Jonah: The running prophet
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Valuable Lessons
Valuable Lessons
In our series we are looking at overviews of the minor prophets. Today we get to probably the best known of the prophets. There are valuable lessons to learn from the book.
And out of the ordinary I want to address the value of the book to start.
It’s a value to preachers - don’t run from responsibility; don’t judge the people.
God calls, God sends, it is not about what I think, what I want to do, it is about being obedient to God. He knows the plan, He knows the results.
Don’t judge the people, be God’s vessel of the good news for God wants all to be saved.
It’s a value to Christians - Don’t have a selfish, narrow-minded spirit. Be concerned about all.
Don’t be selfish, narrow minded or have a sectarian spirit.
Sectarian: Sectarianism is a form of prejudice, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching relations of inferiority and superiority to differences between subdivisions within a group
May we remember that God is not the God of partiality (Rom2:11; Deu10:17)
We need to be concerned for the sinners, whoever, wherever they are, for God is.
It’s a value to sinners - God loves you and wants you saved for destruction (judgment) is coming.
The good news is only the good news when we realize there is bad news, Jonah was to give the bad news and it brought about the salvation of the people
Other facts to know:
This is not a book of prophesy per se, it is a book of history of Jonah and his running.
God uses a reluctant prophet who was a complainer to accomplish His will.
Entitled the running prophet as
Running from God - chapter 1
Running to God - chapter 2
Running with God - chapter 3
Running ahead of God - chapter 4
Author: Jonah
Purpose: To bring about repentance and set an example of repentance to avoid judgment
Time: during days of Jeroboam II (2Kng14:23-25) so between (793-753 bc)
Place: Lived in Gath Hepher (about 4 mi NE of what would be known as Nazareth of Galilee)
Recipients: Isreal - to remind them of repentance as the people of Nineveh did.
(Transition) We are going to go chapter by chapter and read, pull out some things and summarize the chapters so we have a basic understanding of the book, then some more life applications too.
Running from God
Running from God
Have you ever tried to run from God? How did that work out for you? God can use us wherever we are at and can help change our directions to be where He wants us to be. You can see that here in chapter 1.
1 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 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, lain down and fallen sound asleep. 6 So the captain approached him and said, “How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.”
7 Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
9 He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 So they said to him, “What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?”—for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”
13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them. 14 Then they called on the Lord and said, “We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.”
15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
Outline of the chapter
God commissions (vv.1-2)
Jonah rebels (v.3)
God acts (vv.4-17)
Question: What was God’s commission (v.2)?
Jonah was told what do do, and where to do it.
Question: How did Jonah rebel (v.3)?
Jonah tried to run away from God, went the opposite direction.
Question: looking at (vv.4-17) God takes certain actions, what are they (suggest focus on (vv.4, 17)?
God send the storm (v.4); God sent the giant fish (v.17)
Lessons (application) from chapter 1
God is concerned about wickedness, so should we.
One cannot run away from God (Ps139:7-11)
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,”
God can use all things in a persons life for His purpose, and for His glory
God used Jonah and his rebellion to bring about salvation of the mariners
16 Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
They heard the truth - God is the God of heaven who made all things (v.9)
They were told what to do - throw him overboard (v.12)
They obeyed (v.15)
They then had fear of the Lord exceedingly and offered sacrifice (v.16)
God prepares a way (v.17) that is a shadow of the fulfillment in Christ.
Running to God
Running to God
Jonah was a reluctant servant that God orchestrated events that would lead him from running from God to running to God . Jonah had a spiritual awakening that was about to lead to his very salvation.
1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, 2 and he said, “I called out of my distress to the Lord, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.
3 “For You had cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. 4 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 “Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. 6 “I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, But You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.
7 “While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple. 8 “Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,
9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.” 10 Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.
Outline chapter 2
Jonah’s prayer (vv.1-9)
Jonah’s deliverance (v.10)
Question: There are two things that Jonah does in (vv.1-2) what were they?
He prayed, and he cried out.
Question: Where was Jonah when he did the things in (v.1-2)?
In the midst of belly, in the midst of his affliction.
Question: There is an important fact Jonah comes to know in (v.3); can you see what it is?
