What Happens When God Loves the People You Hate?
The words of the Hebrew Prophets often functioned as a kind of uncomfortable, but necessary, interruption of the status quo in Israel. For the powers that be, their utterances were often met with harsh opposition from leaders as they called out and named patterns of religious, economic and social behavior in Israel that had strayed away from God’s ways. At the same time, their words provided much needed seeds of hope for those who were feeling the pains of economic injustice, pervasive sin, abusive power structures, and cultural capitulation. Despite what it might seem on the surface of things, all was not lost! For those willing to listen, the Hebrew prophets offered the possibility of a different way forward for Israel, a good future anchored in the loving character and abundant provision of Yahweh above all.
Although originally spoken thousands of years ago, the words of the Hebrew Prophets have a surprising relevance to the times we are living in today. They ring true in the kinds of problems they name, the prescriptions they give for positive change, and the promises they offer as a basis for hope. Above all, their words call us back to the enduring love and faithfulness of Yahweh for those who trust and follow Him.
In this second message in this series Pastor Mike walked through the Book of Jonah and shared about how the book is unique among the prophets in that it focuses mostly on Jonah’s own wrestling. Jonah wrestled with the message he was called to bring to his enemies, and he wrestled with God’s abundant mercy and grace to forgive and save his enemies in the same way he had been forgiven and saved.