Categoria: News

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. 

 Joel 3 points to the final judgement of the nations and the restoration of Judah and Jerusalem. “In those days when I restore Judah and Jerusalem I will gather all nations… and enter into judgement against them… O Tyre, Sidon and Philistia… I will return on your heads what you have done… I will sell your children to the Jews and they will sell them to a nation far away… so prepare for war!… beat your ploughshares into swords… then let the nations be roused and advance into the valley of Jehoshaphat… and there I will judge them… multitudes in the valley of decision… the Lord will roar from Zion… but the Lord will be a refuge for his people… and Jerusalem will be holy… and a fountain will water the valley of acacias but Egypt will be desolate… yet Judah will be inhabited forever and Jerusalem through all generations… the Lord dwells in Zion!

 Joel 2 continues to point to impending judgement for Israel whilst also mentioning God’s mercy and future restoration. “Let all who live in the land tremble because the day of the Lord is coming… a day of darkness and gloom… a large and mighty army comes… nothing escapes them… they charge like warriors… they plunge through defenses… their forces are beyond number… the day of the Lord is great… it is dreadful. Who can endure it?… so return to me with all your heart… rend your heart rather than your garments… declare a holy fast… let them say spare your people, O Lord… for why should they say among the people – where is their God?… and the Lord will take pity on his people… and send you grain, and wine and oil… and I will drive the northern army from you… surely he has done great things… rejoice in the Lord your God… for the vats will overflow with new wine and oil… and I will repay you for the years that the locusts have eaten… and you will have plenty to eat and be full… then you will know that I am in Israel and that I am the Lord your God”.

The Book of Job calls God’s people to repentance whilst appointing to the possibilities of judgement or restoration.

This first chapter describes a catastrophic attack of locusts which affects all areas of Jewish society and which acts as a warning to them to repent before God. “Nothing like this locust attack has ever been seen… so wake up you drunkard and weep!… a nation without number has invaded the land… and has laid waste the vines and fig trees… the priests are in mourning… the farmers wail… the harvest has been destroyed… all the fruits and produce is devastated and everyone’s joy is withered away… put on sackcloth O priests… declare a holy fast… call a solemn assembly and cry unto the Lord… for the day of the Lord is near… the storehouses are in ruins… the cattle moan because they have no pasture… and the streams have dried up”.

 Hosea 13 is a further sad chapter depicting Israel’s downfall and distancing from God. “Ephraim has become guilty of Baal worship and died… and they make elaborate idols for themselves… they offer human sacrifices and kiss the calf idols… therefore they will be like the morning mist… I am the Lord you God and you should worship no-one else… but when I fed them they became proud  and forgot me… so like a lion I will devour them… I will destroy you Israel… where is your king that he may save you?… the guilt of Ephraim is stored up… I will have no compassion… the people of Samaria must bear their guilt because they have rebelled against their God”.

Hosea 11 is a moving chapter expressing God’s profound love for Israel despite their waywardness and rebellion. “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son… but he went away from me… and they sacrificed to the Baals… despite me leading them with cords of love… so swords will flash in their cities… but my heart is moved within me and I won’t carry out my fierce anger… for I am God, not man, and the people will follow the Lord… they will come trembling… and I will settle them in their homes”. So one clearly feels in this chapter the tension between God’s love and God’s justice.

A doomful message of judgement continues in Hosea 9 as God warns the Jews that they ought to be preparing themselves for judgement rather than rejoicing over their prosperity. “Do not rejoice, O Israel, because you have been unfaithful to your God… and you love the wages of a prostitute… their sacrifices will not please God… thorns will overrun their tents… the days of punishment are coming… because your sins are so many… they have sunk deep into corruption… Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird… woe to them… give them wombs that miscarry and breasts that are dry… because of their sinful deeds I will drive them out of my house… my God will reject them because they have not obeyed him”.

Hosea 7 carries on with the indictment of the northern kingdom of Israel which is also called Ephraim. “The sins of Ephraim are exposed and the crimes of Samaria revealed… their sins engulf them… they are all adulterers… all of them are hot as an oven; they devour their rulers… Ephraim mixes with nations and is a flat cake not turned over… Ephraim is like a dove, easily deceived and senseless… woe to them because they have strayed from me… they do not cry to me from their hearts… they do not turn to the most high… and they will be ridiculed in Egypt”.