Read Micah 2:1-11 and Micah 3. What are the sins that threaten to bring judgment upon these people? “The accession of Ahaz to the throne brought Isaiah and his associates face to face with conditions more appalling than any that had hitherto existed in the realm of Judah. Many who had formerly withstood the seductive influence of idolatrous … Continue reading –>
In Micah 1:1-9, the prophet invites the whole earth to witness God’s judgment against sinful people. The capital cities of Samaria and Jerusalem are singled out because their leaders failed to be role models of what it means to follow God with undivided hearts. These two cities would be the first to suffer destruction. The thought … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Mic. 1:1-9, 2 Cor. 11:23-27, Mic. 2:1-11, 5:2, 6:1-8, 7:18-20. Memory Text: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8). Key Thought: Even amid the worst apostasy, the Lord was willing to forgive … Continue reading –>
Read the following quotations and discuss how they help us to understand the messages from the book of Jonah more clearly. “Whenever they are in need the children of God have the precious privilege of appealing to Him for help. It matters not how unsuitable the place may be, God’s ear of mercy is open … Continue reading –>
I was a troublemaker. I disobeyed my parents and teachers and questioned every authority. My parents weren’t religious, but they had strict standards. But I refused to follow their rules. One day as my mother traveled by bus to another city, a man stood up and talked about a book he was selling. The book … Continue reading –>
“‘But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord’” (Jonah 2:9, NIV). [Thought questions for Eager to Forgive May 8, 2013] 1. The poetry of Jonah. Is the entire book of Jonah or just the song he writes from the belly … Continue reading –>
Read Jonah 4 . What important lessons did Jonah need to learn? How is his own hypocrisy revealed here? Jonah 4 reveals some startling things about the prophet. He seems to prefer to die rather than to witness about God’s grace and forgiveness. Whereas before Jonah had rejoiced in his deliverance from death (Jon. 2:7-9), now that Nineveh … Continue reading –>
After such a miraculous deliverance, when commanded by God the second time to go to preach in Nineveh, Jonah obeyed immediately. In his proclamation, Jonah (3:1-4) used language reminiscent of God’s destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). But in the original Hebrew, the word for “overthrown” (see Gen. 19:21, 29, Jon. 3:4) from Jonah’s proclamation can also … Continue reading –>
“Then Peter began to speak: “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 As human beings, we can come to understand our relationship to God in terms of familiar bonds. We can … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: The story of Jonah shows how God patiently taught His stubborn prophet what grace, mercy, and forgiveness are all about. [Teaching plan for Eager to Forgive May 6, 2013] 1. Have a volunteer read Psalm 139:3-8 A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text … Continue reading –>
We humans are a funny bunch. We love to talk about fairness and justice and everybody getting what they deserve – just as long as we get to decide just what that means. Jonah is a prime example. God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the folks there that if they don’t make some … Continue reading –>
When Jonah was thrown into the sea, a big fish swallowed him up at God’s bidding. Jonah must have thought that death indeed was going to be the only way to escape the mission to Nineveh. But the big fish (not called a whale in the book) was an instrument of salvation for the prophet. Unlike Jonah, … Continue reading –>
