1 CORINTHIANS 9 RUN THE RACE WITH SELF-CONTROL

May 1

I CORINTHIANS 9

21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:21-27

1 CORINTHIANS 9 RUN THE RACE WITH SELF-CONTROL

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you are in Christ Jesus, you will run the race

It is a competition to be content and humble as Christ

Self-control is needed for one to be able to sustain this fight

It is a race of endurance to bear all the struggles in this life

An athlete for Christ prepares well for this race by training

The workout involves much leaning on the Spirit’s prodding

It is by starving the flesh and following the righteousness of God

It is by humbly rejoicing in all trials and tribulations that comes.

Have you ever run or competed in any kind of contest or race? It takes long hours, daily pressing on and several failing, falling and getting up again. You practice and push yourself to your limits until you are ready to face the other people you are competing with so you can win the prize and take it home. I used to compete in art and photo competitions and there are lots of preparations and time for practice and conceptualizing to do until the deadline comes. I also competed for some bicycle races in my 40’s and although I may have not won first prize for any of these contests, I was fulfilled with the process, the training and the discipline that went with all these challenges. It made me strong and able to endure and keep on going.

The apostle Paul wrote about a different kind of race in this letter to the church at Corinth. He refers to an eternal race where the prize is not a trophy or any perishable item, but it is a reward given by the Lord himself. Paul focuses more on the process of running the race rather than how to win and get the prize itself. He points out that self-control is essential in the race itself as well as the winning. He mentions that every athlete must exercise such discipline or they won’t survive the race. Although the prize is very important in the race, the preparation for it is as vital as well. Running the race for Christ is not the same as performing in a race in this world. The worldly race is focused on perfecting and performing while Jesus’ race is on pressing on struggles and depending on God’s strength.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think “self-control” is central in the race towards Jesus Christ?

1 KINGS 11 GOD’S WRATH ON IDOLATERS & THE DISOBEDIENT

April 30

1 KINGS 11

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. 12 Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. 13 However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen.” – 1 Kings 11:9-13

1 KINGS 11 GOD’S WRATH ON IDOLATERS & THE DISOBEDIENT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you were chosen by God to be his own people

You were set apart from all the sinful and the unfaithful

He gave you His own Spirit so you could walk with Him

He gave you a new creation to cut off from your habitual sin

You will receive his wrath if you don’t keep his commandments

There will be consequences and you will receive his judgement

If you were chosen by Him and continue to live in transgressions

It is inevitable for you to experience his absence in continued rebellion.

In this account, we witness the wrath of God over Solomon’s turning away from the Lord. How sad it is to watch Solomon’s fate from a very good start ruling God’s nation with so much wisdom and anointing and ended up so far away from God by his disobedience to his laws and by not keeping his covenant with the Lord. According to sources, Jeremiah may have written this book. It is easy for us to revel at how much the Lord has given Solomon wisdom, only to find out later that he couldn’t even follow a lot of those wise sayings that he has been giving to his people.

We still see a merciful and just God in this narrative. Solomon wasn’t punished in his lifetime but the kingdom will be removed from his sons. This is a good lesson for us to remember that when we disobey the laws of God, it is not only us who will bear the consequences of our disobedience, but the coming generations as well. In verse 10, the writer mentions the idolatry that Solomon got involved with. He first disobeyed God’s law by marrying a pagan princess. Then he learned the gods of his wife, which he later on bowed down to. Can you imagine having 700 wives and 300 concubines? How far has he gone from serving God to serving all these little gods that his women had taught him to idolize?

This could still be very true to our days now if we don’t keep our faith pure for the Lord. If we yoke with unbelievers and learn their ways, we are compromising our faith and bringing wrath to ourselves.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it is for our good as Christians to set apart from unbelievers and idolaters?

PROVERBS 20 WHO PROVOKES THE KING TO ANGER

April 29

PROVERBS 20

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The terror of a king is like the growling of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger forfeits his life.
3 It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.
4 The sluggard does not plow in the autumn;  he will seek at harvest and have nothing.
5 The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?
7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him! – Proverbs 20:1-7

PROVERBS 20 WHO PROVOKES THE KING TO ANGER

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, always pursue peace

It is wise for a believer to stay away from discord and fights

Avoid anything that harms someone, is unloving and is ungodly

If you don’t refrain from such evil acts, you will lose your integrity

Defiance and insubordination provoke any king to bring upon his wrath

You are also inciting rebellion not only to your ruler but also against God

It is honorable for a man to control himself and evade all forms of quarrels

Let go of pride and embrace humility, you’ll surely avoid wrath & discord.          

