Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet - 14

Introduction: Verses 1 and 2 describe for us the repetition of the command for Jonah to go and preach to the city of Nineveh. Verses 3 and 4 describes Jonah’s obedience as he enters into the city and preaches the message that God gives him.

We concluded last week looking at Jonah’s obedience to the command God gave him.

In verse 2, we see the command and it states, “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.”

Verse 3 then tells us that Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh.

As you and I see this, we might observe the promptness of Jonah to obey the Lord.

This is another vital lesson for us.

The Bible does not tell us that Jonah sat on deliberated as to whether or not to go. It simply states that Jonah arose.

Not only did he go to Nineveh, but we see Jonah’s actions at least up until this point are according to the Word of the Lord.

Last week we emphasized this matter of obedience.

We must carry out of the Lord’s instructions according to God’s ways.

God commanded Jonah to use the same method that has been in use down through the ages; preaching. (Heralding His Word)

One of the very earliest records of this in Jude verses 14,15 which states “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

We could continue to trace through the record that God has given us and discover that Noah proclaimed God’s message.

Noah proclaimed God’s Word.

II Peter 2:5 tells us that [God] “...spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

And on down the line, we will find in the Scriptures that God continues to use the “foolishness of preaching...”

Not only are we to preach, but I would like to emphasize this point; we are to preach His Word.

This is so vitally important in the day in which we live.

We do not approach the World with a system of ethics.

We do not approach the World with a system of psychology or even a philosophical way of thinking.

We are to herald the Word of God.

II Timothy 4:2 states, “2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Isaiah the prophet, who gave His life for serving the Lord, said it this way in Isaiah 21:10 “10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: That which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Have I declared unto you.”

We might rightly ask the question:

How important is us to herald the truth in this generation?

Some might say, “Shouldn't we come up with some other method, some other way?”

The answer is no.

God’s method to declare His Word by the foolishness of preaching is still the same.

God uses His people to declare His message.

For you and I this is our commission.

We oftentimes think about the pastor when we see this New Testament term to ‘preach’ because of our association with our pastor preaching each and every week.

And therein is truth in this setting, the Pastor gets up to herald the Word of God to you and I.

This is fitting and proper, this is main part of his calling.

But you and I are called to preach the Gospel to those that are without Christ.

The Bible says in Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

That word ‘preach’ is the word kērussō -‘κηρύσσω’, which simply means to herald or publish the truth. It the same word that is found in that familiar passage in Romans chapter 10 which says,

Romans 10:8-15 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

In speaking of these very verses, John Gill is his commentary states, “there is no hearing the word explained without preaching; explaining the word is preaching. There is no hearing of Christ, and salvation by him, without the preaching of the Gospel; the usual and ordinary way of hearing from God, and of Christ, is by the ministry of the word: this shows not only the necessity and usefulness of the Gospel ministry, but also points out the subject matter of it, which is Christ, and him crucified.”

You and I are to herald the truth and we see in our text that God was sending Jonah to declare His message.

We do not discover the specifics of the message given to Jonah until we arrive in verse 4.

The Bible says in verse 4, “…and he [Jonah] cried and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

This is a hard message preach. This is most certainly a message of condemnation.

Imagine the going into not just a foreign country, but a country who is an enemy to your nation.

Your message to be delivered, is that in 40 days this city shall fall.

Back in verse two we have also described for us something particular about this city.

God calls Nineveh a great city.

Jonah 1:2 we find the same expression, “that great city.”

Jonah 4:11 we again find that the Lord calls this a great city.

In Jonah 3:3 we see it is described as an exceeding great city.

What are we to understand about this?

There are some points that you and I are to know.

Nineveh was great in its size.

God described it as such. We have this phrase “three days journey” to emphasize this.

2. Nineveh was great in wickedness.

Remember in Jonah chapter 1 that the Lord describes these people in this city as being great it wickedness. (Jonah 1:2)

3. Nineveh was in great need.

We will see at the end of Jonah this point given attention to by God.

