Jonah Sermon

Jonah’s Spiral Downward

By Jim Julian

Scripture: Jonah 1–4, especially Jonah 1:1–3: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.’ But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”

Introduction: The Book of Jonah differs from other minor prophets. It is a narrative, biographical rather than prophetic. It’s the story of a servant, a storm, and a sovereign God. Jonah is God-called but disobedient; the storm is God-appointed and God-controlled, and God’s powerful attributes are evident throughout the story. Jonah himself is a strange paradox: a prophet of God, and yet fleeing from God; thrown into the sea, yet alive; a preacher of repentance, yet needing repentance. He is pictured as sanctified in spots, self-willed, godly, courageous, prayerful, obedient after chastisement, bigoted, concerned with his own reputation, zealous for the Lord. As if this was not enough, Jonah is a great missionary book, and Jonah himself a great evangelist.

1.     The Rebellious Prophet (ch. 1).

A.     The Word Heard (vv. 1, 2). God spoke to Jonah and instructed him to go to the wicked city of Nineveh and cry against it because of its wickedness. This word from God was a definite word, a disturbing word, a distinct word, and a disobeyed word.

B.     The Will Hardened (v. 3). Jonah understood God’s Word and yet he was uncomfortable with God’s Word and unwilling to obey God’s Word. He acted as people often do who don’t like God’s commands—he rebelled and ran away, thus removing himself as far as possible from being under the influence of God.

C.     The Wrath Hurled (vv. 4–16). The truths embedded in these verses include the

   1.   directed storm (v. 4),

         2.   discovered sin (vv. 5–13), and the

         3.  devoted sailors (vv. 14–16).

D.     The Whale Handy (v. 17). The sailors cast Jonah into the sea and a huge fish swallowed him. Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Truths found in this verse include the

1.  prepared fish,

      2.  providential fact,

3.  prophetic figure, and the

4.  prophet’s fate.

2.     The Repentant Prophet (ch. 2).

A.     The Servant Speaks (vv. 1–9). These verses record Jonah’s

1.  supplication (v. 1),

2.  suffering (v. 2),

3.  statement (vv. 3–6),

4.  submission (vv. 7–8), and

5.  singing (v. 9).

Jonah’s prayer reveals a note of triumph. He prayed out of the belly of the fish but with an absolute confidence in God and in His deliverance. He had disobeyed God and God had disciplined him and now he abandoned his disobedience and vowed to be obedient—obey God’s Word.

B.     The Sovereign Speaks (v. 10). This verse reminds us of the

1.  faithfulness of Jehovah,

2.  freedom of Jonah, and

3.  focus on Jehovah and Jonah.

God caused the fish to vomit Jonah up on dry land. God hears and heeds the prayers of His people.

3.     The Re-commissioned Prophet (ch. 3).

A.     The Willing Prophet (vv. 1–4).

  1.  The Renewed Commission (vv. 1–2). God is a God of second chances. Illustrations abound that confirm this—Peter, Thomas, John Mark, and Samson. God disciplines Jonah for his rebellion, Jonah repents, and the word of the Lord comes a second time. This time Jonah is ready to obey God’s word. He recognized that this second chance was undeserved, unexpected, unparalleled, unique, and unequivocal. God did not change the task but changed His man.

2.  The Ready Compliance (vv. 3–4). Jonah is as ready to obey now as he was to disobey in the beginning.

B.     The Wicked People (vv. 5–9). The people of Nineveh responded to the message of Jonah. They

1.  believed (v. 5).

2.  It affected their behavior (v. 5).

3.  The repentance began with the leaders and extended to the people (vv. 6–7).

4.  They beseeched God for mercy (vv. 8–9).

C.     The Wondrous Pardon (v. 10). God saw their conduct and spared the city. Divine judgment was averted.

4.     The Raging Prophet (ch. 4). Jonah was filled with rage when God spared the city.

A.     The Grieved Prophet (vv. 1–5).

      1.  His grief (v. 1) in light of God’s action reveals his shortsightedness, selfishness, stubbornness, and superficiality.

2.  His grip (v. 2) indicated that he knew this would be God’s response to the repentance of the people of Nineveh and he didn’t want God to withhold judgment.

3.  His groaning (v. 3). Jonah wanted to die.

4.  His grace (v. 4). God responded to Jonah’s attitude and actions with gentle, gracious grace.

5.  His grudge (v. 5). He went out of the city and made a booth and sat in its shadow waiting to see what God would do.

B.     The Gracious Provision (vv. 6–11). God dealt with Jonah by using:

1.  the plant (v. 6),

2.  the pest (v. 7),

3.  the passion (v. 8), and

4.  the principle (vv. 9–11).

Conclusion: The love of God in our hearts will constrain us to that full commitment which God sought from Jonah and which he received so joyfully from Paul. To be an effective servant of the Lord one must, like Jonah, die to the lusts, the attractions, allurements, and rewards which man has to offer and be content with the compensation which God gives. We must be worldwide witness. We must hear God’s call to a solemn, sacred stewardship of life and possessions.

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[1]Morgan, R. J. 2002. Nelson's annual preacher's sourcebook : 2003 edition (electronic ed.) . Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nashville