David Henneke's Podcast

God often used common objects to teach important spiritual truths, and in this text, He uses a basket of summer (ripe) fruit. Just as this fruit was ripe for eating, the nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. There comes a time when God’s long-suffering runs out & His judgment comes. Can a person become so enslaved by sin that they would never seek to repent? Can a person become so hardened toward God that no matter what happened they would never turn away from their sin and trust the Lord? Is this really possible? This text tells us that the answer to all of this is a frightening YES!

God’s Law is His plumb line, and He measures His people to see how true they are to the pattern in His Word. How does your conduct and character measure up to HIS WORD…not against other people, not against the crowd, not against the polls…against HIS WORD?

Israel had not taken God seriously, they IGNORED the many warnings given by the prophets. Their pride in what they considered to be their own achievements, their refusal to practice righteousness and justice and their growing apostasy ALL led to their downfall. Proverbs 14:34 declares that “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” This is still true today. Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing. 

Complacency is an insidious sin, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something or someone other than God.  Any person who feels “at ease in Zion” who feels completely satisfied with what this world has to offer is like an ostrich….with its head stuck in the sand. Ignoring the Lord, while seeking peace, security, and comfort in this world instead of in God, WILL lead to a disillusioned life. 

Everything in this world collapses,  fails, deteriorates, dies, decays, it will eventually fade away. Only God can give permanent life. Only God can give true peace, comfort and assurance! 

Instead of celebrating this amazing display of repentance Jonah is furious. In Chapter 2 we see Jonah’s response to his own deliverance. Here in Chapter 4, we see Jonah’s response to the deliverance of the Ninevites. The deep contrast between these two chapters speaks volumes about Jonah, all this his shame. As the Lord turns FROM His anger at the end of Chapter 3, Jonah turns TO His here in Chapter 4. 

Amos reveals that their profession and religion were both hypocritical. Therefore, the Lord would not accept their offerings or sacrifices. God did not leave them without hope, without an opportunity to correct their hypocrisy. God told them how to make their worship acceptable to Him. They had to practice & pursue justice & righteousness. True worship results in action. No matter how much “religious activity” we participate in, if we don’t love our brother and our neighbor, then we are not an authentic worshipper of God

In our study of Jonah we see how time and time again, God never gave up on Jonah nor did he give up on His desire to GIVE the Ninevite’s the opportunity for repentance. When you return to God after running from Him, your past does not limit what God can do in your present. After all, God looked at Jonah in Chapter 3 just like he did in Chapter 1! 

Religion without righteousness and justice is HYPOCRISY. No matter how many people attend our worship services, if the end result does not lead to obedience to God and for a greater concern for our neighbor then our meetings are a failure. Revival begins with Repentance. True repentance begins with naming our sins and dealing with them one by one.“HEAR God’s Word!” Are you listening? “SEEK the Lord!” Are you praying and pursuing Him? “SEEK the good!” Do you HATE what is evil and RUN TO what is Right? Revival begins with Repentance. Will you be the one? Even if you're the ONLY ONE?

Jonah’s three days and three nights in the fish’s stomach pointed to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ 

It was through Jonah’s three-day experience
 that he was given a new life and a new beginning. So it is with us. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too can receive a new life, a new beginning, a brand new start, a second chance 

Amos Chapter 4 magnifies Chapter 3, by specifying a number of areas of failure: (1) failure to care, (2) failure to worship, (3) failure to remember and (4) failure to engage with God. Israel had sinned grievously, and despite many appeals to repent, they ignored God’s warning. They are much like of us today….walking in our sin and refusing to repent.