Rob, Its a technical point. Jonahs problem was he could not see beyond his hatred of the Assyrians and his patriotism. Jonah has been able to grasp the situations they have been in all show but can't seem to grasp that Ben was putting the whole family/operation at risk and Wendy had to chose between him or everyone and everything else. But God is tricky. Such objections fall outside the realm of serious scholarship for the Lord Himself attested to itshistoricity (Matthew 12.39-41; Luke 11.29-32) and removed all doubt of the record. God heard his prayer and delivered him. On the one hand, there are the Ninevites, the evil Its always a longer journey when you disobey God. It presents two very different stories about repentance. The story of Jonah teaches compassion by not following the prophet's example. The book of Jonah ends with God having the last word: 10Then the Lord said, You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished overnight. They tried to turn the ship to land but the storm only worsened. Many have questioned that Jesus was crucified on Friday. No, I am not a pastor. Jonahs prayer was bitter: I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. I knew it. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). Do you have good reason to be angry (Jonah 4.4)? Even the fallen deserve our love and respect as fellow human beings. He is good and acts accordingly. ), king of Assyria, invaded Israel during Hezekiahs reign about 50 years later. Summary- God appointed a worm to kill the plant that Jonah delighted in. The owner replied he had done no wrong. Jonah is now beginning to come to his senses,but not with godly sorrow, more with worldly sorrow. Under normal population distribution, this would mean a population of about 3,000,000. (On the Christian view of "lots," see Dr. Pusey's Commentary, pp. Jonahs experience in the sea-beast, this living submarine, must have been terrifying. This is another important lesson: in our sin, our defiance, we often bring storms not only into our own life but also into the lives of others. 2. Both messages resonate on Yom Kippur: repentance is staggeringly hard but Gods mercy is generous and swift. But God would not leave him alone. 372. . There is abortion, disease, teenage pregnancy, children with no fathers, and all the grief and pain that come from broken or malformed families. Whats also interesting is that many skeptics doubted the existence of Nineveh until its ruins were discovered in 1845. Indeed, many people spend lots of money and go miles out of their way in order to be able to stay in sin. - I had toyed with the idea of concluding this series last week but there are some nagging words at the end of the book that I believe we need to study. Isaiah 2.2-3, 49.6; Zechariah 8.23). 16Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. Parallel Commentaries "Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi, Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural, Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural. The Lord then taught Jonah about His love for the people of Nineveh. Two books of the Bible speak of Nineveh. Chapter 2 recounts Jonah in the belly of the sea monster where he prayed and gave thanks to God. The book of Jonah is short, compassing four brief chapters of 48 verses. He falls asleep, and then is thrown down into the sea. 3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me. book of Jonah is the old outline which accents the word running. Jonah pouted. I cannot see where the text states Jonah actually died or not. The message couldnt be clearer: Jonah is going in the wrong direction. Jonah thought he would drown when thrown into the sea. Jonah Scott is a Voice Actor, Singer and Twitch Streamer from Los Angeles. Jonah 1.1-2 should arrest ones attention. Yom Kippur Prayer Services. What is certain at this point is that Jonah is in need of more repentance himself. After having dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years, God established a new program with Abraham, known as the Abrahamic Covenant. Somewhat like Judas, Jonah and many other sinners do not repent to the Lord but rather are merely ashamed of themselves. Lets examine the story of Jonah and allow its teachings to reach us. At the end of the day, 6 p.m., his foreman paid each man a denarius. Jonah is a dangerand a cause of grief to others around him. As our defiance deepens, the headwinds become ever stronger and the destructive forces ever more powerful. Despite his rebellion, Jonah kept his testimony and spoke the truth: I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. God honors His word. 6I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. Hill had his arm out the window when the car flipped mid-joyride. God does not save us merely for our own sake, but alsofor the sake of others with whom our life is intertwined. 1 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. Ive had so many things on my heart lately, everything going on in this world and my own sorrows, and this was exactly what I needed to lighten the load. 