After reluctantly going under the knife, the old granny psalm’ you never appreciate what you have until it’s gone’ can become more relevant than ever. A short medical story from pre-COVID times.
Category Archives: Spirituality
TV series review: The Test: A New Era For Australian Cricket
The Test is clearly intended as a shame-to-glory documentary. While the humanity and vulnerability of the participants is painfully on display, the opportunity for deeper reflection is never taken up.
The ‘Country Prophet:’ Why Study the Book of Micah
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. — Micah 5:2
Introduction
Isaiah from Jerusalem was a ‘city and court prophet’ and had access to kings and authority. Forty kilometres to the west in Moresheth Gath, part of the Shephelah or lowlands (Samson’s territory), came his contemporary, Micah, the ‘country prophet.’ He understood the needs of the peasant and rural people. The prophet courageously decried immorality, injustice, and idolatry. He foretold the defeat of both the Northern Kingdom and Judah. His prophetic book gives us some powerful points about the coming King Messiah and the kingdom He will inherit.
Hebrew Name of Micah
The prophet’s name comes from Michayahu, meaning ‘Who is like God?’ Short answer: No one! The LORD God is the One and Only God; no one even comes close.
Author of Micah
Micah from rural Judah in the Shephelah, did not have the connections or graces of the Jerusalem prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah. Yet, he received a burden from the Lord against oppression, injustice, and tyranny and it catapulted him out of obscurity into the divine spotlight. Micah understood that what we lack in the natural, God can more than compensate in the spirit. It was he who said, ‘But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord’ (Micah 3:8). When you have the Holy Spirit in control, He will give you the right words, authority, and the power to deliver them. Micah prophesied during the reigns of Judean kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Micah’s prophecy helped influence Hezekiah’s religious reforms.
Portrait of Christ in Micah
Christ is the Ruler and Judge of Israel who comes from Bethlehem-Ephratah (5:2). Since Bethlehem is David’s city, and Messiah is the ‘Son of David,’ it is no mystery why the Almighty ordained that David’s Son would be born in David’s city. It took the census of a heathen Roman emperor to bring the holy couple from their normal residence in Nazareth, Galilee, to Bethlehem, Judea, in order for Christ’s birth to fulfil prophecy.
Theme of Micah
As a country prophet, Micah was uniquely placed to spotlight the oppression of the peasants, the poor, the widows, the fatherless, the hidden people and other vulnerable categories. He was a true and noble ‘social justice warrior.’ He exposed the sins of both kingdoms of Israel and Judah, predicting their demise (Chapter 01), denouncing corruption, covetousness, oppression, pride and evil. Balancing this emphasis on judgement comes his message of mercy, righteousness, and humility. The same Judah which is punished for sin will experience God’s restoration power
Key Verses of Micah
Micah 6:8: He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Micah 7:7: Therefore I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
Micah 7:18: Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
TO BE CONTINUED
A prayer for a time of pandemic
In these extraordinary times, God, give us compassion. Give us prayerfulness.
Book Review: Reason, Faith and the Struggle for Western Civilization
According to Sam Gregg, the genius of Western civilisation is its unique synthesis of reason and faith – the kind expressed in Jewish and Christian faiths and cultures. To the extent that reason and faith have been uncoupled following the Enlightenment, he argues, we have seen the rise of social pathologies inimical to the pursuit of truth.
The Prophet from Galilee: Why Study the Book of Jonah? Part 02
It is an ideal ‘Sunday School’ story. Yet, this book is not just for children; it is a prophetic word for all of God’s people. While some will scoff at the notion that this prophet spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, Jesus Christ treated it as historic fact. More than that, He made Jonah’s 3 days underworld excursion a sign of His own burial, which is an important component of the gospel: Christ died, was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-5). This is Part 02 of The Prophet from Galilee: Why Study the Book of Jonah? We continue our survey.
KEY VERSES
— Jonah 2:8-9
And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil
— Jonah 4:2
SUMMARY
As it turned out, Jonah decided to disobey God and flee. Instead of going east to Nineveh, he went west to Joppa. The goal was to catch a ship and sail even further west to a place called ‘Tarshish,’ in order to ‘flee from the presence of the LORD.’ Jonah thought the God of Israel was land-bound and land-locked to Israel alone; he soon discovered that God is omnipresent worldwide, on land and sea.
Jonah’s presence on the ship caused a great storm. When the heathen sailors discovered he was the cause of the storm, they reluctantly cast him into the sea. Once done, everything was calm. As a result, the sailors turned to the LORD. Even in his rebellious state Jonah was winning souls.
Then the great fish in the Mediterranean, prepared by the LORD, swallowed him up and he was there for 3 days and 3 nights. Inside the fish, he prayed to Lord and apparently learned his lesson. The fish gave him free passage back to the Middle East and vomited him out on dry land.
God spoke to Jonah a 2nd time to go to Nineveh and this time he obeyed. Nineveh was unlike any city Jonah had ever seen, especially in Israel. Capital of the Assyrian Empire, stronghold of 30 miles (48 km) by 10 miles (16 km), five walls and three moats (canals) surrounding it. Walls 100 feet high (30 metres), four chariots to be driven abreast. Great palaces, fine gardens; fifteen gates guarded by colossal lions and bulls, 70 halls decorated magnificently, great in power, wealth, and wickedness.
Now it was time for Jonah to go to work. Taking a prominent place, he cried out that in 40 days it would all be destroyed. What happened next was greater than anything seen in Israel – the entire city of 120,000 repented, from the king to the lowest slave. They wore sackcloth and ashes, and proclaimed a fast. In the face of such contrition, the LORD in mercy forgave them and withdrew the threat of destructive judgment. For the time being, Nineveh was saved (though a century later it was overthrown, according to the prophet Nahum).
Jonah had the most stunningly successful ministry of any prophet of Israel. An entire large Gentile city had repented. Rather than rejoice at his success, Jonah sulked. He knew God was merciful so what’s the point of prophesying?
The prophet from Gath Hepher was hard work for God. But in the end of the book, the Lord had the last word regarding Nineveh and, as always, He’s right. God delights in mercy.
OUTLINE OF JONAH
I. Jonah’s first call to Nineveh (Chapter 01)
II. Jonah in the Belly of the Fish (Chapter 02)
III. Jonah’s second call and ministry in Nineveh (Chapter 03)
IV. Jonah’s Sulk & God’s Response (Chapter 04)
CORONAVIRUS: Should We Worry? What Can We Do? Part 01
It is a familiar and eerie sight. People walking around in public with white gas masks, like they did during the Spanish flu pandemic in 1919 or the SARS outbreak in 2003. The scene looks apocalyptic!
Why the altered behaviour? Because out of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, perhaps from an illegal poultry or livestock vendor, has come a fast-spreading virus called Coronavirus, officially known as 2019-nCov.
Several cities in China are in ‘lock-down’ to prevent spreading. The United States has issued a rate health emergency. It, along with other countries, have banned non-citizens from entering if they have been to China.
At this point, despite their efforts, China has not been able to control the virus, not yet – even with the lock downs. This is even more concerning since China is a highly controlled, non-democratic society.
To gain perspective, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) affected 8,000 people in perhaps 20 countries, with a death toll of 800. Coronavirus has, as of this date, has stricken 12,000 cases, 100 of them outside of China, and 259 deaths, all in China until now, though a death was reported of a Chinese man in the Philippines. Many of the deceased were very young or older people with respiratory issues to begin with. In addition, normal flu and malaria are far more deadly than coronavirus.
Contrast this to the pandemic of a century ago, where millions of people died within that two year period. More deaths were credited to the Spanish flu than to World War I, which immediately preceded it.
Something else to consider in addition to the public health issue – it is the economic impact. The Chinese Lunar New Year has been greatly affected by coronavirus. It is normally the biggest shopping season of the year, but consumer appetites have dropped dramatically due to the virus. China has banned its citizens from going on overseas group tours. SE Asia will be see diminished Chinese tourists and overall curtailment of trade. This also applies to other parts of the world.
Should We Worry?
… and there shall be famines, and pestilences,
and earthquakes, in divers places — Matthew 24:7
Yes, Jesus Christ predicted last days pestilences before His return to this planet. Yet, in the previous verse, He strongly adds ‘See that you are not troubled.’ While we should be aware, we should not be alarmed. Under no circumstances, are people of faith to be troubled or afraid or worried (John 14:27; Philippians 4:6-9).
It is of the utmost importance that people are not provoked into panic. Such a reaction is worse than the health threat itself. Faith-people should remain calm and encourage others to do likewise. The opposite emotion can be dangerous and destructive. Fear can be conquered by faith and the perfect love of God (I John 4:18).
