Jonah 1:7-2:10
Notes
Transcript
Contemplating God’s Will in the Belly of a Whale
Contemplating God’s Will in the Belly of a Whale
Good morning my friends!
Its a good day to not have snow, Amen! (HA!)
We really have seen a wide spectrum in weather over the last couple of weeks, but thankfully we are able to get out and come to His house today to worship.
You know these type of events, snow storms and the like at times interrupt life. We are used to doing this or that, and then suddenly we cannot and we have to change our schedule, our timing and it creates little problems along the way.
But here is the good news.... We made it. God is faithful, we had enough and got through the week and are able now to get back to a more normal schedule.
And it begins with worship… being in God’s house and worshipping, getting fed the bread of life, the Word gives us the strength needed for the coming week.
And of course, never forget you are not alone, never, ever do you walk alone.
Jonah hoped to flee the presence of the Lord, more literally he hoped to get so far away from the city of Nineveh that the Lord might call upon someone else to carry His message to that city...
But God doesn’t work that way. I am reminded that we are created with a purpose. Eph 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God has a purpose for each of us, what he He planned for our lives, He has planned from the foundation of the world.
So lets begin with these thoughts...
1. Jonah Identified....
My friend, remember last week if you watched my message on Facebook, shame on you if you didn’t.
But just to recap a moment, God called Jonah, he called for him to arise immediately and carry his message to the great city of Nineveh.
Now that city was a leading city of Assyrian, their sins, their actions had risen up before the Lord, and with their actions so horrific, God stood ready to destroy them if they did not turn and repent.
But there was a problem, Jonah hates the Assyrians, especially the Ninevehites. They had acted wickedly toward the Israelites, carrying off captives. They stole their livestock and carried off their crops for themselves.
So without a doubt, these nations had been at odds for years and Jonah, well he had an established opinion about them.
So Jonah, hearing God’s message flees, hoping to get away from God.
Now we know he understands that he cannot flee from the Lord’s presence but I believe he is hoping that if he gets far away from Nineveh, well God will use someone else.
But this is not what God wants to do.... The Scriptures tell us in verse 4, the Lord hurled a strong, violent wind. The seas are so churned up that the ship is in danger of getting torn apart.
The crew, the passengers are each calling upon their deities and Jonah is asleep in the boat. and even Jonah is asked to call upon God that they might be saved… and this is where we begin today..
Look with me at verses 7-10 Jonah 1:7-8
7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”
Now the casting of lots was a way in the ancient world to determine divine will. Even the children of Israel did this in determining God’s will at times.
And suddenly, the whole ship knows, Jonah is the reason they are in such peril.
And the questions come… How are you and what in the world did you do to bring this evil upon us?
They want to know, they deserve to know! Their lives are hanging in the balance because of His actions. And listen to Jonah’s response....
9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
For the first time, Jonah speaks to them and he responds to everything the sailors have asked with just two answers.
He says that he is a Hebrew, with this statement, they would know he was an Israelite.
Next Jonah says that he fears the Lord, the God of Heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. But he doesn’t truly “fear the Lord” we know this because he is going as far away from Israel and Nineveh for that fact as he can....
With all this, the Sailors who were Phoenician men claimed the one who worshiped was the maker of the all things, especially the sea.. and with verse 10 the Scriptures say these sailors were afaraid and asked “What have you done..”
It is at that moment and with Jonah’s further explanation that all this was His fault…
They were living and experiencing the consequences of Jonah’s disobedience in fleeing from the Lord.
These men, they had one question for Jonah, look at verse 11
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.
Jonah, what will make this right, what will calm the actions of God here and Jonah words verse 12 is simple, Jonah 1:12
12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.”
Now, the solution Jonah gave was simple, but my friends, it is a hard thing for a man or group of men to do something to possible harm another to save them self.
The sailors rowed hard trying to to save themselves, but when they could not improve their position we find these sailors did two things..
Look with me at verses 14-15 Jonah 1:14-15
14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.
They called out to God, throwing Jonah over board wasn’t something they wanted to do, in fact they were innocent, Jonah should never had entered the ship, he put them all in danger by doing so.. So they are asking God to not allow them to perish, do not hold us accountable by pitching him over the ship...
