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Introduction
- The whole counsel of God
- We finished Obadiah – the 31st book of the Old Testament – 8th of 16 prophetic books in the OT…
- We will start Jonah – the 5th of what is known as the 12 Minor Prophets…
- So open the Bible to the Book of Jonah – perhaps the best known of all the Minor Prophets!
- 1st – Who was Jonah…
- Jonah (dove) was one of several prophets to the rebellious Northern Kingdom…
- The only one that we have mention of outside of the prophetic books they wrote – II Kings 24…
- He was the son of Amittai (truth) – there were no last names in the Bible – son of…
- He was from the – Gath Hepher (in Zebulon) – about 3 miles north of the city of Nazareth
- 2nd – When was the book written…
- 1st – Jonah in the early years – 841 B.C. – the end of the reign of King Jehoram…
- Israel had been divided for 150 years – and had yet to have a Godly King in the north…
- The current king Jehoram was the grandson of the wicked king Ahab and Queen Jezebel!
- In II Kings 9:1-13 – Elisha summoned one of the ‘prophets’ to go to Ramoth Gilead…
- Jewish tradition says this was Jonah – in his early years as a prophet!
- Jonah was to take ‘Jehu’ into a back room and anoint him as the new King of Israel…
- Fulfilling the command of God given to Elijah the prophet – I Kings 19:16
- Then the Jonah was then to open the door – and run for his life (it was a coup d’état)!
- The question could be asked why did Elisha send Jonah – why not go himself…
- Anointing a new King was a BIG deal – and Elisha was certainly the MOST qualified!
- You might think it was because it was VERY dangerous – ‘run for your life’…
- But Elisha was not one to be afraid – he had stood up to whole armies – II Kings 6
- I think it was more about preparing a new generation of prophets to serve the Lord!
- The best person for the job – is not always the most talented / experienced…
- The most gifted teacher – the wisest leader – did not start out that way…
- At some point they were shy to get up in front of others – unsure of what to say…
- But someone gave them an opportunity – and they stepped out in faith and learned…
- Great Godly men start as ordinary men – who were given a chance to step out in faith!
- Israel had been divided for 150 years – and had yet to have a Godly King in the north…
- 2nd – Jonah in the later years – 50 years later – 792 B.C.
- In II Kings 14:24-25 – God fulfilled a prophecy of Jonah (mentioned by name)…
- God had seen the wickedness of Israel – but God was not ready to blot them out…
- So God used an ungodly king – Jeroboam II – to save his people and give them more time…
- Fulfilling a prophecy of Jonah to Israel – God would spare them for a time (70 years)…
- Meaning Jonah had seen the Mercy of God – holding off judgment to a wicked nation!
- Ultimately Israel would be conquered in 722 B.C. by Assyria…
- This makes Jonah the first of the ‘Minor Prophets’ to prophecy to the Northern Kingdom
- The others – Amos and Hosea – prophesied during the final years before the Diaspora
- The events of this book most likely take place around 100 years before the fall of Israel
- In II Kings 14:24-25 – God fulfilled a prophecy of Jonah (mentioned by name)…
- 1st – Jonah in the early years – 841 B.C. – the end of the reign of King Jehoram…
Running from the Lord… (2 things)
- 1st – Refusing to obey God… vs. 1-16
- 1st – Go to Nineveh… vs. 1-3
- The Word of the Lord came to Jonah to go to Nineveh (Mosul – Iraq)…
- Nineveh was the capitol of the up and coming superpower – the Assyrian Empire…
- It was a very old city – perhaps the oldest – built by Nimrod in Genesis 10:11
- It was a ‘great’ city – it took 3 days to walk across it (estimated at over 50 miles) – Jonah 3:3
- That was not just the walled city – it had to also include all of the ‘suburbs’…
- The walled city was said to be 100 feet high – and wide enough for chariot races…
- The city had an estimated population of over 2.5 million!
- The Assyrians who lived there were polytheistic – with over 2400 gods in their pantheon…
- They were also a particularly cruel people – that used fear to keep others subjugated…
- So it makes sense that their wickedness had come up before God…
- But at a time when Israel was spiraling into depravity – and ultimately destruction…
- It does raise the question – why would God send Jonah to Assyria and not Israel!
- Jonah is unique among all the prophets because he is the only one never to mention Israel!
- But that may be the point – Israel refused to listen to a litany of passionate prophets…
- Yet Nineveh would repent at the half-hearted warning of a reluctant one!
- In Acts 8:26 – God told Philip to leave Samaria and go into a deserted place…
- The natural questions might be ‘why’ – but Philip just got up and went!
- Because God knows where the ‘fishing’ is good – and will always try and direct us there…
- And if we are willing to listen and obey we will see people come to the Lord!
- Yet we often make the mistake of questioning the opportunities God gives to us…
- We see the new job / or change of location – as a burden and curse…
- Or that person who God puts on our doorstep – that we really wish would go away!
