Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. During this time Jonah humbled himself to do what the Lord wanted. Michael A. Milton (PhD, Wales) is a long-time Presbyterian minister (PCA) and a regular contributor to Salem Web Network. God begins to have mercy upon us while we are still in willful disobedience; and, like Nineveh, characterized by infamous sin and evil. "Jonah & the Whale" Unit: Splash Into Summer LESSON PURPOSE: The story of Jonah & the Whale teaches us about listening to God's Words and how he is always there to guide us and take care of us. But have you thought of what you also deserve? Many thanks. Finally, after he was spit out by the fish, Jonah found himself in dry land. 3. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. . What Does It Mean to Wait on the Lord? This lesson shows the importance of believers obeying God's command to. Thank you for your patience and continued support! Jonah did not weep over the city, but Jesus, the true prophet, did. Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament that God flat out told to preach to a Gentile city and not just any gentiles but the people of Nineveh (The Assyrians). So he goes to Nineveh and calls them to repent or be destroyed. (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.) Thats all that was recorded in the preaching of Jonah. He Learned a Lesson in Mercy, Publication download options Jehovah, on the other hand, was the Source of life for those Ninevites and had sustained them, as he does all creatures on earth. It had all the elements of a spellbinder: a reluctant prophet fleeing God, a sinking ship, a man thrown overboard into the maw of a sea. If that were so we would never be saved. In faith, Jonah knew that he would be delivered. His life and ministry, recorded in but four chapters, brings so many lessons to Christians old and new. Jonah is saying in his prayer, that he knows that God will bring Nineveh into that covenantal relationship. PDF to print for family reading. And Jonah has good earthly reasons why, but God looks beyond the earthly and looks through His spiritual eyes. After all, he felt sorry for the plant only because it had benefited him personally. Notice, Nineveh is northeast of Israel and Tarshish is in the west. Help me to obey your instructions. Isaiah was called to preach to a derelict people: "Jerusalem is ruined, and . How did Jonah show faith and courage as he preached in Nineveh? God, however, had compassion on the people of Nineveh: "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their leftand much livestock?" Did they repent when a prophet preached to them? The book of Jonah exactly shows us the unlimited Mercy of God. The force of this final question cannot be overstated. But dont forget to download my free Jonah character study pdf! For Jonah a whole city was ready to repent, but for that to happen he would have to leave his comfort zone. Then all of sudden God decided to come between Jonah and his patriotism. Jonah didn't want to go there because the Ninevites were wicked people (see Jonah 1:2), and Jonah knew that when he came there to preach to the people, they'd repent and be spared from God's impending wrath (see Jonah 4:2). Or trouble within your church? Thank you, Jesus! In the book of Jonah God uses a roaring sea, wayward pagan sailors who, by the way, were saved by God during their experience with the renegade prophet as well as, a pagan king, a weed, a worm, and even a hardheaded preacher. God told Jonah to go preach a message of repentance to the people of Ninevah. Had he learned to speak the Assyrian tongue? Kia Ora Gramps.Could you please help to understand what lesson the Lord wanted to teach Jonah about the Gourd and the Worm? Jonah is depressed and miserable due the the fact that the city would not be destroyed. Even if Jonah obeyed God from the start, it would still have been easier to send an angel or to appear as a pillar of cloud. The Lord called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah fled and was swallowed by a great fish. 20 Gods saying that those people did not know right from left suggested their childlike ignorance of divine standards. This is why its great to do a Bible study on these types of books in the Bible. Jonah is mad at the Lord, so the Lord tried to teach him. I AM JOSHUA and Im on a mission to help fellow Christians build a closer and more intimate relationship with God. Fr. Long strands of briny seaweed wrapped around Jonahs neck and the distinct rankness of a creatures stomach acid digesting the prophet would remain with Jonah for the rest of his life. 12 Jehovah is nothing like the rigid, cold, even harsh God so often portrayed by religious leaders. We could be in the church, but our heart is not in the church. When God speaks, it is up to man to obey. (Read Matthew 12:41.) 6) A great fish, that God prepared, swallows him. The petulant prophet is perturbed that God's grace to pagans is of greater priority to God than Jonahs comfort. Im having trouble understanding the story. God does not want us to forget the lessons of the book of Jonah, nor the destiny of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. What mattered to him were the people. God is omniscient - Psalm 139:1-6. Yes, that. Last week we looked at the Jonah 1 & 2 and God's Mercy on a Reluctant Prophet. How did Jonah react to Jehovahs mercy on Nineveh? There are consequences for sin, but the Lord is always ready to. I dont select the ads displayed here but generated by advertising software. One of those is the way the historical account is conceived and recorded. God's compassion easily surpasses our love for others. Like us, Jonah initially responds to his prophetic call with fear. 21. However, had he allowed Jehovahs discipline to work a thorough change in him? God is trying to teach Jonah that God can bless whoever He wishes, whenever He wishes. It rocks my world that Jonah is running away from God and causing a huge storm (ahemmess) actually got people to offer sacrifices and make vows to the Lord. The story is probably written between the 8th and 3th century BC. