JONAH 1
To WHOM DID THE WORD OF THE LORD COME?WHAT WAS THE MESSAGE? HOW DID JONAH RESPOND?
TO JONAH, TO GO TO WARN THE NINEVITES OF IMPENDING JUDGEMENT & JONAH PROMPTLY WENT TO JOPPA BOARDED A SHIP TO GO TO TARSHISH See JONAH 1:1-3
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 DOES JONAH'S PRAYER IN JONAH:2:2 REVEAL ABOUT JONAH & ABOUT GOD?
And he said:
“I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me
Jonah recognized that HIS hardship though self-inflicted was not a deterrent to calling on God but rather was an impetus to him to call on God! and From God's perspective - shows that HE'S EVER ready to respond - clearly an act of MERCY from all LOVING GOD.
DO WE HAVE PROOF THAT JONAH REPENTED? - SHOW PROOF! (EITHER WAY)
HE CONSENTED/RELENTED RATHER THAN REPENTED BECAUSE HIS ACTIONS BETRAYED HIM
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord...4 And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!”
2 COR 10:6 ==> 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
WHY WAS JONAH SO UPSET?
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
JONAH 3 ==>
HE FOUND OUT THAT GOD'S PURPOSE IS BACKED BY HIMSELF & INFLUENCED ONLY BY HIS WILL - WHICH SOMEHOW JONAH
IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO RUN FROM GOD, HOW WOULD THAT REFLECT ON HIS AUTHORITY? WHAT ARE THE 3 ATTRIBUTES OF GOD REFLECTED IN SUPPORT OF HIS AUTHORITY?
NOT ONLY WOULD HE NOT BE GOD, I.E UNABLE TO REINFORCE HIS OWN WILL BUT IT WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT HE WAS NOT IN CONTROL - I.E -NOT OMNIPRESENT, OMNISHIENT (All-knowing (s-possessing complete, universal, or infinite knowledge, awareness, and insight) & OMNIPOTENT (All-powerful having complete, unlimited, or supreme power
WHAT FACTS & TRUTHS ARE CAPTURED IN THE FOLLOWING?
I went down to the [a]moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord, my God.
FACT:-> Jonah was at the absolute lowest, darkest limit of the created order, bordering the underworld. I,E, permanently sealed away behind immovable barriers with no natural way to escape or return to the land of the living, practically a dead man
TRUTH:-> THERE IS NO SITUATION, CONDITION OR ADVERSITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE SOVEREIGNITY & AUTHORITY IN!
WHAT ROLE DID EARTHLY AUTHORITY STRUCTURES PLAY IN THE RESPONSE TO THE WARNING
THE KING LED THE CHARGE AND SENT OUT DECREES VIA THE NOBLES TO ENSURE A UNITED RESPONSE -->See: JONAH 3:6-7 ==> Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his [b]nobles, saying
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOVEREIGNITY AND AUTHORITY?
WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CREATION & CREATOR? ==>JONAH 2:7
“When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
Jonah pivot from human despair and inescapable confinement to divine intervention. SHOWING US THAT CREATION, HOWEVER MUCH AUTONOMONY WE SEEM TO EXERCISE OVER OUR MOVEMENTS - WE WILL ALWAYS END UP RETURNING TO & SUBMITTING TO GOD'S WILL!
PHILIPPIANS 2:10 -->
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven and things on earth and things under the earth,
WHAT REASON WAS GIVEN AS TO WHY GOD STOPPED THE JUDGEMENT FROM BEING CARRIED OUT?
HE SAY THEIR WORKS - HIS SOVEREIGNITY GIVES ONLY HIM THE ACCESS TO KNOW WHAT'S GENUINE AND WHAT'S NOT -->See JONAH 3:10
10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
WHAT WAS GOD's PURPOSE OF DISCIPLINING JONAH?
GIVE SCRIPTURAL BACKING
GOD'S JUDGEMENT IS ALWAYS ABOUT HIS LOVE TO CAUSE US TO REPENT See ROMANS 2:2-4
2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
FILL IN THE BLANKS? & EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF JONAH 2:8
“Those who ___ ___ ___
Forsake ___ ___ ___
JONAH 2:8 ==> “Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy
MEANING;--> JONAH, WAS NOT ONLY CHASTISING HIMSELF BUT HAD ARRIVED AT A UNIVERSAL TRUTH AS REGARDING THE FUTILITY & CONSEQUENCE OF DISCONNECTING FROM OUR 1 & ONLY TRUE SOURCE OF MERCY IN PREFERENCE TO OTHER SUBJUGATED, LESSER & NON-AUTHORISED BEINGS.
What role did Jonah play in Nineveh's Reprieve? & what does that tell you about God's agenda versus Man's function?
God's agenda is on the "need to know basis" and Man is to obey
FILL IN THE FOLLOWING () TO US?
For as ___ was ___ ___ and ___ ___ in the ___ of the great fish, so will ___ ___ ___ ___ be ___ ___ and ___ ___ in the heart of the earth.
See MATT 12:40
For 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
LIST 3 KEY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF JONAH, WHICH MARKED HIS TURNING POINT?
1. SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING--> IRRESPECTIVE OF THE RESULT -->YOU WILL ONLY WORSHIP & THANK THE ONE YOU REGARD
2. PAY WHAT I'VE VOWED --> He renews his commitment to obey God.
3.Jonah realizes that rescue, mercy & deliverance belong entirely to God, independent of human merit, status, or effort
JONAH 2:9
But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord.”
WHAT IS THE OVER-ARCHING LEARN OF JONAH 3 WHERE JONAH IS CONCERNED?
THAT YOUR PREVIOUS FAILURE DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM BEING USED OF GOD ONCE YOU REPENT AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS LORD
JONAH 3:1==> Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying