The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Nahum 1:1-7, “The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; the LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies.

3 The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; and the LORD will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. In whirlwind and storm is His way, and clouds are the dust beneath His feet.

4 He rebukes the sea and makes it dry; He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossoms of Lebanon wither.

5 Mountains quake because of Him, and the hills dissolve; indeed, the earth is upheaved by His presence, the world and all the inhabitants in it.

6 Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, And the rocks are broken up by Him.

7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him.”

Nahum was a native of Galilee. His contemporaries were Hezekiah and Isaiah. When Assyria invaded Galilee, Nahum escaped to Judah, taking up residence in Jerusalem.

The theme of the book of Nahum is the destruction of Nineveh. It was written some 150 years following Jonah’s mission to Nineveh – a city that had known only violence and cruelty and was to be doomed in a similar manner.

“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of hosts; “and I will lift up your skirts over your face and show to the nations your nakedness and to the kingdoms your disgrace.”

What the LORD declared He will do with Nineveh is a solemn warning. The LORD is capable of doing precisely that with all of those who follow their own inclinations instead of allowing Him to be the Director of their lives and their nation. Borrowing a saying of my maternal grandmother, “They had better watch their p’s and q’s.” And so had we!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Micah 6:6-8, “With what shall I come to the LORD and bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?

7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, in ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

People everywhere have curious habits, sometimes carryovers from their parents or peculiar to their country. I remember well an Australian ringing the doorbell of our home in Sydney. When I answered the door, I discovered a man holding a bag of cookies and asking, “Would it be possible to find a cup of tea beyond this door?” It was a visiting pastor, new to our family. When we learned what the question was truly all about, we quite joyously invited him into our home.

The prophet Micah sets forth how he and others should behave when coming into the presence of the LORD. What does the LORD require? Does He want livestock? Does He desire children, the offspring of a man and his wife? What is it possible to present to Him that will satisfy His desire? The answer is simple: He desires justice, kindness, and forthright humility – all actions and attitudes borne out of love. Is it with such qualities that you can open the door? I think you know Who’s knocking at your door.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Jonah 1:1-5, “The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

4 And the LORD hurled a great wind on the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

5 Then the sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, laid down, and fallen sound asleep.”

This biblical account of Jonah may well be one of the best-known in all the Bible.

Jonah had always been a servant of the LORD, yet on this occasion, he balked at his assignment. The LORD had commissioned him: “Go to Nineveh…”; but “Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish…” What’s more, his movement was “away from” the presence of the LORD. There’s always a “ship” going away from the LORD. Well, Jonah found it, paid the fare, went on board, went below deck, and quickly fell asleep.

Running away from God is always expensive — both in energy and in currency. Yet, it would cost Jonah even more! In fact, he nearly lost his life! Turns out, it was a lesson the LORD was teaching him. And it wasn’t over! Thrown overboard, swallowed by a whale, spit out on the shore… it caused such commotion that the King of Nineveh became involved and helped Jonah carry out the mission the LORD had originally intended.

None of this recitation is to encourage you to divert from the LORD’s intention for your life. Jonah had forgotten who was “Lord.” That is the one sure facet we must never forget! HE IS LORD! Any deviation from that and we are headed for sure disaster!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Obadiah 1:1-3, “Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: ‘We have heard a report from the LORD, and an envoy has been sent among the nations saying, ‘Arise and let us go against her for battle‘–

2 “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you are greatly despised.

3 “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in the loftiness of your dwelling place, who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’’

According to Dr. Robert Lee, author of The Outlined Bible, there were numerous men in this biblical era who were known by the name Obadiah. As of this writing, however, we know of but one and must assume him to be this author that was also known to the Old Testament people of Israel.

Israel, however, was the exclusive people for whom warring nations sought annihilation. Those nations that were not following the LORD’s people sought to discredit and erase them altogether.

Yet, Israel had remained true to the LORD, and the LORD was determined to protect her. It is the same with us. When we trust Him as our LORD and Savior, He places us under divine protective custody. He, therefore, becomes our Protector.

Residing under the protective custody of our LORD and Savior does not mean, however, that we are living above sin. How we could wish that were the case! Still, we have the LORD’s protection and His provision. We are thereby His children, living in His family. What could be more glorious! Only one thing: Living with Him in eternity!

This life on earth is but preparatory to eternal life. In the meantime, we have the responsibility to yield to His will daily and seek earnestly to represent Him in our daily lives.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom

Dear Grands,

Daniel 4:23-28, “And… the king saw an angelic watcher, a holy one, descending from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it; yet leave the stump with its roots in the ground, but with a band of iron and bronze around it in the new grass of the field, and let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him share with the beasts of the field until seven periods of time pass over him’;

24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king:

25 that you be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place be with the beasts of the field, and you be given grass to eat like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven; and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.

26 ‘And in that it was commanded to leave the stump with the roots of the tree, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.’”

Nebuchadnezzar had invaded Palestine. Daniel and his three young friends were among the captives carried to Babylon. It was there that Daniel and his friends were subjected to the ways and desires of King Nebuchadnezzar. When Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a dream he could not remember, Daniel subsequently interpreted the dream for him,

and he was thereby exalted in the eyes of the king.

Daniel, however, remained true to the LORD, advising the king of the LORD’s superiority. The last verse above concludes with the instructive words, “…your kingdom

will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.”

We need to heed the wisdom of the LORD in those words that ushered from Daniel; namely, “…it is Heaven that rules.” As it was true then, so it is true today! There are multiple occurrences of men attributing to themselves words to that effect. Don’t become proud. Don’t become discouraged; when all is said and done, “it is Heaven that rules.”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

– Corrie ten Boom