God asked why Jonah had so much more . The next thing Hill knew, he was waking up in the . How much of our trouble comes from our sin? The men recognized they were in the grip of a different kind of God, an all-powerful GodJonahs Godthe one true God. Sennacherib (705-681 B.C. Jonah is now on his way to Nineveh, and the word of the Lord has come to him a second time. Often the last one to know or admit the damage he does is the sinner himself. Jonahs problem was he could not see beyond his hatred of the Assyrians and his patriotism. So, too, are we when we defiantly indulge sinfulness. Each response was internal (were afraid, believed), spoken (cried to god, proclaimed a fast), and active (cast wares, put on sackcloth). that grows ever deeper. They question Jonah more closely and though Jonahs responses are minimal and cagey, eventually the sailors are able to pull from him the whole story of how he has run away from a divine directive. Bren, Your email address will not be published. Somehow, they sense His just verdict yet they fear their own judgment and ask for His mercy. - I had toyed with the idea of concluding this series last week but there are some nagging words at the end of the book that I believe we need to study. One cannot but be reminded of Jesus disciples experience in a storm on the sea of Galilee (Matthew 8.23-27; Mark 4.36-41; Luke 8.22-25). II. The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. My Jewish Learning is a not-for-profit and relies on your help. The captain and sailors could not comprehend how anyone could sleep through such a storm. 3:3). Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days walk (Jonah 3.3). The silo was located in a remote area, surrounded by large farms. In other words, get back in touch with God, from whom youre running. In the end, the men must hand Jonah over to the Lord. Jonah became angry. God demonstrated His ultimate mercy and grace in sending His Son to die for our sins and rising from the dead so we might have life and enjoy His fellowship forever. Jonah repented from fleeing God to obeying Him. Somewhat like Judas, Jonah and many other sinners do not repent to the Lord but rather are merely ashamed of themselves. Where do you come from? What a change! 6The Hebrew reads, , a great fish. And this is not to mention all of the Biblical prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and more than a dozen others who immediately act on Gods command. Such objections impress only the weak minded. These would be paid whatever was right. At noon and 3 p.m. he did the same thing. Ive had so many things on my heart lately, everything going on in this world and my own sorrows, and this was exactly what I needed to lighten the load. The misfortune of the Israelites at Ai was consequent on the sin of Achan (Joshua 7.). That was Jonah. Instead, he told them to throw him into the sea. Nineveh was probably the greatest city in the world in Jonahs day. Just my thoughts. Sign up for a special email series here. I learned a lot. God knows everything about us all the time (Psalm 139). Jonah is a story of contrasts. Thanks. Jonah. To all this pain can be added many other sufferings. Rather than heed this call, Jonah flees in the opposite direction on a ship to Tarshish, across the Mediterranean Sea (in ancient terms, this is basically the other side of the world). Similarly, in our own culture today a good deal of pain and loss results from the defiant, selfish, and bad behavior of many. Then the LORDcommanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land (Jonah 1.10). This is what every sinner, whether outside the Church or inside, needs to hear: wake up and look at what youre doing; see how youre affecting yourself and all of us. I cant explain how, but it brought everything into perspective. If I ascend into heaven, thou art there; if I descend into hell, thou art present. 2016 Don Samdahl. All the while, they continue to ramble on about their right to do as they please. What is your country, and to what people do you belong? Jonah answered them, I am a Hebrew, I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, How could you do such a thing? They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them. b. This idiom indicates a child under the age of two. But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. In other words, man rolls dice but God makes the spots come up. Jonah said to them, Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you.. We read: 5Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. What a wonderful explanation of the Book of Jonah. The text reads they feared the Lord greatly, offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows (Jonah 1.16). For the most part, Gentile salvation is rare. All Rights Reserved, Full Text (in English) of the Book of Jonah. The last thing Jonah thought God would do was send him to the Assyrians (Jonah 1.1-2). Jonah is remarkable in that wherever he went, in obedience or disobedience, people were saved. Comp. God heard his prayer and delivered him. No, I am not a pastor. The men decide to draw lots to see who is responsible for the storm and the lot falls on Jonah. So, too, are we when we defiantly indulge sinfulness. Indeed, many people spend lots of money and go miles out of their way in order to be able to stay in sin. Jonah doubtless had meantime complied with the captain's request, but, as the sailors saw, without visible effect. They recognized Gods sovereignty: You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased. When Jonah hit the water, the storm ceased. Chapter 1 ends, And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1.17).6 This verse fits more appropriately as the beginning of chapter 2 which contains Jonahs prayer to God. Do not let them eat or drink water. To his great credit, Jonah told the truth. Their story highlights Gods benevolence, the quickness with which God wishes to forgive people who want to make a genuine change, whatever their motivation. