Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Jonah Part 7

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - PREJUDICED

PREJUDICED

When one studies the book of Jonah in the Bible it is not hard to see that there is more to the story than the commonly considered portion of Jonah and the fish. Jonah’s run from God and his hatred of the inhabitants of Nineveh are really central and there is no secret made of the reason for his feelings towards those people. But at the same time, it is important to examine our own feelings as to how we look to other cultures and groups today because, in many cases, we still harbour similar feelings although hopefully not to the same extent. Looking carefully, we can see that Jonah was prejudiced against the Nineveh inhabitants in five different ways.

He mistakenly disliked them in a national way and not really individually. Not knowing each of them, he disliked the national culture of the people and so do we not still today make judgement based on a nation rather than individuals living within that country?

He disliked the people of Nineveh because of their history and past actions; not considering how the situation may change in the future. Don’t we today evaluate people in the way their ancestors behaved more that the way things are at present and get caught up in past instead of looking toward the future?

He disliked them from their physical actions and did not consider them from a spiritual sense at all. It is evident that God considered the people of Nineveh just as worthy of salvation as He did the people in Jerusalem.

The Lord is…not willing that any should perish 

but that all should come to repentance. 

(2 Peter 3:9)

And this is the reason God sent Jonah to Nineveh and the reason we are sent to various places today.

Further, Jonah looked upon the people of Nineveh in a hateful manner and not mercifully. Jonah was so consumed with hatred towards those people because of their previous atrocities that he really could not think beyond this emotion. It is difficult to consider a merciful attitude when one harbours such feelings but this is what God apparently wants us to do - put aside such emotions and to consider that all are creations of God and that He died to be…

the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only, 

but also for the sins of the whole world. 

(1 John 2:2 KJV)

And lastly, he disliked them because of the ethnicity, because they were of a different background than he and his Jewish compatriots. Through history, and such is so clearly evidenced in the Old Testament, people were hated because of where they came from and their ethnic heritage - Jews verses the Gentiles being the most evident. One can dislike and disagree with the others beliefs, and even culture, but can still accept and cooperate with their person and being.

We all, today, may still have similar feelings toward others who are “different” but hopefully not to the same extent as did Jonah. We must learn to live in harmony with each other and look at others individually and toward the future and in a spiritual and merciful way remembering also…

…there is no partiality with God. 

(Romans 2:11)

and that…

…God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believes in Him should not perish 

but have everlasting life. 

(John 3:16)

All things we should continue to think about.

Caroline Barclay Oct. 27, 2024

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Jonah Part 6

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - SECOND CHANCE

SECOND CHANCE

None of us ever do everything right all the time. In fact, if we are honest to admit it, few of us do the correct thing or make the correct choice anywhere near most of the time. Some feel that what they have done is beyond forgiveness so why even bother trying. Isn’t it fortunate that God has shown us His willingness to give us, with some correction, a second chance? This He has demonstrated many times throughout the Bible.

In the book of Exodus, we read about Moses who was raised as a royal but who killed an Egyptian noble. Even after being branded a murderer, God still sent him back to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of captivity and into the promised land. Moses would be written into history as one of Israels’ greatest heroes. He was given another chance to show God his loyalty but it came with a price - he had to spend 40 years as a shepherd (a far cry from his royal upbringing) - before he was given the opportunity to again serve God and his people.

In the book of Samuel, the story begins of David, the youngest son of Jesse and the one who was called upon to help defeat the Philistines. He went on to become one of the greatest kings in the history of Israel but in spite of this still developed an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and arranged for the death of her husband Uriah. In spite of all this, God still enabled him to write many of the Psalms and to be redeemed before God. David, however, still had to pay a price in that his first son with Bathsheba died and many of his other offspring rebelled. But David repented, as outlined in many of the Psalms, and was still honoured by God.

Even the prodigal son is an example of a second chance. He demanded his inheritance from his father, left home, and then spent it all in riotous living. Then, when all the money was gone, he finally decided to go back home where his father welcomed his return to the family and gave him another chance to start again. But he had to endure the pangs of poverty and humiliation before he repented and returned to his father; an allegory of how we can still be welcomed by our Heavenly Father after all we do here on earth.

Peter was told by Christ that he would deny Him three times on the night He was tried by the Sanhedrin. This came about just as predicted and Peter did deny Christ three times before the cock crowed. Peter…

 

…went out, and wept bitterly. 

(Luke 22:62)

Even in spite of this denial, however, Peter was not rejected by Christ but was greeted by Him both after His resurrection and later on the shore of Galilee.

There is also the story of John Mark who was in disagreement with Paul on one of his missionary journeys but later was commended by the same Paul in one of his later writings.

And of course, we all must consider ourselves, who have all been given more than one chance by Christ, for when He came:

He [was] despised and rejected by men… 

(Isaiah 53:3)

because…

[t]here is none righteous, no, not one… 

(Romans 3:10)

But even so… 

God demonstrates His own love toward us, 

in that while we were still sinners,

Christ died for us. 

(Romans 5:8)

As a result, we are also given a second chance if we are wise enough to accept it. It is often amazing what pain and penance many go through, as did those in the past, before such acceptance occurs. Our second chance is something we should all think about. 

Rev. Steve Webb Oct 20, 2024

Dr. Barclays Bible Study - The Book of Jonah Part 5