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? We read: To Jonah, though, it was highly displeasing, and he got to be hot with anger. (Jonah 4:1) Jonah even uttered a prayer that sounds like a rebuke of the Almighty! Whether Jonah liked what God commanded, understood the reason for what God commanded or wanted something different than what God commanded made no difference whatsoever. It tells us about the role we play in the Body of Christ, the forgiving and merciful attitude that we all should have, and the unimaginable magnitude of Gods mercy and grace not just to His people, but to the entire world. An encyclopedia hit the nail on the head as it described the lesson that God taught Jonah through the worm destroying the plant that gave him such delight in an emotional and tiring time in his life. Jonah knew what the Assyrians were capable of doing. The Lords states that Jonah mourns the loss of the Gourd which came up in a day and was lost in a daya nothing and trivial thing. To see what we can learn from the life of Jonah. Jonah was under God's observation all along. Im having trouble understanding the story. This is something we all need to be careful of, not to let our own wants and desires blind us to what is truly important. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" You can try to hide, move, go away, either physically or even internally with your emotions, but its futile. Please keep me ever worthy of your kingdom! (Read Jonah 3:1-3.) Jonah demonstrates how God uses all of His creation to bring about the salvation of one very wicked nation. Struck with godly fear, he rose up from his throne, removed his luxurious robes of state, put on the same rough clothing that his people were wearing, and even sat down in the ashes. With his great ones, or nobles, he issued a decree that turned the fast from a spontaneous popular movement into an official action of state. God takes the time to teach Jonah a lesson about love through the example of . 18:7,8. He asked him to go somewhere Jonah would NEVER want to go. If you are a follower of Jesus, God has given you instructions to take the message of the Good News to others ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Yahweh has given Jonah a job that he needs to accomplish. Then he sent a parching east wind until Jonah began swooning away because of the heat. The people of Nineveh repented, and God spared the city. ). Jonah sits in the heat of Northern Iraq and is so outdone with Gods grace to his enemy, seething that he has lost a gourd with its leaves to shade him, that he despairs unto death. How grateful we should be that Jehovah patiently teaches us to be more selfless, more compassionate, more mercifulas he is! Read Jonah 4:1-11. In this sermon, Jerry Gifford deals with how the book of Jonah ends abruptly with a question. Jonah 4:8 "And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, [It is] better for me to die than to live." We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. (John 4:11). Meanwhile, as soon as Jonah was thrown from the ship, the storm stopped and the water became calm again. I am passionate about inspiring people to find their God-given purpose in life. To begin, he had to choose between the shorter routes and the safer ones and then steadily make his way through valleys and over mountain passes beyond counting. To put the matter in plain words, Jonah did not like grace because it was charity. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me;All Your billows and your waves passed over me (Jonah 2:1-3 NKJV). Only true repentance can happen when we acknowledge and are willing to go in Gods direction. MATERIALS: Learning props and toys, craft supplies, music SONG IDEAS:&a James Taiwo Click to tweet. Whereas if they did not repent, then the Lord would destroy them, and they would no longer be a danger to Israel. Moreover, our life begins to be one hectic sinful storm and . Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. The story of Jonah demonstrates why God so often leads us one step at a time without telling us more. By so doing, the Lord is showing Jonah that his priorities are more then a bit messed up. This is both an indictment of Jonah and all who treat Gods grace as proprietary, and a challenge to begin to see the world through the eyes of God who created it. But thankfully brethren, God is not like that. Who of us is immune to such selfish tendencies? We can come to think that we are blessed to be in the family of God because of something of value or usefulness that impresses God. Nineveh had a huge population for that time. Instead, the Lord saved him. The book bearing his name ends with Jehovahs question hanging therein effect, still echoing. So, God used a plant, a worm, and a wind to teach Jonah a lesson in compassion. Will we?Read Matthew 5:7. Jonah was a prophet and the Lord told Him to go and preach against Nineveh, which was the capital of the Assyrian empire. (b)How did Jehovah deal with his distressed prophet? DLTK's Sunday School Lessons Men of the Old Testament Pt 1: Jonah. And dont forget to download the Jonah Character Overview PDF! It is an astounding admission of the true nature of Gods covenant given to Abraham. Did this make Jonah happy? He wants to show His love to everyone. 1. 6. His mercy isnt just limited to His people, but He also extends it to those outside of Israel. Just imagine that prophet, once again safe in his homeland, writing this account. - Acts 20:24b Props: One Ziploc bag with a fresh piece of Play-doh inside; Second piece of Play-doh that is dried out, in no particular shape; an extra ziplock bag. The mission of God is a guaranteed success because of the sovereignty of God. Then I said, I have been cast out of Your sight;Yet I will look againtoward Your holy temple.Thewaters surrounded me,evento my soul;The deep closed around me;Weeds were wrapped around my head. The only disobedient figure in the book of Jonah is Jonah. So, Yahweh "sent out a great wind on the sea." As a result, Jonah was thrown to the sea and God saved him. RAPTURE IS IMMINENT, CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN 2 Peter, THE ANTICHRIST EVIL MARK OF 666 SYMBOLIZES DESTRUCTION Revelation, GOD HATES SIN; COVET HOLINESS AND STAY STRONG Zechariah, GODS JUDGMENT IS INEVITABLE Revelation, 7 REASONS TO BELIEVE CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD, Subscribing I accept the privacy rules of this site, JESUS PURCHASED THE CHURCH WITH HIS BLOOD Acts, JESUS COMMANDED HIS DISCIPLES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL Luke 9, KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS 2 Kings, THE DEFENSE FOR GODS SERVANTS Jeremiah. That is exactly what happened later on.Zeph. - Dylan. We know as a fact for Jonah records his prayer, not a petition that flatters its supplicant: So he prayed to the LORD, and said, Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? The Lord provided a gourd or plant that protected Jonah. Did he leap for joy and shouted hooray? His spirits lifted. Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. The Beginning of the story of Jonah brings us the first lesson about missionary service: 1.There are no easy calls. Before long, the whole city was talking about Jonahs prophecy of doom. Imitate Their Faith. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. by Leanne Guenther. Image what some of the Nineveh locals would think and say if they saw Jonah get vomited up out of a fish onto the beach. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. This is a great Jonah and the whale lesson. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. He ordered that all wear sackcloth, even the domestic animals. Yes, they do, but most of the time, Israel wont repent. It has a ton of practical and fun things to print that will help you in you grow in your walk with God! Jonah 4:6-7 = Made bush grow to give shade, then had worm kill it Bush Notes: Probably Elkeroa - Common shrub in Palestine, grows in sandy places Broad vine-like leaves with dense shadow Grows very quickly in matter of days How did this affect Jonah? He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. The scripture reported, They are the archenemy of the nation of Israel. 14 How did Jonah react when destruction did not come at the time he expected it to? Jonah was doing the bare minimum. Read More, 3 Important Ways to Pray for Your Future Husband. We can almost picture an older, wiser, humbler man ruefully shaking his head as he describes his own mistakes, his rebellion, and his stubborn refusal to show mercy. After they threw him overboard, the waves grew calm. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Through games, drawing their own comic strip, a DIY Big Gulp of Jonah toy, and a Jonah in a Big Fish puppet, kids learn that God is compassionate and gracious. No doubt he braced himself for a hostile and violent response. You could really see the clear intent of Jonah here that he really didnt want to do the job he was called to do. Disobedience is a big deal when it comes to God. That warning was based on the Ninevites bad ways, which subsequently changed. But without those, Jonah would have ended up fish food. Sometimes when we read Jonah we shake our heads and go seesh really? He gets tossed around by a storm and swallowed by a whale (or big fishwhatever floats your boat). Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. 4,5. We could be preaching, but our hearts may not be in preaching. Jonah went outsidethe city, hoping to witness its condemnation, but Jesus Christ went outside the city to die on a cross to accomplish its salvation. One day, God told the prophet Jonah, "Jonah, go preach to the people of Nineveh. 2. The book of Jonah concludes with a rather enigmatic ending. However, anyone who willingly obeys God has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than a person who was coerced into obedience. Instead of repenting, Jonah justified himself, saying: I have rightly become hot with anger, to the point of death. The stage was now set for Jehovah to drive the lesson home.Jonah 4:9. Imitate Their Faith, Audio download options Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote, 'Jesus Revolution' leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right. Evidently, though, Jonahs merciful God still saw good in this distressed prophet. Because God has shown us mercy, wouldnt He also show mercy to those people outside our Christian faith? He values human life and the potential that each individual has for repenting and learning to do what is right. 