Jonah introduction:

Jonah introduction:

Background: Jonah is one of the books of 12 (sometimes called the minor prophets, not because the words of the prophets are minor, but because of the length of the books) - (the 12 makes up the about the same length as the other prophets - on one scroll – list them on ppt.) – (We did Zachariah) The books of the 12 starts with God’s judgment on Israel’s unfaithfulness, and injustice and covenant breaking a call to repent to God’s people and a promise if they do God will restore them and a savoir is coming.

Jonah sits in the middle of warning about judgment and judgement. God shows mercy in Jonah to enemies of Gods people, it shows that God cares about the other nations and also animals (creation) – and stops his judgment as they stop doing evil after Jonahs words -like today. God does spare Nineve. But God later does judge Nineve in justice at a later time as Nahum warred.

Then if people don’t repent then God judges justly, for what evil they have done. (Like today also, if the grace of God in Jesus Christ it not what covers us, we are perfectly and justly going to be judged by God).  

Where are we: Look at Maps on PPT.

Who is Jonah, - son of Amittai, - where is he from Gath-hepher. PPT. 2 Kings 14:23–25

Jesus mentioned Jonah in: Matthew 12:39-41 + Luke 11:29-32

What time and what is the historical context? The kingdom is divided Israel in the north and Juda in the south. Jeroboam II (Did what was evil in the sight of the Lord) is king in Israel – About 793-753 BC. (Kings in Juda at the time Azariah and Uzziah). PPT with date.

What is Nineve? A great city. 120.000+ people. Who lives there? Assyria that is a rising power, in the region. PPT about what the Assyrians are known for.

Jonah 1:1-3. (A God that can’t be out run). God calls to go up. Jonah goes down.

The word of the Lord – comes to Jonah, and God gives him a mission. The mission is to go to Nineve and call out against it, because their evil has come up to God, God is aware of their sin. And will bring Judgment now against Nineve, against Jonah’s enemies the cruel people that enjoy boast about torturing and burning people.    

Well, is that a good thing? To call out against them for the evil they do? Or is a bad thing? Why does God send Jonah? (God will later use Assyria to judge Israel).

And why does Jonah respond the way he does? As Jonah hears the words of God, he gets up and starts walking to Nineve. (Rejoicing on the way praising the Lord for this great mission he was given).  

No, Jonah does get up, but it is to flee away to Tarsish (fare away from God) - away from the presents of the Lord. Jonah is in the run away from God, and goes (west) downto Joppa, and finds a ship going to Tarsish (away from Nineve faraway from God). Jonah pays to get on the ship and goes down in the ship, where we will find him sleeping later. What is Jonah doing – it is repeated for effect – Jonah is fleeing from Gods presents. (Down in the text is not georgical down, it is the opposite of obedience to God it is rebellion, and point towards Sheol death, down it taking steps away from God, towards owns own will and not Gods, it is to ignore ones mission to entertain ones own wishes that in the end leads to death).

We will much later find out why Jonah is running away.

But what is going on? God spoke to Jonah to deliver a massage to his enemies that their evil has come to God’s attention, and they should stop being evil. God is calling Jonah to something no other prophet has been called to go to another nation – (Other prophets has prophesized against other nations but did it at home to explain how God would judge the nations). Jonah is sent out to another nation a unike mission that Jonah got to confront his enemies with Gods words and the mission he was given. Is Jonah afraid? Would you be? If God asked you to do what he asked Jonah? (Because is that not our mission as Christians, to share the good news about Jesus to Gods and our enemies?).

Does Jonah think he can out run God? That he can hide from God?

Do we? What do we thing when we sin agist God and others? We might not think, if we think we can sin in secret we have a wrong understating of God. And so, does Jonah. God is only present is only in the temple – and, if I just get far away from the temple and God’s people then God will not find me or I will be away from his presents – and the 2 false worship sights and the temple where Gods presents is.

But the word came to Jonah, so that could have been when Jonah was close to God, so he runs way, The theological question and for our practice is – can Jonah run away from God? Does Jonah believe he can?

Jonah and we can’t run away from God, that is all places. Do we believe it?   

It can be a great help, Jesus is with me at work, in me and with me, God is all places and nothing is not outside his power and grasp. It lays us bear, God knows motives and intentions, as well as where we are all the time. There is no place to hide, we might hide from God, but God knows where we are. Like a child that puts their face in their hands to hind, and say come find me. (you are right there we can all see, you the only one that can’t see because you cover your eyes). Covering our eyes will not make God less able to see us.

How do we respond to God? With what God calls us to do? Do we fear, run away, hide? Or all of it? And why would we do that? Thinking about your daily life, what comes to mind?

We can choose like Jonah to go down – rebellion – and to live for our self.

To go up – to but grace of the Lord God, we may see who Jesus is as God showed that he loved the world as he sent Jesus.

God’s response to us:

God responded in sending Jesus to show us that he loved the world, God is in all places and the good news is that is right and good and God will judge all things rightly because God has se all things. God slow to anger abounding in steadfast love, but will judge. In Christ we don’t have to fear judgement, because of Jesus’ life and work, as we put or hope and faith in God.