1. We all know the story, but have we really gotten the point?

2. God required Jonah to report to Nineveh, 1:1-2 But Jonah retreated toward Tarshish! 1:3

3. “So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.” God then reigns Jonah with a raging tempest, 1:4-9; Jonah realizes and reports the resolution, 1:9-12; The sailors are reluctant, but relent, 1:13-15; and repent, 1:16.

4. “And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.” 1:17 “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish…” 2:1ff

5. “Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up on dry land.” 2:10 “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.’” 3:1-2 “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord…” 3:3a

6. Nineveh’s reception (of the word), repentance, 3:4-9; God relents, and Nineveh is redeemed, 3:10!

7. Jonah’s resentment, 4:1-3; God’s reminders, 4:4- 11. But what’s the point of it all? That God loves all people and wants all to be saved? Sure, Rom.1:16; 1Tim.2:4; Titus 2:11- 15… But is that it?

8. Consider this question: Why was it so important that Jonah go to Nineveh? Why not let the whale be the end of it for Jonah, and send someone else to Nineveh, cf. Esther 4:14? Because the story is about Jonah’s salvation as much as Nineveh’s… and there was something yet lacking (cf. Luke 18:22ff)…

9. Jonah was doing the right things, finally… But his “heart was not right” (cf. Acts 8:21): 1. He sought pleasure from the wrong sources, v.1, Jas.4:1ff, Luke 15:7; 2. He thought only of himself, vv.2-5, Phil.2:3- 5ff; 3. He didn’t get the value of others’ souls, vv.6-11, Matt.16:26; but perhaps most importantly… 4. He didn’t love his enemies, v.2  Matt.5:43-48!

10. Jonah begged to die, but was not ready… He needed God’s compassion as much as Nineveh! Now, here are the big questions: “Where is your Nineveh?” “Even if your actions are (finally) right, is your heart right?” What does your story indicate?