- But God has us there so we can use it as an opportunity to share the Love of Christ!
- Jonah got up – and ran to Tarshish…
- He went to Joppa – on the coast of the Mediterranean – and bought a ticket to Tarshish…
- Nineveh is to the east of Israel – Tarshish was WAY to the west in modern day Spain…
- Jonah was running from the presence of the Lord – apparently he never read Psalm 139:7
- He was not afraid of Assyria – or for them – he was afraid God would forgive them…
- Jonah wanted God to judge Assyria – to him they were the enemy!
- Jonah 4:2 – “I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know You are a gracious and merciful God.”
- God does not just call us to love those we like – He calls us to those we despise…
- It is easy to love someone – if they love us back – are a blessing to us…
- How about if they really irritate us / what if we cringe every time we hear their name…
- The mark of the Love of Jesus is even being able to love the unlovable!
- Luke 6:27-35 – “But love your enemies… and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”
- The Word of the Lord came to Jonah to go to Nineveh (Mosul – Iraq)…
- 2nd – No where to run… vs. 4-10
- The Lord caused a great wind on the sea – perhaps a euroclydon – Acts 27:14
- Violent storms that blow in from northeast and hit the Mediterranean with ferocity!
- The ship was in danger of breaking apart – and the sailors were terrified…
- They began to throw their cargo overboard – and pray to their various gods…
- But Jonah was in the belly of the ship – sound asleep!
- The captain came down and had to reprimand him – pray to your God to save us!
- But Jonah was sleeping to hide from the fact he was responsible for the storm!
- In Mark 4:38 – the Disciples were in a storm – but Jesus was sleeping on a pillow…
- The Disciples woke Jesus up – do you not care we are perishing!
- Jesus rebuked the storm – ‘peace – be still’ – and asked the Disciples why they were afraid!
- He told them they would cross over – and the storm was not greater than his Word!
- There is no question there will be storms in life – but God is the one who allows them…
- They might be there because – like Jonah – we are trying to hide from the Lord…
- Or they might be there because – like the Disciples – we are not putting faith in the Word!
- Either way the solution in simple – turn back to the Lord – only He can calm the storm!
- The sailors decided to cast lots (draw straws) to see who caused the storm…
- The lot fell upon Jonah – and they began to ask all about him…
- What did he do / where was he from / what was his nationality / his religion…
- Caught – Jonah came clean and confessed he was running from Yahweh – the God of Heaven
- The God who made the sea and the dry land – the men were exceedingly terrified!
- Because they had gotten caught up in the consequences of the sin of Jonah!
- When we are disobedient to the Lord – we end up hurting those around us
- We often make the mistake of thinking that our choices only affect us…
- If we choose to sin – only we face the consequences – we are not hurting others…
- The truth is that our lives effect many people – our kids / family / friends…
- Either indirectly by our example – or directly as a result of our actions!
- The Lord caused a great wind on the sea – perhaps a euroclydon – Acts 27:14
- 3rd – Tossed overboard… vs. 11-16
- The men asked Jonah how to stop the storm (it was getting worse)…
- Interesting the confession of Jonah did not stop the storm – in fact it got worse!
- Jonah confessed – but only because he was caught – he was not asking to go to Assyria!
- II Corinthians 7:10 – “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
- If we do not turn from our sinful ways TO JESUS – we will not change…
- True repentance is seen through a transformed life – no longer doing the same things!
- But if we do not repent – God is more than able to make the storm get worse!
- Jonah told them to throw him overboard – only then would the storm stop…
- I do not think that God was demanding the life of Jonah – this was his idea…
- Jonah was still rebelling against the Lord – he would rather die than go to Assyria!
- But the men refused and tried hard to row the ship back to the safety of land…
- Yet in spite of their best efforts – they storm continued to rage against them!
- It is hard to see someone destroy their lives with poor sinful choices…
- We often feel compelled to step in and try to save them from their consequences…
- But in truth we are getting in the way – they need to be broken / humbled!
- So they cried out to Yahweh – do not let us perish for the life (sins) of this man…
- And the picked Jonah up – and they threw him into the sea – and the storm stopped!
- And the men feared Yahweh – and they all offered a sacrifice and took vows to the Lord!
- It was through the storm – that these men became believers in Yahweh!
- When God used Moses to bring the Israelites out of Egypt – He used 10 plagues…
- God easily could have just wiped out the Egyptians – and let his people go free…
- But God was not just saving Israel – He was making Himself known to the Egyptians!
- Exodus 7:5 – “When I show the Egyptians my power and force them to let the Israelites go, they will realize that I am the LORD.”
- Certainly God could keep us from difficulties – He could make our lives very easy…
- But it is in the hardships that God gets to be magnified – He shines through our lives…
- It is easy to worship Jesus when everything is going well – no one notices…
- But when we get sick / bad things happen – just like they do to everyone else…
- And rather than complaining about life – we rejoice in the goodness of God…
- Then people stand up and take notice – through our trials they see Jesus in us!