God did these things to Jonah, he realized it and then is able to
Look to His holy temple (v.4)
Remember the Lord and pray to Him (v.7)
Committed to God, knowing salvation in in the Lord. (v.9)
Lessons, application from chapter 2
Sometimes lessons learned are hard lessons that we may not like much; but are orchestrated for our good
Commentator Homer Hailey said this
“Someone has observed that there are times when we must be made to go into the lowest depths that we may regain a living faith.”
Paul would say in our weakness He is made strong! It took being thrown into the raging see, let go in the storm, to cause a reaction to repent and praise God from the midst of the storm.
Prayers in the midst of storms need to be filled with truth and thanksgiving both.
Running with God
Running with God
Think back, think back to the day of your salvation. What did you do afterwards, did you return to life as it was, or did things change? Things changed for Jonah, going from running from God to running to God.
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.”
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days’ walk. 4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”
5 Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. 6 When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.
7 He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. 8 “But both man and beast must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands.
9 “Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish.” 10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.
Outline chapter 3
The Lord commissions Joah to preach (vv.1-2)
Jonah obeys and preaches God’s message (vv.3-4)
The people obey and repent, including the king (vv.5-9)
The Lord relents because of their repentance (v.10)
Question: What was the instruction given to Jonah (v.2)
Arise, go, preach!
Question: What was the message preached (v.4)?
Cried out “Nineveh shall be overthrown in 40 days”
Question: What was the result of the message preached (v.5)?
They believe, proclaimed a fast, put on sackcloth
signs of repentance
Notice it was all inclusive, all people regardless of position.
IF you notice in (v.7-9) the king heard what was going on, believed and even made a proclamation.
Question: What did God see, what did God do (v.10)?
God saw their works (repentance); they turned from evil ways.
God relented. Relented: abandon or mitigate a harsh intention or cruel treatment.
Question: (not on sheet) what did God relent of (v.10)? Why did He relent?
Question: (not on sheet) Does God relent today?
Lessons, application chapter -3
Hell fire and brimstone messages can be effective, but they are conditional/situational (Jer:18:7-10)
7 “At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; 8 if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it.
9 “Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; 10 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it.
Condition was to lead to repentance!
The least likely to repent might just be the ones that do repent and be converted (note down 1Cor6:9-11)
Position of fasting, prayer displayed for one who is seeking God (Ezr8:21-23)
21 Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”
23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.
(Transition) The running prophet from, ran to and ran with God and the results were salvation (chpt. 1) personal acknowledgment and praise (chpt. 2) and repentance and God relenting (chpt. 3). Jonah should have been well pleased at all of this, yet, that was not the case.
Running ahead of God
Running ahead of God
Do we want all to be saved? Stop, think about that, do we? Does our walk reflect that? Jonah knew God would save and Jonah wanted the salvation only for Israel not some pagan people. This leads us to one of the original problems again, “sectarian” spirit again.
1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.
3 “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.” 4 The Lord said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?”
5 Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city. 6 So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant.
7 But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered. 8 When the sun came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, “Death is better to me than life.”
9 Then God said to Jonah, “Do you have good reason to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “I have good reason to be angry, even to death.” 10 Then the Lord said, “You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight.
Outline - Chapter 4
Jonah displeased and vents his anger (vv.1-4)
God’s teaching illustrations (vv.5-8)
God’s object lesson (vv.9-11)
I know our time is limited, still need to pull from the scripture, so a few questions to consider from the scripture.
Question: Why was Jonah displeased and angry (v.2)?
He knew that God would save them, he did not want them to be saved.
Question: What does Jonah acknowledge about God, some godly characteristics (v.2)?
He acknowledged that God was gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abundant in lovingkindness, willing to relent from harm.
Question: What was Jonahs desire to happen (v.3, 9)?
It is better for me to die!
Question: What was the object lesson (v.11)?
God is teaching Jonah that he needs to have compassion for others, even those he does not think are worthy.
(invitation slide; God relented)
(summary to close) From Jonah we see the power of repentance it brought about God relenting and that is what he wants to do, relent from doing harm, bringing about judgment on the people. (expand on invitation)
(Song) (Prayer)