Thrive: Deeper

In this episode we cover the books of Jonah and Amos, both written about the same time period during the rule of Jeroboam 2 one of Israel’s worst Kings. The story of Jonah, is probably one of the most well known Bible stories. In many ways, it is holding up a mirror to our own disfunction when it comes to understanding God’s ways and in particular His unmerited grace. Are we OK with the fact that God loves our enemies? Do we let our pride get in the way of our joy as God redeems people to Himself? Amos was called by God to head north into Israel to preach Gods truth to the people. The book is a collection of visions, poems, prayers etc from Amos that were compiled at some later stage – all with the intent of presenting a clear message to the evil northern Kingdom – a message we still need to hear today. He accuses Israel’s wealthy of ignoring the poor and of grave injustice to the people. Here we see the relationship between God’s justice and His mercy. He must judge and punish injustice and evil, but His ultimate plan is redemption – to restore Gods covenant family.

Written to Christians in the Roman province of Galatia. (In the center of modern Turkey). Capital of Galatia at the time was Ancyra. Written about the same time as Corinthians or alternate view is that this was Pauls earliest letter. The Christians in this province came manly from a Gentile background. They were relatively new believers (most likely only a matter of 2 or 3 years). Paul wrote to respond to issues that had arisen after he left the Galatian church, where there were people saying that Christianity had to be a sect that sat within Judaism. Essentially Gentiles had to become Jews – and follow the Mosaic laws (circumcision, diet etc.), before they would be accepted as part of Gods people. These false teachers were called Judaizers. We don’t belong to Gods family because of our behaviour, following ‘rules’ or even good works. We can’t make ourselves ‘righteous’ with God. We can only be righteous with God because of what He did for us in sending Jesus to die for our sin and brokenness. We have to remain and grow in sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit so that we stay in step with God’s good and perfect way to live.It’s through the Spirit that Jesus can make us into the people God created us to be, we can live lives loving God and others and in this way we still fulfill the Torah of the Messiah. We need to be thankful that we are free from the burden of having to earn God’s love and approval. Love is BigHearted NOT Big Headed. Legalism condemns, whilst Grace restores. We impress others with what we know. We impact others with how we love.

The Apostle Paul teaches about the spiritual war that the children of God are engaged in. He defends himself against those who oppose him. He recounted how he was caught up into the third heaven and described how his weaknesses proved to be a blessing. Before ending his epistle, Paul exhorted the Saints in Corinth to examine themselves and prove their faithfulness. In last part of 2 Corinthians we learn that Paul gloried in the Lord and taught that his own weaknesses should not be used to justify not listening to him. Paul mentioned additional ways Satan seeks to corrupt our thoughts and lead us away from Jesus Christ, including the use of false Christs and false apostles. Paul recounted the suffering he had endured as a true Apostle of the Saviour.

The church at Corinth had recently been struggling with divisions and quarrels which Paul had dealt with in his first letter. Now in this second letter, Paul felt the need to articulate a defense of his apostleship and his message. Some in the church had apparently taken his meekness among them to be a sign of moral weakness or lack of authority. Paul argued that he was of equal stature and importance as the other apostles, that he had deep knowledge of the Christian faith, that he had suffered profound physical punishment in the name of Christ, and that he had received visions and revelations from God. The message for us today is clear: living in unity requires us to humbly forgive one another and to follow our leaders. Second Corinthians reminds us that even as Christians, we hurt each other and need to forgive those who wrong us.

Love is the greatest gift of all. After Paul has said that the Corinthian church should eagerly desire the greater gifts, he then tells them what the greatest gift of all is. LOVE Paul says that Love should be the priority over ALL other aspects of life in the Spirit. BUT still the greatest of these is LOVE. So whilst the church had struggles around many issues internally – worship, prophecy, tongues, the highest priority for Paul was that they pursued LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER – above all these things. Jesus placed “love your neighbor as yourself” second only to :”love the Lord your God” The command to love one another is the 2nd most important law in scripture.

1 Corinthians 8-12 We cover an enormous amount of territory through these chapters as Paul unpacks so many of the issues facing the early Corinthian church, but with very relevant lessons for us today! • Eating food sacrificed for other gods. • Freedom and Rights - Christian freedom grows as Christian understanding grows • Old Testament Lessons – Idolatry • Honoring Others in Worship • The Lords Supper • Spiritual Gifts in Worship • Unity and Diversity We need to restrain our freedoms if it will harm others. Knowledge should not overshadow love for brothers and sisters in the Lord. The good of others should always take priority over our own rights!