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. Salvation is from the Lord.. The mariners, fearing for their lives, also lose wealthand suffer great losses (by throwing their cargo overboard) on account of Jonahs sinfulness. Jesus raised Lazarus (John 11) from the dead but Lazarus died later. Then the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god. 6The Hebrew reads, , a great fish. After his whale of a ride, a ride in which he must experience the full depths and acidic truth of his sinfulness, Jonah is finally delivered by God right back to the shore of Joppa where it all began. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them! Jesus called this day the Tribulation (Matthew 24.21, 29). What is your country, and to what people do you belong? Jonah answered them, I am a Hebrew, I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, How could you do such a thing? They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them. Make a deal with God and He will keep it. If only we had the faith of Jonah, evangelism might leap forward into warp drive. I agree that Christ was the first to be permanently raised from the dead. But God would have us reach out to the sinner, to correct with love. Jonah obeyed this time but he still had an attitude. All things are His. These would be paid whatever was right. At noon and 3 p.m. he did the same thing. His scoffing and defiance likely result from hatred or excessive nationalism. This is why He gave the order of ministry in Acts 1.8. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the. They were threats! I cant explain how, but it brought everything into perspective. Read Jonah for Spiritual Growth. c. Proclamation was one of Judgment. 8Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, 9But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. Hi John just a few verses about the heart of the earth. Yes, what are you doing? In effect, Jonah says to them, Kill me. Hmm, now why does this description seem so familiar? This mercy is available for nothing. God does the unexpected. Indeed, many people spend lots of money and go miles out of their way in order to be able to stay in sin. ), and Herodotus (4th century B.C.) This idiom indicates a child under the age of two. Their story highlights Gods benevolence, the quickness with which God wishes to forgive people who want to make a genuine change, whatever their motivation. You cared about the plant, which you did not work for and which you did not grow. The challenge for believers is to rejoice in Gods salvation and His goodness. Jonah 3 God gave His commission to Jonah a second timeand this time, Jonah was ready to obey. In fact, he is furiously angryand directs his outburst at God. Jonah 1:1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.". Jonah is now beginning to come to his senses, In effect, Jonah says to them, Kill me. A story about prophecy and repentancebut not in the way you think. Oct 7, 2019. To lighten it, they began to toss cargo into the sea (Jonah 1.4-5). I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; All Your breakers and billows passed over me. Let us cast lots. caused by our greed, addiction, lack of forgiveness, pride, impatience, and lack of charity. The repeated testimony of the Scriptures is that God delights in mercy (Psalm 86.15, 145.8; Jeremiah 33.26; Ezekiel 39.25). The phrasing of the order emphasized individual accountability and personal responsibility: that each may turn from his wicked way. The text reads: 7He issued a proclamation and it said, In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. What are your thoughts on this? Get up, call on your god. Jonahis a story of contrasts. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. we are also members of the Body, members of the community, whether we want to admit it or not. I do not deserve to live.This is not repentance; it is despair. Jesus used the word to refer to the sea creature which swallowed Jonah (Matthew 12.40). Does he change his mind? For the hesitant or doubters, the king issued anexecutive order for fasting, dressing in sackcloth, prayer, and repentance. Soph. K. M. Craig, Jr. stated it was enormously varied, rich, and complex (A Poetics of Jonah: Art in the Service of Ideology). Extra-biblical sources such asDiodorus Siculus (1st century B.C. The people of Nineveh repented, and God spared the city. Reputation of wicked Nineveh well-known. One of our greatest Christian authors, Charles Reade, known for his book, The Cloister and the Hearth, has called Jonah, "The most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass.". Jonah left the city and sat east of it. 1. For I will send you far away to the Gentiles (Acts 22.21). Jonahs defiance sends him and others headlong into a stormthat grows ever deeper. I learned a lot. But Sennacheribs entire army would have been much larger.8. Every crew member was praying to his god for deliverance. Site by Glass Canvas, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? The simplicity of holiness is often far less onerous. But Jonah received more than a mere mention. But on particular occasions, He reveals Himself and acts. He gave this wayward prophet a second chance to fulfill the commission that was given. Does God repent? Whether he did or not does not affect the Lords statement of his own death. Sennacherib (705-681 B.C. If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me(Ps 139: 7-10). Note that he also puts down good money in order to flee. In most cases, He allows man to do as he will and manages His plan behind the scenes. 