Jonah 2 Running to God Jonah: A Man on the Run

Music Video – Can’t Get away – Rush of Fools

We discovered last week that Jonah wanted desperately to live his life apart from the presence of God. He ran from God. He did not want God to be part of his life.

In Jonah 2 we discover God gave him what he wanted. And in the midst of running from God he found out what that was like.

And at the furthest spot from God, he changed his mind.

He couldn’t get away from God

In Chapter 2 We find Jonah continuing to run, but he stops from running from God and begins to run to God.

The fish gets a bit of face time here, but again in the story of Jonah we find it is really all about God, Again we find the great mercy and grace of God.

(ESV) Jonah 1 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging…. 17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2 1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish,

I. Running to God: Beware of getting your desires

A. Out of His presence Jonah 2:3

(ESV) Jonah 2 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. 4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; …

1. Ironic – sought to leave the presence of the Lord – got is wish

2. Exiled from God

3. Previously new what He would do

B. Overwhelmed with trouble Jonah 2:3

(ESV) Jonah 2 3 For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me.

1. Heart of the sea (confusion)

2. Flood surrounded - Currents of water – swirled around me (whirlpool)

3. Billows - Breakers – beat me down

4. Sourced in God

C. Entangled without hope Jonah 2:2, 5-6

(ESV) Jonah 2 2 … out of the belly of Sheol … 5 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head 6 at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever;

1. Water engulfed me

2. Depths surrounded me

3. Weeds bound me around my head/throat

4. Went down to the lowest place – bottom of the mountains / sea

5. The point of doom and death

6. Achieve his goal – permanent separate from God in abode of the ungodly dead

D. Life all but gone Jonah 2:7

(ESV) Jonah 2 7 … my life was fainting away, …

1. Almost too late

II. Running to God: An offer of grace in judgement

A. Saved in the midst of judgment Jonah 1:17a

(ESV) Jonah 1 17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

1. Grace in the midst of judgment (prior to judgment)

a. Snatched before he drowned

b. Already prepared / appointed

c. Special creation or existing creature?

d. Could be either / God not limited in His work

e. Orchestrated just the solution

2. God on time – at the bottom of the sea rather than on the surface? Faced the reality of life without God before he is saved?

3. A limited delay / a possible salvation / another chance to turn

B. Time to reconsider Jonah 1:17b

(ESV) Jonah 1 17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

1. Trouble not removed just yet

2. Yet still a horror – not yet done

3. Dark & narrow (MRI)

4. Time to consider

5. What will you do? Opportunity for salvation or final destruction

C. Opportunity to return to His presence Jonah 2:7

(ESV) Jonah 2 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

1. The trouble accomplished its purpose

2. No longer any hope within himself

3. Losing consciousness / lack of oxygen / shock

4. Jonah stopped fleeing from God at last – turned to God

III. Running to God: A response to God

A. A renewed pursuit of God Jonah 2:1-2

(ESV) Jonah 2 1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried,and you heard my voice.

1. Screamed out / yelled for help

2. Hope revived

B. In the midst of the trouble Jonah 2:1-2

This entire prayer psalm occurs prior to his release

(ESV) Jonah 2 1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

1. Separated from God he changes his mind – a frightful place to be

2. Change mind before it is too late

C. God hears Jonah 2:1-2

(ESV) Jonah 2 1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying, “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.

1. Prayer made it to God

2. He answered / He listened intently or responded

IV. Running to God: A new life transformed by God

A. God’s presence

(ESV) Jonah 2 4 Then I said, ‘I am driven awayfrom your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’

1. Focus on the place of God’s presence (intent)

2. Unable to get there

3. By faith look that way and maybe He will hear

B. A God-Renewed life

(ESV) Jonah 2 6 … I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God.

7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

1. Begin the way back

2. Still in the bad situation – but now God was there

C. Rejected substitutes

(ESV) Jonah 2 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

1. No place else to turn

2. Can’t have both --- Turn there and turn from God’s covenant love –

3. Those who place hope in anything else lose the mercy that could have come from Him - forsake their own mercy (other translations) the mercy they could have received.

D. Life committed to God

(ESV) Jonah 2 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

1. But he pursues God regardless of what others do

2. Sacrificially

3. No bitterness but only thanks

4. Model of the sailors

E. The Lord’s deliverance

(ESV) Jonah 2 8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

1. Sourced in the Lord

2. Comes based only on mercy

3. Demands we turn to Him

4. Recognition that there is no other way

5. Surrender to His Will

(ESV) Jonah 2 10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.