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THE GOD OF ANOTHER CHANCE

John H Walton in his book “The Lost World of Genesis” writes:
“As complicated as translating a foreign language can be, translating a foreign culture is infinitely more difficult. The problem lies in the act of translating. Translation involves lifting the ideas from their native context and relocating them in our own context.
When we move to the level of culture, the same type of problem occurs. The “very act of trying to translate the culture requires taking it out of its context and fitting it into ours.
(However), the minute anyone attempts to translate the culture, we run the risk of making the text communicate something it never intended.“
Eventually John Walton arrives at the conclusion that:
“We can begin to understand the culture BY BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH ITS LITERATURE.”
In other words, regarding Jonah, we read the story in English and outside it’s cultural context and that’s the reason we read and hear so many different approaches to what God is communicating with this story. Remember, the Bible was never written TO us; the Bible was written to the people that lived during those days when it was written, primarily to ISRAEL.
But the Bible was written FOR us. Jonah was written FOR US, and we can learn the incredible lessons about God and God’s people.
Circumstances are not reliable indicators of WHO GOD IS AND IF HE LOVES US OR NOT. THE ONLY RELIALBE INDICATOR OF WHO GOD IS AND HOW HE LOVE US is to look to Jesus, His life, His death, and His resurrection. That’s exactly what Jesus meant when he answered the religious people of his days WHAT SIGN HE WOULD GIVE THEM. Matthew 12:39-41

THE COVENANT KEEPING GOD

Luke 1:72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember HIS HOLY COVENANT.
People did not believe God and wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. It looked like God is done with Israel. But He is 100% committed to His covenant and His covenant people.
Before God chose David to be the king of Israel, the nation was ruled by 15 judges over a period of about 450 years. Some of the most widely known names are Samson and Samuel.
During that time the enemies of Israel started to infiltrate God’s land over and over again despite the fact that under Joshua’s leadership they were defeated and chased out of the promised land.
The history of the rise and fall of the Hebrew nation are found in the history books (Genesis-Esther). The prophets appeared during the days of the fall of the Hebrew nation. At the moment of the apostasy of the 10 tribes at the close of Solomon’s reign and Israel’s golden age the ministry of the prophets began. The prophets gave a wake up call as soon as people began to forget God.
God warned Israel and Judah over and over again through the prophets. The people forsook God, worshiped idols, did injustice, and loved evil. But God was kind enough to forewarn them of coming judgments because of sin and apostasy, and he would do marvelous miracles through the prophets that would give them hope and encouragement. The prophets even revived their faith in the coming Messiah and His glorious Kingdom. Elijah and Elisha are some of the names that come to mind when talking about prophets.

