For today, One Year Bible Online links here. Christmas is coming soon. Let us remember what it is truly about, the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us strive to not be caught up in the commercialism which is what this season is about for many in our society today.

    Many people seek to curry favor with the politically powerful, but if you wish to see justice seek the Lord. The righteous think poorly of the wicked and the wicked look on the righteous with disdain and contempt.

    This psalm reminds us that God’s people should strive to live together in peace and unity. It is not an easy thing to do. We all have our shortcomings and we are all too ready to blame others when we fail to live as we know we ought. Let us strive to live in unity with those who also strive to serve God.

    The passage begins with John noting a scroll in the hand of God. Since we do not normally use scrolls anymore we often overlook the significance of the fact that there is writing on both sides of the scroll. Ordinarily there is only writing on the inside of a scroll. The fact that this scroll has writing on both sides indicates that it is completely full. It is complete, there is no more to be written. The other important fact is that it is sealed with seven seals. This indicates that it is completely and perfectly sealed. There have been those who connect this scroll to the one referred to in Daniel 12:4. I believe they are correct. Further, I believe that John wrote this book intending to connect it with the apocalyptic prophesies from the Old Testament.
    I should mention one thing here. I believe that what is recorded in the Book of Revelation represents visions which John actually saw. However, he described those visions in ways which reflect what he believed them to mean and the events which he thought they indicated. I believe that John struggled with what his visions meant much as we do today.
    So, we have a scroll which represents God’s complete message that is completely sealed. A call is put forth seeking someone who is worthy and able to open the scroll, but no one in all of heaven and earth is found. When John breaks down and cries over this tragedy he is told that the Lion of Judah, David’s heir, is worthy and able to open the scroll. The Lion of Judah is Jesus. It is through Jesus, and only through Jesus, that we are able to hear, and understand, God’s complete message. Anyone who attempts to open the scroll of God’s message on their own will fail.

    The book of Jonah starts out with God giving Jonah a calling. Not only did Jonah not obey God’s calling, he went in the opposite direction. I spend so much of my time seeking clear direction from God that I sometimes wonder how Jonah could have done that. Yet, I remember one time when I felt a clear call to do something for God and chose not to do it. I justified my decision by convincing myself that I was not prepared for the role. Looking back I regret the decision I made at the time.
    On the other hand, the rest of the book of Jonah suggests that maybe my perception of God’s call was mistaken. Why do I say that? Because when Jonah refused to answer God’s call, God did not take that first “No” for an answer. When God calls us, He will not easily take “No” for an answer. God drove Jonah to the deepest depths. When he was in the belly of the fish, Jonah could have laid down and died. Instead, he cried out to God and repented his sins. When God called Jonah once more to go to Ninevah and preach, Jonah still did not like what the results would be, but he realized that he like the results of not doing God’s will anymore. So Jonah went and did God’s will.
    Sure enough, the actions God called Jonah to perform had the effect that Jonah feared. God could have left it at that. Jonah had done what he asked and the people of Ninevah repented. He did not need Jonah to be happy about it. But God wanted Jonah, and us, to understand why He did what He did here. As evil, wicked, and nasty the people of Ninevah had been, God did not desire their destruction. He desired that they turn from their wickedness to doing good. To make a modern comparison, God does not desire the destruction of the people who make up ISIS (Islamic State of Syria and Iraq). He desires them to turn from their evil to serve Him.

     I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. In order to make that possible I read the passages and write my thoughts a day in advance. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     Today’s passage is the entire book of Jonah. So often we are like Jonah. At first when God calls Jonah to confront evil people for their sins, he resists, going so far as to go in the opposite direction. God is calling Jonah to confront people for their sins, but rather than do so, Jonah moves away from them. Who in my life is God calling me to announce His judgment against? Who does He desire me to confront?
     When Jonah ran into problems because of his choice to act against God’s will, he repented and cried out to God. It is worth noting that God took action to save Jonah from the consequences of his disobedience even before Jonah cried out to Him. It is also worth noting that God used Jonah to bring others to Him even in Jonah’s disobedience (the sailors worshiped God and vowed to serve Him). When Jonah cried out to God in his desperation, God brought him forth from the “belly of the fish” and set the task before him once more.
     This time Jonah followed God’s command and confronted the sinners of Nineveh. He told them that God was going to destroy them because of their sin. When they heard his message, they turned from their sin and stopped their evil ways. They cried out to God and begged Him for mercy. God listened to their cry and chose not to carry out the destruction which he had had Jonah proclaim. Jonah became angry with God because what he had predicted did not come to pass. I believe Jonah’s anger was a result of hurt pride. He had told the people of Nineveh that they would be destroyed and now it was not going to happen. He set himself up just outside of the city to watch the city, hoping that perhaps the destruction was merely delayed for a short time. God caused a plant to grow up over Jonah’s shelter, providing relief from the hot sun. Then, in order to communicate a lesson to Jonah, God caused the plant to wither and die. Once more Jonah was angry enough that he wished to die. God pointed out that Jonah had more concern for a plant, which had come into being and grown with no intervention on Jonah’s part than he did for the many people living in Nineveh. Do we have more concern for plants and animals than we do for people? Am I willing to listen to God’s will and give people God’s message, even if I have to risk looking like a kook?

     Next John saw that the one who was sitting on the throne had a scroll in His hand. When no one was found worthy to break the seals and read the scroll, John wept. However, he was told not to weep because there was one who was worthy to read the scroll. John had not been patient enough. He needed to wait until the Lion of Judah had won the victory (this to me is a metaphor for our patience and for the history of the world from Creation until Jesus’ death and resurrection). So, John looked, and what he saw was a Lamb which had been slain, but was now living.
     The Lion who has won the victory is the Lamb who was slain. Do we understand the significance of this? God did not gain victory by crushing His enemies. He gained victory by allowing them to crush Him. The Christian message is not that of Islam. Islam proclaims that God will rule the world through the military conquests of His followers. Christianity proclaims that God will rule the world through the death of Jesus Christ. God will rule the world through the apparent defeat of His followers. Let us not be disheartened by apparent defeat because in God’s calculus, being defeated while faithfully serving God results in victory. Death results in new life.

     It is definitely true that it is good and pleasant when brothers live together in harmony, whether that brotherhood is biological or the brotherhood of believers. It is God’s will that we live in harmony with one another and I will strive to do so, in as much as doing so is within my power.

     Many seek the favor of those with earthly power, but if we truly desire justice we must apply to God. You can tell a lot about someone by whom they dislike. The righteous dislike those who are dishonest and unjust. The wicked despise those who are godly.