So what should we do? Relax, calm down, and be level-headed.
Practical Steps to Prevention
For those who would like to take some practical steps from being afflicted by any virus, not just coronavirus, here are a few tips on sanitation and supplementation:
1. Wipe everything down: This includes computer keyboards, phones, things that might be on the floor like purses, briefcases, other bags, and even the table/tray used to eat meals on the airplane. Wet wipes, hand-sanitisers, and disinfectants are your tools.
2. Get good sleep: That goes without saying; you can’t beat illness if your system is run down due to lack of sleep.
3. Public coughing: Hold your breath if someone is coughing and sneezing your way. Face masks apparently are not that effective, unless it is to keep your germs from going to others;
4. Hand sanitiser: Keep them handy on your person, your car, and/or your desk;
5. Wash hands regularly: Good trusty normal soap and warm-water is actually the best. Hands should be washed thoroughly, 20-30 seconds – not just a quick run of the tap. Wash after being outside, in public, before meals, and, of course, after visiting the washroom;
6. Toilets (public and private): Remember that public toilets, door handles, taps (faucets), soap dispenser and, yes, even the hand dryers, are a breeding ground for bacteria, including viruses. Hand dryers can spread the germs around and, if possible, use paper towels instead, for drying your hand and to use on the door handle. What about at home (or someone else’s home)? Be sure to put down the toilet lid before flushing to keep germs from becoming airborne;
TO BE CONTINUED: Next time, there will be an emphasis on supplementation and the Scriptures.
Peter and Paul: apostles and martyrs
Peter and Paul’s theological differences, initially quite divisive, were dealt with openly and amicably. Peter the fisherman and Paul the scholar shared in common an abiding confidence in Jesus. How does their example of apostleship and martyrdom challenge us today?
Book Review: How to do Nothing: Resisting the attention economy
This book is not about how to do nothing, but an act of ‘political resistance’ against the attention economy. Odell confronts us with who we have become, a disembodied, distracted society moulded by technologies with not so altruistic agendas, and calls us to become something different – a community that is human.
The Prophet from Galilee: Why Study the Book of Jonah? Part 01
INTRODUCTION
It is an ideal ‘Sunday School’ story. Yet, this book is not just for children; it is a prophetic word for all of God’s people. While some will scoff at the notion that this prophet spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, Jesus Christ treated it as historic fact. More than that, He made Jonah’s 3 days underworld excursion a sign of His own burial, which is an important component of the gospel: Christ died, was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-5).
HEBREW NAME
The book is known as ‘Yonah,’ which means ‘dove.’
AUTHOR
Jonah is the author of the book that bears his name. He is the ‘son of Amittai’ and II Kings 14:25, is the only verse in the Bible that tells us anything about him. The text says: He (King Jeroboam II of the Northern Kingdom of Israel) restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
What we learn is that Jonah was a prophet from the Northern Kingdom; he came from a village known as Gath Hepher, known today as Mashhad, which lies in-between Cana of Galilee and Nazareth, which is 3 miles to the south. The Pharisees declared in John 7:52 that no prophet came from Galilee; they were totally wrong because Jonah did. For that matter, so did Jesus, Who is more than a prophet, of course.
Jonah accurately prophesied that King Jeroboam II who have enlarged borders, past Damascus itself to the land of Hamath. His greatest prophecy is the one that did not come to pass: in 40 more days, the City of Ninveh will be destroyed. This lack of fulfilment does not mean Jonah failed as a prophet; on the contrary, he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
Because Jonah focuses on the salvation of Gentiles, in this case, the Assyrians of Nineveh, some critics try to give the book a late date. However, it was always God’s intention to save the Gentiles (Genesis 9:27; 12:3; Leviticus 19:33-34, I Samuel 2:10, Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28). He was the only Hebrew OT prophet sent to the Gentiles, and like the apostle Paul centuries later, Jonah was stunningly successful. His results were better than anything the prophets in and to Israel experienced.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ compares Himself to Jonah the prophet. He used Jonah’s experience in the belly of the great fish as a sign to His own looming experience in the tomb. Matthew 12:39-41 says: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Yes, the men of Nineveh are going to condemn those in Israel who refused to believe, since Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
THEME OF BOOK
God is totally just and totally merciful. His will is the salvation of all people, Jew and Gentile. Jonah learned in the belly of the great fish that, ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’
TO BE CONTINUED