The Lord commissioned Jonah to preach at Nineveh, but he didn’t go. Instead, a great fish swallowed Jonah and later vomited him up. Then, the Lord recommissioned Jonah to go to Nineveh. Therefore, Jonah arose and went, having been given a second opportunity to be God’s messenger. “Nineveh, that great city…” (1:1; 3:2) comprised more than “sixscore thousand” (120,000) innocents (4:11 KJV). The total population was approximately 600,000. “An exceeding great city of three days journey” (3:3). Herodotus said that Nineveh was 480 stadia in circuit, larger than Babylon and about 60 miles in circumference. The walls were 100 feet high with 1,500 lofty towers (Kitto, Vol 6 385). “The size could include the entire administrative district, which included the palaces of present and former kings outside of Nineveh proper” (Kearley class notes). We read in Genesis 10:8-11 of a man named Nimrod who went forth into Assyria and built “Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah. And Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city)” (ASV). Keil maintains that these four places composed a large “composite city” consisting of “a range of towns, to which the name of the (well known) great city of Nineveh was applied” (Keil). Jonah entered into the city a day’s journey and began to cry against it. His message was brief: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4 KJV). “So the people of Nineveh believed God” (Jonah 3:5). Note that the number of people who believed is not stated, but enough of them did to the

If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain (“swelling” KJV; “thicket” ESV) of the Jordan? (Jeremiah 12:5 NKJV) God’s Challenge: CanYou Run with the Horses? [Editor’s Note: The primary ‘can do’ passage for Christians is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Remember, God became angry with Moses when he offered a series of excuses (Exodus 3:14). Certainly, we do not want God to become angry with us because we offered excuses instead of faithful service (Hebrews 9:14; 12:28). ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

Jesus was fulfilling His mission– “running for a touchdown.” Premillennialists believe that Jesus, when He was rejected and crucified, caused God to change His plan for the Kingdom: (1) that Jesus will yet return to the earth, (2) set up an earthly kingdom and (3) rule on the earth for 1,000 years. Truth. The Lord was not “caught off guard,” He was not “blindsided” by His opponents. He wasn’t surprised by the cross looming before Him. He knew what was in man (John 2:24-25). Scripture shows plainly that Jesus came as prophesied, lived among men and fully completed the work God gave Him to do! In His High-Priestly prayer, Jesus said, “I have finished the work You gave me to do” (John 17:4). The work Jesus came to do included the cross and to be killed (Isaiah 53:3-6; Matthew 16:21). When the writer of Hebrews wrote saying the blood of animals could not take away sin (10:4), he further wrote: Therefore, when he came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, “Behold, I have come – In the volume of the book it is written of Me – To do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that he may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:5-10 NKJV) It

I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them. (Micah 2:12-13 KJV) The righteous souls of Jacob and Israel in the Book of Micah are representative of all God’s people from the Northern and Southern Kingdoms who were to make up the remnant. The Remnant composed so great a portion of thought among the prophets that Isaiah named his son Shear-jashub, “the salvation of the remnant” (Isaiah 2:21; 6:9-13; 7:3; 8:2, 18; 9:12). His name served as a reminder to those of the Captivity that there would be a return. The Remnant here in Micah is described as “large,” but it is still much smaller than the previous population of the two kingdoms. This gathering of the remnant is God’s work through the Shepherd Messiah. “The assembling of the remnant began with the work of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-2) and Ezra (Ezra 7). These gatherings were but types of the Gospel gathering which is still going on today. While the focus here is primarily on Jewish ‘sheep,’ Jesus emphasized that he had ‘other sheep

Teaching the Bible is a wonderful privilege—whether teaching children or adults. It is God’s way of expanding the borders of the kingdom. How different is true Christianity from other religions in that respect! Islam is spread by the sword. Catholicism and Protestantism conquered nations by the sword. However, the sword of the Christian “is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). The marching orders of the church are “go teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus said, “They shall all be taught of God…” (John 6:44-45). Nehemiah stated the objective of every teacher. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading” (Nehemiah 8:8). It is a privilege to be a Bible teacher because not everyone can do so, for many reasons: improper temperament, lack of knowledge and skills, inability to practice what he or she preaches, and lack of zeal for the task, to name a few. James 3:1 says, “be not many of you teachers, knowing ye shall receive the greater judgment.” Teachers are special people—love them, honor them, stand with them and support them for their work’s sake. Teaching is a privilege because of the One for whom we labor. God is the Bible School Superintendent. We teach what He desires. How marvelous and wonderful that God should want to use frail, many times inept, human beings to accomplish the greatest task in the world—the teaching of others to the saving of their souls! How privileged we

