2020-05-10-LIVE OAKS - Part 3
Just to see that a little bit deeper into the depths of the truth of your word where I thought I had it. I thought I knew it. I thought I had it down and your work continues to surprise me. And this week is no exception. So thank you for this adventure in studying the book about your prophet Jonah, but even more than that just about you working in the life of your prophet Jonah. So continue that study this morning mightily and clearly speak through me if you will speak around me if you must but please God speak Holy Spirit speak and give us the ears to hear it in your name. We pray I'll min. Also, just remember again. It's never been easier to invite friends to church. You just click the share button and you just never know if if if there's a theme going on in the series enjoy. It's it's the absolute sovereignty of God. So you just do not know what God might Sovereign Lee do with with a quick share of this. What sound so self-important a broadcast?
Whatever it is. You never know what God might do with it. So in the story of Jonah to book in the Book of Jonah the story in the Book of Jonah. What is the one element that universally known whether you crack the Bible or not? The one element of the story is that Jonah get swallowed by a whale a great fish. Whatever doesn't matter to big thing that lives in the water and it swallowed Jonah. That's the one thing that we all know all of us know Friend or Foe biblical scholar doesn't matter. You know that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. 1 things out by the way is enzyme. I've become more and more bothered by the words Story the words story to me just has this bothers some connotation that comes with it. Like it's like story means that it's made up or it's a fable or it's just a few notes just poetic or it's just for children. The fancier word is narrative narrative is just a fancy word for story. I'm bothered by this. I don't I don't like the default mode that my mind goes into when I hear story or narrative. I think you know it it's it's made up or it would like I said, it's a parable or it's for kids. There is zero evidence in the Bible. That the The Narrative the account of Jonah is allegorical or just a poem or a parable or or something even remotely it is it a made-up morality tale for Israel. There is no biblical evidence that this is anything other than a historical accounting of something that actually happened.
Can a narrative have allegorical application for us today? Yes can a real story have application for a sedate? You look at the fall of the Roman Empire or rather? Don't ruin your day. Don't look at the fall of the Roman Empire because you will see these amazing parallels between today and our own country and culture just because it's a it's an accounting or a narrative or story doesn't mean that it didn't happen. Also doesn't mean that it can't be applied that we can't apply things. You learn to true's from one in and apply it to another Sam. He's been helping me paint in the children's ministry wing of the building to the Second Story banister and then resting the 16 foot extension ladder into that Loop of rope. And then I scale up the ladder to replace the ceiling fan like he could give an accounting of that. Right. I'll be a store you can apply maybe some wisdom either, you know on display or the opposite of on display and you can apply that to your own life. Don't do that. Right. It's a story. It's an accounting. It's a narrative doesn't mean it didn't happen doesn't mean it's not applicable. Does The Narrative of Jonah does the narrative contain poetry or was it written in a poetic fashion? Yes. Does that make it a historical just because it's written in a poetic fashion. Does that mean that it didn't really happen?
Well, listen to these words. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men all men are created equal. Now, we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that Nation or any Nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that Nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate we cannot consecrate we cannot hallow this ground the brave men living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract the world will little note nor long. Remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to The Unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us that from these honored dead. We take increased Devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the People by the people for the people shall not perish from the Earth.
Was that poetry?
Did it really happen? Yes, and yes, just because something is poetic doesn't mean that it was made up or did not happen.
Distance from an event and the lyrical nature of its recounting does not dissolve its Mooring to reality.
We're a long way. from the prophet Jonah geographically historically, we are a long way from what happened. It was recorded for us in beautiful poetic. prophetic word
So speak really plainly. There is only one reason to doubt the accounting of Jonah. and the whale our own embarrassment
Our own hearts are embarrassed by our own minds that we could believe something so far-fetched and foolish.
Are unsophisticated skepticism is embarrassed by once childlike faith that believe the narrative As Told. We are embarrassed in front of Academia and want to be intellectually accepted.
There is no biblical reason to doubt any aspect of this story.
There is no reason inside the Bible. the gout what the Bible says in the Jonah account So we have to decide are we going to be Bible people or not?
4 seams repeat them again the force teams of our time in the Book of Jonah number one God's absolute sovereignty over all things. Number to God's Mighty compassion toward the traumatically undeserving. Number three Gods unwavering commitment to his own plan and number for the purpose and power and promise result of repentance. There is not a number five number five is not modern intellectual superiority over the ancient mind and their feeble attempt to understand events in nature. That is not Fein number 5. We're going to stick with our four. And you see all four on powerful display and just the next few verses. Jonah 1 verse 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.