The writer of these following sayings warns the readers to ensure that the king is honored and obeyed by his subordinates. In verse 2, it describes the terror of a king which is likened to a growling lion. The readers of these proverbs are given guidelines on who or which kinds of people provoke the king’s wrath. It would be wise for them to avoid anything that will incite the king’s anger lest they lose their lives.

From these following verses, we can clearly see which kinds of people may provoke the king’s wrath:

  • Drunks & brawlers – A brawler is a person who engages in noisy, rough, or physical fights, often in public, and is known for being combative, aggressive, and quarrelsome. Can you imagine if they are also drunk?
  • Sluggards are next in the list. A sluggard is a person who is habitually lazy, idle, and slow-moving, often preferring sleep or inactivity over work. They avoid responsibility, makes extreme excuses to avoid labor, and fails to follow through on tasks.
  • The unfaithful and wicked are the next group that provokes the king’s wrath- they are traitors and deserve to be killed for their treason.

Isn’t it interesting that these kinds of people also incite God’s anger? God hates the quarrelsome, the irresponsible and lazy people and mostly, the adulterous and idolaters who don’t have commitment to him. They only serve themselves and have no loyalty to anyone. They do not submit to authority. They do not obey rules.

REFLECTION

  • Which kinds of people mentioned here are most stealthy and hard to discover in churches?

ROMANS 2 IMPENITENT HEARTS STORE UP GOD’S WRATH

April 28

ROMANS 2

Therefore, you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seekingand do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

                                                                                         – Romans 2:1-11

ROMANS 2 IMPENITENT HEARTS STORE UP GOD’S WRATH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

God has called man to submit to his authority and give him praise

But sin has twisted that purpose by giving glory to himself instead

These hard-hearted people compare themselves with others

They want to glorify themselves thinking that they’re better

What is hidden from them is the wrath of God that is coming

They’re busy finding people who’ll give them constant supply

Their hearts are hardened and oblivious to their folly

They think they are exempt from the ruin from God’s fury.

In this letter, Paul stresses to the Romans the importance of accountability. Many believers do not take this warning seriously on the repercussions of sin, wrongdoing, oppression, transgression and iniquity. God is a God of boundaries. The law of sowing and reaping applies to all mankind, especially to all those whom he has chosen. The golden rule applies to all of us. We expect to harvest what we have sown. If you’ve sown nothing in serving God, you are going to experience his wrath and judgement in the end. The law of sowing and reaping is not just for farmers. It is a law of the spiritual world as well. The book of James clearly illustrates this law in James 5:  7-8 when he says “7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” He was focusing on the importance of patiently waiting how the seeds will grow into the crops that will bless them and be sustained by it. James wants us to be patient like them and to sow good seeds so they can reap a good harvest by relying on God’s grace.

REFLECTION

·       Why is accountability important for Christians? What happens when they miss out on this?

NAHUM 1 AN AVENGING AND WRATHFUL GOD

April 27

NAHUM 1

2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful;
the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries   and keeps wrath for his enemies.
3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,   and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.
His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,   he dries up all the rivers;
  Bashan and Carmel wither;  the bloom of Lebanon withers.

5 The mountains quake before him; the hills melt;

  the earth heaves before him, the world and all who dwell in it.
6 Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger?
   His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.
7 The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.
8     But with an overflowing flood, he will make a complete end of the adversaries,
    and will pursue his enemies into darkness.– Nahum 1:2-8

NAHUM 1 AN AVENGING AND WRATHFUL GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God is the personification of righteousness and holiness

Because he is love, he cannot tolerate all kinds of evil and wickedness

He protects his own and expects loyalty to all those whom he has chosen

But to those who are adversaries to his people, he shows his vengeance

If you belong to God, there is no reason to fear because he covers you

But if you hurt his beloved people, you will receive no mercy but his wrath.

According to bibleproject.com, an important aspect of the ancient TaNaK (Hebrew bible) is that the 12 prophetic works of Hosea through Malachi, sometimes referred to as the Minor Prophets, were designed

as a single book called The Twelve. Nahum is the seventh book of The Twelve. It is a collection of poems announcing the downfall of one of Israel’s worst oppressors, the ancient empire of Assyria and its capital city, Nineveh. The Assyrians arose as one of the world’s first great empires, and their expansion into Israel resulted in the total destruction and exile of the northern kingdom and its tribes (2 Kgs. 17). Their armies were violent and destructive on a scale that the world had never seen before. Israel and its neighbors awaited the downfall of Assyria, which eventually came in the year 612 B.C.E. as the Babylonians rose up and began a rebellion that overtook Nineveh and brought down the Assyrian empire. This is the context of the character of God showcasing his avenging and wrathful character. The Lord hates evil and he has to annihilate evildoers if needed. The Lord avenges his beloved people.

