Autor: eabrazil

Last night Philip and I travelled to the village of Picotes about 25 km east of Patos to hold a gospel service. Pastor Rafael led the service, Philip led the praise and worship and I preached on ‘Jesus is the Door’ from John 10. It was a lovely service with a nice little crowd gathered. Someone asked me after the service if I remembered preaching at the same spot many years ago when a snake appeared near me whilst I was preaching?! (I didn’t remember the incident) Everyone was served a snack with coke after the service before we headed down the earth track home. 

 Zechariah 4 brings encouragement for the rebuilding of the temple which will be accomplished by God’s help: “Not by might, nor by strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty… who despises the day of small things?”. This message comes from the vision of the gold lampstand and 2 Olive trees. “What are you? O mighty mountain (of challenges and difficulties)? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground”. Thus he and all the returned exiles were encouraged that by God’s strength the work of the temple would be completed.

I am pressing on towards the end of the Old Testament and have completed half the Minor Prophets, with Micah, which completed 900 chapters of the Bible and nearly 76% of scripture. I then went on to do Nahum and Habakkuk.

I am typing this whilst enjoying the beautiful duet of a pair of rust coloured Caatinga Cacholotes. Last night we had a late-night serenade with Gylmara’s father Julimar playing guitar and singing songs about our state of Paraiba. It was very nice evening in the moonlight. 🌛🌜🌝

Our 10-year-old grandson Luis is joyfully stroking our 3 donkeys, and we suspect that the older female ‘The Queen of Sheba’ is pregnant so we might have a baby donkey a year from now!

Today is our granddaughter Alice’s 19th birthday. Happy birthday Alice! May God bless you more and more! Alice is a student of psychology at university and is active in the Patos church. Alice is a specialist in working with autistic children.

I won 3 games of chess against Philip last night. ♜

Nahum 2 describes Nineveh’s fall owing to its persistent cruelty and oppression. “An attacker advances against you Nineveh… the metal on the chariots flashes… as they storm through the streets… he summons his picked troops yet they stumble on their way… it is decreed that the city be exiled and carried away… plunder the silver and gold!… she is pillages, plundered and stripped… I am against you declares the Lord Almighty! I will burn up your chariots in smoke… the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard”.

We have a constant battle with salt in the water tanks at Green Pastures owing to the salty water we have from our wells. The salt accumulates in mounds in the 7 water tanks and blocks up the ball valves. Every now and then we have to do a big job shovelling out the salt and disposing of it.

Micah 5 is a chapter of both judgement and hope pointing to the Messiah and God’s final deliverance of his people. “But you Bethlehem… small among the clans of Judah… yet from you will come one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are of old, from ancient times… he will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord… and he will be their peace… he will deliver us from the Assyrian when he invades our land… the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations… your hand will be lifted up against our enemies and all our foes will be destroyed… and in that day I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells… I will destroy your images… and I will uproot your Asherah poles and I will take vengeance on the nations that have not obeyed me”.

Micah 2 continues God’s condemnation of Judah. “Woe to those who plan iniquity… they covet fields and seize them… they defraud a man of his home… therefore the Lord is planning disaster against his people… it will be a time of calamity… do not prophesy their prophets say… disgrace will not overtake us… but you strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care… you take away my blessing from the children for ever… for if a liar and a deceiver comes and says I will prophecy for you plenty of wine and beer, he would be just the prophet for this people!… but I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel… I will bring them together like a flock… their king will pass through before them, the Lord at their head”.

I am now progressing well with my synopses chapter by chapter of the Minor Prophets and have completed Hosea (14 chapters) and Joel (3 chapters). Now it’s on to Amos (9 chapters), Obadiah (1 chapter) and Jonah (4 chapters) though the latter is a bit fishy! 

The beautiful orange and black Campo Troupial birds have multiplied profusely at Green Pastures this year and can be seen all over the reserve. Also seen today were Pigmy Owl, Burrowing Owl, Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Scaled Doves and Red-cowled Cardinals.

Amos 7 relates 3 visions which Amos had and of his confrontation with Priest Amaziah at Bethel. In the first vision God shows Amos “he was preparing swarms of locusts and Amos interceded saying it would be unsupportable for Israel, and God relented. Then in the second vision God showed a devastating fire to devour the land, but Amos interceded and God changed his mind and relented again. However with the 3rd vision of the plumb-line God did not relent but decreed judgement on the temple and on the dynasty of King Jeroboam II. Finally Amaziah the priest denounced Amos before the king for conspiracy and ordered him to leave the country. Amos retorted that the priest’s wife would become a prostitute, his children would be killed, his land would be divided up and he would die in a pagan country. He finally confirmed that Israel would indeed go into exile”.

Amos 6 warns the complacent leaders of Israel and Judah who think everything is fine despite the widespread spiritual corruption in the land. “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion… you notable men of the nation… you put off the evil day and bring near a reign of terror… you lie on beds inlaid with ivory… you dine on choice lambs… you drink wine by the bowlful… but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph… therefore you will be first into exile and that will put an end to your feasting… I abhor the pride of Jacob… the Lord has given the command and he will smash the great house into pieces… for you have turned justice into poison… I will stir up a nation against you, O house of Israel!”

Amos 3 points to God’s unique relationship with Israel and his reasons for judging them within this context. The message starts “You only have I chosen… therefore I will punish you”. Privilege comes with responsibility. Amos then shows that every effect has a cause. “The lion has roared – who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy? Then Amos lays bare the situation saying “They do not know how to do right, declares the Lord”. So God will judge and “an enemy will overrun the land… on the day I punish Israel for her sins I will destroy the altars of Bethel… and the mansions will be demolished, declares the Lord”.

In Amos 2 God’s judgment moves on to Moab before addressing Judah and Israel. “I will send fire upon Moab because he burned, as if to lime, the bone’s of Edom’s king”. Then comes Judah which God condemns because they have rejected the law of the Lord… and because they have been led astray by false gods”. Finally comes Israel who were condemned because they sell the righteous for silver… they trample on the heads of the poor… they deny justice to the oppressed… father and son practice immorality using the same girl… you made the Nazirites break their vows and stopped the prophets prophesying… now then I will crush you… the strong will not escape and the warrior will not save his life”. For human strength cannot prevail for those who persist in rebellion against God. 

The Book of Amos calls Israel to repentance, justice and authentic worship. The prophet Amos was a Judean shepherd and a fig farmer sent by God to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel in a period of prosperity, though dogged by idolatry, corruption and oppression of the poor. Amos received a revelation from God “two years before the earthquake when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel”. The revelation clearly shows that God is sovereign over all nations and not just Israel, and he announces judgement on several nations. Initially Damascus (Syria) is condemned for brutally crushing the people of Gilead: “She threshed Gilead with sledges having iron teeth”. Then came Gaza and the Philistines who were condemned “because she took captive whole communities and sold them to Edom”. Next came Tyre (Phoenicia) who were involved in slave trade “disregarding a treaty of brotherhood”. Then came Edom who was condemned “because he pursued his brother (Israel) with a sword”. Also came Ammon which practiced barbarities like “ripping open the pregnant women of Gilead”. So God’s righteousness is universal and no country is beyond his jurisdiction.