This word appointed the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah that word appointed is a powerful one. This is the first of four uses of the word appointed. Receipts year in 117 appointed a great fish God the Lord appointed a great fish. We see it in 4 verse 6 God appointed a plant. We see it in four verse seven got a pointed a worm. We see it in 4 verse 8 got appointed a scorching East Wind. This is a lot of appointing that God is doing God is appointing all of these things from a fish to a plant to a worm to the wind. God is appointing and what he appoints Bays. Cushing's to reinforce our first theme God's absolute sovereignty over all things if you go okay storms at sea fish that live in the sea. To the dust of the ground. Two worms in planning that doesn't leave a lot to be excluded from that list of absolute sovereignty maybe that the Hebrew the actual Hebrew of that word appointed could shed some light. It's another awesome. I'm going to murder it right? Here we go, Mah, Na Mah Na Mah Na Mah Na just sounds like another Hebrew grandmother.
Mona's matzo balls. I don't know. Brandon Tommy the Hebrew word mono. Here's the Strong's exhaustive Concordance definition of this Hebrew word. A point count number prepare set tell A Primitive root properly to way out by implication to a lot or constitute officially also to enumerate or enroll a point count number prepare set tell it could also be translated Destin. or muster I like mustard. What it what is a what is a what is a general do on behalf of the king musters the troops musters the forces commands them leads them out on the field of battle. This is God mustering. This is God destiny destiny.
Sure.
Destiny yeah, we're going to go with it.
this is why I love the Bible it's why I love Hebrew it's why I hope Jesus sends me to Seminary one day
this is this is the part where it where am I study of Jonah the Book of Genesis comes out of nowhere and give me the surprise wet willy
because in looking where else the Old Testament uses the same word you can come to Genesis chapter 13 we're going to begin in verse 14 Genesis 13 14 through 17 the Lord said to Abram after lot had separated from him lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your Offspring forever I will make your Offspring as the dust of the earth so that if one can count mono
So if one can count the dust of the earth your Offspring also can be counted mono same word. Arise walk through the LinkedIn Brett for the land for I will give it to you and all of my study of Genesis whenever I'd come upon G. Yes. It was the voice of Jesus you're offering to get out number that you know, the grains of sand the Stars. It's that word and it doesn't just mean count them on a spreadsheet. It means have command of them can can call them to be counted in the right column. Can muster them can Destin them? So God when he's talking to Abram God is Not Just Looking Down the corridor of time and in counting all those who happened to be a descendant of Abram. God is saying I am a point for you descendants that will outnumber the stars of the sky in the dust of the ground. This is God's appointing.
I am in awe. of the sovereignty of God We serve a God that can appoint a whale as easily as he can appoint the dust of the earth as easily as he can appoint a people.
You doubt the appointing of the great fish. You doubt the appointing of God's people you doubt the appointing of dust.
And were we not made from the appointing of dust?
Just molded and shaped by the hands of Jesus the Same hands. He appointed to be pierced by hands. He appointed to save the people. He appointed to outnumber the dust of the earth and inhabit the land he has appointed to be reshaped by the pierced hands of the appointed savior.
Our God is sovereign. over all in all
The sure let's go ahead and let our embarrassment keep us from fully embracing this truth. The god appointed a great fish. It'll make us much more palatable to people who don't believe fairy tales.
Jonah 1:17 in the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Does that sound familiar we keep coming across these little little little nuggets in Jonah. That sounds so familiar. Matthew 12 starting a verse 38 then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him Jesus saying teacher we wish to see a sign from you but he answered them and evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish. So will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold something greater than Jonah is here. Got a pointed this historical event of Jonah being swallowed by a whale and existing in that way all for 3 days. Tubi TV sign of Jesus given to that Wicked generation
Sure seems Jesus didn't doubt his Sabbath school teacher.
Seems like Jesus Took.
the scriptures at their word
now Jonah chapter 2 starting in verse 1
then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. from the belly of the fish Then Jonah prayed so pretty that's a pretty packed then right? I like you. You go. I mean, you know Week 1 and week to read it for yourself that Dan is at such a potent then then Jonah prayed you almost had finally. Cuz we would have been so much more beating. I just know it. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish. I want to I want to read Jonah's prayer in its entirety. And then I'd like to jump back in and look at a few things. but you wanted to
I called out to the Lord. out of my distress and he answered me. Out of the belly of sheol that that's that's the Hebrew word means place of the Dead bike ride. And you heard my voice? For you cast me into the deep. Into the Heart of the Seas and the flood surrounded me all your waves in your Billows passed over me. Then I said I am driven away from your site yet. I shall again look upon your Holy Temple. The waters closed in over me to take my life. The Deep surrounded me weeds were raps about my head. At the roots of the mountains, I went down to the Lord whose bars closed up upon me forever yet. You brought up my life from the pit. Oh Lord my God. When my life was fainting away. I remembered the Lord. In my prayer came to you into your Holy Temple. Those who pay regard to Vain Idols forsake their hope of steadfast love but I with the voice of Thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will pay salvation Belongs to the Lord. salvation Belongs to the Lord
back in verse to go back to the beginning. What does go to the beginning of of Jonah chapter 2 starting a verse 1? Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish. 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.
