Repentance From Self Righteousness

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Chapters: The Books of Obadiah and Jonah http://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-265.html
Message Title: Repentance From Self Righteousness

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Obadiah is the thirty-first book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains one chapter. The author of the book is Obadiah and it was written to the people of Edom, descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 900BC and 880BC. The purpose of the book was to warn Edom of God's judgment for their attempt to overtake Israel while they were being judged. What we are to learn from the book is that God judges all who exalt themselves through pride. “Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.” - Obadiah 1:4.

Obadiah wholly addresses Edom in this small, but just as powerful book. Edom is a nation nearly allied and joined with Israel, yet they have been an enemy to the seed of Jacob, inheriting the enmity of their father Esau to Jacob. While Israel was being judged, Edom conspired to take the land for themselves, of course, God who sees and knows everything was not happy with what they were doing, therefore, they too will face judgment, but unlike Israel, which will be restored, Edom will not.

“Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.” - Obadiah 1:2-4,13-15.

The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, it is pride, an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, and rank, that keeps a person from knowing Christ personally as their Saviour. It is the deceitful, proud heart that refuses to admit they are accountable for their actions, and they shall receive their reward when they face Jesus Christ. “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” - Romans 14:11,12.

The book of Jonah is the thirty-second book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains four chapters. The author of the book is Jonah and it was written to the nation of Nineveh. The timeline for these events took place approximately 825C to 790BC. The purpose of the book was to get Nineveh to acknowledge God, repent, and turn to Him. It was also to document to the Jews that salvation was not for them only, but for all who repent and turn to Him. What we are to learn from the book is that salvation is not restricted by race, religion, culture, or any other barriers, it is for all who shall call upon the name of the Lord. “And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?” - Jonah 4:11.

Repent, to feel pain, sorrow or regret for something done or spoken, while we should all feel deep sorrow over sin, repentance goes beyond this. True repentance is changing our minds from a self righteous way for salvation and turning to Christ. A sinner who repents to Christ changes the course of their fate of an eternity in hell to one in His Kingdom. We learn of this through Jonah, a Jew, native of Galilee, who was commanded by God to go Nineveh, to warn them of the judgment they were under, if they did not repent and turn to Him their nation would be destroyed. Jonah believed that since Nineveh was a Gentile nation they did not deserve to be saved, so, he fled on a ship. Jonah could not escape God, He followed Him and brought a raging storm with Him. When the people on the ship discovered that Jonah's God was the living God they trembled, and just before casting him over the ship they got saved themselves.

“And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them. Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.” - Jonah 1:12-16.

We always talk about how God's is always with us, and how He turns His back to us if we sin, but we rarely talk about His constant presence when He calls us to do something. Let me tell you, when God has a job for us He means business, and He will do whatever it takes, even place us under severe trials to get us do it. God did not let Jonah die, He had a giant fish swallow him and remained there for three days, finally he prays to God and surrendered to Him. “Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly, And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” - Jonah 2:1-3,8-10.

An amazing illustration is played out in Jonah being in the belly of a whale for three days and three nights, it portrays the image of Christ, in which He said Himself that Jonah was the only sign of His death, burial, and resurrection that those questing Him will get. “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” - Matthew 12:39-41.

Since all people are precious to God, He does not want to see anyone destroyed, He may have used Israel as the people to introduce His power and might to, but His intension was for all to repent of trusting in their false gods and turn to Him. Jonah did as God commanded, the king and entire nation repented and turned to God. “And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.” - Jonah 3:4-6,9,10.

This is why Jesus has not returned yet, we have no idea when He is coming, but He is coming, and we need to tell all God lays on our heart about Him. God explains this to Jonah, who was upset that he had to tell them how to be saved. “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?” - Jonah 4:1-4.

God is the judge of all, not us, we have no right to pick and choose who we are to speak to, when God tells us to talk to someone about the Gospel, we are to go willingly, without complaint. We are all sinners saved by grace, and if God is telling us to speak to someone we are not crazy about than He has a great blessing waiting for us. “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” - Romans 14:13.

Today's Prayer: God, You have blessed us with so much, You have given life to all who believe in and receive Your Son. We are saved only by trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection, and He alone not only saves us from hell, but brings us out of every mess that we have gotten ourselves into over the years without Him if we come to You. How merciful You are, how wonderful You are, to save a sinner like me. Thank You, Jesus, and thank You God for giving me the opportunity to repent and enjoy a new found, abundant, never boring, life with You in it. I love You Lord, and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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