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 9The message was certainly longer, but this was the central message. As a result, they cast lots to learn about this strange man. And yet, the minute they genuinely repent even though that repentance is, admittedly, self-interested God is merciful. Thanks for all. Such conditions may explain the phrase king of Nineveh rather than king of Assyria and the fact the kings decree was issued in concert with his nobles. Jonah is the great story of Gentile salvation in the Old Testament. In many American courtrooms, upon the pronouncement of a death sentence, the judge says. John, Thank you. It is true, however,that not everyone is willing or able to be corrected. If only we had the faith of Jonah, evangelism might leap forward into warp drive. In response to Jonahs flight, God hurled () a storm onto the sea. What they feared is unimportant. Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. Rise up, call upon your God! we are also members of the Body, members of the community, whether we want to admit it or not. That which I have vowed I will pay. . Marcia is teaching Denise how to clean a kitchen. 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. In sure you have touched a lot of lives.. Keep doing what youre doing. We are currently reading Jonahs story in daily Mass. The sailors wrenched to and fro and the wind howled so that the crew screamed to be heard. What are your thoughts on this? When all the paycheck so were handed out the men hired earliest were unhappy because those who worked only an hour received the same pay as those who worked all day. Salvation is from the Lord.. With in-depth features, Expatica brings the international community closer together. The crew, decent men, insist on trying once more to row to shore, a desperate attempt to save the man who had callously endangered their lives. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple. 5Water encompassed me to the point of death. We are all runaways. Thank you, Lord, for your grace and mercy. All things are His. I just knew it. God prefers mercy to judgment. Why was Jonah disappointed in the repentance of the Ninevites? 2 questions. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. Jonahs evangelistic message was brief. Sometimes, to get a mans attention, God creates havoc. Jonah thought he would drown when thrown into the sea. He was a hard case, preferring death to life (Jonah 4.3, 1.12). Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not. I wish I were dead! Jonah 1:1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.". A normal reading of three days walk indicates the time to cross Ninevehs metropolitan area. One of the great cities of the ancient world, it was finally destroyed by a coalition of Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Chaldeans, Scythians and Cimmerians in 612 B.C. The city of Nineveh is represented in Cuneiform by a symbol of a fish within a house. Jonah's Commission Was Clear But Distasteful "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." a. As for escape by sea, God owns the sea and its lanes. I tend to think that the heart of the earth may have a broader meaning. When Jesus told the Twelve not to go to Gentiles it was because Israel had to repent first to comply with the kingdom blessings which were part of the Abrahamic Covenant. villains of the ancient world whose sins are so terrible they merit destruction. Guaranteed. You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow. To defy means to resist what one is told to do, openly and boldly. In the story we see a portrait of sin and of Gods love for sinners. Jonah 1:14-16witnesses that only reluctantly did the sailors cast Jonah overboard, as he had commanded them to do. And God, of course accepted them. Jonah slept. Jonah's story reveals God's missionary heart to us as well as Jonah's prejudice toward foreigners. The Lord Jesus Christ picked up our tab and paid it all. wrote Ninevehwas about sixty miles in circumference and twenty miles across. 1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. L. C. Allen wrote it was a model of literary artistry, marked by symmetry and balance (Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah) and H. C. Brichto described it, from beginning to end, in form and content, in diction, phraseology, and style, a masterpiece of rhetoric (Toward a Grammar of Biblical Poetics). No worries. 1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,2Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. God does deliver Jonah. Thanks so much. 3Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.. Ask Jonah. Your email address will not be published. He realized he could not escape God and looked to Him for deliverance. This time, Jonah obeyed. Soph. Learn how your comment data is processed. Their gods had failed. If we had Jonah's faith, our evangelistic efforts might be multiplied exponentially. 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. This is why God makes statements such as 2 Chronicles 7.14. For I will send you far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22.21). Jonah is a dangerand a cause of grief to others around him. Verse 7 - Finding the storm still violent, the crew come to the conclusion that it is sent by Heaven in punishment of some crime committed by one on board; and they proceed to cast lots to discover the guilty person. The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. The reason: God destroyed his army. Jesus raised Lazarus (John 11) from the dead but Lazarus died later. Later, a dead body was ditched in Elishas grave, and that person came back to life. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them! He did not provide sunlight for it. Lord (Jonah 2.9). Terrified, His disciples woke Him to save them from sinking. The other has Jonah alone with God. Jonah left the city and sat east of it. Jonah 3 God gave His commission to Jonah a second timeand this time, Jonah was ready to obey. I wonder if (and hope that) the young people who sang it understood its significance for them, too. Tell us, they said, what is your business? Deliverance-Then they cried to the LORD, We beseech you, O LORD, let us not perish for taking this mans life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit. Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the seas raging abated. That Jonah thought he could run from God shows his foolishness, typifying mans foolishness in thinking he can escape God (Jeremiah 23.24). They needed to be destroyed! Each man had cried to his own god (Jonah 1.5). From what people are you? 9He said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land (Jonah 1.7-9). Why did the storm intensify if the men were trying to row to land? It will begin after God completes His Church, the body of Christ. He did nothing. Ant. He was Gods channel of blessing but he refused to celebrate his ministry. The power of Gods word is revealed by the peoples response. Finally, at 5 p.m. he hired the last group. Literal vs. Figurative Interpretation of City Size. God repeated his command to Jonah. The Ninevites werepagan, idolatrous Gentiles. The story of Jonah teaches compassion by not following the prophet's example. God planted this question in Jonahs mind to try and bring him to the divine viewpoint (Isaiah 55.8). VI. d. Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20) from death but Eutychus died later. The angel of the Lord killed his expeditionary force of 185,000 soldiers (2 Kings 19.32-6; Isaiah 37.36-37). Could God not leave well enough alone? They were terrified. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. For the hesitant or doubters, the king issued anexecutive order for fasting, dressing in sackcloth, prayer, and repentance. Turn back to God lest we all perish. And where do you come from? There is abortion, disease, teenage pregnancy, children with no fathers, and all the grief and pain that come from broken or malformed families. but Jonah is the only book of the Bible that begins with it. The Lord said he was three days and nights in the belly of the sea monster. Not one to let a prophet pull a disappearing act, God sends a storm to threaten Jonahs shipand it is a doozy. Jonah is a scientist who becomes a business theorist and helps Alex save his plant. But Jonahs hatred of these people is evident throughout the book even to the end. Lets examine the story of Jonah and allow its teachings to reach us. After having dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years, God established a new program with Abraham, known as the Abrahamic Covenant. God replied to Jonah:Do you have good reason to be angry (Jonah 4.4)? We read: Then Jonah began to go through the city one days walk; and he cried out and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown (Jonah 3.4).9. 5This raises interesting questions about the nature of reality. The other suggestion is in the paragraph Salvation to the Gentiles, in your Conclusion. This was a large army, even by modern standards. Do you have any idea how your behavior, your sins, are affecting the rest of us? During this time, God prepared () a gourd to grow and shade Jonah from the sweltering Mideast sun.10 The gourd made him happy (Jonah 4.6). Why oh why did you send me on this mission? That attitude, rather than Jonah's outward disobedience, was what upset God the most. It is a story of repentance. He had kept the contract they had made with him. His remembering is not that He forgets but that he gives heed to something. In this case, He commissioned Jonah to address the evil of the Ninevites. The teaching is clear: persistent and unrepentant sin brings storms, disturbances, and troubles. So much suffering, so much expense, so much extra mileage could be avoided if we just obeyed God. I believe Jonah didnt go, nor was the intent of God that he go to preach the Gospel but rather he was to preach judgement. Patient-Home-4877 1 yr. ago Jonah was one of only four writing prophets that Jesus mentioned by name during His earthly ministry (Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah were the others). In the second section, chapters 2 and 4, Jonah was alone with God. All the while, they continue to ramble on about their right to do as they please. Thanks be to God! If Only We had the Faith of Jonah! Since the Assyrians did not record military defeats, Sennacherib did not record his failure to destroy Jerusalem or capture its king (Hezekiah). However, God has declared, vengeance is mine; I will repay (Romans 12.19; 1 Corinthians 4.5). In despair, the men shouted, What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us (Jonah 1.11)? When Jesus prayed on Thursday night that the cup of his suffering be removed from him in such earnestness that he bled, perhaps that degree of intercession had him in the heart of the earth, to some degree. Ask Saul of Tarsus. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). Jonah would rather die than go to Nineveh. The men decide to draw lots to see who is responsible for the storm and the lot falls on Jonah. Gamble against God and youll lose. 8But 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 (Jonah 3.7-8). Chapter 2 recounts Jonah in the belly of the sea monster where he prayed and gave thanks to God. Theres an irony here that cant be seen in the English. A day is coming when Gods patience will end. This is why He gave the order of ministry in Acts 1.8. Meanwhile, the gales grow stronger and civilization continues to crumble. 10God prepared () a fish (Jonah 1.17), a gourd (Jonah 4.6), a worm (Jonah 4.7), and a violent east wind (Jonah 4.8). Two books of the Bible speak of Nineveh. Jonah will go finally to Nineveh and there proclaim a message that will be heeded by those who are so lost in sin that they do not know their right hand from their left (see Jonah 4:11). Some have doubted Jonah is history. His scoffing and defiance likely result from hatred or excessive nationalism. May God have mercy on your soul. Even in the sad situation in which we can do little but prevent people from ever harming others, we ought to appreciate their need for Gods mercy as well as our own. book of Jonah is the old outline which accents the word running.

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