WEEKEND 16 - 17 SEPT
MISUSING SCRIPTURE – AGAIN!
As we discovered when we listened in to Jonah’s prayer from inside the fish, the man knew Scripture. In that example, he repeatedly quoted from the Psalms. Now, as he furiously attacks God for being gracious, he quotes Exodus 34 – but he does so in a way that weaponises Scripture, in a shocking assault on the character of God Himself. Tim Keller observes, ‘Jonah reads the Bible selectively, ignoring the latter part of Exodus 34:7 that speaks of God not leaving ‘the guilty unpunished’. He creates a simplistic picture of a God who simply loves everyone without judgement on evil. He uses the sacred text to justify his inordinate indignation, anger, and bitterness.’ 11 Once again, Jonah misuses Scripture. Scholars also notice that, in Jonah’s short prayer, the word 'I’ or ‘my’ occurs no fewer than nine times in the original language. He is consumed with his own opinion about what God should do, he is overwhelmed with crushing disappointment, and as we’ll see tomorrow, he is literally losing the will to live.
READ Jonah 4:2-3 Exodus 34:1-7
Let’s be careful of a ‘cut and paste’ approach to Scripture, especially when we use it to support our own opinions. Keller writes: 'Whenever we read the Bible in order to say, "Aha! I’m right!”; whenever we read it to feel righteous and wise in our own eyes, we are using the Bible to make ourselves into fools or worse, since the Bible says that the mark of evil fools is to be “wise in their own eyes” (cf. Proverbs 26:12).' 11 To ponder: Are there parts of the Bible that you have a tendency to ignore or avoid?
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Keller, T, Rediscovering Jonah, (London: Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition) p105
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