Book of Jonah continued; Book of Micah

By Charles Feinberg

Charles Feinberg:

... He was sure up this place, and he was very angry [inaudible] he almost. He almost popped a tonsil and he prayed unto the lord, you mean to tell me a man that was our sympathy with the lord would prayer. He don't know man, he prayed unto the lord, he sure did, the scripture said so and said “I, pray the, oh lord was not this mah”. He is instructing God didn't I tell you. He has to prove himself right even when he is wrong. His wrong is all out of door. When I was yet in my country, that's what I meant, wouldn't I right? Therefore I pled before, unto tarsus when I knew, oh underscore that knew. If that wears your bible out I’ll get you a new one. For I knew that though art a gracious God, and merciful slow to anger (It’s one of those beautiful statements concerning the character of God), and every word of it is right and true. Merciful, slow to anger, great kindness, and repentance of evil, means if lord we just give you the [Inaudible] indication of a change. You’re gonna deal in grace and in life. For that’s the nature of your heart.

Is it as you’re apparent, is it your thought “wait till I catch my youngling.” In this, I’ll give him the whopping of his life. Now, God isn't there, sitting in the highest heaven, just to see us fall. How do you know? Because when we did, an infinite price, he sent the lord Jesus, for therefor an hour oh lord, take out this [Sp?] in my life from me. Life didn't see worth living anymore, for it is better for me to die than to live. Think of it, then the lord said, God said, “he is really gone overboard now, but I better reason with him. I’m sure that Jonah, I made Jonah. I’m sure, he has a mind that can think, yeah” now let’s get with it.

Number one Jonah: and so duth doith though well to be angry, and you know he comes back with him? Oh he was angry, and Jonah went out of the city sun on the east side of the city and Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah there made a booth for himself and sat under it in the shay. Oh he was going to have some real outdoor living now you see. He wasn't going to suffer anything. Not a bit of it, not a bit of it. So he, he gets himself position and that booth, I tell you seriously, [Inaudible] that booth was one of the greatest places of instruction in all of the world. And he sat under it in the shadow till he might see what would become of the city. Because that fourth verse, the question there, could have been understood by Jonah to say “well for all you know Jonah how do you know that I’m through with my plans of destroying Nineveh, how do you know that what their repentance has only been in outward form only a semblance, not real. So, he sat under it that it might suit what would become of the city.” and the Lord God said “Now we are going to move in closely and teach him some of the lessons of his life that he never learned before.” God prepared, you see who it is, God prepared a gourd, let it come up over Jonah might be a shadow over his head deliver him from his grief, so Jonah was continually glad of the gore; first time of the whole book he was glad, because he was getting something out of it. And when that sun beats down you'd want protection. Oh yes, you flee for protection, he was thrilled, and why was it a gourd?

Because it didn't require tending, it didn't require a lot of attention, it didn't require a lot of thought, an occupation. God wants to teach him something. You got a lot of benefit out of something you never did anything on. He’s exceedingly glad of the gourd, only time he was glad. That God prepared a... he prepared a gourd in verse 6 and verse 7. God prepared a worm.

When the morning rose the next day and it smoked the gourd that it withered. He would just see… Jonah what he looked at it he, he was withered himself. And if that weren't enough, oh I tell you he’s, he’s going to get his comeuppance the little boy would say, and came to pass when the sun did rise, and it does, that God prepared a [Inaudible} east wind, and the east wind the sirocco, s-i-r-o-c-c-o [inaudible] you can feel out dry out your bones. God prepared the

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah

[Inaudible] East wind and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah that he fainted and wished it in himself to die. He was the most contrary critter, creature. When he was in the [Inaudible] he wanted to be out, and now that he is out, he wants to die. He doesn't know what wants. Well will

God no wonder, and wished in himself to die, and said its better for me to die than to live. God said to Jonah all these three verses, you know there, there here in the book, and they’re going to exist for all eternity. God said to Jonah, doith thou well to be angry for the gourd, he said I certainly do, I'm about as angry as anybody can get. He says, “I do well to be angry even unto death.” Now, you have climax. Here’s the climax. Why is verse 10 with verse 11 the climax?