That's the prayer. Really. That's the whole prayer that that's the bookends of Jonah's prayer. That's the beginning and the end. That's the cause and the effect Jonah prayed. From where? He called out from where? the metaphorical Belly of the metaphorical fish I'm not sure how watertight a metaphor is. I mean on a metaphor is there like a printed warning saying this is not to be used as a life-saving device mean if someone is drowning, can you throw a metaphor to them so they can stay afloat? Steven fries, you know air not water donut cry out from a metaphor. No, he called out. He cried out. He prayed out desperately from the fish.
Johnny says And God you heard my voice. I cried out and you heard my voice.
Jonah pray this prayer from the belly of some aquatic beasts that was appointed.
He called out and he answered what a beautiful bottom line. That is. Make baby, that's the bottom line of encouragement that you need today Jonah cried out. And God answered. No, I'm not making a metaphor of this. There's a man named Jonah. There was a great fish. That was a point just swallow him and from the belly of that fish. He prayed I'm betting though, you are not currently in the belly of an actual fish. But maybe you do feel that way this morning.
Just just you just feel swallowed up.
Did the beauty of of Jonah's prayer the power of Jonah's prayer instant ideas why I wanted to read it first that the picture that had painted in my mind. And I mean, it just could be that I've seen Lord of the Rings too many times, but
You might not follow along with me. But Samwise gamgee. He's he's swimming after Frodo because Gandalf said you follow him Samwise gamgee. And so Sam was but he could not swim and he's drowning in the water and he's clawing at the water and it just keeps sinking almost like the water takes upon his life itself almost at the water has hands to hold on to something pulling down to is that how you feel this morning? You feel like you're just being swallowed up and you can't breathe Jonah cried out and God answered cry out to God. Right. Let's cry out to him together father. I don't know who is swallowed up right now.
I don't know who's drowning right now. On on their behalf. We cry out. Hear their prayers they are crying out to you answer them as you did Jonah.
John a 2:1 through 3 than Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish. 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 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?
Don't lose it. Don't let it pass you by. Don't just keep breathing real fast. So doesn't catch up to you.
Jonah says you cast me into the deep.
You're when you're Billows passed over me.
Wasn't the wickedness of the sailors that cast Jonah into the deep we talked about that last week. They're surprisingly stand up dudes for being Pagan sailors.
Got cast Jonah.
into the deep Jonah believe that and he's the one in the water. Are we to say I'm sorry. It's so silly clearly God wouldn't. Maybe you could just make sure you fill up your mind with garbage statements like the God. I know my God wouldn't cash Jonah into the waters.
My God wouldn't cause the torrent. the waves in the pillows
and you don't know these guys.
Genesis you cast me into the deep.
Stop be so eager to give the glory of waves and Billows to our enemy. The waves and Billows may very well be God's finger painting for you. Not Satan's finger pointed against you.
God might be doing something awesome in your life and he's using misery.
To accomplish it he's using a desperate A desperate situation that you cannot see the way out of she could very well be causing that desperate situation to bring you where he wants and needs you to be.
I don't want to beat a beached whale here.
But can you wrap your mind around the sovereignty of God on display? Forgive me. I I just I just started typing. Every sailor on that ship had a mother and father that met and married a family a birthplace a life path and education training circumstances that led them to be V men on that ship. Nihilist, I forget to ship every board and bolt and Peg and the line and bit of pitch and tar. and sale in or how to treat a seed a blossom that needed sunlight and water and wind to be planted and grown and harvested And what about the shipbuilders They too had a birth place a life path and education training circumstances that led them to be the man that built that ship. And what about the great fish? The great fish had a mommy and a daddy that love each other very much and gave each other a special hug.
That great fish follow the currents and temperature zones and followed its own instinctual appetite for food that great fish follows. I don't know Grill. To be right where it needed to be.
That's why I'm a sovereignty of God guy.
I forgive me if you think I'm taking this too far, but hear me.
