The Chronicles of Northside

Jonah is often identified with the big fish which swallowed him. For this reason, some assert that Jonah is a fictional character. However, 2 Kings 14:25 and Christ Himself (Matthew 12:39-41; 16:4; Luke 11:29-32) confirm the historicity of Jonah and his experience. The Biblical narrative begins with GOD commanding Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against it (Jonah 1:2). Jonah disobeyed the LORD by going to Tarshish instead of Nineveh (Jonah 1:3). Jonah thought he could run away and hide from the LORD by settling himself at the bottom of the ship (Jonah 1:5; cf. Psalm 139:7-12). Subsequently, the LORD hurled a severe storm after Jonah (Jonah 1:4-13). After Jonah’s revelation of himself as a runaway prophet of GOD, the crew rebuked him and pleaded for the LORD’s mercy. Terrified, they finally decided to throw Jonah off the ship (1:14-15). With the storm ceasing, the ship’s crew worship the LORD (1:15-16). Jonah was swallowed by a big fish and was in its belly for three days and three ni...

How do you feel when you receive bad news? Anxious? Fearful? Uncomfortable? In the book of Obadiah, God’s prophet had the task not of receiving but of delivering bad news. Obadiah delivered a message Edom was not expecting to receive—the bad news of judgment and destruction from the LORD Himself. Edom’s roots can be traced back to its patriarch, Esau (Genesis 25:19-28:7; 32:1-19), the brother of Israel (also known as Jacob – Genesis 32:28). These brothers had a troublesome relationship marked with deceit and hatred. Though they reconciled prior to their father’s death (Genesis 32:1-19), this history may explain Edom’s attitude in not allowing access to its territory when Israel requested passage to the land of Canaan, Israel’s promised land  (Numbers 20:14-20). Edom was a very proud nation. It boasted of its having an invincible fortress that provided protection and security (Obadiah 1:3-4) and of human wisdom (1:8). It also gloated over the misfortune of the Israelites, specifically t...

The world believes that power, wealth and intelligence is might. However, the Bible says that the Lord puts to shame the mighty, the powerful and the wise of this world as He accomplishes His plan. In fulfilling His will, He uses individuals who are insignificant and ordinary before the eyes of the world so that those who believe in their own abilities might be put to shame (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). Amos is an example of an ordinary man called by the Lord to accomplish an extraordinary task. He came from Tekoa, a small town around 6 miles from Bethlehem. He was a sheepherder (Amos 1:1), a herdsman (7:14) and a grower of sycamore fig trees (7:14). When he was criticized and ridiculed by Amaziah the priest, Amos humbly acknowledged that he was neither a prophet by training nor a son of a prophet but the Lord has called him to proclaim His message (7:10-15). Amos proclaimed without apology God’s message of judgment against the nations (Amos 1:1-2:4), against Judah (2:4-5) and Israel (2:6-1...

Have you ever witnessed a swarming army of locusts?  In 1869,  locusts from the deserts of West Africa made its way to England covering an astonishing span of 2,000 miles. This army of locusts ravished every green herb on its path.  A similar or worse event must have taken place during the time of the prophet Joel.  How devastatingly barren the land must have been! Joel, whose name means “The Lord is God,” prophesied during the aftermath of the locust invasion.  It foreshadowed the coming of a might army that was to invade Judah and destroy its beloved city, Jerusalem, during the great day of the Lord (Joel 2:1-11).  Joel warned the people and called them to repent before God (Joel 1:1-20). The phrase, “great day of the Lord,” is used by the prophet to refer to both a near and future fulfillment.  The first points to the Babylonian invasion which has been fulfilled as prophesied by Joel.  Like the army of locusts, the Babylonians was used by God to discipline His people, Jud...

Do you still remember the sights and sounds of your wedding day? Those days and nights of preparation culminate with those long awaited words, “I now pronounce you man and wife… you may kiss the bride.” I myself remember that day when I took Anna as my wife, especially during this past week when for the first time, I showed my daughter the fairy tale,  Cinderella . Unlike  Cinderella,  a life of “living happily ever after” does not come with marriage.  As trials and difficulties are a reality of life, we commit to loving our spouse– for better or for worse.  Nevertheless, most of us expect happiness.  If we were told for certain that our marriage will be a disaster, I believe we would either not marry or proceed in disbelief. In the book of Hosea, the Lord God commanded Hosea to marry Gomer. So far so good (at least Hosea knew exactly whom he was to marry)–right?  The problem was–Hosea was told by God prior to marriage that Gomer will be unfaithful to...

The book of Daniel relates not only past but also future events.  What the book of Revelation is in the New Testament, the book of Daniel is to the Old.  From the first chapter to the last, prophecies are evident– revealed by God through His angel to Daniel. Chapters 7-12 are especially full of symbols that speak of what is yet to come. Also evident in the book of Daniel is God’s sovereignty.  He is in control, not only over the lives of individuals but also of nations.  God’s hand can be seen in the rise of Babylon, the Jews’ resulting exile, the testimony of Daniel and his three friends, (Daniel 1), Daniel’s gaining the king’s favor (Daniel 2), God’s amazing deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3), God’s humbling of king Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4) and God’s deliverance of Daniel while he served as one of the top officials in the Medo-Persian empire (Daniel 6). Familiar to most of us from the book of Daniel is the story of Daniel in t...

When we arrived at the Community Center last Sunday to set up the room for worship, we found the doors locked.  It just so happened that we had 3 attendees visiting that day for the first time.  Thankfully, chairs were spotted just outside the Center and preaching from the book of Joel was heard under the open sky :).  About an hour later, the doors were opened and we had goodies with good coffee.  What seemed an unpleasant, uncomfortable situation turned out to be a memorable event — with the Lord granting a right perspective and a thankful heart. The 3 visitors last Sunday were brought by one of our regular attendees who was just recently saved.  We have been having a weekly Bible Study at her home now for about four months; and, we praise the Lord for the fruit we are seeing in her life. One of the 3 visitors came to join us for worship this morning; and, she is considering joining our weekly Bible Study!  We do pray that the Lord will draw her to commit to studying the Word wi...