Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

We didn’t give Jonah a very high rating. If I were to lean to my own understanding, I would not vote for any more Jonah-type prophets. I don’t really see the need. There’s something fishy about those types (smile). But Micah-type prophets—ah, that’s different—I would vote for a flood of them. For making that judgment, all I need to do is read some of the BACKGROUND remarks in my Study Bible—for example, this: “While Isaiah, his contemporary in Jerusalem, addressed the king and international situations, Micah was a country prophet who condemned Judah’s corrupt rulers, false prophets, ungodly priests, dishonest merchants and bribed judges. He preached against the sins of injustice, oppression of the peasants and villagers, greed, avarice, immorality and idolatry, and he warned of severe consequences if the people and their leaders persisted in their evil ways.” Once again, we are reminded that not much has changed with human hearts from then till now. The NATURAL SIN NATURE has been around a long time.

If you are a member of that special classification of life on planet earth called “people,” then you are included in Micah’s challenge. Indeed, the intended target group for Biblical revelation is not just the Jewish group, or the Christian group, or some other exclusive group within those groups—it’s all people everywhere in all time. That’s consistent with the announcement of the angel who scared the starch out of those shepherds on that first Christmas night. (In support of this, archeologists have discovered concentrated starch marks on a hillside close to Bethlehem. Just kidding. But this can serve as a little example of how some preachers can embellish their messages with nonsense.) “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10, KJV). The key phrase is “all people.” The more I think about this, the more convinced I become that the angelic messenger actually meant ALL PEOPLE. Wow! Do you realize what that means? I’m quite sure that part of the message didn’t register with those traumatized shepherds. Even Jesus’ own disciples had a tough time grasping that meaning. It can only mean that there is no individual or people group anywhere that does not need the Biblical Gospel. Furthermore, all people are essentially benefited by knowing and gleaning lessons for life from the historical record of God’s special people group, the people of Israel. God has chosen to put the Jewish people and their history on display for the world to see—and learn from. Indeed their record covers the full range of about everything you can imagine happening within human experience. It’s all there!—everything from darkness and incredible stupid to wonderful illumination and wisdom—from the pits of defeat and sin to the heights of victory and salvation. That has to be a main reason why God has inspired and preserved this ancient book to remain vital and relevant no matter where one lands on the time line. “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).

If we can view ourselves as victims of the universal terminal illness of SIN, and the Sovereign LORD as a Doctor infinitely beyond professional, it becomes clear that the Biblical Gospel offers both His diagnosis as well as His prescription. Herein is the AGONY side of the Biblical Gospel which we have discussed before. How can those of us who know the effectiveness of the prescription NOT agonize over the majority of people around us who don’t even accept the diagnosis, let alone the prescription!