Six Signs We Need to Return to God, Jonah 1. This is a great Jonah and the whale lesson. The first gentile revival just took place. It was vast, a metropolitan region that evidently included several other cities, requiring a man three days to walk from one end to the other. . 1:4, 11, 13, 15; 4:8), and he prepared a sea-creature, a vine, and a worm to do his bidding (Jon. 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. That warning was based on the Ninevites bad ways, which subsequently changed. He asks the men to hurl him into the sea, which they do, and the storm. Should the Ninevites resume their wicked ways, God would bring the same judgment against them. At any rate, his message was simple and not likely to win him any favor: Only forty days more, and Nineveh will be overthrown. (Jonah 3:4) He spoke out boldly and repeatedly. The fish did not chew him up - it just swallowed him and Jonah was safe inside. Obviously, He did not. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. But the plant wasn't an act of divine mercy it was part of a divine lesson. ^ par. I like this commentary, indeed there are great lessons to learn from Jonah's situation. Expressing hope that the true God would soften upon seeing their repentance, the king said: God may . Was the restriction of unclean foods in the Bible a commandment. "He Delighteth in Mercy". So, I hope my Bible study on Jonah encourages you to take a second look at Jonah. To learn more visit and subscribe: https://michaelmilton.org/about/. It is an astounding admission of the true nature of Gods covenant given to Abraham. Or trouble within your church? There are no limits to God's grace and love, and there are no limits to his ways and means of attaining His goals for salvation. * He walked for a day, penetrating ever deeper into that teeming metropolis, perhaps looking for a suitable central location to start spreading his message. For, Jonah, its an insult to Israel. and God's forgiveness. After they threw him overboard, the waves grew calm. . (b)How did Jehovah deal with his distressed prophet? We read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.. This is an essential characteristic of God. The story is probably written between the 8th and 3th century BC. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. Despite the peoples badness, Jehovah cared about them. What does a man swallowed by a big fish thousands of years ago have to do with the Day of Atonement? Moreover, our life begins to be one hectic sinful storm and . 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). So, grab your Bible and let's go on an adventure in God's Word! Now, here was Jonah, a man who perfectly knew who the Ninevites were. "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. The 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, are likely infants. Lesson 48, November 21-27. 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? Israel on the other hand, was in a "silver age.". 7,8. Now that we had a short summarylets get down to business! And when God did not destroy Nineveh, Jonah became angry. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,andyou heard my voice. Yet the city of Nineveh had sixscore thousand people (Jonah 4:11) who didnt know any better and Jonah thinks their preservation is a bad thing? (a)How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonahs message? (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.) The sign of Jonah was an expression used by Jesus to refer to Jonah's three days and three nights in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17). Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. The story of Jonah was a popular tale in Jesus' time. He will rescue them during trouble and provide for their needs. It states, "Yahweh scolded him for taking pity on a plant that he did not make grow, while feeling no sorrow for thousands of people in Nineveh." The Pony Express riders would travel around 75 miles a day, interchanging horses every 5-20 miles. However, Bible scholars have noted that a movement of that kind was not out of keeping with the superstitious and volatile nature of people of such cultures in ancient times. The book of Jonah concludes with a rather enigmatic ending. by Leanne Guenther. Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! Jonah's Disobedience Exposed ( 1:7-10) Jonah's Punishment and Deliverance (1:11 -- 2:1; 2:10) His Prayer of Thanksgiving ( 2:2-9) Jonah Reluctantly Fulfills His Mission (chs. 33:11) Jehovah told his prophet Jeremiah: At any moment that I may speak against a nation and against a kingdom to uproot it and to pull it down and to destroy it, and that nation actually turns back from its badness against which I spoke, I will also feel regret over the calamity that I had thought to execute upon it.Jer. Then, God asks a question to Jonah, which echoes through the ages down to our own lives: Jonah 4:10-11 (ESV): And the Lord said, You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. Image what some of the Nineveh locals would think and say if they saw Jonah get vomited up out of a fish onto the beach. They abstained from food. Help me to obey your instructions. We could be studying the word of God, but our hearts are not into it. 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. Read Jonah 4:1-11. When God speaks, it is up to man to obey. 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! And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, 'Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. God is working to teach Jonah a lesson. (b)Why was Jonahs prophecy not a false one? 1) That while our love for others fail, God's compassion knows no ends. It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. He could be preaching, but his heart wasnt into it. A Second Chance with God, Jonah 3. Did they repent when a prophet preached to them? Introduction. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!. We cannot know all that went through his mind, but we do know that Jonah had proclaimed doom to Nineveh before all those people. On the contrary, he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful. They are just nothing but mere pretension. Imitate Their Faith, Share (a)Why might Jonah have found Nineveh intimidating? Did he leap for joy and shouted hooray? At this point we find our first great lessons regarding God's sovereignty. Isaiah was called to preach to a derelict people: "Jerusalem is ruined, and . That is where the Gourd and the Worm come in. God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. For, Jonah, this is unthinkable and so, HE FLED! Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,AndYou heard my voice. In doing so, he showed remarkable courage and faith, qualities that Christians today need more than ever. (a)What may have led Jonah into a downward spiral? Jonah has two different responses to God's . (Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3) Nineveh was impressive, with stately temples, mighty walls, and other edifices. Here is a little quick video to watch For more information please keep reading. Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. In fact, the narrator uses the same grammatical structure as in Jonah 4:1. Rather than the story being only about Nineveh, or about God's message, all of the lessons seem to be centered in the person of Jonah. from the presence of the LORD. Michael A. Milton (PhD, Wales) is a long-time Presbyterian minister (PCA) and a regular contributor to Salem Web Network. (Read Jonah 3:1-3.) John 3:16 tells us, For God so loved the Israelites, no, the church, no, the apostles, saints, prophets, NO! Jonah and the Whale Bible Story Study Guide. The result, however, was nothing short of amazing. The Bible record is silent. Jonahs example serves to remind us that when we disagree with Jehovah God, it is always our own point of view that needs an adjustmentnever His. The story of Jonah and the Whale, one of the oddest accounts in the Bible, opens with God speaking to Jonah, son of Amittai, commanding him to preach repentance to the city of Nineveh. '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. Some may believe that Jehovah should have prevented a tragedy or that he should have executed swift judgment against the wicked or even that he should have brought an end to this whole world system of things before now. The Lord called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah fled and was swallowed by a great fish. Yahweh has given Jonah a job that he needs to accomplish. 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. In his mind, they deserve nothing but death. Jesus knew what he was talking about, for he had been alive in heaven to witness those events as they unfolded. In faith, Jonah knew that he would be delivered. Perhaps, he was angry, because the warning he had given them had not been carried out. Just imagine that prophet, once again safe in his homeland, writing this account. They had made no agreement to obey Him like the Israelites had ( Exodus 24:3 ), and God had no obligation to save them. All people will one day glorify God - Psalms 86:9. Key Verse: I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me.He wants me to give witness to others about the good news of God's grace. Jonah tried to initially claim that The Lord deserted him, but it was Jonah that had tried to run from God (Where could he escape God anyway?? . Milton has also served as chancellor and president of seminaries and is the author of more than thirty books. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. Some critics might complain that Jonah never answers. And now, God is sending Him to them. The story of Jonah demonstrates why God so often leads us one step at a time without telling us more. However, anyone who willingly obeys God has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than a person who was coerced into obedience. Before him lay a journey of more than 500miles (800km), an overland trek that would take him about a month, perhaps even longer. Then I said, I have been cast out of Your sight;Yet I will look againtoward Your holy temple.Thewaters surrounded me,evento my soul;The deep closed around me;Weeds were wrapped around my head. God's command to him remained the same; he was still to preach repentance to Nineveh (see Jonah 2:10-3:4). God Bless His mercy isnt just limited to His people, but He also extends it to those outside of Israel. Its Not What You Think! Yet he rebelled, and Nineveh accepted him as a messenger and quickly repented when he got there. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. You see, evidence indicates that Jonah wrote the book bearing his name. Whether Jonah liked what God commanded, understood the reason for what God commanded or wanted something different than what God commanded made no difference whatsoever. (b)What did the king of Nineveh do in response to Jonahs proclamation? In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Icried out to theLordbecause of my affliction,And He answered me. He does all this to get Jonah to Nineveh. But those things need to bow down to Gods ways. "Lest we forget lest we forget!". He learned to be merciful. This was an occasion to show divine mercy. but how about the Lords mention of His concern about the cattle? Jonah sits in the heat of Northern Iraq and is so outdone with God's grace to his enemy, seething that he has lost a gourd with its leaves to shade him, that he despairs unto death. He decides the best thing to do is leave Israel and go in the polar opposite direction to Tarshish, which is said to be near Spain. When thinking about this book as a whole, and what God is trying to teach Jonah, what does this mean for us. 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). This lesson shows the importance of believers obeying God's command to. The psalmist in Psalm 139 makes it pretty clear: Where can I go from your Spirit? We know as a fact for Jonah records his prayer, not a petition that flatters its supplicant: So he prayed to the LORD, and said, Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? So what are the lessons we can learn from the book of Jonah? The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. Jonah believes that the Ninevites dont deserve Gods mercy and forgiveness. The word for the English, loving kindness in the text is the Hebrew, hesed. Hesed is the word used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament to describe Gods loyal love, His self-sworn obligation to love Israel, and to provide what Israel lacked (viz., sacrifice for sin and a holy life). 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 . Jonah couldnt make himself go to Nineveh. When they did throw him into the sea, the storm stopped. MATERIALS: Learning props and toys, craft supplies, music SONG IDEAS:&a We read in Jonah 3:4: Yet, forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.. God often only tells us what we can handle at the time. This is why its great to do a Bible study on these types of books in the Bible. Rudyard Kipling, the great English poet of the first part of the 20th century, considered the strengths and influence of the British Empire but warned his fellow subjects of the crown that empires are fleeting. Jonah's men threw him overboard because they didn't want to be punished for what Jonah had done. Its easy to be triggered when things dont go the way we plan, but we need to surrender our will to His will. DLTK's Sunday School Lessons Men of the Old Testament Pt 1: Jonah. Jonah was called to go and to preach to Nineveh. So, you know for Jonah it would be a BIG deal to travel to Nineveh. In this sermon, Jerry Gifford deals with how the book of Jonah ends abruptly with a question.
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what did god do to teach jonah a lesson