Because of the size of this city and the abounding wickedness, there was a great need that existed there.

Example: I think about our missionaries that we support that are in places like New York City and Boston. In those cities, great wickedness abounds. In those cities there is a great need for the preaching of the Gospel.

Think about the immensity of this task given to Jonah by God.

Considering this to be a great city, with great wickedness that had a great need, Jonah had a tremendous task ahead of him.

One expositor described fictitiously:

Imagine Jonah was on his way to Nineveh and found himself travelling alongside of someone else. Imagine if that person was able to pry out of Jonah his impending mission, to go to Nineveh. Imagine if Jonah divulged the message that he was to preach, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

Perhaps that stranger, that companion would begin to counsel Jonah… Aren’t you scared of going to that city? Don’t you know how fierce the Assyrians are? Maybe you should rethink this?

To which Jonah would reply, scared? I am going to do what God told me, that’s the safest place to be.

If you want to experience something scary, disobey God and see what happens to you!

We can draw some parallels to the day in which we live.

It is an immense task that has been given to local churches, to preach the Gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

Just in our area alone statistically there are 137,000 people in the city of Hampton (2020 - Census.gov).

In Newport News, there are approx. 186,000 people (2020 - Census.gov)

What a tremendous amount of people that need to hear the Gospel!

We would understand that there are some already saved within that population count.

There would be others as well who are not yet of age to comprehend the Gospel.

That withstanding, I think it is a fair statement to say that the need is great just to reach folks here in Hampton and Newport News with the Gospel.

Let us now turn our attention to the later part of verse 4.

Notice with me the message that Jonah preached.

The Bible says, “…and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

Can you imagine it? Jonah entering into this great city and preaching a message of destruction.

Here he preaches not an ultimatum, but rather a matter of fact that God has given him.

I want you to notice that Jonah spoke with great passion.

The Bible says, he didn’t just speak but he preached or cried unto them.

The sense is that Jonah spoke with authority.

And he could do so because he was announcing not His message but God’s message.

Not only did Jonah speak with passion, but

Jonah was serious about what he was saying.

Albert Barnes stated this, “He cries, what God had commanded him to cry out, without reserve or exception.”

This leads us really to examine ourselves in delivering God’s message to this World.

Are we earnest about it?

Secondly, I want you to see that the message that God gave for Jonah was plain.

This is a wonderful truth that ought not to be looked over.

God gave a plain message to the people.

There is no difficulty in understanding this message.

I am so thankful that our Wonderful Lord and Savior gave us the plain message of Salvation.

Example:

We think about politicians, that they sometimes major in not speaking plainly, but rather concealing the truth.

You’ve seen this play ought a million times, where a reporter will ask a challenging question to someone addressing a particular situation.

And in that moment the politician perhaps not wanting to answer that question plainly, skillfully replies leaving lots of ambiguity and perhaps redirecting your attention to something entirely unrelated.

You and I can thank the God and we should thank God that He has plainly communicated with us.

Nineveh was put on notice: “Yet forty days...”

It is very interesting that the LORD chose to use the amount of time as 40.

When we go back and look at the Scriptures we find that particular number associated with many events.

Remember that nothing is in the Scriptures by accident. There is nothing superfluous.

We may at times make a “mountain out of a mole hill..,” but I believe that the Scriptures testify to the significance of this number 40.

Here are the references:

(1) The catastrophic worldwide flood. Genesis 7:4; Genesis 7:12

“4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.”

“12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.”

(2) Issac’s choice of a wife at the age of 40 opposed to Esau’s choice of a wife at the age of 40.Genesis 25:20; Genesis 26:34

“20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.”

“34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:”

(3) Moses Life is three distinct 40 year segments

First 40 - in Egypt

Second 40 - in Midian

Third 40 - in the Wilderness

(4) The Children of Israel were fed for forty years before they came to the borders of the Promised Land. Exodus 16:35

“35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.”

