Jonah and the worm

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

* Few Old Testament personalities can compare in transparency with the prophet Jonah. We can see right through him. And most of what we see we don’t like. He reminds us too much of ourselves: fearful, selfish, spiteful, and proud.

Even when Jonah wasn’t physically running away from God, he was still resisting on the inside

I want you to look at something with me here ,because there is a problem going on inside of this man of God

Jeremiah 17:9–10 AV

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jonah may have had a reason not to want see God show Nineveh any favor ,but God see in a different light than what we see

Matthew 18:7 AV

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Offence will cause man to ignore God‘s will and word

It only goes down from there

3 going down‘s of Jonah

God Called out to Jonah

Jonah rose up to begin his journey down to Joppa

Then Down to into the side of the ship ,He actually paid a price to go from the will of God

Jonah went down to the bottom of the mountains in the belly of the whale

Notice Gods hand in this the whole time

There came a time where he got so low that he began to call out to God

God gave him the Commission to go again / Second chance

Jonah went with a message without love and with condemnation/ No Mercy !

But God was still Patient with Jonah / Stll Speaking to him

The worm

Lookin at the differences of the definition of a worm in the Hebrew dictionary

Job 25:6 AV

How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

* When Mose and the people laid up the manna for the next day ,they check it for worms

24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

> Hebrew word for worms

h7415. רִמָּה rimâ; from 7426 in the sense of breading (compare 7311); a maggot (as rapidly bred), literally or figuratively: — worm.

AV (7) - worm 7;

maggot, worm (as cause and sign of decay)

> The other Hebrew word for worm

h8438. תּוֹלָע tôlâ‘; and (feminine) תּוֹלֵעָה towle‘ah; or תּוֹלַעַת towla‘ath; or תֹּלַעַת tola‘ath; from 3216; a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of 8144) the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith: — crimson, scarlet, worm.

AV (43) - scarlet 34, worm 8, crimson 1;

worm, scarlet stuff, crimsonworm - the female 'coccus ilicis'scarlet stuff, crimson, scarletthe dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis"

worm, maggotworm, grubthe worm "coccus ilicis" - When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding His precious blood that He might "bring many sons unto glory" (Heb. 2:10)! He died for us, that we might live through Him! Ps. 22:6 describes such a worm and gives us this picture of Christ. (cf. Isa 1:18) (from page 73, "Biblical Basis for Modern Science", 1985, Baker Book House, by Henry Morris)

After just a few days, when the young worms grow to the point that they are able to take care of themselves, the mother dies. As the mother Crimson worm dies, she oozes a crimson or scarlet red dye which not only stains the wood she is attached to, but also her young children. They are colored scarlet red for the rest of their lives.

📷After three days, the dead mother Crimson worm’s body loses its crimson color and turns into a white wax which falls to the ground like snow.

Psalm 22:6–8 AV

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

Matthew 27:39–43 AV

And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Isaiah 1:18–20 AV

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Hebrews 9:19–20 AV

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Hebrews 9:22 AV

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Hebrews 9:27–28 AV

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

God is a Merciful God

A believer today can be committed to the success of the church ,yet not really to God’s desires ,purposes and standards of holiness ( moral purity ,spiritual integrity and separation from evil. )

Related Media

Related Sermons