The Book of Jonah: conclusion

GuidetohisWord

Wikipedia defines the term paradigm as a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, which  in turn would lead to postulate theories and standards that are accepted by others as doable and conducive to keep each member as part of a unit. So the Army has its code of honor, drill and practices to maintain discipline and a system of hierarchy so whenever orders are issued from above are obeyed without question and it works.

All such paradigms are modeled after God who as the Maker of heaven and the earth would see to the well-being of all creation without exception. So his angels are spirits and ministers are flame of fire. On the earth Adam as the steward of all creation would ensure their upkeep. “And God blessed them, and God said unto them (Adam and Eve) Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it….(Ge.1:28).” In…

View original post 558 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah- ch.4- “little foxes”

GuidetohisWord

God is a Spirit and when we speak of his kingdom it is understood that nothing shall be hidden either in heaven or on the earth so when He judges his judgment is perfect. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.(Matt.7:23,22) “Jesus is referring to those who did great things,- and as servants of God  they must have been televangelists, ministers whose audience swelling in numbers every Sunday made impression on others, and their churches as grand as they come. Only that they did not do the will of the Lord. His Power and Wisdom are attributes of his Name so man’s paths are laid bare before him. They did not do service with hearts fully right in His sight.

What was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira? In the Acts of the Apostles we have an account that…

View original post 1,133 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah: 2:2-10-“My Prayer”

GuidetohisWord

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

Compare this with the Psalm 130 ‘Out of the depths De profundis, in which the Psalm is seeking help whereas the prophet is assured of being heard. Prayer of saints are never in vain. Faith is what connects God and the penitent man. If the hymn of Jonah sounds as finished as the sweet Psalmist of Israel there is only the Spirit who can ensure its success. St Paul speaks of it “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered(Ro.8:26).

For this reasons many hymns bear similarities and each of which in whichever circumstance has…

View original post 442 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah-2: “Truth in Inward Parts”

GuidetohisWord

Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish’s belly,(v.1)

Firstly Jonah’s prayer is transcribed by the Spirit for our instruction. Think of Hannah’s hymn on receiving Samuel (1 Sa.2:1-19) as the emotional outpouring of a woman tried beyond her limits, finally giving vent to it. It is thus our souls utter in a language only God can decipher and our cries do reach the throne of grace. Prayer of Hannah had earlier seemed to Eli as uttered under intoxication. It was not so. God had heard it as clear as a bell. Samuel was the proof. The only comparison is how a songbird can sing its trills and clear succession of notes with ease  but we take one meaning from it while God receives it as a hymn of praise. The Spirit is all for order  which is what we find in the inerrant word of…

View original post 556 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah-1:17- “Sovereignty of God”

GuidetohisWord

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights(v.17)”.

Liberal Bible scholars are likely to reject the miraculous element of God preparing a great fish and they are wrong. Questions framed by a rational mind are not the concern of the Spirit. Rational  approach is not the problem but its answer is not what rational mind want to hear. If best laid plans of men and mice go awry why it went wrong is not what men can make sense. Reason and faith are altogether two antithetical worlds like macro cosmos and quantum world are. Light can be a wave as well as a particle. If one were to search mass of a fundamental particle one has to look for it in its particular field since it has no mass. Rather than go…

View original post 202 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah-1:9-16-“God is a Spirit”

GuidetohisWord

On casting Jonah to the waves the sea was becalmed. We shall examine the passage from Ch.1 that gives the humble seamen an occasion to reverence the Lord God. Their response to God’s Power which was manifest and language similarly would have done proud and was worthy of any pious Hebrew would have done under the circumstance. Is it possible? Can a rabbi and a pagan be uttered in same breath? But what does the word of God say? “He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works(Ps.33:15)”. God is a Spirit He has left His impression in His creation, and as St Paul would say ‘being understood’ by them. Soul is the medium where eternal power and Godhead serve as a universal language. Because of which King Nebuchadnezzar would ‘praise and extol and honor the king of heaven’ untutored (Dan.4:37)’ and Agrippa would quake with fear on…

View original post 781 more words

Read Full Post »

The Book of Jonah-1:4-9-“the World as a ship

GuidetohisWord

The world is is often compared to a ship for a very good reason. Ingenuity of man works with several abilities to which every one can claim in some measure certain flair. So much as every rivet driven to make up a ship stands testimony to man. He is handyman, the mapmaker,  helmsman and a mechanic, all of which requires several abilities.  So a ship as with the world is a combined effort each contribution being absorbed in the whole. Head is not everything, nor are the hands. Intellect without working hands shall be like a ship left dry docked. When a ship is put to sea it must be clear that with so much ingenuity and daring the master shall have no problem reaching the desired port. It has however never shown to be true. Ships flounder like Mary Rose the Tudor warship did. A storm is no…

View original post 633 more words

Read Full Post »