One Verse at a Time

This episode looks at Luke 2:1, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” God controls even the highest political power in the land for his own glory and for the joy of his people. Praise God!

This episode looks at Jonah 1:17, “And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah thought he was going to his death, but God had planned beforehand for these things to occur, and he was not done with Jonah yet. We praise God for his control of all things, and for how this story prepares the way for Jesus to come, die, and rise again.

This episode looks at Jonah 1:16, “Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.” By the end of Jonah 1, the Israelite prophet has been judged, and the pagan sailors are worshipping Yahweh. What a reversal! May God break us from only focusing on our own people and give us a grand vision for reaching all peoples with the good news—starting with our next door neighbors.

This episode looks at Jonah 1:15, “So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.” Jonah willingly goes to his death for his own sins, thus saving the sailors. Christ willingly goes to his death for not his own sins but for ours, thus saving all who have faith in him. Jesus, thank you for the cross!

This episode looks at Jonah 1:14, “Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” The men beg Yahweh not to punish them for taking Jonah’s life as they are about to throw him overboard into the sea. They acknowledge that God has done as it pleased him, and so in that they proclaim that God’s judgments are just. May we come to love the just judgments of God.

This episode looks at Jonah 1:13, “Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.” The pagan sailors shame Jonah because they want to do whatever they can to save his life. Ironically, he had done little to nothing for them and nothing for the Ninevites to save theirs. We have good news to remedy the bad news of sin and eternal judgment. May God give us enough love to urgently proclaim this news to a lost world!

This episode looks at Jonah 1:12, “He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, qfor I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Jonah knows that he deserves judgment for his rebellion. Christ came and died for us when we were the rebels and he was sinless. Praise Jesus!

This episode looks at Jonah 1:11, “Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.” God is in control of all things at all times in all places. And we can trust him even when the storms of life are raging.

This episode looks at Jonah 1:10, “Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.” The men on the ship seem to be growing in their knowledge of Yahweh, and perhaps even in faith. They express the same moral sentiment as God did in the garden (cf. Gen 3:13), and they know that Jonah has made a grievous mistake in fleeing from the LORD. May God grant us this same high view of who he is and of what he is like.

This episode looks at Jonah 1:9, “And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Finally, Jonah comes out and says who he is and who the God is that he serves. We can use this as a model for our own proclamation of who we serve. God’s identity as Creator is a huge piece of who he is and why we worship him.