Leaders who lack character are often more destructive to an organization than helpful. Read Jonah 1:1-12.

Jonah was God’s prophet in Israel between 785-775 B. C. approximately 175 years after the reign of Solomon. Assyria is the dominate world power and in approximately 60 years, in 722 B. C, will have a military victory over the Northern Kingdom of Israel and will take the majority of those living in Israel into exile. Israel and Judah had already seen several examples of the cruelty, tyranny and brutality of Assyria and were living in great fear of any Assyrian military move against them.

When leaders obey God with an unflinching resolve, God’s resources become available to them. Read Daniel 3:1-30.

After Daniel, a Jewish exile in Babylon, had interpreted a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar he was appointed to a high position in Nebuchadnezzar’s government. At his request three of his friends were also elevated to administrators over the province of Babylon. These appointments of foreign nationals angered the Babylonian leaders who had served the king for a long time eyeing those positions.

God-honoring leaders will exhibit the courage to address problems whether they are found in the janitor’s closet or the Boardroom. Read Ezekiel 28:1-10.

When Judah and Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians as part of God’s judgment many of the counties around Judah were joyful. Their pride swelled in their god to see the God of the Jews dishonored when His city and His temple were destroyed. God instructed Ezekiel to prophesy concerning His punishment of these nations because of their hatred of the Jews and Him as their God. One of the nations that Ezekiel prophesied against was Tyre, maybe the richest, safest nation in the entire Near East.

Confrontation is one of the toughest tasks of leadership; it takes real courage and is not without risks. Read Ezekiel 23:36-39.

God told Ezekiel to confront the people of Judah that were being held in exile in Babylon with some tough facts of their past that needed to be dealt with if God was to be honored. Ezekiel uses striking imagery as he tells the story of two sisters, Oholah and Oholibah, both prostitutes from their youth who freely gave themselves in detestable acts. Oholah and Oholibah are symbolic names for Israel and Judah who had not been faithful to God but had prostituted themselves by worshiping the gods of other nations. God told Ezekiel that his job as their moral leader was to confront the people and hold them accountable.

There are times when leaders need to speak the hard truth without compromise. Read Jeremiah 8:1-13.

In notes in The Maxwell Leadership Bible, John Maxwell looks at Jeremiah’s leadership assignment from God with understanding and empathy: