18:7,8. So, when Jonah was on a ship, there was a storm and the sailors threw Jonah into the sea. Just imagine that prophet, once again safe in his homeland, writing this account. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. PRIVACY POLICY The Bible states that the Lord had Jonah caught by a giant fish for three days and then vomit him up (presumably near Nineveh). We read in Jonah 3:4: Yet, forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.. He built a little shelter and settled in to waitand to watch Nineveh. The issue in the book of Jonah causes each of us to reflect on this truth: those who curse Christ today could be those who preach Christ tomorrow. We read: "Now Nineveh herself proved to be a city great to God." ( Jonah 3:3) Three times, the record of Jonah quotes Jehovah as referring to "Nineveh the great city." ( Jonah 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Why was this city great, or important, to Jehovah? Short little Melissa style summary and insight: *If you are not familiar with the story of Jonahspend some time reading it. 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. Who of us is immune to such selfish tendencies? But those things need to bow down to Gods ways. You could really see the clear intent of Jonah here that he really didnt want to do the job he was called to do. He Learned a Lesson in Mercy, Publication download options When they did throw him into the sea, the storm stopped. Had he learned to speak the Assyrian tongue? For, Jonah, its an insult to Israel. It rocks my world that Jonah is running away from God and causing a huge storm (ahemmess) actually got people to offer sacrifices and make vows to the Lord. Conversely, when there is authentic revival from on high, when people repent and when we receive Gods grace and mercy through Jesus Christ His Son, balance and harmony return to the community. Jonah is depressed and miserable due the the fact that the city would not be destroyed. Before long, the whole city was talking about Jonahs prophecy of doom. (see Jonah 3:6-9). God is trying to teach Jonah that God can bless whoever He wishes, whenever He wishes. And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,and He answered me. Ninevah was a city in Assyria. The Book of Jonah offers valuable lessons in regards to this fear and shows us how we can become the prophets we are called to be. The pagan city of Nineveh, the capital of an Ancient Near Eastern Empire, Assyria, was the epicenter of antagonism toward Israel, and yet, this enemy of God became the object of God's love and grace. Hi, welcome to my little piece of cyberspace! Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote, 'Jesus Revolution' leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right. No. When we begin to reduce Gods response to human sin as judgment without mercy, then it is time for us to open up the book of Jonah, and invite the Spirit of the Lord to cleanse us of self-interests, smugness, and uncaring attitudes and return to the Lord of love. Jonah remains today a powerful lesson on compassion, on purpose, and obedience. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me;All Your billows and your waves passed over me (Jonah 2:1-3 NKJV). What gets missed is Jonah's repentance . They abstained from food. Will we?Read Matthew 5:7. The book of Jonah is remarkable for several reasons. Jonah 4:6-7 = Made bush grow to give shade, then had worm kill it Bush Notes: Probably Elkeroa - Common shrub in Palestine, grows in sandy places Broad vine-like leaves with dense shadow Grows very quickly in matter of days How did this affect Jonah? James Taiwo Click to tweet. The story of Jonah demonstrates why God so often leads us one step at a time without telling us more. Or a friend? The Lord provided a gourd or plant that protected Jonah. Amen. Because of Gods unending love, He sent His Son to die for us on our behalf. But here was God wanting them to repent and change their ways. (b)What do we learn about Jonah from the preaching work that he carried out? 3 - 4 ) Jonah's Renewed Commission and Obedience ( 3:1-4) The Endangered Ninevites' Repentant Appeal to the Lord ( 3:5-9) . He is the recipient of the Legion of Merit. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! 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. '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. To top it off Nineveh is 800 miles away. Jonah would have to travel this by horse/camel. He knew, because of Gods incredible and unfathomable deep level of mercy, He would forgive them if they repent! Jonah was the son of Amittai, who came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun (called Gittah-hepher in Joshua 19:10-13 ). My honest opinion of why he did that was in hopes that he could escape from Gods presence. In fact, the narrator uses the same grammatical structure as in Jonah 4:1. But did He? The mission of God is a guaranteed success because of the sovereignty of God. Evidently, though, Jonahs merciful God still saw good in this distressed prophet. So, you know for Jonah it would be a BIG deal to travel to Nineveh. Moreover, our life begins to be one hectic sinful storm and . it helps to pay the bills and keeps this website running. 