Prophet Jonah, Do you
believe it is true? January 27,
2018
Jonah, this book,
· Believe is true and actually happen?
· find this book “fishy”; some, “hard to swallow, just out
right not true.”
· find the God of the Second Chance.
Jonah was
· known as the reluctant and a patriot prophet,
· he was afraid the people of Nineveh might listen to
him and repent.
· They killed many in the Northern Kingdom.
Did you know the Pharisee
did not believe Jonah was a prophet.
The Pharisees told
Nicodenus:
John 7:52 They answered him, "You aren't from Galilee,
too, are you? Search and see that no prophet comes from Galilee."
The problem is, Jonah was from Galilee.
2 Kings 14:25 He rebuilt Israel's coastline from the entrance of
Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the message from the LORD God of Israel that he spoke through his
servant Jonah the prophet, Amittai's son, who was from Gath-hepher.
The Galilean city of Gath-Hepher
(about 4 miles north of Nazareth) and it was around the center in
the Jesus Galilean ministry
The Prophet Jonah, when he
was younger, received a prophecy that Israel’s boundaries would extend under
Jeroboam II (793-753 B.C.), King of Israel, which came true. The prophets Hosea and Amos said God would
use Assyria as an instrument of punishment against Israel. This is why Jonah longed for Assyria’s
destruction. (Hosea 11:5, Amos 5:27, at
the end)
Jonah is one of only four
Old Testament prophets whose ministries were specifically referred to by Christ
(Mt 12:41; Lk 11:32). The other three are Elijah (Mt 17:11-12), Elisha (Lk
4:27), and Isaiah (Mt 15:7).
Jonah was the Sign.
Matthew 12:39-41 But he replied to them, "An evil and adulterous
generation craves a sign. Yet no sign will be given to it except
the sign of the prophet Jonah, (40) because just as Jonah was in the stomach of the
sea creature for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth
for three days and three nights. (41) The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment
and condemn the people living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah.
But look--something greater than
Jonah is here! (Jesus just called the
Pharisee liars)
Luke 11:29-30 Now as the crowds
continued to throng around Jesus, he went on to say, "This people living
today are an evil generation. It craves
a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah, (30)
because just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man
will be a sign to this generation.
Luke 11:32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment and condemn the people
living today, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah. But look,
something greater than Jonah is here!"
Why did Jonah hate the Assyrians so much that it was
in his heart,
· that he did not want to go to Nineveh to tell them to
repent,
· he knew if they did repent, God would forgive
them.
· wanted everyone of them to be destroyed.
· Jonah was not a Jew or part of the Southern Kingdom,
called Judah.
· called himself a Hebrew, member of the Zebulum tribe,
in Galilee area.
· part of the Northern Kingdom, named Israel
· taught the lesson in mercy and repentance.
Jesus recognized
· the historical figure, Jonah (vs 41).
· Jesus called him a prophet (vs 39).
· Jesus said the miracle of Jonah’s 3 days will be his
sign (Mt 12:40)
· Jesus based His call to repentance in His day on
Jonah’s message of repentance (vs 41)
Book of Jonah
· only prophecy in this book concerns Nineveh, a heathen
city,
· makes no mention of Israel, which is referred to by
every other prophet.
· heathen people were ready to repent at the first
preaching of the prophet; but Israel would not repented.
Jonah is himself a different type prophet:
· a prophet of God, and yet a runaway from God:
· a man drowned, and yet alive:
· a preacher of repentance, yet one that had to
repentance.
Jonah tries to Flees the Presence of the Lord
·
Jonah went against what God wanted done,
·
he did not miss God’s will or what God wanted
done,
·
he totally refused to do it.
Jonah 1:1
Now this message from the LORD came to
Amittai's son Jonah: (how was this
message given, dream or face to face)
Jonah 1:2 "Get up and go to Nineveh, that great city! Then cry out in protest against it, because their
evil has come to my attention."
Jonah
was commanded to do:
· go to Nineveh
·
cry out against it – rebuke their sin and call for repentance
·
Why, evil
has come to my attention – how did it come to Jesus
The city of Nineveh
· located on the east side of
the Tigris River,
· about 550 miles northeast of Samaria. That
· distance required a journey
of more than a month,
· if Jonah traveled the
normal distance of 15-20 miles a day.
· great city was second in
size only to Babylon.
· large city, protected by an
outer wall and an inner wall:
· the inner wall was 50 feet
wide and 100 feet high;
· three chariots abreast
raced on top.
· had 1200 towers, each 200
ft high.
· City was 60 miles in
circumference
· population of 600,000 was
supported by internally grown crops.
· was known for its idolatry;
it had temples dedicated to the gods Nabu, Asshur, Adad, and Dagon, the fish
god.