Because here, heared beloved, the heart of God is revealed. Now let’s not skip over it, but its

God say then said the lord "though has had pity on that gourd, you surely did, because it serves you." Now Gods pressing home the lesson of these experiences in Jonah's life. Since he had affection for the gourd that gave him comfort and shade he's got to be shown how he tried to deny God his love for those more important than the gourd, and verse 10 shows, here he is, for with that has not labored neither [inaudible] to the gourd, came up in the night and perished in the. A thing so ephemeral, so ethereal, so passing, so unstable, you have such tremendous affection for. How, Jonah, how unthinking can you be? Shows why a plant like the gourd with a rapid growth was chosen, if it had been a plant that grew slowly he would’ve had to water it, he would’ve had to tend it, he would’ve had to care for it. In that case, the rebuke wouldn't have been as strong. God was saying to Jonah If you became so attached to that gourd because it served you, and gratified your desires, a gourd on which you expended no thought, no labor, no toil, no sacrifice, no planting, no watering, no tending, no pruning. A gourd of such short duration grows up quickly and it hastily passes away. Shall I not permit my love and pity to flow forth unstintingly to multitudes of my creatures, the work of my hands? The crown of all my

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah creed you ask. Nurture, fend, provided for by me. Those who will never go out of existence, was there ever such irresistible logic, was there ever such boundless love and pity, but my dear friend this chapter doesn't end at the tenth, the climax is in the eleventh verse. Perished in the ninth, you… had pity on the gourd, now watch, verse 11, “should not I spare Nineveh that great city, and which are more than six score thousand.” How much would that be? Six score thousand?

[Chatter]

Hundred and twenty thousand, okay, “persons that cannot discern between there right hand and there left hand and also much [inaudible] they can’t discern between there right hand and there left hand” those are not automobile drivers,

[Laughter]

No. See? You were so concerned about this gourd, [inaudible] is a sexual Innovalues

[Sp?] and then you where denying my heart and would allow me spend near to that great city.

More than six score thousands persons that cannot discern between there right hand and there left, a hundred and twenty thousand. That is supposed to one fifth of the population that can't discern these areas. How much is a hundred twenty thousand times five.

[Class speaking inaudibly]

That’s right, over half a million, six hundred, oh watch it now, cannot dis, it cannot discern be the right hand and there left hand, and you know what the climax is? The last two words. Also, which is in italic, much cattle. Jonah, do you hear this, you were so concerned about that gourd which isn't a pittance, and the site eternal God and yet you have no concern for six hundred thousand creatures, men, women, boys, girls, children who will not go out of existence forever; Because they're creatures, and you have no concern for them, and then the cu degras, the climax and much cattle. You didn't have concern for people, and I have concern even

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah for cattle. No wonder the book of Jonah is on the love of God. Yes, all the abruptness of the close of the book is intentional. The climax been reached, the all-important message there that tender voice of God, telling forth the love God for all the nations, for needy creatures, and then he says and also so much cattle what an infinite thrust there. The lovey, never reach, never read, never reach for and read the book of Jonah without seeing ah never before the infinite, infinite love of God, even from much cattle. Jonah, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You want, you want to school and from the smallest things seemingly God taught him greatest lesson. You and I don't dare hear me. You and I don't DARE to be out of step with the purpose of God. You and I do not DARE to allow our hearts to be unmoved when God has so much, so much, involved, in the lives of creatures, even those that don't have souls. Men, women, children have souls. Those that haven't come to the age of digression, some six hundred thousand people live there and a hundred and twenty thousand that couldn't discern between there right [inaudible] left hand. Oh my dear friends, what a picture. No man on God’s green earth could write a word such as you and I see here.

Now, we come to Micah. Come to Micah. Great prophet, what’s he gonna speak on?

