Jonah 3 - The Preaching Prophet
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The word of the Lord comes to Jonah to, go to Nineveh and call against it for their evil.
Jonah rebels attempting to flee from the Lord, in the process Gentile sailors come to know the Lord
The Lord Rescues Jonah, by a fish, so that through Jonah; he may rescue Nineveh. So we last left Jonah being vomited from the fish onto dry land.
Kim Read the next section
Read 1-5, 6-10
Bare Minimum Sermon
Bare Minimum Sermon
The word of the Lord tells Jonah a second time. This time Jonah obeys. (God’s is persistent in our obedience to his calling and has a patient love)
The city is so vast it takes three days to walk it, but we don’t have to wait three days before we see a change
No message of repentance, or mercy, but just destruction. “Word here is change”
A message of doom, this we need to hear, because repentance only comes when the Hard Truth of God’s word meets harsh reality.
Yet there can be no revival without proclamation of God’s word
Unlikely but Honest Repentance
Unlikely but Honest Repentance
So, this Jewish prophet, from a far off place comes to the Assyrian capitol, preaching doom, and a horrible sermon at that, and they repent from the least to the greatest. How can this happen?
Just how it happened for Jonah, God pursues us
There are some who insist that Jonah must have preached more that this, but I don’t think that is correct, given what we have seen of Jonah and what we are going to hear from him next week. Also I think with the response of the King of Nineveh, Who knows God may turn and relent?, the message of repentance or call to turn from evil not given.
What we are seeing is the power of God moving among these gentiles for their salvation. Just as we see in Jonah chapter 1 when the gentile sailor repent and believe God. Here we see that there is a humble and genuine response of EVERYONE and animals to Jonah’s proclamation of judgment upon the city.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death.
Sackcloth, Ashes, Fasting of Food and Water
ANE - Animals held responsible for their sin
Where they too far gone?
So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.
God Relents
God Relents
God sees the actions, they had turned from their evil ways and relented.
I want to point out that mere belief is not enough, but we must act accordingly to these beliefs. Scripture says that even the demons believe and tremble. (James 2:9) It is the action that follows the belief which stems from sorrow,
What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
God’s Mercy Includes the Assyrians; His literal enemies.
Jesus says: (in Matthew 5)
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Our Personal Journey in Jonah so far
Call from God to Rebellion (For all have fallen short Ro3:23)
Rebellion to Personal Deliverance
Personal Deliverance to Bare Minimum Obedience
Our own response when we hear the preaching of when hard truth meets harshness of reality speaks to us.
Today our culture struggles with fact that there is only one way to salvation, we live in a world that desires to have its own way and does not want to see itself the way that it really is. As sinners in need of repentance there is the news of condemnation
In Mark, Jesus’ first sermon he informs us who he is and what we must do
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Now that we believe there is a manner of living
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
We then respond in obedience to Matthew 28:18-20, by making disciples, we can then rejoice for there is no more condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Ro 8:1)!
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