- The men asked Jonah how to stop the storm (it was getting worse)…
- 1st – Go to Nineveh… vs. 1-3
- 2nd – In the belly of the beast… 1:17 / 1-10
- 1st – After 3 days… vs. 17
- The Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah…
- Here in lies one of the great stories of the OT – famous in kids curriculum world over…
- It is commonly attacked by so called intellectuals today as a foolish fable – Pinocchio…
- Going so far as to suggest it is just the Jewish version of a story from the Iliad…
- Hercules sprang into the jaws of a sea monster and was three days in its – Iliad
- Liberal Christianity quickly derides is as simply a parable and not history!
- Therefore 2 obvious questions rise from the narrative – is it meant literally / is it possible…
- The answer to the first question is absolutely – this is a literal event…
- Jesus references it in Matthew 12:40 – when the people were demanding a sign…
- THE ONLY sign Jesus was going to give to those who did not want to believe…
- Was Jonah – Jesus would also be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth…
- Speaking of the cross – and 3 days after – His glorious resurrection!
- Why the ‘Sign of Jonah’ – it was the only one that brings salvation!
- We might think that if only we (or someone we know) could see a miracle – see Jesus…
- That would be all that was needed in order to really believe in Jesus…
- But the men who saw Jesus – saw the deaf and blind healed – still wanted a sign…
- People do not need to see miracles – they need to hear the Sign of Jonah / Gospel!
- Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
- The answer to the second question is a bit more involved…
- The Hebrew for ‘great fish’ simply describes a great marine animal…
- The sperm whale for instance is quite capable of swallowing a man whole!
- Could a man survive 3 days under such conditions – there are three possible answers…
- NATURAL: There is always some ‘air’ in the stomach of a whale…
- As long as the animal it has swallowed is still alive – digestive activity will not begin!
- MIRACLE: It is much more likely that the event involved a divine miracle…
- RESURRECTION: A third possibility is that Jonah actually suffocated and died…
- His prayer implies this when he said – ‘out of the belly of sheol (grave) I cried’!
- So it is possible God resurrected Jonah after 3 days (fits the narrative of Matthew 12:40)!
- The Lord prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah…
- 2nd – The prayer of Jonah… vs. 1-9
- After 3 days in the belly – Jonah prayed… vs. 1
- I have to think that this is one of the most amazing verses in the Bible…
- Jonah was in pitch-blackness – overwhelmed by the stench of rotting fish (fish market)!
- There he sat wallowing in the acids – for 3 days – and THEN he prayed!
- It shows you how hard the heart of Jonah was – it took 3 days in a fish to break him!
- In of his affliction Jonah cried out… vs. 2-7
- In his prayer of true repentance – Jonah describes what it took to humble him:
- From of the belly of sheol – Hebrew for grave – Jonah thought the fish would be his tomb…
- He had been thrown into the sea – the water surrounded him – the waves crashed on him…
- It was at the moment – when he realized he would never see the Temple again…
- Waters closed over him – about to die – seaweed wrapped around his head (literally)…
- Jonah sank down to the roots of the mountains – to the depth of the sea!
- Funny how it takes dire circumstances to turn us to Jesus…
- Often in hardships we ask ‘why God’ – but notice that we are talking to God now…
- If things were going well – we would likely not be having that conversation!
- When Jonah had lost all hope – THEN he remembered the Lord again… vs. 8-9
- He finally went to prayer – and those prayers came went up to God – into His holy Temple!
- BECAUSE Jonah was finally broken – ready to obey the command of the Lord!
- He understood that who regard lying vanity (idols) – forsake the mercy of the Lord…
- Jonah had lied to himself – thinking he could run away from command of God…
- He had been vain – thinking that Israel was better than Assyria…
- And in his lying vanity – he had forsaken the Mercy of God – and met the whale!
- But Jonah would offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving – he would go to Nineveh!
- He would do what he promised – because his only hope of salvation was from God!
- It is never to late to cry out to God – His Grace always stands ready to save – Romans 5:20
- God is not looking remorse – He is looking for humility and obedience to His Word!
- Psalm 51:17 – “A broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise.”
- After 3 days in the belly – Jonah prayed… vs. 1
- 3rd – Vomited out… vs. 10
- The Lord spoke to the fish – and it vomited Jonah out onto land…
- It is likely that the fish began to head back to shore the moment Jonah was swallowed…
- But as they were quite far out to sea – it took three days to return…
- And Jonah was ejected right back where he began – though a bit worse for the wear!
- Life is rather simple – we can either choose to disobey or obey God…
- If we choose to go our own way – then we choose the hard way…
- God will still get us where He wants us to be – via a whale – a little worse for the wear…
- But how much better to simply obey from the start – and skip out on being swallowed!
- The example of Jonah is a powerful one – better to obey the Lord now than later!
- 1st – After 3 days… vs. 17
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