He’s gonna speak on judgment on Samaria, the north, Jerusalem, and the south. Micah means

[inaudible] who is like God. Well the answer is nobody. Beautiful name, Micah, he two is like the lord or who is like God. He prophesied in the eight century B.C., came from a small town

[Sp?] about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. He was a contemporary of Isaiah. You see you look at that first verse, “The word of the lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of

Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah” why, those where the kings that where in existence in the time of

Isaiah. Yes, there was more, God in his grace gave them more than one problem at a time. Yes, and Hezekiah, Kings of Judah and thinks of Jotham, he was, sort of Uzziah was a Godly king,

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah the father of Jotham. One great mistake Uzziah did was, he went in the temple you remember and he came out with leprosy. He involved himself in something that didn't belong to him. He didn't have a priestly call from God. He had a royal kingly pre, ah call from God. So that's what happened to Uzziah and the scripture tells us that Jotham never did go into the temple. I tell you when he heard what happened to his father. So he was a sort of a, neither here nor there fella, and then Ahab, oh... he was bad medicine. Yes, he was a W-I-C-K-E-D, he was a wicked king, and then Hezekiah, beautiful, Hezekiah was responsible for [Inaudible] greatest revivals that ever took place among the people of God. When they let go above the board some of the great

[inaudible] where out, he didn't allow it, he re-instituted it. Yes, Hezekiah. They had one of the greatest Passovers ever. Hezekiah kings of Judah, which is saw concerning [inaudible] concerning Samaria, judgement on Samaria and Jerusalem. God cannot temporize hear it. God's love cannot temporize with sin; you can’t set up contrary currents in the heart of God. His Love is cemented in his holiness, and you cannot separate them. You do not put one at odds with the other. Hero are you people [Inaudible] here it is. Isaiah preceded Micah for some time

[inaudible] contemporary for a considerable time. How do you know Isaiah 1:1 was Micah 1:1?

They’re many similarities between passages in Isaiah and Micah, why? Because God wanddeded the same message in the same era, in the same age to the same contemporary from more than one mouth that the mouth would have two witnesses. Shall every word be established? And God goes the second mile. If God says anything positively once, we ought to believe it; and the only time he ever multiplies it he for emphasis, emphasis. Jeremiah mentions Micah, by name. Jeremiah

26:18 connects him to the reign of Hezekiah as well. These people are always finding inconsistency and errors in the bible I often, I want to be fair to them to, kindly, I sometimes

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah wonder what kind of glasses they wear when they read the bible. Samaria, Jerusalem, all Judah and Israel, the nation, they are all prophesy here.

Judgment on Samaria and Jerusalem.

Assyria is the prominent foreign power. You say well why is Assyria so often, why is

Babylon so often, why is Egypt would you please tell me why all the newspaper in America and in the British Isles and in Europe and in other parts of the world, why are they always recording things concerning nations in Europe and concerning the United states and China and Japan?

Because this earth is Inhabited by people, and God is dealing with people, and people are living on earth and what is newsworthy please is not about skyrockets or anything like that, or even our dear statue of liberty, that hasn't said a word to me for years,

(Laughter)

But my wife came from Europe that way, but I tell you God is interested in people, he is interested people. Well are you saw, even in creature, and all so much cattle. I tell you that will keep you thinking for long, long time, much cattle, here in the book of Jonah. If that book hadn't been written for any other reason than to climax like that, it was eminently worthwhile. So,

Assyria is a prominent form power, that's why. They have to be told. They were living in actual situations, had to mead concrete, these people would say "the Bible is so irrelevant" and sometimes they don't even say the word irrelevant. it’ll ah it'll [inaudible] or just something like that, I wish they learn English language.

(Laughter)

After all, if you use English language then please use it, don't miss use it. I mean what? It never done you any harm? Did you ever try to get along without a language? Pointing at things like that and ummhh... like that. Hmm.

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah

(Laughter)

[Inaudible] somebody does that? That may be that he has some ringing in his ear, not that your your ah a local in the coco no. Language, that why God gave language. They have languages that they communicate with, there are means of communications in heaven, of course, but you wouldn't understand now, I wouldn't either. So, many of us have rough time with the language now.

Oh you should see in seminary, you think you have done the greatest injustice. It did tell them to memorize artists after study. The, the book of languages. Why do you want to read

Shakespeare in Chinese when you can read them in English? It’s rough enough that way, of course. Because he comes from another century, but you read that in which it was given. It has forms, it has structures, it has syntax, and the likeness its radical forms, but you gonna understand, and it’s worthwhile, worthwhile.

