Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction: We are continuing through Jonah’s prayer, concluding with Jonah being expelled from the great fish.

This is a second opportunity for Jonah.

II.

Jonah’s Repenting: God’s Protection - Chapter 2

A. The Prayer Of Jonah v1-10

1.

The Person of the Prayer v1

2. The Reason of the Prayer v1,2

3. The Manner of the Prayer v2

4. The Place of the Prayer v2,3,5,6

5.

The Faith of the Prayer v4,6,7

This whole chapter deals with the prayer of Jonah from the moment he is cast overboard, to the moment when God commands the great fish to expel Jonah.

It begins with the introduction that Jonah is one praying here to God, the Bible says in verse 2 that he is in great affliction.

I have not really taken the time to center in on this, but if you can imagine the disgusting nature of being swallowed by a fish.

If you can image the horrible stench and smells.

If you can imagine the burning of stomach acid and the other things perhaps in the belly of this great fish.

It must of been quite horrific.

Jonah on the other side of this no doubt would have visible physical marks of being part of this fish’s digestive process when he hobbled into Nineveh in chapter 3.

He prays describing his plight.

He uses language such as:

vs. 3 “...thou hadst cast me into the deep...”

vs. 5“The waters compassed me about, even to the soul...”

He states that the earth was his bars and no doubt the sea weeds were as chains.

He speaks perhaps of a near death experience which gives us the understanding that this is a terrible and impossible situation.

But we see here in our text one hallmark of this prayer is Jonah’s faith toward the Lord.

Jonah cries out to His God in the midst of this affliction.

We now turn our attention to three last subjects concerning this prayer of Jonah.

We will discuss the conclusion of this prayer, the praise of the prayer and the result of this prayer.

Notice number 6 in your notes:

6.

The Conclusion of the Prayer v8,9

In the preceding verses, we have seen really the substance of Jonah’s praying.

In other words, what did Jonah say to the Lord and why did he say it.

When we get down to verse 8 and 9, we see Jonah’s conclusion.

This conclusion is a summary statement for Jonah.

In these very two verses we see a wealth of wisdom.

Verse 8 tells us, “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.”

Notice in this first statement the third word.

It is the word observe.

What does this word mean?

This word gives the idea of paying attention to, or watching but with the intent of obedience.

It is not just watching, but really has to do with following after.

The next word is pretty obvious for us to understand which is the word ‘lying.’

We would understand the word ‘lying’ means something that deceives.

But these two words, “lying” and “vanities” are to be taken together.

This expression ‘lying vanities’, has to do with the emptiness or worthlessness of idols.

Putting it all together we might say, that which is not God but obeyed as God.

In essence, Jonah is speaking of idolatry.

As we look at the text, we can see that this phrase here in verse 8, “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” is put in direct contrast with his statement in verse 9, “I will pay that that I have vowed.

Salvation is of the Lord.”

So that the opposing observations are this,

They that trust in anything other than God… they are abandoning there only means of mercy, their only means of Salvation.

This is both true in terms of our Salvation, but also is true in the context of God’s blessing upon my life as a Christian.

Example: If I were to go out and speak to someone about the Lord Jesus Christ i would begin witnessing to someone about who the Lord is and why it is that he came.

I might tell them about John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

I might explain that because of the fact that I am a sinner and the before God saved me, I was separated from Him and without hope.

I might explain to them that Jesus came to this earth from Heaven being God in the flesh and that He came with the purpose of seeking and saving the which was lost.

He came to save a person like me, separated from God because of my sin.

And there was a day when I understood this, that Jesus paid the price for my sin.

He was nailed to a cross, and there He bled and died on that cross because of my sin and the sin of the whole world.

I might tell them how the Bible describes Him declaring the He finished this work, and that He diesdand was buried.

I might continue and tell this person that by the operation of God he was victorious and came up out of the grave having finished the work paying for my sin and the sin of the whole world, and that He is alive for every-more.

And that the Bible says, all who will repent of their and sin and trust Him by faith can also be saved and forgiven even as I was many years ago.

That if they were willing and would cry out to God themselves in prayer expressing just that.

That they understand they are separated from God because of their sin and they believe in the Lord Jesus and what He did for them on the cross and they trust in Him for Salvation asking God to save them, the he promises He would!

I might tell someone that, but they might look at me and say, “Well that all well and good for you and I am glad you believe that, but I think I will just choose my own way.”

My friend, if someone rejects the Lord Jesus Christ they are forsaking their only means of Salvation they are forsaking the grace of God and His mercy.

Many might argue this today and state, “Aren't there many religions and many ways to God.

They are all basically the same just different names and different ways.”

“You have your way and that’s fine for you and I have my way and in the end in all accomplishes the same ends.”

My friend, the answer that Jonah has given is absolutely not!

We could summarize this statement by making note of several things:

We all need mercy.

In the New Testament, we would begin with this truth when we come to Jesus Christ for Salvation; this fact that we are sinners and in need of a Savior.

The Bible tells us that the wages of our sin is death, and we are in need of a Savior.

And this is the fact and plight of all humanity.

We are lost and undone without Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ in dealing with this subject told those that were deceived by their own self-righteousness this when he stated it this way, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

This starting place was to recognize this truth that we are sick and in need of a Savior.

That my righteousness as the Bible puts it is as “filthy rags.”

Not only in terms of Salvation, but we even as Christians are dependent upon the mercy and blessings of God as we see here in Jonah’s plight.

Remember Jonah is God’s man; He is a prophet.

Jonah was not a heathen man.

He certainly acted as a heathen man in His fleshly pride and disobedience.

We would understand that once we receive Christ as our Savior having come to a place where we understood that we needed to be saved, that our sins are dealt with.

Once we have received forgiveness because of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we will never be found guilty condemned to Hell.

But every day we walk in this world we can find ourselves as Jonah did in a place of disobedience and chastisement.

We can can find ourselves in need of God’s mercy having forsaken by our own sinful actions our place of blessing upon our lives.

How dangerous it is for us to think we could observe lying vanities and prosper in the way we are going?

Everything outside of the one true living God is false, deceptive, and empty.

When we look in the world today it is full of idols.

False substitutes for the One True Living God.

All around us are ‘lying vanities’ that are courting humanity saying, “Trust in me…” “Find your fulfillment over here” They come in all forms and types.

The end of which is empty and worthless.

There is no means of Salvation except by God.

When the Lord Jesus Christ stated in John 14:6 “..I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

He declared that He is the only way, He is the only truth, He is life.

There is no other means of Salvation.

Grace, Mercy and Peace are only found in Him.

There is no other way for a Christian to walk in this life but in fellowship with the Lord.

When we think about this powerful statement by Jonah, He is commenting on His own plight and instructing you and I even as a child of God that he forsook His own mercy for a time by breaking fellowship with God.