Rebellion = resistance to authority Mt. 28:18 [18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth

I. The obvious rebellion of the citizens of Nineveh

Jonah 1:2 [2] Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me Come up before me – God was fully aware of their evil doings God was also aware of the prayers and alms of Cornelius (Acts 10:4)

Note the rebellion described in the following verses: Romans 1:29-31 23 Specific sins mentioned Some of them were – fornication, covetousness, envy, murder, deceit, backbiters, haters of God, proud, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents …

Titus 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

1 Tim. 1:9-10 [9] Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, [10] For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine

Rebellion is obvious today – Ungodly lives, pleasure worship, crime, oppression, abortion, homosexuality, disobedience, etc. To rebel against the will of God is sin

God knew the terrible condition the people of Nineveh were in and He determined to do something to give them an opportunity to change Rev. 2:21 [21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not

Rom. 2:4 [4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

II. The outward rebellion of Jonah in his disobedience

Jonah 1:3 [3] 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

He was not an immoral person Actually his record to this time may have been good

2 Kings 14:25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher

We cannot pick and choose which commands we will obey and which we will not obey

Js. 2:10-11 [10] For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all [11] For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. This passage, “deals the disposition to obey when desirable, but to disobey when not desirable.”

Daniel 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

It is rebellion to refuse to obey the gospel, to worship, to give, to be faithful, etc.

2 Th. 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

Js. 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

III. The inward rebellion of Jonah in his attitude

Chapter four shows that Jonah has successfully completed his mission Outwardly he was obeying but not “from the heart”

Jonah 3:10 [10] And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not

Jonah 4:1-4 [1] But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. [2] And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

[3] Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. [4] Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

Rom. 6:17-18 [17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

but ye have obeyed from the heart – “You obeyed sincerely and earnestly, or your heart and will were in the act.”

Mt. 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Some Christians, because of fear, shame, etc Some Christians, because of fear, shame, etc. may outwardly obey, but still they have no joy in it and may even resent it

“Our greatest need is illustrated in Jonah --- we need to learn to have hearts both submissive to and pleased with the will of God”

“Jonah did not love Nineveh because he did not fully appreciate how much God loved them” “All our inner rebellion will be traced to a failure to grasp the significance of God’s love for us”

Conclusion Rebellion is a strong word and most sinners would probably not appreciate being called a rebel However, God always views the sinner as a traitor against His divine will

1 Sam. 15:22-23 [22] And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

[23] For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

References References: Modern Messages From The Minor Prophets, by David Pharr