are you losing invitations and blessings by making excuses to god?
The amazing story of Jonah and the whale has been a favorite of children and a target of Bible-deniers. We hold that God’s word is true in all its details and have no problem believing that God prepared a great fish that could swallow a man and spit him up still alive three days later. The messages of this story are many. God holds his man responsible for the commands he has received. We also see God as the God of mercy.
As God continues to confront Job with His greatness, Job makes his first feeble answer: “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee” (verse 4)? God then asks Job if he has the abilities and powers of God. God closes this chapter with a description of behemoth as the chief of the ways of God.
After the record of the miraculous birth of Samuel in chapter one and the praiseful prayer of Hannah in chapter two (1 Samuel 2:1-10), we are introduced to the spiritual famine of this time – which is still the time of the judges.
The story follows Israel as a nation. However, the nation can be used as a type of an individual. As in the case with Israel, an individual can receive the word of God, become a child of God, and then rebel against His commandments. An individual can reject God’s judgment against their sin and make things even worse. Hebrews 12:5-11 can help you make this comparison. Follow the story of the rebellion and punishment of the nation of Israel as if they represented one person.