Imagine it's the Friday of Passover. in Jerusalem And you have brought your family from Cyrene. To come and celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. And as you walk across a big broad field your son starts a chase after a beautiful butterfly and you call out to your son. Come back come back here. You're running away too far come back. I need to keep an eye on you come back and the boy trips and he falls and breaks his leg.
So instead of going to the city square instead of going to the temple instead of going and celebrating it and hearing this the big fuss about town about a man who could have been the Messiah being crucified instead of being there. You have to take your son to a doctor to a Healer to tend to his leg.
And there you are Simon strong and strapping.
Not along the path. Where Jesus would walk dragon that cursing tree up a hill you weren't there to take that cross and carry it the rest of the way. So Jesus dies in the street short of Golgotha.
Our God is Sovereign and he appoints or he is not sovereign. Now here's a poem.
Attributed to Benjamin Franklin, but we're not quite sure. For want of a nail the shoe was lost for want of a shoe. The horse was lost for want of a horse. The rider was lost for want of a writer than message was lost for want the message. The battle was lost for want of the battle. The kingdom was lost.
and all for the want of a horseshoe nail
God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah immediately discerns what many of us miss?
God did not save Jonah from a great fish. God save Jonah from drowning. Through the appointing other great fish to save him.
From what? a tort A torrent that was a response to Jonah's disobedience.
God save Jonah from Jonah God save Jonah from God's own rap
They could rightly have been poured out upon Jonah for his Disobedience. God is Awesome appointing sovereignty save Jonah Jonah recognizes and Praises God for his goodness and his sovereignty.
Jonah 2:2, I called out to the Lord out of my distress and he answered me out of the belly of Shield. I cried and you heard my voice 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.
Then I said I am driven away from your site yet. I shall again look upon your Holy Temple. The waters closed in over me to take my life. The Deep surrounded me weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land who is bars closed up on me forever. Yet you brought up my life from the pit.
Oh Lord, my God.
What are themes for the study? God's absolute sovereignty over all things God's Mighty compassion toward the traumatically undeserving. And God's unwavering commitment to his own plan. Can't you just see it all so clearly even in just the prayer that Jonah praise and then this is beautiful Jonah 2 starting in verse 9. When my life was fainting away. I remembered the Lord. And my prayer came to you. Into your Holy Temple those who pay regard to Vain Idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.
But I with the voice of Thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will pay salvation Belongs to the Lord. The commentators will say that the Jonah was alluding to the idolatrous nature of the sailors on the ship when he says for those who pay regard to Vain Idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. I think Jonah was talking about himself. I think Jonah was recognizing the idolatry of his own comfort of his own security of his own laziness of his own contempt for the ninevites.
His own sense is on his own sense of justice and not gods. but here in these three verses we see our four theme of repentance. This is Jonah repenting of his sin repenting of his rebellions rebelling.
repenting of his fear
Repenting of of his thinking that He Could Be the One Sovereign Lee in charge of his own life. Receive repentance the purpose and power and promise results result of repentance.
And in response to Jonah's repentance what happens? Jonah 2:10
and the Lord spoke to the fish in the Beautiful.
the Lord spoke to the fish and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
God promises salvation for the repentant our God is sovereign. He's compassionate. He's committed to his own plan. Any promises salvation for the repentant? Let's pray.
God may I not just recognize my sin? but repent of it
I means cry out for New Direction and then walk in that new Direction.
May we commit the truth of Jonah's prayer to our own Heart Holy Spirit. May you commit the truth of Jonah's prayer to our own Arts? Where are the idols in our hearts?
Where where's the where's the clenched fist at your sovereignty? in our hearts Where's our Rebellion? Where's our anger? Where's our lack of compassion? Towards those who who need to hear.
the truth of your word the truth of your power that prove the truth of your justice, but also the truth of your compassion.
Forgets her thinking that that compassion can't be found in the Old Testament. I am I just see it in in in every stroke of the pen.
Written here in the accounting of what you did in the life of Jonah. I'm excited about us continuing our study in the next couple weeks. But God there is so much richness here in and for that we can only thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
In your name we pray amen.
As always I welcome you to to continue and worship in the giving of of his ties in our offerings at our live. Oak Bible Church. Org website or just follow links. It's all there are sending a check or what not. I said all the time God doesn't need your money. It is live just take me at my word take us at our word. It's just an opportunity to worship. It's just an opportunity to place faith in him. Not in the largeness of your pile that you were able to amass. But facing him.
And I want to extend another just happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in our fellowship and Beyond you are treasured here.
Mom if you're watching I love you. Thank you. Praying for you and praying with you. Thank you, Jesus. Let's go and be his people today till we meet again in his name almond.