Isaiah 43:1-3 spoke oodles to me today…GLORY HALLELUJAH!
But now, this is what The Lord says—
“I Who created you, Jacob,
I formed you, Israel:
“Do not have/posess fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am The Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Cusg and Seba in your stead.”
Where do we start? Jonah’s prescense was Known in the belly of the whale! Scarce oxygen, a forced fast! Hunger, thirst, thoughts and a yearning for death! ALL was meant to be! Jonah was born to tell his story! Even after he was saved and spoke as he has sent to do before running in vain, he spoke and exited the city and waited for destruction to befall the inhabitants! Everything was just as The LORD planned. A half eaten/digested man spat up on the shore of Nineveh and preaching The Word! Yet, we see just what happened! A tree shielded him from the sun as he waited for punishment to be meted out on the people of Nineveh, he learned his lesson. God uses things around us to teach us lessons! https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DdLIabZc0O4c&ved=2ahUKEwig-NPojMfkAhXEZd8KHf_tCzsQwqsBMAB6BAgEEAQ&usg=AOvVaw1ow7rYVG9xxpm6xXW0v0Gj
The identification of the fast-growing plant in the Book of Jonah as a gourd is due to a mistranslation of the Hebrew word qiqayon (castor) to the Greek word kolokynthi and then to the Latin word cucurbita. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/jonah.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwig-NPojMfkAhXEZd8KHf_tCzsQFjAFegQIDhAK&usg=AOvVaw0eRhemPkm_2ddEp2g9pwRh
Lessons! Learn them or suffer the consequences! Just when Jonah was getting comfortable under the plant, God sent a worm to destroy it. The worm in the story represents Jesus Christ. The Son of God was appointed to nullify the law and make a way for truth, just the worm eliminated the plant and provided a way for the protagonist to teach Jonah a lesson.
The moral of the story of Jonah and the big fish, sometimes referred to as a whale, is that a person cannot run away from God’s plans.
This moves us on to a great example in The Word: The His-story of Hosea:
And the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.”2So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.3And I said to her, “You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.”4For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods.5Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.
—Hosea 3:1-5
An Unfaithful Wife
Yahweh commands Hosea to marry a “wife of whoredom [zenunim]” (1:2). This Hebrew term indicates illicit sexual behavior. Moses uses the word in Genesis 38:24 to refer to Tamar’s posing as a shrine prostitute in order to entice Judah. Hosea’s wife, Gomer, bears this label, not necessarily because she is a prostitute but because she is (or will become) a woman characterized by sexual infidelity.
The ESV translates the last phrase of Hosea 1:2, “for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” The Hebrew idiom woodenly reads, “for the land commits great whoredom from after the Lord.” This is the first of a series of expressions in Hosea where God puts himself in the place of a forsaken human lover (cf. comment on 2:2–5 [esp. v. 5]). Hosea does as Yahweh instructed and marries Gomer, who then bears him a son (1:3).
In the autobiographical sketch of 3:1–5, the prophet tells his story, as once more he is called to image Yahweh. But is the woman he now pursues his wife, Gomer? The text does not explicitly identify her. She is an adulteress, and “another man” loves her (v. 1). But it would hardly make sense if this woman were not Gomer. The whole point seems to be that her estranged husband sought her out, did what was needed to redeem her from her lover, and brought her back into his house, at great cost to himself (silver and foodstuffs; v. 2). This extraordinary expression of love reflects how God has loved Israel. She, too, is faithless, and betrays her husband (the Lord) through her worship of other gods. Raisin cakes (v. 1)—which are mentioned along with “other gods”—were apparently an element of pagan religion, and their mention here underscores Israel’s faithlessness. She loves her promiscuity.
Hosea lays down the law to Gomer: she is to be celibate for a season. Her nymphomaniacal addiction must be cured through abstinence “for many days” (v. 3). Of course, he promises to abstain as well (“so will I also be to you”). This is a picture of the nation, which for “many days” would be bereft of idolatrous kings (v. 4). At the very least, this means that Israel would no longer be a sovereign nation. It may also be that her political leadership is mentioned in particular because it was the engine of false religion and is thus specifically targeted in order for false religion to stop as well. In either case, the destruction they will experience will be sufficiently thorough to wipe out political structures and worship practices (“without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods”; v. 4).
Promise of Faithfulness
Soon after Hosea prophesied, Israel was ravaged, destroyed, and carried off to Assyria (2 Kings 18:9–12). But this was not to be the end for God’s people in the land, as a return is promised (Hos. 3:5), which was fulfilled when exiled Judah returned from Babylonian captivity to “seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and . . . come in fear to the Lord.” This word for “fear” usually implies dread or terror: Israel will have learned that the Lord truly does deal with sin harshly. Of course, this prophecy does not refer to the literal king David; instead, it looks to the hope for an anointed king sitting rightfully on David’s throne in Jerusalem. Those estranged both from Yahweh and from his established king will seek them out and find well-being in a renewed relationship with their God.
Again; we see there is Reason for every act we are led to do. Mind you, I did not say that we independently decide to do on our own. Hosea was led for a reason!
We could examine the lives of every prophet and see The Hand of God in their lives. Wow! I mean, there was a woman who married and her husband died! As did her sister in law. They were given leave. A test!
We follow the story and see how God blessed them both! Do as led; pray always and in incessantly.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
We are going to make it through The Bible at this rate! Why was Daniel, though a ‘captive’ placed in a position of authority? God granted him wisdom. Daniel 1:17 says “To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.” Wow! We see that FOUR were given knowledge and understanding.
We will touch briefly on all four to demonstrate what in faith we are given, Amen.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.
Right quick, let us visit His-story on Shadrach, Mesach and abdenego
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing. Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: “May you prosper greatly! “I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. “For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.” So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 6
Once again; we see what occured. To God be The glory, Amen. As we have shared, The Word is ONE, Amen. The Author Speaks and it is His-story! The end is known from the beginning m. This may be hard to understand, but visions of time to come have been seen! Our decisions are all that matter.
I could ask “are you called?” We have all been called. Will you answer?
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5
Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:10-11
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44
https://www.openbible.info/topics/god_calling_people
Listen, hear, do…Amen.