Untitled Sermon

The Risk of Rebellion Jonah 1

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

4:28 PM

Rebellion = opposition to one in authority, open fighting against one in authority, refusal to obey

We're going to fall short everyday, but this is flat out knowing you are disobeying God.

Why is rebellion against God a bad thing?

Sinful - disobedience to God. Selfish - not adhering to God, but to yourself. Sorcery -

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

(1 Samuel 15:22-23)

What would you do if you or your family was doing witchcraft in your home or everyday life?

Silencing -

Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

(Jeremiah 5:22-25)

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

(Psalms 66:18)

Commanding Decree (vs.1-2) (the word of the Lord, not Moses, or Paul, or Peter)

Sovereignty of the Decree(The WORD OF THE LORD CAME)

The Bible is our authority

Not people, feelings, circumstances If God tells you something that is contrary to His Word, you’re wrong. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL NEVER CONTRADICT THE HOLY BIBLE.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 KJV

[15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. [16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Peter 1:19-21 KJV

[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. [21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The Bible wasn’t written by mans authority, but God’s

It’s not like the Constitution, rules for football, etc…It’s God’s Word.

Strength of the Declaration

Jonah knew that the Sovereign was speaking, because of His strength.

The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

(Psalms 29:3-9)

Simplicity of the Decree

God gave Jonah a simple command. God Pointed at Jonah, gave him Place to go, and told him to Preach.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

(1 Corinthians 2:12-16)

Conscious Decision (vs. 3a-c)

He rose up to flee unto Tarshish, Not Nineveh

Flee - to run rapidly, as from danger; to attempt to escape; to avoid GOD SAID GO, JONAH SAID NO. Tarshish was 3,000 miles in the total opposite direction from Nineveh.

When ever you rebel against God, you always go in the opposite direction. (No detours or shortcuts) When God the Holy Ghost leads you to do something and you don’t do it, your in rebellion. Likewise, if you know that you shouldn’t be doing something and you do it, you’re in rebellion. YOU CANT IGNORE GOD AND JUST HOPE THINGS WORK OUT ON THEIR OWN.

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

(James 4:17)

Decision is found 2 times in 1 verse in the Bible. Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. It’s time to decide whether you will obey God or not. Choose you this day whom ye will serve. (Joshua 24) We know which way we need to choose, but we get so stubborn and rebellious sometimes that we need to be taught, and God is willing to teach us which way to go.

What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

(Psalms 25:12)

Certain Denial (vs.3d)

He tried to flee from the presence of the Lord.

Psalm 139:7-10 KJV

[7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? [8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. [9] If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; [10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Jeremiah 23:23-24 KJV

[23] Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? [24] Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

(Proverbs 15:3)

If you are born again, you have God the Holy Ghost living inside you. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE.

1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV

[19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

(Ephesians 1:13)

John 14:16-17 KJV

[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Be sure your sin will find you out. God knows all about what you’re doing.

Luke 8:17 KJV

[17] For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Don’t try to hide things from God, He knows.

Careless Dozing (vs. 5) Jonah was in the side of the ship asleep

He was FAST ASLEEP

He was in a deep sleep, he was knocked out cold Jonah’s rebellion didn’t bother his conscience.

It didn’t bother him because he thought he was getting out of the presence of God. “I’m finally out of it now!” Whenever you rebel against God, and nothing happens right then, you may think that you’re out chastening. When Moses tried to tell Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, each time he said no, Pharaohs heart hardened more.

His heart was made to not feel anything. Jeremiah tried telling the people of Jerusalem and Judea to hear God, but they wouldn't listen, they didn't care.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

(Jeremiah 7:22-28)

Chastening Distress (vs. 4-12)

A child always knows when momma and daddy figure out they done something bad, that there is punishment.

Hebrews 12:5-11 KJV

[5] 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: [6] For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [7] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? [8] But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] 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? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Revelation 3:19 KJV

[19] As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

God is trying to show Jonah his wrong doing. One way you know you’re saved is if you get chastised by God for knowing that you did something wrong. Not only will rebellion cause you to be chastised, it may hurt people around you.

Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

(Jonah 1:14)

After Israel took over Jericho, Achan took of the accursed thing. God wasn't happy.

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

(Joshua 7:12) (Open Rebellion)

Joshua takes Israel by their tribes and Judah was taken, then Achan was taken

And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

(Joshua 7:19-21)

And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

(Joshua 7:24-25)

It would be a terrible thing to lose a wife, children, family, or friends because you were in rebellion with God.

Convicting Draw (vs. 12)

Jonah didn't have the Holy Ghost to tell him that he was wrong, but he knew. God will make you know what you did wrong. The Holy Ghost will convict you.

John 16:7-8 KJV

[7] Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. [8] And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Hebrews 4:12 KJV

[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I'm sure he remembered what God said, and how he didn't do what God said.

Coming Discourse (vs. 17)

When you get under conviction, you get in a dark place. (Belly of the whale) Jonah is gonna talk to God. God put Jonah in a place where he had to realize what he had done, and the only person he could talk to was God. Jonah 2:1 - Then Jonah prayed.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

THE ONLY WAY YOU WILL GET FORGIVENESS FOR REBELLION IS TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.

Caring Deliverer (Jonah 2:10, 3:1-3)

He confessed his sin, and God brought him out of the whale!

1 John 1:9 KJV

[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 KJV

[9] But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: [10] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us ; He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

(Proverbs 28:13)

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

(1 John 1:5-7)

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

(Psalms 32:5)

God could've killed Jonah for rebelling against him, but God put him in a spot where he realized he done wrong, saved his life, and forgave Jonah.

The word of the Lord came a second time.

Thank God for His grace and mercy! Numbers 14:18

The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

(James 4:6)

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

(John 1:16)

For thy mercy is great unto the heavens

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

(Psalms 86:5)

For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

(Psalms 100:5)

Christian's Dedication (Jonah 3:3)

So Jonah arose, and went unto Ninevah, according to the word of the Lord, and he preached.

Don’t risk rebellion, it’s not worth it. Obey God the first time. If you’re in sin, get right with God.