1. After God delivered him, Jonah traveled to Nineveh and prophesied that the Lord would destroy the city because of its wickedness. He will establish his abiding presence with his favorite children. God does not tempt us with sin - James 1:13. Would you like to read this article in %%? Read More, 3 Important Ways to Pray for Your Future Husband. 6 When Jonah finally entered Nineveh, its sizable population of more than 120,000 may have made the place only more intimidating. 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). If that were so we would never be saved. 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 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. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. However, had he allowed Jehovahs discipline to work a thorough change in him? Amen. What did the Lord mean in Jonah4:10-11? Here is a perfect heartperfect in generous lovenot excusing, not harshly condemning. God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. Jonah rebels, gets swallowed by a great fish, repents, and, at last, fulfills his mission. It has spiritual ramifications that affects both our spiritual life, and daily life. We might be giving our tithes and offering, we could be serving the brethren, we could be helping one another, but if our hearts are not into it, they are just for a show. Imitate Their Faith. The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. Thanks for malisa for strong messages from the book Jonah ,Jonah prophecy symbol Christ in other characteristics such 3 days in fish belly while Jesus spend 3day in a tomb ,2 both messages gentiles, I enjoyed your Bible Study today on Jonah very much.. it was a blessing. He ran from God not merely because he was afraid of God, but because he really did not want to bring the good news of God's grace to his enemies. I like this commentary, indeed there are great lessons to learn from Jonah's situation. 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. We could be in the church, but our heart is not in the church. However, as the story unfolds we can see how the Lord draws him from fear . The mans spirits plummeted, and again he asked God that he might die.Jonah 4:6-8. Hes actually ANGRY at God. Is it true that it never rained before Noah? Under King Jeroboam II, the nation expanded its borders and enjoyed an age of splendour that . What does his familiar and most often considered a childrens story could teach us, adults? Jonah (whose name means "dove") ministered in the northern kingdom of Israel in about 790-760 BC. 2. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. God is working to teach Jonah a lesson. | It is clear that Jonah believed in the efficacy of God's message. Last week we looked at the Jonah 1 & 2 and God's Mercy on a Reluctant Prophet. - Acts 20:24b Props: One Ziploc bag with a fresh piece of Play-doh inside; Second piece of Play-doh that is dried out, in no particular shape; an extra ziplock bag. Because more than anything else, He also wanted to help Jonah see his faults, repent of his selfishness, and change his ways. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. All rights reserved. All people will one day glorify God - Psalms 86:9. Jonah was doing the bare minimum. The people of Nineveh repented, and God spared the city. The Lord caused a big fish to come and swallow Jonah. 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). And is the founder of Think About Such Things. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. Jehovahs righteous anger against Nineveh simply abated. God is omniscient - Psalm 139:1-6. Did they repent when a prophet preached to them? We can come to think that we are blessed to be in the family of God because of something of value or usefulness that impresses God. 18 Overnight, Jehovah caused a bottle-gourd plant to sprout up. It is an astounding admission of the true nature of Gods covenant given to Abraham. Lastly, I get commissions for purchases made through my Amazon affiliate links in this website. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Introduction. This is a great Jonah and the whale lesson. Jonah needed courage and faith to preach in Nineveh. 6) A great fish, that God prepared, swallows him. 12 Jehovah is nothing like the rigid, cold, even harsh God so often portrayed by religious leaders. We read: To Jonah, though, it was highly displeasing, and he got to be hot with anger. (Jonah 4:1) Jonah even uttered a prayer that sounds like a rebuke of the Almighty! I think not. Through games, drawing their own comic strip, a DIY Big Gulp of Jonah toy, and a Jonah in a Big Fish puppet, kids learn that God is compassionate and gracious. There is a multitude of slain, a great number of bodies, countless corpses - They stumble over the corpses - because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, the mistress of sorceries, who sells nations through her harlotries, and families through her sorceries.". The origin or source of the grace Jonah disdained is God. In doing so, he showed remarkable courage and faith, qualities that Christians today need more than ever. 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