2 questions. The arks lid was called the mercy seat (Exodus 25.17-22; cf. Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. Our first instinct should always be to respect the dignity of every personeven great sinnersand strive to bring them to the Lord with loving correction. He did not provide sunlight for it. God didnt pursue the question; He gave Jonah time to reflect. So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons?!. All but Jonah. The Ninevites werepagan, idolatrous Gentiles. And Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The sailors, captain, king, nobles, citizens of Nineveh responded to Gods mercy. The story has four parties: the sailors, the Ninevites, Jonah, and God.11 How God dealt with each demonstrated His nature and character. For the most part, Gentile salvation is rare. Thanks so much. VIII. When all the paycheck so were handed out the men hired earliest were unhappy because those who worked only an hour received the same pay as those who worked all day. Waves roiled the ship, smashing into its sides and onto the deck. Such conditions may explain the phrase king of Nineveh rather than king of Assyria and the fact the kings decree was issued in concert with his nobles. Obviously, from their superstitious perspective, some god or gods are angry with somebody, and they are all suffering because of what this person has done. Amid the commotion, the captain finds Jonah, wakes him, and demands that he join the effort to save the ship by calling on his God. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. He would not have to go to Nineveh. Rebirth, it seems, is short-lived. On the other hand, the proclamation, which included the nobles, may have been issued in that way to indicate that all the leadership was agreed. God bless you. In chapter 4, Jonah was in Nineveh and in the desert. When Jesus prayed on Thursday night that the cup of his suffering be removed from him in such earnestness that he bled, perhaps that degree of intercession had him in the heart of the earth, to some degree. Rather than trusting God, he brazenly disobeys, foolishly thinking that he can outrun God. Similarly, in our own culture today a good deal of pain and loss results from the defiant, selfish, and bad behavior of many. Jonah was an enigma. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold. 1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying,2Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. Then, God prepared() a worm to eat the gourd which killed it (Jonah 4.7). If the plan of God was NOT to go to the Gentiles even as in the Gospels, Jesus said NOT to go to the Gentiles but only to the lost sheep of Israel, WHY did Jonah go to the Gentiles Nineveh? Patient-Home-4877 1 yr. ago The virtue of obedience is it allows one to enjoy God, to celebrate His work. 2002-2023 My Jewish Learning. Jonah had a choice. The misfortune of the Israelites at Ai was consequent on the sin of Achan (Joshua 7.). This is why God makes statements such as 2 Chronicles 7.14. And then theres Jonah, the prophet of God, who is supposed to be an exemplary person, yet finds repentance nearly impossible. It is too easy for us to wish to destroy those who have harmed us, returning crime for crime, sin for sin. Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish. Then they said to one another, Come, let us cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune. So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. The men did not accept Jonah's offer until they had made every effort to save themselves in other ways. Not one to let a prophet pull a disappearing act, God sends a storm to threaten Jonahs shipand it is a doozy. Water, whale, withering wind: Jonah wished to die (Jonah 4.8 cf. He went down into the heart of the earth as in Matthew 12 and brought back those saints that had died and took Paradise to heaven. He realized he could not escape God and looked to Him for deliverance. Jonah's willingness also shows his awareness that his actions had displeased God. What is important is they believed God. Hence Jonah is not just insubordinate; he is unbelieving and untrusting. Jonah provided no details of the nature of their impending destruction but history records this was a period of Assyrian weakness. When spoken, it brings men to salvation. In the story we see a portrait of sin and of Gods love for sinners. The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. The same thing you have good reason to be angry ( Jonah 4.8 cf called this day the Tribulation Matthew... 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Boat to Tarshish submarine, must have been much larger.8 but Sennacheribs entire would! The ship, smashing jonah has had lots of dti will attend to directions well its sides and onto the deck false Gods to the! Likely result from hatred or excessive nationalism is furiously angryand directs his outburst at God the city raised the...
Jobs For Spiritual Gift Of Mercy, Articles J
Jobs For Spiritual Gift Of Mercy, Articles J