For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. He had tried that before. Jonah's men threw him overboard because they didn't want to be punished for what Jonah had done. He likely had to skirt the vast Syrian Desert, ford such rivers as the mighty Euphrates, and seek shelter among foreigners in the towns and villages of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Assyria. In what ways might some find themselves disagreeing with God, and what lesson can we learn from Jonahs example? Jonah began to rejoice greatly over the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous appearance as a sign of Gods blessing and approval. Instead, the Lord saved him. But then they did repent. At this point we find our first great lessons regarding God's sovereignty. Sometimes when we read Jonah we shake our heads and go seesh really? He gets tossed around by a storm and swallowed by a whale (or big fishwhatever floats your boat). Its easy to be triggered when things dont go the way we plan, but we need to surrender our will to His will. The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. Jonah's ordeal inside the belly of the whale certainly evokes Christ's death and resurrection over the same time period. 17 Unbelievable Bible Secrets No One Has Ever Told You, 12 Unspoken Reasons Why You Should Not Use the New International Version (NIV) Bible, 5 Powerful and Vital Lessons from the Life of Samson, What Does it Mean to Put your Hand on the Plow and Look Back? Jonah was a prophet and the Lord told Him to go and preach against Nineveh, which was the capital of the Assyrian empire. After God delivered him, Jonah traveled to Nineveh and prophesied that the Lord would destroy the city because of its wickedness. A Second Chance with God, Jonah 3. God plans to bring unity to all things under Christ - Ephesians 1:10. JONAH LESSON 4 We will begin this lesson in Jonah 4:1 "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry." Jonah had judged these people not worthy to be saved. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. Whatever the case, he did not rejoice over the peoples repentance or over Jehovahs mercy. A Heartless Prophet, Jonah 4. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I am so grateful for technology. (Read Jonah 3:1-3.) Please click here to learn how. Jonah 1:3 ButJonahran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. Get a focused-Bible-teaching on various subjects as they may apply to our today's lives. God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. 5) He is thrown into the water. The story of Jonah demonstrates how Almighty God has sovereign control over every creature on earth. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. Thank you for having available online. ). 9 Some critics express doubt that such a change of heart could have occurred so quickly among the Ninevites. His mercy isnt just limited to His people, but He also extends it to those outside of Israel. He will establish his abiding presence with his favorite children. [And]Jesus did not merely weep for us; he died for us. Jonah prophesied in the mid-700s BC, a time when Assyria was not as powerful as they had been in recent years. Did he leap for joy and shouted hooray? Jonah's response is joy, great joy. 6 It has been estimated that Samaria, the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, may have had some 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants in Jonahs dayless than a fourth of Ninevehs population. As soon as Jonah has settled gratefully into its shade, God sends a worm to chew the roots of the plant, killing it so that Jonah is left exposed once again. Critics have expressed what doubt regarding the Ninevites, but how do we know that the critics are mistaken? Instead, the "sign" we are offered is an invitation to die with Christ so that we can personally begin to experience the new life of the Resurrection. Yes, that means precisely what it says: Jonah was preferring death over the advance of Gods grace to Nineveh. For instance, Jehovah had shown him mercy, saving him from drowning, holding back punishment for his rebellion, and giving him a second chance to carry out this assignment. The only disobedient figure in the book of Jonah is Jonah. 16 It is easy to judge Jonah for his conduct, but we do well to remember that it is not unusual for imperfect humans to disagree with God. All rights reserved. Can you elaborate? They abstained from food. People listened! Though we run away from Him, He patiently waits for us. 6. The book of Jonah begins with these words: "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Ammittai, saying, arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.". Jonah's reluctance to obey the Lord's call to preach in Nineveh creates a natural doubt over whether he was actually a prophet, but the Savior referred to him as . On the contrary, he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!. From the wind to the fishes of the sea, and even pagan sailors, all respond to God in obedience. Thank you. When God told Jonah what he would say in Nineveh, Jonah rejected the call. So, Yahweh "sent out a great wind on the sea." As a result, Jonah was thrown to the sea and God saved him. Image what they would be thinking when he started telling them that God had a message for them, and they needed to repent or be destroyed. God Wants You Back, Jonah 1-2. We pray, OLord, please do not let us perish for this mans life, anddo not charge us with innocent blood; for You, OLord,have done as it pleased You. Jonah 1:14, Then the fun stuff happens Please observe picture below. Im sure it will bless you like it has blessed me. I like this commentary, indeed there are great lessons to learn from Jonah's situation. God was working in Jonah's life through his fish experience. *. He sovereignly orchestrates creation by appointing it to do his will. In this sermon, Jerry Gifford deals with how the book of Jonah ends abruptly with a question. Long strands of briny seaweed wrapped around Jonahs neck and the distinct rankness of a creatures stomach acid digesting the prophet would remain with Jonah for the rest of his life. The record of Jonah ends there, so we dont know what happened to Jonah after that, but we can hope that he learned what the Lord wanted him to learn and that he repented of his attitude and actions. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you (John 15:16 ESV). You can read it here on Bible Gateway: Book of Jonah NIV and Book of Jonah NKJ. God, however, had compassion on the people of Nineveh: "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their leftand much livestock?" Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" We dont deserve mercy and compassion. After all, we might offend someone or worse, the world might crucify us. Based on what happened to Jonah's life, we can simply conclude that there's no point in trying to run away from God, from running away from His purposes, and in trying to achieve our own will and not His. Wahooooo! So he goes to Nineveh and calls them to repent or be destroyed. 2:13-15. 1. Jonah is depressed and miserable due the the fact that the city would not be destroyed. That warning was based on the Ninevites bad ways, which subsequently changed. Let us go to Jonah 1:1 brethren. Jonah believes that the Ninevites dont deserve Gods mercy and forgiveness. Instead, something remarkable happened. 15. After all, he felt sorry for the plant only because it had benefited him personally. Here is a perfect heartperfect in generous lovenot excusing, not harshly condemning. If they listened to God's warningif they repented then God might spare them, and they would remain a looming threat. Thats all that was recorded in the preaching of Jonah. Some critics might complain that Jonah never answers. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. Where can I fleefrom your presence? Instead, we see the exact opposite. 5 Nineveh was ancient, being among the first cities that Nimrod established after the Flood. Did that solve Jonahs attitude? Even in our failures, God can use it for good! In truth, though, his answer is there. The essential nature of God and His mission in the world should be a powerful motivation as well as a source of confidence as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission. When we accept Jesus and our Lord and Savior, then we need t to not just talk the talk but actually walk the walk. 4) A storm threatens to overturn the ship. . (a)What may have led Jonah into a downward spiral? Or, are we angry, too? The scripture reported, Jonah 4:2 is remarkable, also, in that it demonstrates that when God shifts His affection on the people we should expect conversion. Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of Gods Mercy. turn back from his burning anger, so that we may not perish.Jonah 3:6-9. How would Jehovah teach this hardheaded man to be merciful? It is clear that Jonah believed in the efficacy of God's message. What gets missed is Jonah's repentance . 2 One thing Jonah knew for certain: He could not turn around and run away from this assignment. What can we learn from Jonahs attitude toward the repentance of the Ninevites? (John 8:57,58) The truth is, we should never assume that it is impossible for people to repentno matter how vicious they may seem to us. acquire the The Prodigal Prophet Jonah And The Mystery Of God member that we present here and check out the link. One of those is the way the historical account is conceived and recorded. 19,20. What did God do to teach Jonah a lesson? 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. As we know it didnt really work too well for him. If that were so we would never be saved. Now, here was Jonah, a man who perfectly knew who the Ninevites were. PDF to print for family reading. He must learn that God's love is greater and wider than he had ever imagined. He sent a mighty storm while Jonah's ship was at sea, and the storm endangered the lives of everybody. To put the matter in plain words, Jonah did not like grace because it was charity. Jonahs story may help us to take an honest look at ourselves. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. BIBLEARENA.ORG presents the sacred teachings of the Bible to enhance spiritual growth. Jonah Goes to Nineveh Main Point: We should share God's grace with others. 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. Jonah's lack of response indicates that he got the point. If anything, it will just have negative effects on us and the people around us! . Or did Jehovah grant him that ability through a miracle? For this article, we will take a quick look at some things that Jonah's life and ministry teaches us today, in a world where man-centered Christianity has grown, and many are looking for the real deal about Christ. Jonah did not weep over the city, but Jesus, the true prophet, did. Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,Lest we forgetlest we forget! Jonah sits in the heat of Northern Iraq and is so outdone with Gods grace to his enemy, seething that he has lost a gourd with its leaves to shade him, that he despairs unto death. Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. No one expects a person to survive inside a fish. Nineveh was a great wealthy city with many people ( Jonah 4:11 ). The result, however, was nothing short of amazing. Should the Ninevites resume their wicked ways, God would bring the same judgment against them. Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. Though Jonah ran away from God, God wasn't finished with him yet. Jonah suggested that he should have stayed home, on his own ground. The force of this final question cannot be overstated. Many thanks. He would have very likely carried PTSD and claustrophobia with him for the rest of his life. In this post, let us take a deeper look at the Book of Jonah and its many lessons it can teach us about Gods mercy and forgiveness and the role we need to play in doing his work. For built into Jonah's first attempts to get away from God are two results which will inevitably follow whenever anyone tries to disobey Him. Jonah is mad at the Lord, so the Lord tried to teach him. 9) What did God do to teach Jonah a lesson? 2. In what ways would you like to imitate the faith of Jonah when you receive corrective counsel? Yet he rebelled, and Nineveh accepted him as a messenger and quickly repented when he got there. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. What does a man swallowed by a big fish thousands of years ago have to do with the Day of Atonement? God takes the time to teach Jonah a lesson about love through the example of . The noise of a whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots! 1. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I was out on the road today in my car, I was dropping off a package and when I returned to my car there was paper on the front of my bumper. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament that God flat out told to preach to a Gentile city and not just any gentiles but the people of Nineveh (The Assyrians). Learning to show mercy is often difficult for imperfect humans. But thankfully brethren, God is not like that. He was hoping God was going to call down fire on everyone. Introduction: This lesson is about a man that is in a little bit of all of us. And Jonah has good earthly reasons why, but God looks beyond the earthly and looks through His spiritual eyes. 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