Jonah 1, The City God Saved by a Rebellious Prophet

Jonah 1, The City God Saved by a Rebellious Prophet.

This is not a fairy tale. It is a book about the love and mercy of God. Jonah was called to preach. He rebelled by going to Tarshish instead of Nineveh.

Matthew 12:38-41: Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

I. The Call of Jonah, vv. 1-2. “Go.” We are to be ambassadors for Christ. [Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen]. God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance.

II. The Condition of Jonah’s Heart, v. 3. Jonah did not respond to God’s call.

Backsliding: 1) Indifference to prayer. 2) Neglect church. 3) Associating with the world. 4) Conversation is not about God.

Jonah hid in the bottom of the ship, but he could not get away from God. It costs to obey God. We cannot get away from God. Psalm 139:7-10: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of

the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

III. The Chastening of Jonah, vv. 4-16. God sent a storm. God uses trials to get our attention.

IV. The Destruction, vv. 12-17. The sailors recognized their sin and worshipped God. They were brought to worship and commitment. God used Jonah to save these men, v. 16. What God decrees always come to past.

What is the condition of your heart? Hebrews 12:4-9: Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?