I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

So, leading up to our anniversary, I wished my wife happy anniversary for 20 days culminating on our anniversary yesterday.  I was tempted to continue for 20 more days, but decided not to do so.  However, since I am writing these a few days in advance, I am going to thank my wife on here every day until I am writing on the day after our anniversary

Thank you for marrying me. Darling!

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jonah 1-4 and Micah 1-2.

First Jonah 1-4

Often times when I read the story of Jonah I want to break it down into parts.  In fact, many times when I have heard sermons based on Jonah they are only on one part.  There is nothing wrong with that, but the Book of Jonah is short and we should, from time to time, look at it as a whole .  When God gave Jonah a message for Nineveh Jonah did not want to deliver it because he did not want the people of Nineveh to repent and be saved from God’s judgement.  Later he felt more grief over the death of a plant which had provided him shade than he felt over the possible suffering and death of the people of Nineveh.  The message of the Book of Jonah is that we should desire that sinful people turn from their sins and be saved, even if they have caused us, or others we care about, to suffer.  We should not desire that those who sin suffer for their sins.  We should desire that they cease to sin, and thus avoid that suffering.  As followers of Christ, we gain more when sinners repent than when they are punished.

Then Micah 1-2

I take Micah’s prophecy as being directed at those whose livelihood is dependent on the government.  Reading Micah’s condemnation of Samaria and Jerusalem I am reminded that the five richest counties in the United States are those surrounding Washington, DC.  I do not think this means that this passage is only of relevance to those who live in those counties.  Rather, it is a warning to those who make their living from managing the levers of power.  Micah’s message is not that it is wrong to make one’s living from managing the levers of power, after all, someone must do so.  No, Micah is condemning those who use their access to the levers of power to defraud and oppress others.