God has given man the Bible; it is a great gift. “The Bible alone is the Bible only, in word and deed, in profession and practice; and this alone can reform the world and save the church,” wrote Alexander Campbell nearly 200 years ago (The Christian System, preface, x). However, many do not think this way of God’s Word. Muhammad scornfully called Christians, “People of the Book.” Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism, in defense of the Book of Mormon, spoke in derision of those who put their trust solely in the Bible, “A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible and there cannot be any more Bible… Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible” (B of M, 2 Nephi 29:3, 6). Many false religions say they believe the Bible, but it is the Bible plus their sacred writings, and the Bible takes a backseat to their books! When we look at the subject, “The Christian and His Bible,” we must remember that there are consequences for not studying the Bible. With five alliterated words we offer some thoughts on Bible study. Priority Profitable Bible study calls for a place of priority. The Bible is not a book to be relegated to last place in our reading. The Bible must have priority over all other writings of men – books, newspapers, magazines, even those written about the Bible, such as commentaries, reference works, theologies, etc. They are the lesser, the Bible

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goes forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalms 126:5-6). In this Psalm we see the soul winners’: Compassion – “Sow in Tears” It takes compassion to make us aware of others’ needs. Jesus was a man of compassion. Eleven times in the gospels it is recorded of Jesus “He had compassion…” (Matthew 9:36; Mark 8:2, etc.). Are we compassionate? Do we care? Are we concerned for people’s physical needs but not the spiritual? We must develop a concern and compassion for the lost. One of the great thought-provoking statements of the Bible is in Lamentations 1:12, which reads, “Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by?” As we pass by our neighbors, friends and people on the street, do we see them as souls lost in sin needing a Savior? We will have no success in soul winning until we are able to see the lost as lost and have compassion on them. Commitment – “Goes Forth… Bearing Precious Seed” Commitment means we will be loyal to the trust God has placed in us as His co-laborer (1 Corinthians 3:9). Commitment means dedication, patience, determination and doggedly sticking to the task! “Be not weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). The soul winner gets tired, but he doesn’t quit! He gets discouraged, but he does not

In recent days a document has come my way in which the circumstances of the birth of Jesus have been discussed, raising the point that Mary’s pregnancy was scandalous and an embarrassment and subject of whispers and rumors to the townsfolk of Nazareth. Here is a quote: An unwed mother… A fiancé who is not the father. Whispers, Handwringing. Innuendo. Scandal. Red faces. Just who was the father? Forty weeks of rumors; nine long months and finally a baby boy is born. But the usual congratulations are muted, reserved, cut short. A mother’s joy is mixed with pain… But it didn’t end there it continued into the adult years. Since illegitimate children in those days were identified by town instead of by father, He was called “Jesus of Nazareth” most of the time instead of “Jesus ben Joseph.” Is this a fair and accurate picture of the circumstances of Jesus’ birth? Was Mary the subject of scandal and shame as she carried Jesus in her womb? Was Jesus’ birth thrown into His face in his adult years during His public ministry? I deny these charges as being true, and it shows a serious lack of in-depth study of the Bible facts. It is my contention that there was never a question among the citizens of Nazareth regarding the birth of Jesus. First, let us study together Matthew 1:18-25. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise” [after this manner]; Joseph and Mary were “espoused” (betrothed). The betrothal of a man