This account is an oracle concerning Nineveh. Many false churches preach only a one-sided God who is loving but misses out on the avenging and wrathful character of God who is jealous, avenging and angry at all forms of evil, especially if done against his beloved people. He is merciless to the wicked.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think false religions miss out on the avenging and wrathful side of God?

PROVERBS 16 MIGHTY ARE THOSE WHO RULE THEIR SPIRIT

April 26

PROVERBS 16

28 A dishonest man spreads strife,
    and a whisperer separates close friends.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor
    and leads him in a way that is not good.
30 Whoever winks his eyes plan dishonest things;
    he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.
31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.
32 Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
    and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

                                                                                   – Proverbs 16:28-33

PROVERBS 16 MIGHTY ARE THOSE WHO RULE THEIR SPIRIT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When someone is quick to react and easily angered

He is governed by his cravings and not by God’s Spirit

A violent man is driven by jealousy and bitterness

They will do what will gratify the cravings of their flesh

If one relies on God, they can starve their human nature

They will be stronger than any conqueror or mighty ruler.

In these following sayings, we are given a picture of what life looks like if we live an honest and pure life as compared to someone who is a corrupt and a selfish man. Verse 28 cautions us from these dangerous people: the liars and cheaters who easily bring about conflicts and the gossipers who spread lies to destroy relationships. Verse 29 points to the violent man who provokes others to gain control and power over anyone who doesn’t give them the control, attention and adulation. They want things their way and sulk if they don’t get it. Verse 30 warns us about the flatterers and manipulators who deceive others so they can sow evil and wickedness stealthily without being discovered. Verse 31 refers to those who have lived wise lives in the fear of the Lord who gets the crown of glory. They just didn’t chronologically age but matured their faith and dependence on God alone.

Let’s bring our focus on verse 32 as it talks about those who have great self-control and prudence. Who are these people? They are those who are slow to anger, slow to speak, quick to listen as the book of James also describes. They examine their hearts and mirror their actions based on the law of love. They do not react to provocations but they keep still and know that God is in control. They are not afraid of those who terrorize others into submission to control, but they allow the Spirit of God to lead them to do what is right. They are mightier than any ruler or conqueror of nations because they have God’s strength.

REFLECTION

·       How can a patient person be as strong as conquerors of nations or victors of war?

PROVERBS 13 INSOLENCE BRINGS CONFLICTS & STRIFE

April 25

PROVERBS 13

10 By insolence comes nothing but strife,
    but with those who take advice is wisdom.
11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle,
    but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
    but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,
    but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
    that one may turn away from the snares of death.

                                                                               – Proverbs 13:10-14

PROVERBS 13 INSOLENCE BRINGS CONFLICTS & STRIFE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When one is driven by anger and bitterness, they can be impertinent

Because of their self-focused mindset, they want attention in an instant

Rudeness can trigger even the most patient and most loving person

Insolence exudes a toxic, triggering and impulsive negative reaction

Be watchful and don’t think of yourself only, but treat others with respect

Impatience and anger destroy relationships, so don’t be impudent.

We live in a very fast-paced and instant-gratification world today. Nobody wants to wait or to be set aside. Self-centered people do not want to be ignored or they will explode and make someone else’s life a living hell. These narcissists do not care about anyone but themselves. They want to be the center of the universe. They dramatize their grandiose sense of their importance and perform in whatever way they can to get their demands for attention satisfied.  They have no skill at listening or paying attention to others because they do not care for anyone else but themselves. It is so sad to watch our world hit rock bottom when we see people like these. But the bible talked about the prevalence of these self-centered people in 2 Timothy 3. In the last days, people will be lovers of self, boastful, arrogant, lovers of money, abusive, ungrateful and disobedient.

The saying focuses on those who do not heed the word of God and walk in the fear of the Lord. When we do not know the purpose of our lives, we live for the “self.” God created us so that we can have a relationship with him and so He can be praised and glorified by all the people he made. Because of sin, this design of God for humankind was twisted and turned to give glory to “self.” That is why it is impossible for the impudent to live peaceful and joyful lives. They will always create chaos and strife.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think people become impudent or rude?

JEREMIAH 3 THE MERCIFUL ANGER OF THE LORD

April 24

JEREMIAH 3

11 And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel,
declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord;
I will not be angry forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. 14 Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.” – Jeremiah 3:11-14

JEREMIAH 3 THE MERCIFUL ANGER OF THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Human anger cannot be compared with the Lord’s wrath

God’s fury is towards sin and all that is wicked in the world

Man’s anger is self-centered and aimed at satisfying the flesh

While God’s wrath is about bringing back man to do what is right

Human anger produces what is earthly, wicked and unspiritual

God’s wrath is just and merciful; it intends to restore his people.

