Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
“One that sows discord among brothers” is an abomination to God. It’s an amazing passage that is often overlooked when considering offenses which God hates.
The events presently taking place around the world are causing more discord among people than I’ve seen in my lifetime. Everyone I’ve spoken with from around the world seems to agree that this phenomenon is increasing. And while it’s understandable that people in the world are cracking and conflicted under pressure, it’s even more troubling that this fracturing and division seems to be affecting the body of Messiah as well.
A particularly sad example of this surrounds the recently opened television station (Shelanu TV) in Israel developed by believers in Yeshua for communicating the Gospel to a Hebrew speaking audience. Amazingly, what could well be seen as a breakthrough in freedom of speech and the expression of NT faith in a substantially unreached nation, has been bitterly attacked by some believers calling for the station’s removal.
Of course, everyone vehemently believes he’s on GOD’S side of the argument. It would seem to be crystal clear that, as the Apostle Paul states, the Gospel is “to the Jew first”. And how could anyone dispute that it was always the heart of God to reach the Jewish people with the Gospel. Paul even said he could wish himself to be accursed if only His people Jewish people might be saved. And we should absolutely share that passion with him.
But what counsel might we offer in a situation like this one? Apart from the details of the argument, and the passions on either side of it, I believe we need to follow Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “The servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents in gentleness … that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the enemy.”
It’s an attitude; not so much the “words”, but “the music”, the tone of the discussion, the way we “argue”. Because, while there will always be disagreements and controversies among us, discord, and those who sow it are walking in the flesh, the sinful nature, a self-righteous and belligerent attitude, which is an abomination to our Lord. As passionate as we may be over an issue, we ought to remember that it’s so easy to get in the flesh and sow discord among our brothers and sisters. But it’s one of the things God hates, so keep it in mind.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]When the Lord gave Jonah a second chance, He didn’t change His mind about the prophet’s destination. He didn’t lighten the load or change the burden Jonah was destined to carry. There was no negotiation with Jonah where the Lord expressed understanding about his reluctance to go to Nineveh. God didn’t concede to send him to Tarshish just because he’d been heading in that direction anyway. Jonah’s disobedience and repentance produced a clear and simple result…
A “second time.” Jonah’s repentance gave him a second chance to obey the Lord and to fulfill his ministry. And he did it successfully. The apostle Paul tells us that “the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable” [Romans 11:29]. Jonah’s disobedience did not take away his calling as a prophet. The discipline of the Lord was fruitful in his life. But compare King Saul. He also got a second chance after failing to wait for Samuel [1 Samuel 13] and he disobeyed again, and lost his kingship [1 Samuel 15]. But even that took many years to transpire after David was anointed.
Jonah now acknowledges that God put him where he is, and he accepts His discipline. “Sheol” is the “grave”, the “pit” or the “abode of the dead”. Did Jonah die, or was he only nearly dead from three days of fish stomach acid, and little or no air? The text doesn’t say; only that if he didn’t actually leave his body, he came as close as a man can get to it; three days worth. In this nebulous and miserable place Jonah cried out, probably from the deepest depths of his agonized soul…he cried out to the Lord.
While most read the story of Jonah focusing on Jonah’s journey, I want to pause and examine the lives of the pagan sailors. What a journey they were on! We see the hand of God touching them providentially through Jonah’s disobedience. Talk about God bringing good from evil.
So the captain came to Jonah, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” At this point the captain (who probably worshiped Baal and Yamm, god of the sea) has more faith than Jonah.
It must have been a bad storm. These men were experienced, hardened sailors who had seen it all at sea. If they were scared, this could have been the first “perfect storm” since Noah’s flood. So they started the first interfaith prayer meeting in the Bible, each man crying out to his own god. As the ship groaned and creaked in howling wind and massive waves, and the men threw cargo overboard in a desperate attempt to save it, where was Jonah? On deck helping them? Confidently praying to His own God? Shaking with fear and paralyzed with deep conviction? No, he’s taking a nap down below…
For the next week or so we’ll be looking closely at the life of Jonah the prophet. Jonah was told to “preach against the city of Nineveh”, that was in the ancient kingdom of Assyria. Nineveh was a major city on the banks of the Tigris River about 500 miles north and east of where Jonah was; located on a contemporary map in modern Iraq, about 300 miles north of Baghdad. Archaeologists have found the ruins of ancient Nineveh right outside the Iraqi city of Mosul. Yes, the same Mosul that was taken last week by jihadists!