Now they put Jonah overboard, into the sea and immediately the sea ceased and was once again at peace.
Now I want you to see something wonderful, as all this took place, the sea is quiet, they, the sailors feared the Lord, they sacrificed to Him and made vows to him.
There appears to be repentance in their own hearts because of all they had witnessed, and the effect it had on them.
Wow,
Now there is a few lessons to learn hear my friends...
First... Can we really say we love God and hate others?
We (each person) is made in the Imago Dei, the image of God. And since we all bear the image of God our responsibility is to do our best to love and help each other.
Jonah clearly did not care for the good on those of Nineveh. But if God cared enough to warm them, then we should care as well.
Friends, hell is coming to every person who doesn’t know Jesus, we should do our best to help warn them so that they might have the chance to repent and turn to God.
Secondly..., Pay attention to what God has called you to do, the ministry He has equipped you too. If God is calling you, that is your purpose, what is the greatest reason we are hear. trust and follow him..
Now this brings us to a second thought this morning...
2. Jonah Becomes Fish Food...
Jonah’s life is about to change in a way that he never thought would happen, not in a million years.
Jonah told the sailors what they needed to do to save themselves, They should toss him overboard in the midst of a violent sea.
And that is just want they did, they hurled him overboard and into the sea. V 15.
And as Jonah hits the water and begins to sink down, I am sure perhaps a lot of thoughts went through his mind, maybe never thinking that his day would end like this..
Look with me at verse 17 Jonah 1:17
17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
This is really the most famous verse from the entire story of Jonah. The whale swallows Jonah… lets look at this...
Now the KJV says provided but other translations use the word appointed. In truth this is the better rendering of the Hebrew word “mana”.
The word appointed is used 4 times in the book of Jonah and it means that the Lord’s power accomplished His will.
Remember, the Lord is sovereign over all of creation, from us to the smallest of the animals, to even plants as mentioned later in the book.
But the truth is this here, the Lord summoned a certain fish, some type of large fish, a whale and used it to provided a moment of teaching for Jonah, the reluctant prophet.
And I would tell you this my friends, this is a difficult place to be, a difficult to learn from… Jonah is in the belly of the whale. Yet this moment of adversity will serve as a great teaching moment.
Now its sad that it takes this to teach Jonah, and its sad that at times the Lord has to allow us to walk in our own disobedience, we walk in our own sin before we can learn those valuable lessons for life and living.
So stop and let me ask you a question....
Are you walking in some adversity right now because of your past mistakes?
What did you learn or what are you learning from and through it?
Those while difficult, are some of the best lessons for living.
But listen to this, you life is by no means over just because life has swallowed you up, look to the Lord, for He is our help and Savior.
Now this brings me to the last thought my friends, are you ready...
3. Jonah Called Out to the Lord...
Man, there is a great thought here. The very best things we can do is to call out to the Lord in the midst of our trouble. But not just then, the very best thing we can do it to call out to the Lord all the time.
Sadly, humanity responds in a couple ways in times of trouble. They either look to self first to manage the difficulty and consider God only when they cannot do anything or they look to God always and so he is their first consideration for help and strength.
Let me ask you a question, what do you normally do?
I ask that for this reason… It says a lot of what we believe and how deep our faith runs...
I know that sounds a little harsh perhaps, but it is true. We will either look to God or we will look to self.
Jonah looked to God.
Look with me at chapter 2, verse 1
1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish,
Man, this is important, he has nearly drown, and now he find himself in a terrifying environment… He is in the belly of a whale.
But yet, he is not dead, he is very much alive, breathing, and he has not gone the way of everything else swallowed by the whale.
He has a reason to rejoice!, Don’t you think?
Jonah looked to God from the belly of that whale. Now lets take come time and hear his words as he speaks to the Lord in his prayer. Lets begin with verse 2
Verse 2....Jonah 2:2
2 saying,
“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
Now look at that, Jonah isn’t considering the belly of the whale as judgment, He is calling it deliverance. He says that he called out to the Lord and the Lord answered him. Out of what was death and the grave God heard his voice.