1 Corinthians 1 – 7 Corinth was a vey strategic city – center for trade as a port city. Paul spent 18 months living in Corinth as a missionary, getting to know people (networking), and so many people came to know Jesus and hear about Jesus. They formed a church community. You can read more about this initial ministry of Paul’s to Corinth in Acts 18. Paul moved on of course to start churches in other cities – he planted churches all over the Mediterranean world - and just a few years after moving on from Corinth, Paul starts to hear reports about some of the challenges within the relatively new church including a letter from the Corinthian Church asking questions about issues and division within the church. Paul responds to each of these issues with a reflection on the Gospel message of Jesus. Drawing comparison between what they say they believe and how they actually live.

Judah has reached the end of the road. The final 4 kings turned away from the exclusive worship of God that Josiah had practiced. In a series of attacks, Jerusalem is captured and totally destroyed and the people taken into captivity in Babylon. God’s Prophets in the last days of the Southern Kingdom – Judah. Habakkuk – prophesied the Babylonian invasion soon after Josiah’s death as judgement from God on his sinful people. Daniel – Taken captive to Babylon during the reign of Jehoiakim. Lived most of his adult life in Babylon. Ezekiel – Taken captive to Babylon during Jehoiachin’s reign. His prophecy directed mainly at the people in exile. Jeremiah – Lived in Jerusalem during the destruction and then was taken with the final refugees to Egypt. Prophesied against the sins of the last 4 kings of Judah and the people. City completely destroyed. Only the poorest left to look after the land. One of which was Jeremiah. After the Babylonian appointed ‘governor’ Gedaliah is assassinated, everyone flees to Egypt in a seeming reversal of the Exodus. Jehoiachin (from the true Messianic line) was released by Babylonian King Evil-Merodach (Awil-Marduk) son of Nebuchadnezzar and allowed to live freely in Babylon and appears to have been treated as an important person by the king.

Hezekiah When there was finally a Godly King in Judah – Hezekiah – they find themselves facing the greatest threat the nation had ever known – the attack of Assyria. Without adequate resources to defend Jerusalem, Hezekiah casts himself in faith upon the Lord and receives not only the promise of victory through God’s prophet Isaiah, but also experiences God’s victory through the Lord’s intervention. Manasseh Worst King ever to rule in Judah. Longest reigning Judean King - 55 years. He adopted a pro-Assyrian policy. Killed the prophet Isaiah. Rebuilt high places. Introduced pagan astral worship – popular with the Assyrians. Destruction of Jerusalem and Judah now inevitable. Josiah Good in the sight of the Lord Book of the Law found in the temple. Covenant Renewal. Notably he tore down the Golden Calves altars that Jeroboam had made. Passover was re-instated nationally – first time since the Judges had reigned. About 500 years.

Jehu – Israel (Northern Kingdom) - Anointed as King by Elisha in secret and given the task to destroy the house of Ahab. Jehu is the only king of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) to have been anointed Carried out God’s requirement and prophesy to eliminate Ahab’s complete family line including Jezebel. Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, but he continued to allow the worshipping of the Golden Calves. Athaliah Usurps the Throne (Judah – Southern Kingdom). She annihilated all the royal heirs. King Jehorams daughter rescued Joash (son of Ahaziah) when he was just an infant. Athaliah overthrown after 6 years. Jehoida (High Priest) made reforms. Tore down the temple of Baal. Joash anointed king of Judah (only 7 years old) (Only survivor of the Davidic line after all his siblings are murdered by Athaliah) Reigned for 40 years. Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but the High Places were not taken down and the people continued to sacrifice on the high places. (Only one ‘high place’ where God had authorised sacrifices which was the Temple in Jerusalem). Joash recovered and restored the worship of the Lord and repaired of the Temple. Joash stayed on track with God under the supervision of the High Priest Jehoiada, but when Jehoiada died, Joash fell back into evil ways. He turned back to idolatry. Joash was assassinated when he had reigned for 40 years. King Jehoahaz (Israel) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Continued with the sins (Idol worship) of Jeroboam. Israel accelerating it’s downhill slide to a day of reckoning. Azariah King of Judah. Did what was right in the Lords sight. (Reigned for 52 years). Still however the High Places were NOT taken down. The cost of Syncretism!