Even if we have made mistakes in the past which offended God, we can trust that if we sincerely repent, God will not remain angry at us forever. (Ps. 86:5)
Jehovah disciplined his people in ancient times to the point that it was fair and just, and he will do the same to us today if we fall into sinful practices. (2 Tim. 3:16)
So we should never fear that we are inevitably separated from God.
If he has forgiven us, we in turn have to forgive ourselves.
“Are you not from everlasting, O Jehovah?
O my God, my Holy One, you do not die.”
~Habakkuk 1:12
To have an accurate knowledge of God, we need to understand who he is. (1 Tim. 2:3,4)
In the world, there is much confusion as to the role of Jesus.
But the Bible states clear differences between Jesus and his Father, Jehovah. (1 Tim. 2:5)
One of those differences is that Jehovah, God Almighty, cannot die. (Ps. 90:2; 1 Tim. 1:17)
As we all know, Jesus did die, and was resurrected on the third day by his father. (Acts 2:23,24)
So there is a clear difference in the person that is Jesus and the person who is Jehovah.
When we understand who Jehovah is, we can further appreciate other spiritual treasures, such as the value of prayer and the privilege of serving him. (Ja. 4:8)
Although the prophet Nahum wrote his book some time before Assyria’s destruction in 632 b.C.E., he confidently spoke of peace, trusting Jehovah God would fulfill his word.
Assyrian imperialism had long oppressed neighboring nations- among them, God’s own people.
Nahum knew Jehovah would not allow that cruel regime to continue forever. (Nah. 1:3)
We too can confidently proclaim good news of Christ’s kingdom if we have faith God will soon carry out his purpose of a peaceful earth. (Ro. 10:15; 2 Pet. 3:13)
When we sin against God, we can recover spiritually not by our own merits, but by God’s own undeserved mercy.
We should not take a spiritual fall in such a way that we believe it is impossible to recover.
Certainly, if our spiritual standing depended solely on ourselves, then in our imperfection, we might never be faithful. (Ro. 3:23)
But because God reaches out to those repentant in order to draw them back close to him, we can trust that full spiritual recovery is possible. (Mic. 7:18,19)
To benefit from his help, we must show humility and patience. (Mic. 7:9)
“And I said, ‘I have been driven away from your sight!
How will I gaze again upon your holy temple?’”
~Jonah 2:4
As Jonah sank to the depths of the ocean within the belly of the fish, his main concern was not the loss of his own life, his reputation nor material things.
He was not overcome by anxiety to the point of losing his mind or his priorities.
Jonah was deeply grieved because he would no longer be able to gaze upon Jehovah’s temple, the center for true worship.
When we are under great emotional stress, do we value our spiritual privileges above all else? (Ps. 84:10)
We may wonder if our presence before God makes any difference in the vast sea of humanity, but Jonah’s story demonstrates God cares about every one of us at the individual level. (Jon. 4:11)
No one can take any other person’s place before God to render another’s worship. (Matt. 22:37)
In that sense, we are each valuable and irreplaceable. (Jon. 2:9)
“You should not gloat over your brother’s day on the day of his misfortune,
You should not rejoice over the people of Judah on the day of their perishing,
And you should not speak so arrogantly on the day of their distress.”
~Obadiah 12
Many Bible prophecies are directed toward the nation of Edom because they were distant relatives of the nations of Israel and Judah.
Edomites descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob (Israel). (Ge. 36:1; De. 2:4-6)
As such, God expected mutual respect between the Edomites and his people.
But this did not end up being the case; there was often war between both nations. (1 Sam. 14:47; 2 Sam. 8:13; 2 Ki. 14:7; Amos 1:11)
In this particular prophecy, Jehovah God warns the Edomites that when judgment came upon Jerusalem, they should not rejoice.
Nowadays, God’s servants do not war against others, but try to bring people a message of peace and hope. (Matt. 24:14)
Sometimes we are in situations where people who used to be friendly/receptive to God’s message are suddenly and inexplicably rude to us.
We should not rush to judge those people, saying they deserve whatever judgment may be coming their way, nor rejoice in the idea of their future calamity.
“Even if you offer me whole burnt offerings and gift offerings,
I will find no pleasure in them; […]
Let justice flow down like waters,
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
~Amos 5:22, 24
We should not let our sacred service to God fall into a mechanical routine, as if we are doing him a favor through the sacrifices we offer him.
What God really looks for in us is heartfelt obedience. (Ps. 50:14)
False religion allows believers to continue on paths of cruelty and corruption, “absolving” sins through rites and rituals without ever addressing the root of problems. (Amos 2:6,7; 5:12)
Acceptable service to God is motivated by love of what is good.
We should try to reflect his sense of justice. (Amos 5:14,15)
“Also, what do you have against me, […]
Are you repaying me for something?
If you are repaying me,
I will swiftly, speedily bring your repayment on your heads.”
~Joel 3:4
It would be a mistake to try to judge God by our own imperfect standards when he is the ultimate judge of what is and is not righteous. (Is. 55:9)
Even when we do not understand why God lets us tolerate a painful situation, the wise course is to demonstrate patience and faith that God still does care for us and will eventually make all right. (1 Pet. 5:7; Rev. 21:5)
It would be shortsighted of us to draw away from God to follow a selfish course of sin, perhaps without ever repenting and eventually incurring his wrath.
On the other hand, if we remember he is not responsible for our suffering, we can rely on his strength to help us endure. (Job 34:10; Ps. 55:22)
“[He] will send down his roots like the trees of Lebanon.
[…] I will be like a thriving juniper tree.
From me your fruit will be found.”
Hosea 14:5,8
Sometimes God’s Word likens humans to trees. (Ps. 1:1-3)
Someone who starts studying the Bible can experience rapid spiritual growth.
Over time, the spiritual vitality of the person will depend on how deep his or her roots have dug into accurate Bible knowledge. (2 Pet. 3:18)
The rate at which someone learns may eventually slow down, but the depth of the knowledge becomes greater.
In the aforementioned verse, God also compares himself to a tree.
Juniper berries have been used all over the world for their many healing properties, including antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
Juniper oil also has a positive effect on one’s mood, alleviating anxiety.
God’s Word draws another comparison between what we choose to say and fruit. (Heb. 13:15)
When he says, “From me your fruit will be found,” one way to interpret it is that he teaches us what to say at the right time.
If we dig deeper into God’s wisdom and imitate his use of words, we can also bring a sort of healing to others.
“Their dealings do not permit them to return to their God […].
The pride of Israel has testified against him […].”
~Hosea 5:4,5
It would be a misstep to think we can temporarily stray from God to practice sin and then just repent and return to him whenever we feel like it.
The Bible account teaches us that a person may become so proud, he or she never repents.
That way of thinking is a dangerous course to embark on and not worth the risk of losing God’s grace.
Bible Reading Highlights 