The Final Judgments

The judgments of God on this entire earth are wrapped up in 7 seals, followed by 7 trumpets and finally followed by 7 bowls. If you carefully read those passages you can find out that the 7th seal contains the 7 trumpets and the 7th trumpet contains the 7 bowls. This simply means that there is a very specific sequence to these judgments. First the seals; then the trumpets and finally the bowls. The seals are being broken by THE LAMB. The seven seals are opened by the Lord Himself, the 7 trumpets are blown by angelic beings, and the seven bowls are being poured upon the earth by seven angelic beings as well. In other words, the Lord uses His angelic beings to execute judgments upon this earth. We will find out later why this is so important.
Four very important purposes that will be fulfilled during the final judgments upon this earth.
1. The Kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. (Revelation 11:15; John 16:7-11)
2. The nations and its rulers will find out who truly OWNS THE NATIONS AND TO WHOM THIS EARTH REALLY BELONGS. (Revelation 11:18a; Psalm 2)
3. All the dead people will be judged. That is all the spiritually dead people, those who have rejected the offer of salvation. (Revelation 11:18b; Daniel 7:9-10)
4. All the Servants, Prophets and Saints and those who fear God’s name will receive their promised rewards. (Revelation 11:18c; Revelation 22:12)
God’s judgments will always reveal the human heart; FULL OF REBELLION AGAINST THE CREATOR HIMSELF. This all started in the Garden of Eden long ago when our parents believed the lie that they could through knowledge of good and evil become God themselves. That was Satan’s promise to them. The human being has been in rebellion against God ever since. God’s very own and special creation claimed Godhood. When God Himself eventually brings that rebellion to judgment, every human being will find out that rebellion has its price.
These bowl judgments will crush man’s rebellion and remove the rebellious from this earth. The final completion of this purpose will be accomplished when Jesus Christ returns with His armies to this earth.
Who is the recipient of this first bowl judgment? All those who had received the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. We can find out from another text found in this book that a very small fraction of the world population will actually resist the beast and will refuse to take his mark.
Good news, the only ones who do not have to worry about this judgment are the ones who found refuge in the lord Jesus Christ. They have refused to take the mark of the beast and have refused to worship him.
Jesus has taken the judgments for their rebellion against God upon himself, came to this earth, lived on this earth a perfect, sinless life, was falsely accused, rejected, condemned and eventually crucified in our place. And the proof of his work on our behalf came 3 days after his crucifixion. 3 days after his burial, he rose again, because death could not hold him, there was no legal claim against him and those who trust in him. Hallelujah.

What’s Your Plan?

Most people will go through life without having ever taken the time to really forge a PLAN FOR THEIR LIFE. What do I want to do with the rest of my life? Some say, well, I don’t plan anything because GOD IS IN CHARGE OF MY LIFE.
If Jesus would have lived on this earth with such an attitude, you and I would spend eternity in everlasting hell fire.
I am so thankful that God the Father has a plan for His entire creation, and especially for me personally.
To find the Biblical answer to what God’s plan is for you and me, we need to turn to John 1:1-14.
Let’s look at the Christian landscape of today, we see similar patterns.
People today can get very excited about Jesus if they see
• That he can benefit them
• That everything will be going great if they “accept Him”
• That He can fix them and solve their problems
What will happen, what will be their plan when Jesus DOES NOT HEAL THEM, DOES NOT GIVE THEM THE BENEFITS THEY DEMAND, DOES NOT FIX THEIR PROBLEMS AND DOES NOT HEAL THEIR MARRIAGE?
The statement: HE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER… forms the foundation of all Christian talk about God. It is the incarnation that makes this possible. Excitement about Christmas and that Jesus was born in Bethlehem 2000 years ago, does not mean that we UNDERSTAND WHO GOD IS.
Listen, God’s supreme revelation of Himself is the incarnation, the Word becoming flesh and speaking to us at our level of UNDERSTANDING.

The Power of Religion

The false Christ and the false Prophet will precede the Real Christ. Jesus clearly teaches that truth. He also reveals to us that before the final false Christ, which we know as the Anti-Christ, will come, there will be many false Christ’s and many false prophets who claim to be the one or who claim to speak on behalf of the real Christ. The false prophet will be the spiritual leader of the world religions, claiming to represent God Almighty. It will be one of the most incredible deceptions the world will ever witness.
This second beast is necessary to show up on the world stage to complete the counterfeit trinity. This beast counterfeits the holy spirit in the person of the False Prophet.
Remember, Jesus himself confirmed to His disciples that the prophet Elijah will come BEFORE THE GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY. The whole world will be in amazement. This must be the resurrected Elijah. Remember, the one of the signs that symbolizes the Holy Spirit is FIRE. This false prophet will be able to do the same.
Just as the Holy Spirit brings all true born-again believers into one body, so the false prophet will bring all religions of the world into one body. While the antichrist, which will be in charge of the political and economical system of the entire world, he needs the false prophet to legitimize his office. Finally, during the tribulation period, Satan will have his master piece in place, the RELIGEOUS LEADER OF THIS WORLD WILL DEMAND THAT ALL PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH MAKE AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST, THE POLITICAL LEADER OF THIS WORLD.