In this book of prophecy, Jeremiah speaks to Israel who have breached their covenant with God. As a prophet, Jeremiah’s role is to bring God’s message to his people and to mediate and enforce the covenant that the people of God made with the Lord. The prophet’s role is to admonish and bring the message of God to them so that they could be corrected and be reminded of the consequences of when they breach their covenant with the Lord God Almighty.

In verse 11, the Lord proclaims their unfaithfulness to God and compares them with Judah. As far as faithlessness was concerned, they were worse than Judah. In verse 12, we are given a glimpse of the mercy of God when he asked Jeremiah to tell his people that God will forfeit his anger if they turn away from their idolatry. They were asked in verse 13 to admit to their rebellion against God when they yoked with the pagan nations around them which led them to disobey God’s laws. In verse 14, you hear God pleading with them to turn away from their idolatry and remember that He is their master and not those pagan gods. Only a loving father would do what God did. It was out of love and not punishment that he gave this message to the Israelites. His anger was towards the consequences of their idolatry and not on his people themselves. We see that his anger is merciful, not punishing or condemning. It is out of love.

No human being can be as gracious and merciful as God. When we get mad, it is mostly about something that we didn’t get our way done or we become powerless and have no control over something. James 1:19-20 caution us to be slow to anger because the anger of man does not produce God’s righteousness. James 3:15-16 describes human wisdom as earthly, demonic, selfish and unspiritual. The source of this wisdom stems from envy & jealousy. God’s wisdom focuses on righteous jealousy and merciful anger.

REFLECTION

·       How must a Christian react to man’s anger and to God’s anger?

2 KINGS 17 STUBBORNNESS & IDOLATRY PROVOKE GOD’S ANGER

April 23

2 KINGS 17

 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight. – 2 Kings 17:13-20

2 KINGS 17 STUBBORNNESS & IDOLATRY PROVOKE GOD’S ANGER

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the Lord has chosen you as one of his children

He will give you the ability to follow and please him

But when your flesh and love for the world overtakes you

You will probably succumb to the flesh and turn against God

You will become persistent in getting your longings gratified

It will lead you to idols that you will obsess to chase and satisfy

The rebellion and chasing idols will surely provoke God’s anger

Because he is holy and steadfast in his love, you will receive his justice.

The account in this book of Kings presents the story of the provocation of the Israelites to God’s anger. The Lord has sent many prophets and judges to Israel and Judah to warn them not to follow the footsteps of their wicked ancestors, but they seem to be deaf to these admonitions. The following sins that they did were explicitly enumerated in verses 14-17 which provoked the wrath of God.

·       They didn’t listen to the warnings and continued to be stubborn and didn’t believe in God

·       They despised the laws that God has made for them to obey and broke the covenant

·       They chased pagan idols and followed the practices of the pagan nations around them

·       They abandoned all the commandments of God and built images for Asherah and Baal

·       They burned their own children for offerings and used divination

Doesn’t our current world practice these sins as well as they did in the Old Testament time?

REFLECTION

·       How does our world today provoke God’s wrath? What sins do we commit similar to theirs?

JONAH 4 THEATRICS FROM THE PROUD, BITTER & ANGRY MAN

April 22

JONAH 4

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plantand made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” – Jonah 4:1-11

JONAH 4 THEATRICS FROM THE PROUD, BITTER & ANGRY MAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the root of bitterness and anger entwine it craves attention

And it hosts a pity party with much drama, theatrics and emotions

It invites many guests to watch its longing for grandiosity

It focuses on the offence done to them so they can wallow in pity

The bitter person makes a big deal out of trivial things

They cannot see what is behind their irrational thinking

Because they are so focused on their “self-preservation”

It becomes impossible for them to receive Christ’s salvation.

In this chapter of the book of Jonah, we are given a glimpse of his character. It clearly gives us all sinners a picture of our fallen nature, the selfish self-centered inclination. In the previous chapters, we are given the storyline of this offensive anger of Jonah. He was given instruction by God to give a warning to the Ninevites who were so wicked to repent or else they would be destroyed.  But instead of following God’s order, he turns the other way and went to Tarshish. And God brought a whale to swallow him so that he could reflect on his actions, but it was also a foreshadowing of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Later on, he was out of the whale and still for the second time, he didn’t follow God’s order. He was enraged. What was he angry about? He was saving his reputation as a prophet that God will not punish them and he will look like a fool since he presumed that they are so bad that they cannot repent.

REFLECTION

  • What are the sins that led to Jonah’s anger? Why was he so dramatic about all these?