(5) Moses on the Mountain with God to receive the Law. Exodus 24:18

“18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.”

(6) Moses on the Mountain with God to receive the Law a second time. Deuteronomy 9:25; Deuteronomy 10:10

“25 Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you.”

“10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also, and the Lord would not destroy thee.”

(7) The twelve spies spy out the land. (Just as a side note, Caleb was 40 years old when he went in to spy out the land. He was one of two that gave a favorable report.) Numbers 13:25

“25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.”

(8) The judgement rendered because they did not obey the Lord and enter into the land. Numbers 14:33-34; Number 32:13; Deuteronomy 2:7; Deuteronomy 8:2

“33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness. 34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.”

“13 And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed.”

“7 For the Lord thy God hath thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.”

“2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.”

(9) Forty stripes only allowed in punishment. Deuteronomy 25:3

“3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.”

(10) Othniel’s judgeship and the Israelites decision following back into evil. Judges 3:11-12

“11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. 12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.”

(11) Deborah and Barak’s victory at the hand of Jael and Israels decision following back into evil. Judges 5:31-6:1

“31 So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord: But let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And the land had rest forty years. 1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.”

(12) The great victory of Gideon, the snare of the Gideon’s Ephod. Judges 8:27-28

“27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house. 28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.”

(13) 40 Years in the hand of the Philistines. Judges 13:1

“1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.”

(14) Eli judged Israel for 40 years and was judged by God. I Samuel 4:18

“18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.”

(15) Goliath taunted the Israelites 40 days I Samuel 17:16

“16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.”

(16) First three kings reigned 40 years Saul (Acts 13:21), David (I Kings 2:11), and Solomon (I Kings 11:42)

(17) Elijah’s meeting with God in Horeb. I Kings 19:8

“8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”

(18) Joash’s reign as king, started well but ended not so well. II Kings 12:1; II Chronicles 24:17-18; See also II Chronicles 24

“1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.” See also II Chronicles 24

“17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them. 18 And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.”

(19) Ezekiels commanded sign and Judah’s judgment. Ezekiel 4:6

“6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

(20) Judgement upon Egypt. Ezekiel 29:11; Ezekiel 29:12,13

“11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.”

“13 Yet thus saith the Lord God; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:”

(21) The 40th book of the Bible is the book of Matthew the 1st Gospel record.

(22) The fasting and temptation our Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 4:2

“2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.”

(23) The Lord’s time with the disciples after the resurrection before the ascension. Acts 1:3

“3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:”

(24) Stephen’s preaching in Acts 7 referencing the above events of Isreal

As I look at these occurences, I see that these occurences have to do with trial, probation, chastisement and humiliation.

We also can see in many of these occurences an important place of decision.

The Ninevites had a decision to make after hearing the message of God.

I would like to note lastly as we close this section,

Though this message was one of judgement it was a message that was full of the grace of God.

You might be thinking, how in the world do you get that?

Let us think biblically:

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Proverbs 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Proverbs 5:11-13 “11 And thou mourn at the last, When thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 12 And say, How have I hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof; 13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!”

II Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

Many might say, “I don’t want to here those kinds of messages. They are hard sayings.”

“Few people today would concede that Jonah's message was gracious. If he were their pastor, they would march into his office and accuse him of preaching unkind, unloving, mean, harsh, and crude sermons. But Jonah's sermon was a sermon of grace, for God's grace was manifested throughout his sermon. His sermon was a warning. Nineveh heeded that warning and was spared judgment. If there had been no warning, then there would have been no repentance.” - John Butler

Nineveh would be spared for another 100+ years because of this message of judgement.

This moment of preaching God’s Word and the work of the Holy Spirit made an effect on the city of Nineveh

For we read in verse 10 “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

Thank the Lord for His direct plain Holy Word and the preaching of it!

We will pick up next week with the repentance of the Ninevites.