Resistance is Futile

Background

Jonah was a prophet from Gath Hepher which was a town in the tribe of Zebulun.  He lived during the time of Jeroboam theII was king of the Northern Kingdom.  Jonah makes predictions the the boundaries of Israel would be extended under king Jeroboam and they did (2 Kings 14:23-25)

Jonah, whose name means dove was the son of Amittai which means "true one" was the only OT prophet who attempted to run from God. 

Jonah is important because it is one of the four OT prophetic ministries referred to by our Lord Jesus Christ, the others being Elijah, Elisha, and of course Isaiah. 

Jonah was not the only prophet in Israel: Amos and Hosea.Amos warned Israel that God would send Israel into exile beyond Damascus (Amos 5:27) but Hosea specifically names Assyria (Ho 11:5)

The book itself gives no references to its author though I and many scholars suspect that Jonah himself is writing this. Either as a changed man who wants to use these events to impart wisdom to Israel, or as a reluctant prophet that has learned that there is a fish out there that knows his name.

Written For Israel

1. God also has concern for the Gentile peoples.

God’s love for all peoples was supposed to be mediated through Israel.

God never intended to just be the God of the Jews. He is the king of the universe. All men and all creatures are His concern.

2. Demonstration of God’s sovereignty in accomplishing His purposes, even in the midst of Israel’s unfaithfulness in its missionary task.

They were supposed to be a light unto the nations. Remember Abraham was to be the father of many nations, they were His introduction to the world. Yet, their failure will never be God’s failure. Resistance Is Futile.

The Borg video (sound only and loud).

3. The response of the Gentiles is a rebuke to God’s sinful nation Israel.

Nineveh’s repentance is contrasted with Israel’s rejection. The same thing happens in the NT on how the Gentiles received the gospel.

4. Jonah was a symbol to Israel of her disobedience while Hosea was a symbol of God’s relentless and seemingly reckless pursuit of the vilest sinner.

Hosea was told to marry a prostitute and every time she left him to go sleep with other men, Hosea would go after her and restore her time and time again.

Jonah 1:1–3 (NIV)

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. Modern day would be northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, Southeastern Turkey, and eastern Syria.

Prophets normally preached and taught within the borders of Israel. This is the first time that a prophet is called to go outside and speak directly to a Gentile nation.

Assyrian Kings were proud of their cruelty. Assyrian cruelties included torture, dismemberment, burning alive, and shaming their victims. Yet despite their reputation, God still considers them worthy of his message and his grace… and so he will send them a message of Salvation

Romans 10:13–15 (NIV)

13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

But we have a problem. Jonah was a prophet of the Most High God. The medium by which God communicates with His people. The mouthpiece of God and also a racist pretentious bigot.

His hatred for all Assyrians was so great he would abandon his vocation, he would disobey a direct command, he quite literally go to the other side of the world.

Tarshish was a Phoenician city in southern Spain. Passage to go there would have cost a small fortune. Especially on a prophet’s salary.

Jonah paid a hefty price in an effort to run from the presence of God.

Why would God choose someone like Jonah? Because God continually uses the most unqualified, unlikely, ridiculous people to do wondrous things.

Although Jonah was the vehicle by which God would bring salvation to a degenerate people, the vehicle itself also needed saving.

God was doing as much a work in Jonah as he was using him to do a work in Nineveh. This is why God did not use Amos or Hosea.

Jonah 1:4–6 (NIV)

4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

Not only did Jonah paid a hefty price for the voyage away from God, but he paid it in vain. God found him. And now he put these poor sailors at risks. The consequences of his disobedience are pilling up.

Caught in the crosshairs, the weathered crew becomes so frightened that they begin to throw the cargo overboard, hoping to withstand the waves (v. 5). Jonah’s rebellion has now cost these unsuspecting sailors their precious goods—and threatens their very lives. Many times, our rebellion against God proves devastating for others around us—our friends, family, coworkers, neighbors.

“God gives us the freedom to choose or not to choose, but He does not give us the freedom to change the consequences of that choice.”

Ravi Zacharias

These were experienced sailors, they had navigated through many storms before, and although this part of the mediterranean sea is storm prone, they recognized instantly the supernatural nature of this particular storm.

It is like Peter an experienced fisherman (Luke 5).

These men knew that this storm is the work of deity. The problem for these theologically illiterate men was, Which deity?

The captain goes and wakes Jonah up…

Jonah 1:7–8 (NIV)

7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”

It is a silly way to try to arrive at truth, but God does not waste anything. He does not even waste foolishness.

The sailors are now asking the right questions…

Jonah 1:9–10 (NIV)

9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)

When talking to Gentiles this is how an Israelite would identify himself (Hebrew).

Yaweh “the God of heaven” denoted the sovereignty of Yaweh in contrast with Baal who was a sky god.

It is fear to conclude that Jonah had some conversation with the sailors or the captain when he stated where he was going. But now they were starting to connect the dots.

The storm, though terrifying and costly, is an act of God’s grace. He commands the seas, which obediently thwart the reluctant prophet from attempted abdication of his calling. God often allows storms into our lives in order to redirect our course.

Jonah 1:11–16 (NIV)

11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.

This rebellious and sinful prophet is still being used by God in the midst of his rebellion. Salvation has some not only physically but they have now been introduced to the One True God.

Yet, rather than tell the sailors, turn around and take me to Nineveh, Jonah prefers death over ministering to those. The sailors decided to turn the boat around but that was not enough Jonah needed to repent from abdicating his prophetic role. Going back to Joppa did not not mean that Jonah would have traveled to Nineveh. He told them throw me overboard because I will die first. God will have to use someone else.