Remember this is the man who once tried to flee the presence of the Lord, but he now understands God’s mercy. Out of death and the grave, he found mercy.
And while He may not like the Nineveh-vites, Just has He received mercy, all man kind is deserving of mercy and God longs to extend it.
Verses 3-4 Jonah 2:3-4
3 For you cast me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your waves and your billows
passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away
from your sight;
yet I shall again look
upon your holy temple.’
Jonah recognized God’s hand in throwing him into the sea, it wasn’t a bad thing, it was a positive, for he know realizes everything, including the wind and the waves that were over him as the Lord tools, yes they punish sin. He was disobedient to God. But they have allowed him to see a different aspect of God.
He was cut off, but not banished, by faith he would see the Lord’s temple and would worship there again. But here is the better thought as well, to be at the Lord’s temple, His Holy house is the indication of that which he formely ran away from he will not embrace and carry God’s message to those God has sent him too.
And now, in verses 5-6 here Jonah as he continues to reflect upon his deliverance..
He was sinking down low, the waters deep and covered him completely. he has sunk down, helpless, at the very roots of the mountains they lay above… Yet, God delivered him..
And it is proven completely in the fact that he is there in the whale, and yet lives...
His life has been spared.... He has witnessed, experienced the unique and awesome love of God.
Now look at verses 7-9 and see what Jonah continues to say... Jonah 2:7-9
7 When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
into your holy temple.
8 Those who pay regard to vain idols
forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
Jonah was disobedient, he was immature in some ways, but he has grown in the Lord through this experience…
Jonah once clearly away from the Lord, disobedient, but not returns to the Lord.
Jonah is kind of like the prodigal son, we had all he needed, but in rebellion went away but in his time of need, he turned back to God
In His last moments, he thought of the one who could help him, it was His Father, the creator of heaven and earth. Jonah would return to him.
Verse 8 and 9 conclude his prayer, and it His conviction that God, Yahweh alone is the true source of life, forgiveness, mercy and Salvation.
He says those who worship false idols, they who forsake the one True God also forsake his love and mercy, His steadfast Love.
But for Jonah, he will worship the Lord and the Lord alone.
He has returned, it doesnt mean his has it all figured out, for now He has understood why the Lord called him and He knows the Lord alone is the one who brings salvation to the world.
And with his repentance and his change of heart, we see something wonderful..
Lets look at verse 10
10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
Just as the Lord appointed this fish, purposed him to save Jonah from the water, so now the Lord brings this great whale to bring him back to dry land
Now I know the word vomit is graphic, but it is accurate. The fish cast him out, back to the land, and God’s rescue is complete.
Jonah once on a boat headed away from God, once on a boat rowing desperately for land to be saved from the storm, now God has saved him and placed him back on the land.
The whale has brought him most likely back close to where they started, at Jhoppa, Where he first boarded the boat.
This is the happiest place in the story, Jonah has been saved.
And the story teaches us, God can use anything he chooses to save and deliver his people, for Jonah it was a whale for us, it was a cross that held the Savior. His vehicle of death is our symbol of life.
God gave him life, so that He could embrace his calling, serve God so that others can hear of HIs great love....
My friends, in this moment I want to ask you to prayerfully consider, what is your calling...
You purpose for life?
Your immediate calling, What is God directing you to do in this season of your life?
Now ask, ask God and ask your own heart and mind prayerfully, Am I living and following the Lord in what He is calling me to do?
Right now… would you just bow your heads with me… This morning while we are praying and examining our heart.
1. Let me ask, Who here would say Pastor, I am not close to the Lord right now.. I am not living and following closely.
2. Maybe, i just do not spend enough time in prayer…I am not talking and communicating with the Lord as I should.
3. I feel, I know the Lord is calling me to serve Him… I don’t know how or where, But I know and believe he is calling me.
4. If God spoke to your heart today, here is what I want to ask, would you stand and come to this altar and speak to the Father, ask him for help, for courage and for forgiveness if you have been disobedience,
No one is gonna judge you, no one is gonna think anything but God bless you for being obedient.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.