Messengers are particularly peculiarly to the cities as the centers influencing the nations.

First two chapters in Micah, we have what? Condemnation and captivity, you say "my I sure get tired of that thief." yes I’m sure the profits did too. Yes, like the old preacher, somebody came up and said "Do you know you talking about sin and Gods judgment and so on" you know what the dear old country preacher said? "You mean I’m doing it too much? Too often? Then yes," he says "when are you going to start believing it and practicing it?" Yes, it's the grace of God that you repeat his condemnation captivity. Then chapters 3, 4 and 5 we have reproof and restoration; then pleading and promise in chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 1 verse 2, hear ye, chapter 3 verse 1, hear ye, chapter 6 verse 1 hear ye. Our auditory nerves are terrific, we need to learn how to listen,

“Can't you hear what I said” says mother, when she is at the end of her patience. She is exhausted beyond all reckoning. What is the book of Micah trying to tell us? It’s God pity with

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah

Israel, and Judah to turn from their sin, because he says if you do not, and if I’m going to be the loving father, of a nation. If I’m going to be concerned about your infinite eternal welfare, then

I’m going to have to bring in an outsider just because God doesn't reach down to earth in physical form every moment. He has nations who will do his bidding and Assyria was only too glad to be what's called a rood, the rood of Gods wrath. Yes, and his promises definitely so. A future glory under the messiah and the righteous reign, Micah will tell both. God doesn't just go on one key and then conclude there. No, no. you know Judah listened under Hezekiah and judgment was averted for a century and a half. God needs it. He doesn't mean "well I’m just saying if you, if you come and heed I’ll think it over" No. God says "Just as I warn so I can fulfill deliverance if you obey." and when they didn't Israel went head long into captivity under the Assyrian power. Oh what a chapter we have in Micah, he gives in chapter one verse one, induction to the whole book, begins as does each section of the prophecy. Hear ye, how hard it is for us to hear, and God wanted us to hear, some people think that God gave us two ears so it can go in one and out the other, no, no, he wanted us to hear both so it could [inaudible] right in the middle. Yes, you hear this way and then you hear that way. Two witnesses, here it is, and he starts off Micah does with the lord coming in majesty to judge, chapter 1 verses 2 to 5. Samaria's sin, chapter 1 verses 6 and 7. Verses 8 to 16 Micah enters in sympathetically into the coming woes on Samaria and Jerusalem, laments over them. In the second chapter he's not going to talk in generalities, he says "I'm going to specifics" the sins of Israel in specific idolatry, covetousness and oppression. The greatest insult to God is Idolatry, even more than other sins.

Idolatry, to think of trying to replace the living God [inaudible] idle that cannot speak, that cannot act, one of the greatest law of condemnations on idolatry is Isaiah 44. It is classic, really when you get time, when you don't have time read it also.

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah

(Laughing)

Yes, he appeals to their conscientiousness. In chapter 2 verse 7, and then chapter 2 verse

12 and 13, notice here, he says "I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I surely gather the remnant of Israel; I’ll put them together like the sheep of Bozrah, like the sheep in the midst of their folish and make great noise by reason of multitudoism but breaker come up before them, they have broken up. Have passed through the gates and have gone out by it and their king shall pass before em, and the lord at the head of them. You notice that? How does chapter 2, verses 12 and 13 "if the lord Jesus Christ blessed be his name, who's the way maker, and the way breaker."

Clears the way before him, in Christ is the true rest of Gods people.

Chapter 3, please with Principe, he pleased with wars. How cruel it can be. Man can’t even rule themselves, yet he think he has the ability or the knowledge to ruse all then instead of being grateful that God has given him position of crust and all. He missuses it, and then if it that's not enough those who are sent to rebuke them in the third chapter verses 5 to 8, he rebukes the false profits. Yes, and he says judgment is absolutely certain. Then the fourth chapter, beautiful picture of the peace and prosperity of the millennial day, there's the earth’s golden age from the last days. That shall come to pass, mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established on the top of the mountains, it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flock.

