2. Jonah You are, or should be turned to Jonah 2:8

3. Jonah An Excurses I Propose the we be henceforth called: The Harvester Class Matt 9:37-38 "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." ESV

4. 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. Jonah’s reference here is not only of others: – The heathen generally – The mariners He himself has followed idols: – His will – His disobedience – His plan Now these testify against him If forsaking The Lord, we forsake our only hope – Every idol of man whispers promises to his heart – All of then lie having no power – None of them can love him – None can bestow mercy How glorious is Our father that He will condescend to consider us at all!

5. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!" Jonah reasons by faith that the fact that he is not dead is a harbinger of God’s mercy By faith he apprehends his deliverance He expects to see the temple again He will sacrifice there in thanksgiving for his deliverance He has made vows – Doubtless they have to do with obedience to the Lords calling – Vows to the Lord are solemn things Salvation belongs to the Lord – With Jonah’s recognition of this, Jonah is ready to rejoin his world – If the Lord desires the deliverance of Nineveh, then that is His business – Salvation is His to give

6. 10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. The fish had more sense than Jonah A speculation: Jonah was deposited on whatever beach was nearest Nineveh – The Lord is efficient – He will brook no further delay in the execution of His will The vehicle for Jonah’s punishment has become the vehicle for his delivery It is dry land – This occurring at sea would have meant Jonah’s death – In bringing Jonah to dry land, He has done all that is required for his salvation

7. 3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." The word of the Lord came to Jonah the first time under very different circumstances Now Jonah is greatly changed, but the Lord is the same The Lord expects alacrity from his servants His purposes are never thwarted His desire is to show mercy to Nineveh Great city – One dirty and reeking prophet accompanied by the Lord will be more than a match for this adversary The message that Jonah will bring is not his – The Lord has given us the message to bring – He has told us the method – We are not at liberty to modify either

8. 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. The will to resist The Lord is gone from our prophet The word of he Lord – Jonah is now in 100% percent compliance mode An exceedingly Great city – Some 60 miles around – Its walls are 100 feet high – Three carriages may pass abreast upon them – The are adorned by 1500 towers each 200 feet high – It is a city greater than Babylon in its glory Three days journey in breadth