The current global trending somehow made a very significant impact both for believers and non-believers. Most especially the recent Japan earthquake coupled with the Middle east crisis one would not miss the point stressed here -- that No matter what religious affiliation or non-affiliation you had; we will both agree that we are now experiencing extra-ordinary event and that a resulting new awareness is on the process...Even a carefree individual would pause and re-think his/her beliefs.
BUT I hope people will not miss the point of all these tragedies.
As a Christian who are in constant awareness of God's words, specifically "things that are to come" or prophesies that are taking shape in our very eyes (see The Book of Daniel, The Gospel and Revelation) we can conclude that all these are the beginning of sorrows mention by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 24 and also in Luke 21:25 about some important details...
And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)
At one point I'm glad the global community is taking these seriously. I even saw simulation drill being conducted in response to different type of emergency situations like evacuation exercises. What I would like to focus on this blog is the importance of a "prophesy".
Was a prophesy declared to scare us? Yes, it is written to scare us. As a father, I would often employ the same tactic to my children to prevent them from hurting themselves. The same is true why God send His prophets; like the one He told Jonah to shout out "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" (Jonah 3:4)
Amazingly, the purpose of a prophesy is clearly spelled in The Book of Jonah. After many detour before Jonah (one of them is being swallowed by a big fish) finally he was able to convey God's message to the people of Nineveh. The remarkable thing is that the Ninevites obeyed God and believed. When the king of Nineveh heard the message of Jonah, he issued a National proclamation saying "...Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them
give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows?
God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his
fierce anger so that we will not perish" (verse 5-9)
Scott Ashley, Managing editor of Good News magazine wrote "If ever a city deserved a punishment, it was Nineveh, capital of a powerful empire legendary for its cruelty. Both the Bible and many ancient records document the empire's lust for blood, plunder and slaves." (May-June 2010) So definitely God will surely destroy Nineveh. But since God is a God of fairness and Mercy, He does not punish without giving warnings. He always send warning through His prophets "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
but that the wicked turn from his way and live.
Turn, turn from your evil ways!
For why should you die..." (Ezekiel 33:11)
Now what happened to the people of Nineveh after they fasted, pray, turn from their evil ways and acknowledge God? We can draw here a lesson from to the "prophesy that didn't come to pass"
"When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened." -- Jonah 3:10
So, I hope as we see the unfolding of event taking shape Biblical prophesy, we must consider the actions of the Ninevites, and perhaps, God will change his mind.
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