and comfort. They may be worshiping in the temple but they are not keeping the law of God. God does not accept their worship because they are not living the whole of their lives in obedience. They do not see that their acceptance of idols and the way they treat their citizens is a sin against God.

We are not judged solely on our attendance at worship services. God looks upon the whole of our lives. If we say the holy things on Sunday but do unholy things the rest of the week we are hypocrites. Merely acting the part for a short period of time does not mean that our hearts are pure. We need to live righteous and just lives 24/7. Then we will be obedient to God’s commands.

In Revelation 7 God holds back judgment on the earth until all the righteous receive the seal of protection on their foreheads. There is a beautiful description of all those who have been saved worshiping before the throne of God. Jesus leads them to the springs of living waters. There is no more hunger, thirst or pain. God wipes all the tears from their eyes.

In Amos 3 and 4 God declares the He doesn’t do anything without warning. God continues to warn the people of Israel that if they don’t change their ways they will be punished.

God is dumbfounded that even after He has fulfilled his past promises of punishment, the people continue in their sin. They do not seem to get the message. God is preparing to judge the people.

We should not be surprised when we experience correction from God. Before we attempt to do the wrong things God warns us, we just need to listen. As we do wrong things, God warns us, we just need to listen. God gives us opportunity after opportunity to make things right, we just need to respond. We need to see the consequences of our actions as part of God’s pleading for us to turn away from our bad behavior and to seek the Lord.

Psalm 140 is a plea for protection against the enemies that would harm us.

Psalm 141 contains some beautiful imagery as a prayer of faith. We ask that our prayers and worship are pleasing to the Lord. We ask that God watches what we say before we utter the words. We ask that God keep us from doing harm. We ask that God allow us to accept correction. We seek refuge in the Lord.

Amos 1 and 2 are written in the time of Kings Uzziah and Jeroboam. This is early on in the time of Israel’s disobedience. God is angry with the entire region. The nations surrounding Judah and Israel are to be punished because of their sin against God’s people. Judah is to be punished because it has rejected the law of God. Israel is to be punished because they have acted unjustly toward the weak and have profaned the name of the Lord. No one will escape God’s judgment.

In Revelation 6 the Lamb begins to open each of the seven seals on the scroll. With each seal comes a judgment from God for the sins of the people of earth. Those who have remained in sin will be punished for their decisions. There will be war, inflation pestilence and earthquakes. No one will be able to hide from God’s final judgment

Joel 3 speaks of the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem. God will also punish those who have harmed His people. They will enter the valley of decision and will receive His judgment. The land of God’s people will thrive and the enemy nations will be destroyed. God will establish His kingdom which will never end.

In Revelation 5 a scroll is presented. Only Jesus is able to open it. He is Lion of Judah who is also the Lamb that was slain for our sins. Because of His sacrifice He is worthy to take the scroll. He is worthy to have dominion over all the earth. All those around the throne bow down in worship. He is worthy of our praise.