Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

God’s Grace on a Reluctant Prophet Jonah 1 & 2 Skeptic ridicule the story of Jonah But they have faith in the even harder to believe myth of evolution The skeptics are not scientific, logical or reasonable.

God’s Grace on a Reluctant Prophet Jonah 1 & 2 Jonah is presented as narrative and is accurate in geographic and historical descriptions Jewish tradition uniformly accepts Jonah as prophecy Jesus cites Jonah as historical fact (Matt. 12).

Jonah (Dove) is from Gath- hepher – 3 miles north of Nazareth in the land of Zebulon

Jonah is a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II (793- 753 B. C. ) - Jonah is a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II (793- 753 B.C.) - 2 Kings 14:25

Jonah’s Assingment Jonah 1:1-2 The city of Ninevah, located on the Tigris river (near modern Mosul, Iraq) is great in size & importance Jonah’s Assingment Jonah 1:1-2 Ninevah C

The Assyrians were known for their cruelty Ninevah is: 60 mile circumference & 18 ¾ mile diameter. Walls: 100 ft high 1500 towers 200 ft high 378 sq. mi. The Assyrians were known for their cruelty Jonah was to “cry against” Ninevah, but he knew that could result in their repentance & God’s mercy

Jonah’s Response Jonah 1:3 Jonah goes to Joppa He takes a ship going to Tarshish (on the southern coast of Spain) Jonah knew the Psalms well. He was not fleeing God’s omnipresence, but from serving Him

Jonah’s Response Jonah 1:3 People still try to flee from serving God for various reasons Being Under Satan’s Yoke

God’s Correction of Jonah Jonah 1:4-8 God sent a storm against Jonah’s ship The sailors cried out to their gods for deliverance & then jettisoned the cargo They cast lots to determine who was the reason the storm. (Prov. 16:33) The lot fell to Jonah

God’s Correction of Jonah Jonah 1:9-12 Jonah’s confessed he was a Hebrew that feared the God that made the sea & dry land, and that he was fleeing God The sailors were more afraid, but did not want to be responsible for killing a prophet. They rowed harder, but could not reach shore

God’s Correction of Jonah Jonah 1:14-16 The sailors finally prayed to the Lord for mercy They then obeyed Jonah’s instructions & threw him overboard The storm suddenly stopped Jonah was disobedient, but God used him anyway to bring the knowledge of the Lord to the sailors

Jonah in the Fish Jonah 1:17 The Lord appointed the great fish to swallow Jonah.. This is a fish, not a whale - which would have been a different word. Sperm whales are recorded as having swallowing people and them surviving. The same is true of Whale Sharks

Jonah in the Fish Jonah 1:17 There are Great White Sharks in the Mediterranean that are more than large to have swallowed Jonah Jonah is released from the fish on the 3rd day Jesus cites this as fact and a sign of His death & resurrection (Matt. 12:39-40)

Jonah’s Prayer Jonah 2:1-9 Jonah prays from the stomach of the fish - he did not die in the fish. Jonah’s prayer quotes or alludes to 17 different passages in the Psalms Jonah was in distress & it appeared he would die, but the Lord heard and answered his prayer - verse 2

Jonah’s Prayer Jonah 2:3-7 Verses 3 & 4 describe his struggle to stay afloat in the storm. He felt forsaken, but had faith anyway Verses 5-7 describes his plummet to the bottom of the sea. He continued to pray even as he was fainting

Jonah’s Prayer Jonah 2:8-9 Jonah was thankful & concludes with thanksgiving & vows of future worship - Jonah contrasts his hope in the Lord with the false hope of trusting in idols A fish swallowing him was not pleasant, but it was better than death - & God’s means of correcting him

Jonah’s Deliverance Jonah 2:10 The fish was commanded by God and it obeyed The fish vomited Jonah up. He was neither rescued nor made his own way out Jonah was put onto dry land from where he could continue on to Ninevah

Conclusions You can serve God either willingly or reluctantly, Willing service receives God’s blessings Reluctant service results in God’s chastening & loss of joy.

Conclusions Don’t be reluctant like Jonah

Grace Bible Church Glorifying God by Making Disciples of Jesus Christ