That is the day of Christ rule, that's the millennial glory, that's glory coming to earth through the intervention of the lord Jesus Christ, but he goes on. He has to say in the Fifth chapter, the

Assyrian army before Jerusalem Assyrian of the future to, does the king of [Inaudible]. The reason is Israel smoked the judge up Israel with a rod of the cheek. The judge being Christ, that's what many think, but will [inaudible] what that actually is, as we take up, the fifth chapter of

Micah verses 2 to 5, Israel’s babe of Bethlehem, if you think that the minor prophets are not

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah applicable even in the time of our remembrances of the lords glory, the lords coming to earth, his

Israel’s babe of Bethlehem, look at verse 1, “Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops; he hath laid siege against thee, that shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.”

The degradation of the judge of Israel is now contrasted with the greatness of a future rule of

Israel. Some think, good men, think that this "smiting of the judge [inaudible] on the cheek that must mean on the human level, because our lord Jesus had more than a smiting on his cheek; and then the contrast is whereas that's gonna happen on that level because of sin. God’s visitation, but thou Bethlehem Ephrathah I have something in view for you. Bethlehem means house of bread. Ephrathah [Inaudible] oh Bethlehem Ephrathah though thou [inaudible] of the thousands of Judah, your just little bit of a town, a hick town as they would say it. Alright yet out of these shall he come forth under me, that's to be rule in Israel. Who’s going sport been from a bowl, he's eternal. How do you know? Well, read the next two verses no one will throw you in jail before you finish the verse.

From everlasting. It is amazing how much life the bible throws on itself. So the patha. prophecies blessing at the beginning of chapter four and here he invocates the one through whom the blessing comes, and do you know what we have in theses verses 2 to 5? We have the three different aspects of the babe of Bethlehem of the coming savior, the lord Jesus Christ. The first picture is the mighty God in eternity whose going forth, had been from a [Sp] from everlasting.

The coming ruler of Israel comes forth in time, but he is not limited he is not circumscribed by time. He is not hemmed in by it; his goings forth had been from of old. What do you mean by his

"goings forth"? His activity, his action, his operations, his glorious dealings had been from

[inaudible] from everla, he's and everlasting God. Can’t say that about any, any idle of the world.

And those goings forth where before creation, in creation, in the beginning was the word and the

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah word was with God and the word was God. Not a thing was made in the world without him. Well

I thought that Genesis on talks about God, yes, but the word is God to. You know who were active in the creation of the world of the man, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, all three. So these goings forth will before creation, in creation, in his appearances to the patriarch, throughout the Old Testament history of redemption [Inaudible] of the angel of the lord. God coming in human form a prefiguring of that one who would really come; from the Virgin Mary.

My dear friends the phrases in this verse, verse 2, are the strongest possible statement; an infinite duration that you have in the Hebrew language. Psalm 90 verse 2. Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1, I just quoted, "in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and was God.” The preexistence the messiah is being taught here. Yet you come to an unfair Jew and talk to them about the Messiah who's going to be the preexistence one. He said "what are you talking about" he wants it only on a human level. No, you can't have it, you are going to have it the way God says it or you are not going to have it at all. The preexistence in the messiah is active participation.

In ancient times, in the purpose of God, there was a young Muslim who was learning

English for the bible, good place to go. And in the reading they came to Luke 23:34, and this is what they read, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” the young Muslim whose name was Hassan, which is a very common name among them, an acceptable one, so on.

Hassan closed the book he said "he must have been, he was the son of God, No one else would have prayed for him enemies' definitely so. Yes, all are forgiven for they know not what they do.

So we have the mighty God in eternity, that's what. From the vol, how long, from everlasting that's [Inaudible]. The ruler comes from Bethlehem in time, but his activities have been from eternity. His going forth word in creation, preservation, Providences, theophany’s, appearances

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Feinberg. Book of Jonah Continued; Book of Micah of God, redemptive activity you read here. The eternal preexistence of the messiah is what’s strongly presented, page 947 if you are reading the bible I’m looking at.

[Laughter]

Mighty God in eternity, now... [Dead space until end].

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