The blood of Christ is the central theme of the Scriptures. It is the scarlet thread running from the beginning of time to the present. Jesus Christ is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8; 1 Peter 1:18-20). Jesus, when He instituted the Supper in His memory, said, “this is my blood of the New Testament, shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). In spite of all that the Bible has to say about the blood of Christ and the salvation purchased by it, many reject the need for the blood outright or simply see no necessity for it. To the modernist, the idea of salvation by blood is repulsive. As an example, Today’s English Version, also known as Good News For Modern Man, in 36 passages translated “blood” out of this version. The Greek word for “blood” is haima. Some other word was substituted in these places, 16 of which directly pertain to the blood of Christ. Here is one example of this anti-blood persuasion. In Colossians 1:14 the KJVreads: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” The TEVreads: “By whom we are set free and our sins are forgiven.” The word “blood,” though in the original text, and essential to the sense of the verse, is left out entirely! The Jews since the death of Christ on the Cross are depending on the blood of animals for their salvation, not accepting the teaching of the New Testament that “it is not

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.“Wisdom” as used in this phrase is saying, “if anyone falls short of wisdom.” James did not say “If any of you lack knowledge…” There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is gained by reading, study, going to school, receiving instruction from a teacher, experiences, etc. Knowledge is knowing the facts. Wisdom is the ability to apply these facts to practical living. A.T. Robertson says it is “a banking figure, to have a shortage of wisdom (not just knowledge gneoseos, but wisdom sophias, the practical usage of knowledge” (Word Studies in the NT vol 4, 13). Why might the readers fall short of wisdom and need to pray for it? In the context, James has raised the specter of “various temptations” such as poverty, persecution and trials that test our faith (3). He is telling his readers they can overcome these tests and temptations of life by the wisdom that only God is able to provide. When the trials of life are sore and long since have ceased to be joy (2), when our endurance has worn thin (3-4), let him ask of God for wisdom (5). If we are going to overcome temptation, and remain steadfast in Christ, we will need wisdom. James says the way to attain this spiritual wisdom is to “ask God.” We are to ask God by prayer (Mark 11:24). James is not instructing us to pray for wisdom in a generic manner, but rather in a specific one. We

One Of my fondest remembrances from my youth was hearing my mom and dad sing. They loved to sing “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” One of their favorites, and mine too, was  “The Jericho Road.” Dad’s bass voice could make that old song ring! It is a grand spiritual song with a solid message. You remember the story that takes place on the Jericho Road—how the man was waylaid by thieves, robbed, beaten and left for dead. Along came a Levite and a priest who offered him no assistance. At last came a Samaritan, despised by the Jews, but in this case, a good man who had compassion on the one in need and distress. Read for yourself for the details (Luke 10:25-37). Most of us will never see the actual Jericho Road going down from Jerusalem to Jericho with its steep descent and places where robbers can hide. However, as the song suggests, we experience the Jericho Road. It is the road of life with its responsibilities, opportunities, hazards, toils, difficulties and dangers. Yet, the road will not be near so dangerous and difficult if we take Jesus along as our traveling companion. He will take our cares and worries (1 Peter 5:7), give us healing for our soul’s diseases (Mark 16:16), and He has already paid the cost (1 John 2:2). Finally, we must realize that the Jericho Road may prove to be costly, unpopular and difficult. It cost the Good Samaritan in terms of time, trouble and treasure—but his is the eternal reward. So too, will it be for us. Which

Introduction: Tribulation comes into the life of a Christian in many forms and can be described in many different words and terms—heartache from loss, extreme illness, death, loss of health incurring long periods of suffering and anguish, financial hardships, family troubles (husband and wife, parents and children, between siblings, etc). It can come from extended separations from the family and the church, especially during wars and world conflicts. Tribulation may come by religious discord between brethren, persecutions from those within and without the body of Christ. Affliction of heart and soul may come upon us when difficult decisions are to be made—job changes, church problems, marital discord, moves, etc. These things and many more can cause afflictions and tribulations to God’s people. Yet Trouble Came (Job 3:26) Without doubt, some of the tribulations that come our way are unexplainable and seem to have neither rhyme nor reason. We have no control over these things, but there are other times when we wonder how we got ourselves into this “mess” that has resulted in distress and tribulation. The stresses of life bringing on hardships and afflictions often come as a result of sinful activities characterized by less than faithful service, poor attendance to the church, making decisions without considerations of Christ and His kingdom, being materialistic in preferring the things of this life with spiritual thoughts pushed into the background. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33). Paul, the apostle would say to us that we are to