September 25, 2019 Bible Study — God Does Not Wish For the Wicked to Suffer, He Wishes For Them To Stop Doing Evil

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Jonah 1-4 and Micah 1-2

The Book of Jonah tells the story of a man who worships God, but who struggles to accept God’s will for the world.  When God called Jonah to prophecy to Nineveh, he went the other way because he feared that the people of Nineveh would repent of their sin and be spared.  Jonah desired that the wicked people of Nineveh be punished to the point that he did not want them to cease their wickedness.  Let us learn that God does not desire anyone to suffer punishment.  Rather He desires that they turn from their sin, their self-destructive behavior, and be saved.  We should desire the same.  We often desire to see the wicked suffer for the suffering they have caused others, but we should prefer that they start doing good and stop causing others to suffer.

Now I will make a few comments on Micah 1-2.   Micah condemns those who live in luxury obtained at the expense of others’ suffering.  He condemns those who cheat, defraud, and use government power to take what they want from others.   Rather than listen to the prophets who warn them to change their ways, they try to silence them.   They are only willing to listen to those who tell them that they should do what pleases them and enjoy themselves.