Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Jan 24 2020 - Luke 11:14-36 – The sign of Jonah

Jesus had healed a demon-possessed man who had been mute, giving him the power to speak. The crowds were amazed at what he had done, but some began to speculate that he was able to cast out demons because he possessed superior demonic power. Nevertheless, the crowds were eager to see Jesus do more that would amaze them. Perhaps with more signs they might revise their opinion of him.

Jesus tells them, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation..." (Luke 11:29-30).

In what way was Jonah a sign to the Ninevites? Jonah had been a rebel against God. God had given him a clear command, "Go to Niveveh...", and he had fled in the opposite direction. His rebellion had nearly cost him his life. He had been thrown into the sea and would have drowned had God not prepared a great fish which swallowed up Jonah and three days later spat him out on the sea shore. It's a remarkable story and the experience must have left its mark on Jonah. Certainly it persuaded him to walk the 500 miles to Nineveh to preach God's message to its inhabitants.

And don't you think they may have asked him why he had come? And he would have told them of his experience. Perhaps it was this experience of Jonah as much as his words "Repent or perish" that persuaded the Ninevites to turn to God. They had a sign in Jonah of the awful reality of the judgment that falls on those who rebel against God; but they also had evidence of God's remarkable saving mercy – "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs... Salvation comes from the Lord" (Jonah 2:8-9). If God could rescue Jonah using a great fish, maybe he would have mercy on them if they would only turn to him. Never underestimate the power of personal testimony.

Jesus tells the crowd that he is the sign that ought to bring this generation to repentance; he is for them the sign of Jonah. Elsewhere we read that Jesus likens Jonah's three days in the sea and the fish to the three days he will spend in the tomb. His death and resurrection is the sign that should bring this generation – our generation – to repentance. Here is evidence of the reality of God's judgment against sin and rebellion – he did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. Here also is the evidence of God's saving grace – he did not leave him to suffer corruption but raised him to new life for our sake. Judgment is not some tale made up to frighten us into conformity; it is an awful reality which has been made plain in the middle of history in the cross of Jesus. But neither is grace some vague hope; it is grounded in Jesus' resurrection from the dead:

Jesus our Lord … was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification... Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 4:24-25; 5:9).

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the sign of Jonah. We give you thanks that our Lord Jesus suffered for us a cruel death on the cross, bearing the punishment for our sins. But, most of all, we praise you that he is risen – raised for our justification. He is more than a sign; he is our hope and our Redeemer. Strengthen our faith that we may never turn from him who is our life; keep us trusting him, following him and glorying in him. And may our testimony draw many others to him.

Jan 24 2019 - Genesis 29:13-35 – The trickster tricked

Jacob had arrived safely in Paddan Aram, to the house of Laban, his mother's brother. Immediately he seems to have fallen in love with Rachel, his uncle's beautiful younger daughter and offers to work for Laban for seven years in return for Rachel becoming his wife. Genesis touchingly recounts that, "Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her" (29:20).

But Jacob the trickster had met his match in uncle Laban. On his wedding night, when it has become dark, Laban arranges that weak-eyed Leah, Rachel's sister, is handed over to Jacob in his tent in place of Rachel, and Jacob sleeps with her. Genesis dramatically exclaims, "When morning came, there was Leah!" (29:25). We can readily imagine Jacob's dismay, horror and anger when he saw who was beside him in his bed. He went straight to Laban with the bitter accusation, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?" But Laban simply answers "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the elder one" (29:26).

I wonder if Jacob the trickster thought about these telling words. He, the younger of Isaac's sons had sought through trickery to get the blessing that would rightly belong to the elder. Now, in accordance with custom, he is tricked into receiving the elder daughter as wife rather than the younger.

God had promised to be with Jacob, but this did not mean that everything would turn out just the way Jacob would have liked. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews tells us that our heavenly Father disciplines his children so that we might share in his holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11). Jacob is being made to learn the price of trickery.

Laban requires Jacob to work another seven years as the bride price for Rachel, the young woman he loved – though Rachel is given to him after only a week. We are not told that these second seven years seemed like only a few days to Jacob.

On the contrary, these were years filled with trouble as Jacob had to contend with the rivalry between these two sisters, his two wives, rivalry provoked by Jacob's far greater love for Rachel than for Leah. Favouritism had brought trouble into Isaac's household, and now it is the cause of trouble and discord in the home of Jacob. These second seven years must have been hard years indeed.

Nevertheless, through all the trickery and deceit, God is at work to accomplish his purposes. God had promised to make a great nation of Abraham and Sarah's descendants but they had only one son, Isaac, and he only had two sons. Now Jacob, the one on whom this promise rests, begins to have children – many of them. He gains four sons through Leah in the verses we have read today but before many years are past he will have twelve sons, ten born to Leah and two to Rachel, not to mention several daughters. It is precisely through the trickery of Laban and the rivalry between Leah and Rachel that God is at work to fulfil his promises.

As you look back at your own life can you see times when you have made a mess of things and yet God has worked through your mess to bring blessing? We can thank God that he is not limited by our folly but remains steadfast and faithful in his purpose to bless us.

Father God, we thank you for the assurance that in all things you work for the good of those who love you. But we know that this does not excuse or justify our folly and our poor decisions. Lord we ask your forgiveness for the times we have not lived in the way that we should. Help us by your presence and your Spirit within us to live to please you. Make us the source of blessing to those around us.

Peter Misselbrook