Jonah 1-2
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Jonah contains universal themes that always remain relevant and worthy of discussion:
Calling
Obedience/disobedience
God’s sovereignty - salvation & creation
Repentance
Some themes feel more relevant today than ever:
Jonah’s nationalistic racism
God has powerful lessons to teach us through this book on these themes; as we read the story keep these three questions in mind:
How do you see yourself in this story?
How do you see the brokenness of sin in this story?
How do you see Jesus in this story?
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”
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?” 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.
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. 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.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 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. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
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.
A. God’s Call
A. God’s Call
I have frequently said that I wish that I could hear God’s call on my life as clearly as Jonah did here; but upon studying this passage I’m not so sure anymore. Most likely, God would call me to do something really challenging and it seems likely that I would have the same response as Jonah. Most likely, God would call me to love someone I don’t want to, in a way that makes me uncomfortable.
*What does God’s call look like today? Does it still come in the same way that it did to Jonah?
I think in some sense God has given us some clear callings through scripture that we have remained neglectful of:
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
These are good examples of what God has called us to, similar to what he called Jonah to do - have been obedient to these? Start what God’s general revealed call on our lives and the specific call will come clearer.
*What does it look like when it feels like God is calling you to something that is unspecified in scripture?
B.Nineveh, Tarshish & Disobedience
B.Nineveh, Tarshish & Disobedience
Jonah’s reaction to God’s call is to do the exact opposite of what God called him to do - like he was called to preach to the heathen in Tucson and you buy a bus ticket to Flagstaff instead.
*What do you think motivated Jonah to react in such a way?
Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria; Assyria was the sworn enemy of Israel and would eventually conquer the Northern Kingdom during the divided monarchy. Essentially, it’s the equivalent of God calling us to go to evangelize ISIS at the height of their persecution of Christians. Most likely it would mean death, and even if you were successful would you really desire them to be saved and forgiven?
This identifies a root issue in Jonah - essentially he didn’t think that the Ninevites “deserved” God’s mercy.
*What are some Modern equivalents of people or groups who are perceived as not deserving God’s mercy?
Onto Jonah’s disobedience specifically - if we take a look at verses 5 and 12 I believe it shows the effects of disobedience.
Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.
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.”
*How do you see this illustrating the effects of disobedience to God’s call?
C.Sovereignty - Salvation & Creation
C.Sovereignty - Salvation & Creation
Sovereignty in salvation is more prominent in the next two chapters, but God’s sovereignty over creation is highlighted throughout the whole book and especially in the first couple chapters:
But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.
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.
So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.
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.
And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
I think one of the most significant examples is the fish that swallowed Jonah - I used to think it was punishment, but now I see that the fish saved Jonah from drowning.
(Sunday school flannel graph)
Only read if time permits; if not summarize chapter 2
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 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.
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.
Then I said, ‘I am driven away
from your sight;
yet I shall again look
upon your holy temple.’
The waters closed in over me to take my life;
the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head
at the roots of the mountains.
I went down to the land
whose bars closed upon me forever;
yet you brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord my God.
When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
into your holy temple.
Those who pay regard to vain idols
forsake their hope of steadfast love.
But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
*What lessons can we take from the emphasis on God’s sovereignty over creation?
For me, I’m reminded that I should be slow to complain or grumble against circumstances that appear to be out of my favor. A high view of God’s sovereignty leads to a strong trust that God is orchestrating all things to work together for our good and his glory.
A poem written by an 18th century theologian illustrates this well:
Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1938 God Moves in Mysterious Ways
Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace:
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.
Presumably, the storm and the fish taught Jonah about being thankful for the mercy he received, rather than assuming he deserved it and others didn’t. The second chapter ends with Jonah expressing thanksgiving and acknowledging God’s prerogative in distributing mercy.
But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
Or did it…?
Conclusion
Conclusion
*How do you see yourself in this story?
*How do you see the brokenness of sin in this story?
*How do you see Jesus in this story?