In Daniel 2, Daniel had an opportunity, born out of necessity, to witness to the power of the true God, as opposed to the false ones of Babylon. After singing a hymn of praise with his Jewish compatriots and thanking God for answering their prayers (Dan. 2:20-23), he interpreted the king’s dream and testified to … Continue reading –>
Read Isaiah 39:5-7 and Daniel 1:1-2. How are these verses related? Daniel, whose name means God is my judge, was force-marched from a defeated Jerusalem into the Babylonian capital. The book of Daniel gives glimpses of his life in the courts of Babylon and Persia. After three years of education in Babylon, Daniel was employed … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Daniel 1-12; Isa. 39:5-7; Dan. 2:44; Matt. 24:14-15; Genesis 41. Memory Text: He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel … Continue reading –>
The book of Jonah is so significant for understanding the biblical basis of mission, because it treats God’s mandate to His people regarding the Gentile peoples and thus serves as the preparatory step to the missionary mandate of the New Testament. But it is also important for catching a glimpse of the deep resistance this … Continue reading –>
Jonah 4:1-11 confirms that the greatest obstacle for God to get His prophet involved in world mission was not distance, wind, sailors, fish, or Ninevites. It was the prophet himself. Ninevite faith contrasted with Jonah’s unbelief and vindictive spirit. Jonah is the only person in the Scriptures who accuses God of being gracious, compassionate, and … Continue reading –>
Read Jonah 3. What great message is found here in the context of outreach and evangelism? Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you(Jon. 3:1-2 NIV). Two verbs are important in the text. First, this … Continue reading –>
The three-day experience in the belly of the big fish became a type of the death and resurrection of Christ (Jon. 1:17-2:10; Matt. 12:40). God provided and directed the great fish. Although there are accounts of people who survived at sea after having been swallowed by a whale, we must remember that God provided this … Continue reading –>
Go to Nineveh! was God’s command to Jonah. In the Old Testament the usual appeal to the nations was come to Zion. God’s original plan was for Israel to live their religion, making the nation so attractive that other nations would come to them for guidance(Isa. 56:7). Jonah, as a forerunner of the disciples in … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Kings 14:25. What does this tell us about Jonah? In what kind of light is he presented? Outside the book of Jonah, the prophet is mentioned in one other Old Testament passage, 2 Kings 14:25. Here he is honored as a prophet that predicted Israel’s recapture of territory taken by Syria. Jonah was … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Jonah 1-4, 2 Kings 14:25, Isa. 56:7, Isa. 44:8, Matt. 12:40, Rev. 14:6-12. Memory Text: I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right (Acts 10:34-35 NIV). The Jonah saga is the … Continue reading –>
