Jonah: Resisting the call
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Intro to Jonah
Intro to Jonah
Biographical data on Jonah
Jonah is after Elisha the prophet
Elisha was focused on Israel (Northern kingdom) continually reminding them to repent in order to be spared from the Syrians.
The big picture message was that God showed Israel compassion and mercy despite their hardness of heart.
Jonah is now sent to a gentile nation to show God’s care for all people
similar vein as circumcision…God of all
Time of Assyrian weakness. Nineveh was a city in the Assyrian empire.
Eventually the Assyrians would become strong (Sennacherib) and go conquer the Northern Kingdom (capital: Samaria)
God showed mercy because of their repentance but eventually they would turn again and attack God’s people.
Opening Questions
What are reasons we resist God
What are the ways you resist God
God of all
God of all
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
What are the various reasons Jonah choose to flee from God?
What’s the point, God will show mercy regardless
Fear for his life....Assyrians were ruthless (Confirmed by archaeological digs)
Why would a nation of idols turn and repent to an unknown God. (Sounds ludicrous)
Fear of personal loss and premature judgement on the situation are common reasons why we may hold back from evangelizing.
We forget the power of God’s word
14 Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, “Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire And this people wood, and it will consume them.
When given the opportunity to speak, we must remind ourselves that it is God who knows the recipients past and future that has divinely orchestrated the present moment.
Jonah, like us, are messengers of God’s mercy. The challenge is for us to be obedient and brave in the moment, trusting in God to bring forth the fruit.
Don’t doubt the reach of God
Fleeing from God
Fleeing from God
4 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.”
Interesting: Jonah as a prophet heard the word of God, yet out of his reluctance to take up the mission, he though he could ‘flee’ from God.
Regardless of our level of knowledge and understanding of God, there is always more to learn. Jonah was learning of the transcendent reach of God.
Ex. Jacob left his ancestral home to Mesopotamia…Ladder/dream....’God is in this place’
The sleeping prophet
What is the significance of Jonah’s decision to sleep?
Its unbecoming of a prophet.
A prophet is to be spiritual vigilant especially in times of distress to seek clarity.
It’s an attempt to shut out God from the inside
7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?”
8 Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
Persistence of God
Despite Jonah’s desire to ‘flee’ God, like a father, will pursue after him. (The ways of God are endless)
The waves (Road blocks)
Non-believers
Signs
God’s desire is to illuminate us from the inside.
In the recounting of the story, the Gentile sailors were able to the significance of Jonah’s actions.
The reality of the situation became clear.
These moments of internal illumination prepare us for the corrective measures.
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you that the sea may be calm for us?”—for the sea was growing more tempestuous. 12 And he said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.” 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.
14 Therefore they cried out to the Lord and said, “We pray, O Lord, please do not let us perish for this man’s life, and do not charge us with innocent blood; for You, O Lord, have done as it pleased You.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.
The fruits of internal illumination
Clarity on next steps (even when counterintuitive)
Repent on the boat, say you’re sorry.
courage to take the steps
steadfastness to see it through despite resistance from others. (ie. sailors not wanting to anger God even more)
Ability to take the next step without knowing what is to come
Ministry behind the ministry
Fringe effect
Fringe effect
Tunnel Vision
Often times in our journey with God, we become tunnel visioned. Hyper-focused on our issue.
Loose sight of others around us.
God always sees the whole picture and masterfully utilizes every opportunity to reach others.
16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows. 17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
The Lord, in his pursuit of Jonah, was also pursuing after the sailors revealing himself to them.
What happened to the sailors re-enforces one of the major themes of the book…God is for all people.
Next week…prayers from the deep!