Latest Thoughts of the Day

Nahum 3:9

8/15/2020

Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were among her allies.

Nineveh had repented under Jonah’s preaching, but the revival did not last, and within a century they were back as bad as ever they had been. The time for judgment had come, and God raises up Nahum to declare the judgment He will bring. Nahum lists well-known cases of civilizations that had thought themselves impregnable who were nevertheless destroyed. Sometimes people “never knew what hit them”. God does not intend this should be so with Nineveh. Is it a picture of the Day when we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ? Woe unto those who must answer for their crimes! Blessed are those who have heard the Gospel and fled to the One who lived and died for sinners! Thank You, Father, for sending Him. Thank you for coming, Lord Jesus.

Micah 7:10

8/14/2020

Then my enemy will see it and be covered with shame, she who said to me,"Where is the Lord your God?" My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets.

We are given the impression by our society that there is somehow something wrong with vengeance. Presumably we are not to care that wrong is righted, evil is punished, righteousness is vindicated. Our hearts yearn for righteousness to be established, but we tell ourselves that we should not want this. God does not tell us this. God tells us not to take vengeance, but He clearly assures us that he will take it. We thank You, Lord, that the portion of vengeance that we deserve was put upon Your Son and that He took it to Calvary on our behalf. Thank You for Your love, Lord Jesus.

Jonah 4:1

8/13/2020

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.

Jonah’s message had fallen far short of a declaration of the Gospel because he had not personally wanted the people of Nineveh to repent. Jonah had declared destruction in forty days, and his heart was in the message. He personally wanted these wicked people to be destroyed. The idea of hoping for mercy and demonstrating at least outwardly that they had repented was something the leaders thought of on their own. And when God honored it, Jonah was mad. It was embarrassing for him to have so boldly predicted a calamity that didn’t end up happening. He had suspected that God might do this, and that was why he did not want to come in the first place.. Thank You, Lord, that You didn’t want us to perish, and that You rejoiced in our repentance when we trusted in Jesus.

Obadiah 11

8/11/2020

On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

God is speaking His fierce judgment upon Edom for her inveterate hatred of Israel. It all started with Esau and his enmity to Jacob, but the descendants of Esau had never let it go. This particular offense was standing by and watching while a third party ravaged and destroyed Jerusalem. God holds them responsible as if they were carrying off the booty themselves. And we are guilty when we stand by and watch others destroy. If we do nothing to prevent, we join in the destruction. It reminds us, Lord, that we either gather or scatter for You. Not standing up for Christians who suffer is our adding to their grief. Help us, Lord, to help those suffering for Jesus.

Amos 9:5

8/10/2020

The Lord, the LORD Almighty , he who touches the earth and it melts, and all who live in it mourn--the whole land rises like the Nile, then sinks like the river of Egypt--

Amos extols the God of Israel in the time just before Isaiah rises to prominence as God’s prophet to Judah. Amos sees God as the one who raises or lowers the fortunes of His people as smoothly and effortlessly as He causes the Nile to rise in its season and to receded at His command. He looks ahead to the utter destruction of the ten tribes of Israel, but the sparing of the land of Judah. Amos’ ministry comes at a time of great prosperity both for Israel and Judah, so his message is little heeded. Amos ultimately envisions the glory that will come to the world at the second coming of Jesus.

Joel 3:11

8/9/2020

Come quickly all you nations from every side, and assemble there. Bring down your warriors, O Lord!

The culmination of the world as we know it will come about not with a whimper, but with a bang. There is a day of reckoning—a great battle when all will know whose side they are on and will face victory or defeat in plain view of the moral universe. The destiny of nations will be manifest. Joel looks far ahead and calls the two sides to assemble. Lord, we know that the day is yet future when You will assemble mankind for the great showdown. You have called us to assemble on your side, and we have gladly done so. We serve You as strangers and aliens in a hostile land, looking for the day of glory when all will see the power and glory of our Lord Jesus.

Hosea 13:16

8/8/2020

The people of Samaria must bear their guilt. because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by te sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.

We are horrified by the picture of the cruelty of one person against another, and comforted by the fact that God is the Judge before whom we all will stand. The Judge of All the Earth will do right. He can make it up to the person destroyed by man’s inhumanity to man, and punish the perpetrator, even as He rescues those who suffer unjustly. Our eyes always behold half of the picture, and sometimes less than half. Those who do ugly and awful things will face their judgment, and the innocent who suffer will be brought comfort. The important thing is that men and women, boys and girls be brought to Jesus.