Nineveh
was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which dominated Palestine
and much of the ancient world from around 930 to 612 B.C., and in 722 BC capture the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Background of the city
· 2 plagues killed many in
765 and 759 and a
· total eclipse of the sun
occurred on June 15, 763 bc. They
consider
· these signs of divine
anger
· may help explain why the
Ninevites responded so readily to Jonah’s message, around 759 B.C.
Nineveh was built by Nimrod
*Genesis 10:11 From there he (Nimrod) went north to Assyria and
built Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, and
Calah,
Jonah 1:3 But Jonah got up and fled from the LORD to Tarshish. He went
down to Joppa, and secured passage
on a ship bound for Tarshish. He paid
the fare and boarded, intending to go with the mariners to Tarshish to escape from the LORD.
· Jonah boarded a ship at
Joppa (modern Jaffa) on Israel’s coast,
· about 35 miles (2-3 day’s
journey) from Samaria and about the same distance from Jerusalem.
· we covered the ships of
Tarshish (tin). (England area)
· Nineveh was to the east,
Tarshish was far west you could go
*Psalms 139:7 Where can I flee from your
spirit? Or where will I run from your presence? (where can we run from God?)
Jonah 1:4 Then the LORD sent a great wind over the sea, and a severe storm broke out. It seemed as if
the ship were about to break up.
We
saw Jesus calm the waters, but He can also stir up the storm
Jonah 1:5 At this point the mariners
became terrified, and each man cried out to his
gods. They
began to throw the cargo into the sea in order to lighten the vessel. But Jonah
had gone down into the vessel's hold, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
The
seasoned sailors were afraid…it was not a “normal” storm, just as we covered
with Jesus. What about Jonah, just
slept.
Jonah 1:6 So the captain approached
him, and told him, "What are you doing asleep? Get up! Call on your
gods! Maybe your god will think about us so we won't die!"
Notice
a pagan ship captain had to call Jonah to prayer! Jonah was not praying.
Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea
Jonah 1:7 Meanwhile, each crewman
told another, "Come, let's cast lots to find out whose fault it
is that we're in this trouble." So they cast lots, and the lot indicated Jonah!
Jonah 1:8 Then they said to him, "Please tell us! For whose cause is this
trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is
your country? And of what people are you?"
(could not tell?)
Jonah 1:9 So he said to them, "I am a Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."
Jonah 1:10 Then the men were exceedingly
afraid, and said to him, "Why
have you done this?" For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.
The
pagan sailors seemed to grasp the seriousness of his disobedience more than the
prophet did! It may seem strange that Jonah claimed to worship God when he did
not obey Him.
Jonah 1:11 Because the sea was
growing more and more stormy, they asked him, "What must we do to you so
the sea will calm down for us?"
Jonah 1:12 Jonah told them, "Pick me up and toss me into the sea.
Then the sea will calm down for you, because I know that it's my fault that
this mighty storm has come upon you."
Jonah 1:13 Even so, the crewmen rowed
hard to bring the ship toward dry land, but they were unsuccessful, because the
sea was growing more and more stormy.
Jonah 1:14 At last they cried out to the LORD, "Please,
LORD, do not let us perish because of this man's life, and do not hold us
responsible for innocent blood, because you, LORD, have done what pleased
you."
Jonah 1:15 So they picked up Jonah and tossed him into the sea,
and the sea stopped raging.
Jonah 1:16 Then the men feared the LORD greatly, offered a
sacrifice to the LORD, and made vows. (Vows was made after they were delivered)
A Great Fish Swallows Jonah
Jonah 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared
a large sea creature to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the sea creature
for three days and three nights. (there
is the famous quote by Jesus as a sign)
Jonah's Prayer
Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the sea creature. (Jonah was alive and praying to God)
Jonah 2:2 He said: "I called
out to the LORD from the midst of affliction directed at me, and he answered
me. From the depths of death I cried out
for help; and you heard my cry.
(Heard his cry, in faith he will be saved)
Jonah
knew God’s Word, using phrases and figure of speech from Psalms
(example
Psalms 18:6; 42:7; 31:22)
Jonah 2:3 You cast me into the deep--into the heart of the sea. Flood waters engulfed me. All
your breakers and your waves swirled over me.
Jonah 2:4 So I told myself, 'I have
been driven away from you. How will I again gaze on your holy Temple?'
(turns heart towards God and Temple)
Jonah 2:5 Flood waters encompassed
me, the deep surrounded me while seaweeds
wrapped around my head.
Jonah 2:6 I sank to the roots of the
mountains; the earth's prison bars closed around me forever. Yet you resurrect the dead from the Pit,
LORD my God!"
