Daily Lesson for Monday 27th of January 2025

God becomes angry at evil because God is love. God is so compassionate and gracious that one biblical prophet even chastised God for being too merciful!

Image © Kim Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Jonah’s reaction to God’s mercy is telling in two primary ways. First, it displays Jonah’s own hardheartedness. He hated the Assyrians so much for what they had done to Israel that he did not want God to show them any mercy.

What a lesson for us! We must be careful to guard against this same attitude, however understandable it may be. Of all people, those who have received the grace of God should recognize unmerited grace and thus be willing to extend grace to others.

Secondly, Jonah’s reaction reinforces how central God’s compassion and grace are to His character. So familiar was Jonah with God’s mercy that—precisely because God is “gracious and merciful” and “slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness” (Jonah 4:2, NKJV)—Jonah knew that the Lord would relent from bringing judgment against Nineveh. God deals justly and mercifully with all peoples and nations.

The Hebrew phrase translated “slow to anger” or “longsuffering” could be literally translated “long of nose.” In Hebrew idiom, anger was metaphorically associated with the nose, and the length of nose metaphorically images how long it takes for one to become angry.

References to God as “long of nose,” then, convey that God is slow to anger and long-suffering. While it does not take long for humans to become angry, God is exceedingly long-suffering and patient, and bestows grace freely and abundantly, yet without justifying sin or turning a blind eye to injustice. Instead, God Himself makes atonement for sin and evil via the cross so that He can be both just and the justifier of those who believe in Him (Romans 3:25-26).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-05-god-is-slow-to-anger/

The studies in this quarter’s pamphlet encourage us to see God’s Love and Justice, just as we may sing in
Hymn 79 – O Love of God, How Strong and True! which is a beautiful theme hymn for our studies.

Our theme hymn returns again and again this week and reminds us constantly that there is 
Nothing Between – Hymn 322 us and our Saviour.

Even though our gracious God is grieved by our evil habits (Sunday), He gives abundantly such 
Marvelous Grace – Hymn 109 and shows we see how 
Great Is Thy Faithfulness – Hymn 100 toward us.

As our human race has decisions to be made (Wednesday), it is our choice to say
Lord, I Have Made Thy Word My Choice – Hymn 273.

Thursday we are encouraged that “there will never again be divine wrath because never again will there be the need for it” as there is coming a 
Day of Judgment, Day Of Wonders! – Hymn 418 as we will see that 
The Judgment Is Set – Hymn 416. Oh, the joy that “God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thess. 5:9, NKJV) – 
To The Name That Brings Salvation – Hymn 646.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-the-wrath-of-divine-love-singing-with-inspiration/