Scripture:
Jonah 3; 1 John 1:8-9
Thu, 27 January 2022

The Preaching Man

Observation:

What did the Ninevites do to repent before God?

Deeper Reflection
AT THE START OF CHAPTER 3, JONAH WAS BACK AT SQUARE one, with a second chance to obey the LORD. This time he made it to Nineveh. Interestingly, the author mentions that the city was “three days journey in breadth” (v.3). This could have been a reference to the time needed to visit the city due to ancient diplomatic protocol – the first day would be for arrival, the second for the purpose of the visit and the third for return.71 Given this protocol, Jonah’s preaching was extraordinarily successful. On the first day he would not have met the king; and he would have only been able to preach extensively on the second and third days. Yet somehow, on the first day, as Jonah was just warming up, the Ninevites already enthusiastically believed God en masse (v.5)!72 Jonah’s message even reached the king, moving him to don sackcloth and sit in ashes (v.6)!The stunning repentance of Nineveh brought about a staggering turnaround – God relented from bringing disaster on them (v.10). Now, the text does not actually indicate that the Ninevites’ repentance led them to become full worshippers of the LORD.73 However, the text suggests it was genuine. The point is this – even the cruel Ninevites could and did repent! The implication is that it is not too late for people to turn back to the LORD with all their hearts. May we experience the liberating joy of coming back to God again and again when we do sin, for He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:8-9).
71 Stuart, Hosea-Jonah, 487. 72 Ibid., 488. 73 Wiseman, Alexander, and Waltke, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah, 138.
Application:

How can I regularly practise the spiritual discipline of confession and repentance?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Outreach/Missions/New Life leaders: That they will lead the church to proclaim the Gospel sensitively and boldly, and that many will be led to turn to Christ in repentance
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10: 4-19
Sat, 30 September 2023

Strengthened by the Divine Touch

Observation:

What is the significance of the repetition of the terms “strength” and
“strengthen” in Daniel’s encounter with God (vv.8, 16, 17, 18, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
When God sent His Word to Daniel in a vision, it was he “alone saw” the “great vision” (vv.7-8). It was a special privilege of divine sovereign grace. The vision was also a vision of God’s holiness and glory manifested in the awesome appearance of a heavenly being (vv.5-6). Daniel was so utterly overwhelmed by the divine vision, that “no strength was left in me” (v.8). The description, “no strength”, is emphatically repeated four times in Daniel’s encounter with God (vv.8, 16, 17). We may not experience such an utterly overwhelming encounter with God like Daniel’s, but we do experience “no strength was left in me” in utterly overwhelming adversities like being “afflicted in every way” (2 Cor 1:8; 4:8-9).When we have “no strength”, we need the divine touch. God responded to Daniel’s fourfold “no strength” with a threefold divine touch (vv.10, 16, 18): He “touched me again and strengthened me”. When we are so greatly afflicted, that we feel no strength is left in us, and yet we persevere in faithfulness, it is because we are being “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of great endurance and patience” (Col 1:11). Note the intensity and immensity of this divine power at work in us! This is the divine touch of “the surpassing greatness of power” from God (2 Cor 4:7-9). But we feel the physical and emotional pains more than the Spiritual power. The greater is our suffering, the greater will be the strength from God in us, and the greater will be our steadfastness in God.
Application:

What is my experience of the Word of God and spiritual warfare like in my
discipleship journey?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To know God’s power that is perfected in weaknesses
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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