Jonah's God Part 2

Recap:

Last time we talked about Jonah’s God -

Two specific attributes mentioned in the Book of Jonah:

The Sovereignty of God: His absolute and unrivaled rule over all his creatures and their circumstances.

The Immutability of God: The doctrine of divine immutability affirms God’s freedom from all change.

Where God is said to change his mind, to repent, or to move from one emotional state to another, we understand that he is revealing his unchanging character in judgment at one time and in grace at another. When we see a different side of God’s face, it is not because he has changed, but because we have changed in relation to him. At the same time, God shows his immutability in remaining perfectly faithful to his promises. What God wills he will do, and what he begins he will complete. God’s immutability is not an obstacle to human relationship to God but is the foundation for trust in him.1

1 Joel B. Carini, “God’s Immutability,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).

Tonight I want to continue our discussion of God’s attributes in Jonah

Jonah’s God - Full of Grace and Mercy: READ: Jonah 1:4-16

We talked last time about God’s immutability or not changing. But I also mentioned about God “repenting” or “relenting”

One said, “Where God is said to change his mind, to repent, or to move from one emotional state to another, we understand that he is revealing his unchanging character in judgment at one time and in grace at another. When we see a different side of God’s face, it is not because he has changed, but because we have changed in relation to him. At the same time, God shows his immutability in remaining perfectly faithful to his promises. What God wills he will do, and what he begins he will complete. God’s immutability is not an obstacle to human relationship to God but is the foundation for trust in him.1

1 Joel B. Carini, “God’s Immutability,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).”

SO to put it this way, Jonah was running from the presence of the LORD and God sent a storm in judgment and discipline.

It was so bad the men who were seasoned sailors feared for their life.

They also knew it wasn’t just a natural storm, but it was something supernatural.

They talk in the “if” in Jonah 1:6 “If so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.”

But not only was God disciplining Jonah - He was introducing Himself to some sailors.

Jonah tells them who it is he serves: “I fear the LORD, the God of heaven...” Jonah 1:9

When you get to Jonah 1:14 you find these sailors calling upon Jonah’s God!!! They cry for mercy, and grace.

Just an interesting side note: Notice Jonah never prays. He never prays for safety, he doesn’t pray for the sailors)

Jonah 1:16 tells us they reverently feared the LORD (Notice in verse 6 the designation God is used, but now it is the all caps LORD - they became followers of YAHWEH or Jehovah.)

God’s grace and mercy even reached out to assumed gentile pagan hardened men, but when introduced to Almighty God they crumbled at His feet - that is God’s grace and mercy.

They offered a sacrifice and made vows. - “The mariners are gripped in the end by a profound sense of aw of YHWH’s readiness to reveal himself and at his responsiveness to their great need. Never have they encountered a deity so forthcoming regarding his will and so ready to deliver those who turn to him in humble petition.” ~ Kevin J. Youngblood Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the OT, Jonah

2. Another incident of God’s grace and mercy is when Jonah is in the Big Fish

Sending the fish in itself is an act of mercy

But here is where Jonah Prays. (Jonah 2)

He prays “by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD”

He goes on in Jonah 2:2 “Out of the belly of hell cried I...” Jonah uses a unique expression here.

He goes on in Jonah 2:5 “The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.”

He is in deepest darkest despair.

He knows it is penalty for his disobedience

But Jonah follows up (obviously this was written after the fact)

“and thou heardest my voice”

God’s grace - and delivered him from that.

Tim Keller wrote, “Grace becomes, as it were, the background music of your life.”

3. God’s grace and mercy reaches the people of Nineveh - when they hear the pronouncement of judgement they all fall on their face in sackcloth and ashes or deep humility and God hears them and stays his hand.

4. A fourth time God’s grace and mercy is shown to Jonah is in the last chapter.

Tim Keller in his book on Jonah proposes that we can make a reasonable guess about how Jonah ultimately responded to God”

The book of Jonah ends in a cliff hanger.

But Keller asks some questions:

How do we know Jonah was so recalcitrant, defiant, and clueless?

How do we know that he made that unbelievable “I hate the God of love” speech?

How do we know about his prayer inside the fish?

Keller says the only way we could possibly know these things is if Jonah told others.

What kind of man would let the world see what a fool he was? Only someone who had become joyfully secure in God’s love. Only someone who believed that God’s grace and mercy was active in his life.

I read about William Holland one of the young men who was in the Holy Club. One night they were reading Luther’s commentary on Galatians. Holland was so moved that he later wrote, “Mr. Charles Welsey read the Preface aloud. At the words, ‘What, have we then nothing to do? NO! Nothing but only accept of Him, Who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.’ There came such a power over me as I cannot well describe; my great burden fell off in an instant; my heart was so filled with peace and love that I burst into tears. I almost thought I saw our Savior! My companions, perceiving me so affected, fell on their knees and prayed. When I afterwards went into the street, I could scarcely feel the ground I trod upon.”

Charles Wesley encountered the Grace of God in similar fashion. He wrote about it in one of my favorite hymns;

“Long my imprisoned spirit lay

Fast bound in sin and nature’s night

Thine eye diffused a quickening ray.

I woke, My dungeon flamed with light.

My chains fell off, my heart was free

I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

Grace changed Jonah and Grace changes us!!!