Jonah 2:7 "As my life was
fading away, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer
came to you in your holy Temple. (Psalm 141:2; prayer like incense)
Jonah 2:8 Those who cling to vain idols leave behind the
gracious love that could have been theirs.
(Declares his commitment to God)
Jonah 2:9 But as for me, with a
voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice
to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation
is of LORD!"
Jonah 2:10 So the LORD spoke to the fish,
and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jesus
even commands the fish?)
Perception,
Jonah was vomited out on the shores of Nineveh, but problem is, Nineveh is
about 375 miles from the Mediterranean Sea.
I
have read in the past, the chemicals inside the fish cause Jonah skin to turn
white, people recognize he was something special. Word would spread
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
Jonah 3:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the
second time,
saying, (Jonah has a second chance,
because out of mercy and grace)
Jonah 3:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."
Jonah 3:3 So Jonah got up and went
to Nineveh to do what LORD had ordered. Now Nineveh was a very large city,
requiring a three-day journey to cross through it. (very large city)
Jonah 3:4 As Jonah started into the
city on the first day's journey, he proclaimed the message, "40 days more and Nineveh will be overthrown!" (this is the message to preach, they heard about
Jonah)
Jonah 3:5 The people of Nineveh
believed God. They called for a fast,
and from the greatest to the least important of them, they put on sackcloth.
Interesting,
they called for a fast, was this common knowledge?
The People of Nineveh Repent
Jonah 3:6 When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he
got up from his throne, removed his royal garments, covered himself with
sackcloth, and sat down in ashes.
(Repentance begins believing God)
Jonah 3:7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by
the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd
nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water.
Jonah 3:8 But let man and beast be covered
with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.
(Repentance means doing something)
The
King acknowledged that his people were evil and do violence.
Jonah 3:9 Who knows but that God may
relent, have compassion, and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not
perish?"
Amazing,
The king repented on “speculation!” and Israel would not.
Jonah 3:10 Then God saw their works, that they turned
from their evil way; and God relented from the
disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
God honored their
repentance and delayed the judgment for 150 years against the people of
Nineveh. Recorded in the Book of
Nahum.
Jonah's Anger and the Lord's Compassion
Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah
exceedingly, and he became angry.
Jonah explains his anger.
Jonah 4:2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country?
Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and
abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Do we enjoy the mercy God
extends to us, but resents it when mercy is extended to others.
Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, please
take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!" (is it so painful that they repented)
Jonah 4:4 Then the LORD said, "Is it
right for you to be angry?"
The answer must always be
NO, Lord. All Your ways are right even
if I don’t understand them. Jonah must
repent of his anger towards God.
Jonah 4:5 So Jonah went out of the city
and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat
under it in the shade, till he might see what
would become of the city.
Jonah still hope that the
city would be destroyed after all. Pure hatred.
Jonah 4:6 And the LORD God prepared a
plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head
to deliver him from his misery. So
Jonah was very grateful for the plant. (God shows mercy to Jonah)
Jonah was all about self,
selfish and petty, not for others.
Guaranteed depression: remove yourself from the
people, be alone.
Jonah 4:7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so
damaged the plant that it withered.
Jonah 4:8 When the sun rose, God
prepared a harsh east wind. The sun beat down on Jonah's head, he became faint, and he begged to die.
"It is better for me to die than to
live!" he said.
Here
we go again, more concern about the plant than the people. Complaining about the plant. It seems like, if we really want to complain
about anything, we will soon have something to complain about.
Jonah 4:9 NKJV Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry
about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even
to death!"
Why
was Jonah angry? Because God would give grace to the people of Nineveh, those
who killed many in Israel.
Jonah
made three errors that angry people often make. Each makes him worse off, but not
better.
· Jonah quit
· Jonah separated himself
from others
· Jonah became a spectator
Jonah 4:10 But the LORD said,
"You cared about a vine plant
that you neither worked on nor cultivated? A vine plant that grew up overnight
and died overnight?
Jonah 4:11 So why shouldn't I be concerned about Nineveh,
that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 human
beings who
do not know their right hand from their
left, as well as a lot of livestock?
Is
this 120,000 children? Concern for
animals.
In
722 B.C., the next generation (about 37 years later) Nineveh destroyed Israel
(the Northern Kingdom); Then they attack
the Nation of Judah (the Southern Kingdom); 185,000 Assyrians was slaughtered; Nineveh
never tries again; in 612 B.C. Assyria falls to Babylon.
*Hosea 11:5 "He shall not return to the land of Egypt; But the Assyrian shall
be his king, Because they refused to repent.
(Israel will fall)
*Amos 5:27 Therefore I will send you into captivity beyond Damascus," Says
the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.
(Israel in captivity)
Jonah and Fish Pictures
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