The Bible Series Jonah
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Our book today diverts from the classic norm of prophetic books. It is not done in poetry, a letter, nor instruction, or even informative. It is approached more as a narrative (A Story)...
Jesus often used narrative)…
There are key characters / Lessons taught through example or contrast
Narrative is use throughout the scriptures
Jonah’s narrative is historical in the fact that these things did occur, but not part of the historical books of the Old Testament (this is still part of the minor prophets).
It is prophetic in the sense that God is using this narrative to send a message to His people and the people of of Nineveh… the capital of Assyria.
The narrative style is that of Satire… SATIRE: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices…
The narrative demonstrates in a unique irony as we see God ridicule Jonah & Israel as He exposes and criticizes their hearts and actions through this somewhat humorous narrative with life applications.
This book looks more at the MESSENGER more than it does at the MESSAGE, a look in the mirror so to speak.
For us today, looking at Jonah may also cause us to see a reflection of ourselves. There are lessons to be learned for all of us not just the original audience… Israel needed the mirror… Jonah needed this mirror… I encourage you to look and learn as well… even if you don’t like what you see!
Jonah is best and easiest to understand when you have read it in its entirety … Let’s look at an overview first before we REFLECT on its implications...
Brief Overview
Brief Overview
God calls Jonah to Nineveh (Chapter 1)
God has First words in the book (COMMAND!)
Jonah 1:2 God’s Command
“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”
Jonah runs away (on a ship)
500 miles to Nineveh 2000 miles to Tarshish
Storm comes
Jonah thrown overboard
Sailors SEE & SACRIFICE (worship)
Jonah 1:15-16 Sailors response
So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
Fish swallows Jonah for 3 days
Jonah prays (chapter 2)
Jonah goes to Nineveh (Chapter 3)
Jonah preaches
Nineveh believes & repents
Jonah sulks & is angry (Chapter 4)
God has final word (QUESTION vs COMMAND) this is for reflection...
Key Characters...
Jonah (MESSENGER) he is most likely the author
Israel is the intended AUDIENCE… unseen but very important character
Nineveh, Sailors (both pagan and not God followers)
A Great Fish and even a Worm!!!
Ultimately God… who serves as the key figure in this narrative (We will close looking at Him)
THE MESSAGE SENDER… For Nineveh, Israel, Jonah, and you and I
When one observes the irony of this narrative in regard to OBEDIENCE there are some startling things seen…
Irony of Obedience
Irony of Obedience
JONAH & ISRAEL (they are to REFLECT on the books message)
A man of God… or a prophet of God
One who is to express God’s will, His Word, and be an example
As any Hebrew would read the narrative of Jonah, they could quickly see their REFLECTION in this narrative
God’s chosen people
Intended to be a light to the nations Exodus 19:4-6 (Priest are mediators between man and God) Christ is now our High Priest
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ‘Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”
Jonah and Israel were to be that mediator between man and God… directing people around them to God!
But Jonah flees! Go to Nineveh… NOPE the opposite to Tarshish Jonah 1:3
But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.
Jonah “GOT UP / ROSE UP”… pride, goes his direction, his will, his desire (COMFORT & EASE)
Jonah knew Psalm 139… You cannot flee the presence of the Lord, He is everywhere always, Omnipresent!
Israel… Obey my voice/keep my covenant… NOPE do the opposite follow their lustful hearts, their own desires
The ones who knew better to obey and follow God… Disobeyed and rejected His Word!
But… Consider the irony: (pagans RESPOND to the message!)
Pagan sailors … have a true repentant hearts towards God! Jonah 1:15-16
Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.
The Fish… did as God directed, swallowed Jonah and spit him out where God wanted
The People of Nineveh…
These are evil, wicked, mean people. They were ruthless! Scary and very intimidating!
No thanks to Jonah really, they repent in ashes and sackcloth, their hearts cry out to God for mercy Jonah 3: 6-9
When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”
Where Jonah “got up” the king “stepped down from his throne”
Even the storm, fish, plant and Worm… God’s creation obeys better than His people or His prophet!
Oh the sad day when the man or woman of God is shown up by weather, plants, and animals!
God is using His creation… A Pagan People to expose the hearts of His people and His Prophet...
Exposing The Heart
Exposing The Heart
Look at what we see in this book that seems contradictory to what it should be… we observe some outward ACTIONS that deeply REFLECT the heart of Jonah and Israel… (and God is not pleased)
A prophet of God disobeying God
A preacher angry with the success of his message and ministry
By far Jonah sees initially anyway greater response than any other prophet or even evangelist to his message in all history!
Jonah 3:4 this was his message… (5 words in Hebrew!!!)
On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!”
A follower of God who is...
More concerned with his own creature comforts:
Staying home in Jerusalem,
Pleasing an evil king (instead of confronting his sin) Amos would do this…
Shade from plant,
Jonah and Israel wanted God with no responsibility...
Ephesians 2:8-10 states that we have a responsibility...
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
His comfort was more important than the dying souls going to hell
Some believers care more about their plants than lost souls
I read an article once from an atheist that challenged my compassion for lost souls...Well known atheist Penn Jillette (from the Penn and Teller magic show) stated this:
“I’ve always said,” Jillette explained, “I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. “How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” Jillette then offered this example to illustrate his point: “If I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe it, that that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point that I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”
Is your God great enough, big enough, compassionate enough, IMPORTANT enough in your life to share with others??? Do you care enough for others to share??? What do we learn about this God of ours in this short book...
OUR GOD…!!!
OUR GOD…!!!
We see in this book in such VIVID ILLUSTRATION that our God is COMPASSIONATE and HE ALONE DELIVERS!!!
God delivers the sailors
God delivers Jonah from the sea
Jonah is grateful but not repentant
Jonah almost ask for deliverance(salvation) not for mercy but from merit/expectant (I’m special God)
We see a national pride and arrogance demonstrated that would reflect on Israel’s heart as well...
God is NOT impressed
God delivers Nineveh (Pagan sinful, evil people)
They ask for deliverance (salvation) based on God’s mercy not merit
Jonah is grateful for his own deliverance BUT desires non for others (especially his enemies)
This book begins with God speaking and as God used Jonah to write this book, He made sure to get the last word as well!
God is rich in His GRACE & COMPASSION
Sailors, Nineveh, Jonah, Israel… YOU and ME
Consider God’s final dialog with Jonah... Jonah 4:9-11
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!” Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Every time Israel would read the words written by this prophet, they would have to take a long look in the mirror, they would reflect on several things…
(1) You cannot run away from God
(2) God can use whatever He pleases to get our attention
(3) Our sin and failure does not mean God can’t or won’t use us
(4) Our lives get uncomfortable when we run from God and disobey
(5) Patriotism should never stand between a believer and the plan of God
They were powerfully reminded as they REFLECT ON THEIR HEARTS of the heart of the God they serve and follow.
One who is righteous, holy, and full of compassion and grace.
May we see a world around us in need of Jesus Christ and have compassion on them… especially our enemies…
Church… Let us not hate but love them and share, instead of fleeing may we run towards the opportunities!