Prophets to Northern Kingdom
We meditate Bible chronologically to
 enhance understanding of context.
 We begin with the 5 books of Laws
   to appreciate the Redemptive Plan
of God for mankind and Job, which
occurs during the time of Genesis.
In Phase 2, we meditated on Joshua
to 2Sam & 1 Chron up to King David
and Psalms where we learn to pray.
Then to reign of King Solomon in
1 Kings and cover wisdom poetry of
Proverbs, Song of Songs and Eccl.
In Phase 3, thro 2Kings the next 100
years see the decline of two nations
indifferent to God’s laws. In Israel,
19 wicked kings led the people
further from God and Israel finally
went into captivity by Assyrians.
Continuing Phase 3, we focus next
on the prophets to northern kingdom
with dual themes of repentance and
judgment: “Shape Up or Ship Out.”
But each prophet spoke to unique
contemporary situation. So for
Hosea, the message is God’s love
for adulterous Israel; and for Amos,
God’s people ripe for punishment.
And for Jonah, the message is God
Loves the Gentiles; and in Nahum,
it’s doom of Nineveh for its brutality.
Jonah called by God to warn the
Assyrian city Nineveh of impending
destruction. But the brutal Assyrians
are Israel’s bitter enemies and Jonah
both fears and despises them. So
instead of heading to Nineveh, Jonah
sails in opposite direction. A storm
ensues, Jonah is tossed overboard
and is swallowed by a great fish.
After three days the fish deposits
Jonah on dry land. Jonah then goes
to Nineveh & preaches as God has
instructed. When the people repent,
Jonah’s resentment grows until God
teaches him a lesson in compassion.
By the time Nahum comes on the
scene Nineveh is even more wicked
than it had been during the time
of Jonah about 100 years earlier.
The repentant spirit of the people
and the revival that stemmed from
Jonah’s visit is gone. Now a terror
to the entire world, the fortress city
of Nineveh seems impenetrable.
But God will no longer overlook the
city’s horrible sins, and He sends
Nahum to deliver the message of
impending destruction. The entire
Assyrian empire will be destroyed
and Nineveh gutted by raging fire.