10,11. 11 Does this mean that Jehovah decided that his own judgment about Nineveh had been in error? When we begin to reduce Gods response to human sin as judgment without mercy, then it is time for us to open up the book of Jonah, and invite the Spirit of the Lord to cleanse us of self-interests, smugness, and uncaring attitudes and return to the Lord of love. Jonah; Micah . it helps to pay the bills and keeps this website running. But the plant wasn't an act of divine mercy it was part of a divine lesson. Jonah would know that if Nineveh repented, the Lord would not destroy it, and it would remain a threat to Israel. ( Jonah 3:3-4) Jonah preaches in Nineveh. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying. On the contrary, he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful. After all, we might offend someone or worse, the world might crucify us. However, Bible scholars have noted that a movement of that kind was not out of keeping with the superstitious and volatile nature of people of such cultures in ancient times. After all of this, had Jonah learned to show mercy to others? 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. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. Was it not because Jonah had allowed his thinking to become selfish? When he determines to bring punishment on the wicked, he first uses his representatives on earth to issue warnings, for he is eager to see the wicked do what the Ninevites didrepent and change their ways. Nahum 3:1-4 gives us an idea of just how wicked the people of Nineveh were: "Woe to the bloody city! The sign of Jonah was an expression used by Jesus to refer to Jonah's three days and three nights in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17). Long story short they toss him overboard, but before doing so they ask God to forgive them. When God speaks to our heart to do something we should take intitive. If you want to learn more, read, 13 Best Lessons We can Learn from Jonah.. Why werent Adam and Eve told to plenish instead of replenish? Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!. | Jonah had experienced God's mercy and was given a second chance in his life. Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament that God flat out told to preach to a Gentile city and not just any gentiles but the people of Nineveh (The Assyrians). This lesson is based on Jonah's response to God's mercy to the Ninevites from Jonah 4. Clearly the Lord knew what Jonah would do, and it seems the Lord was prepared to use that to further His own ends. Liberal scholars might dismiss the story of Jonahs prayer time in a fish belly as riotous rabbinical storytelling, but Jonah would surely protest. In doing so, he showed remarkable courage and faith, qualities that Christians today need more than ever. In this article When we look at Jonah in the Bible you will discover incredible life lessons that can be applied to our daily walk with God. God is determined to get Jonah to Nineveh. (a)How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonahs message? What kind of journey lay ahead of Jonah, and how did he feel about his destination? The essential nature of God and His mission in the world should be a powerful motivation as well as a source of confidence as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission. We must keep our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness come in. Rather Jonah became a reluctant prophet because he knew God's grace would overwhelm Israel's enemy. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. Biblearena BibleArena - All Rights Reserved| Sitemap. 5 Nineveh was ancient, being among the first cities that Nimrod established after the Flood. God let Jonah eat lavishly, then sent him to a place of famine. (a)What did Jonah do after leaving Nineveh? This blatant rebellion leads Jonah a not so fun boat ride. (John 8:57,58) The truth is, we should never assume that it is impossible for people to repentno matter how vicious they may seem to us. As he sank deeper and deeper into the sea, he prayed to Jehovah. Under King Jeroboam II, the nation expanded its borders and enjoyed an age of splendour that . From inside the fish, Jonah prayed: 'I promise to obey you always.'. These are only 5 thingsthere are more! 3) That obedience to God will always bring God-sized results. An encyclopedia hit the nail on the head as it described the lesson that God taught Jonah through the worm destroying the plant that gave him such delight in an emotional and tiring time in his life. Ive read that the Lord wanted to show Jonah that He loves all His people. My honest opinion of why he did that was in hopes that he could escape from Gods presence. God is eager to see the wicked repent and change their ways, as the Ninevites did. The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of Gods Mercy. He knew, because of Gods incredible and unfathomable deep level of mercy, He would forgive them if they repent! (a)Why might Jonah have found Nineveh intimidating? Jonah's ordeal inside the belly of the whale certainly evokes Christ's death and resurrection over the same time period. As a result of his rebellion, the Lord sent a wild storm. His life and ministry, recorded in but four chapters, brings so many lessons to Christians old and new. Jonah was a prophet who supported Israel at a time when Israel was threatened by Nineveh. It was vast, a metropolitan region that evidently included several other cities, requiring a man three days to walk from one end to the other. It only stopped when Jonah was thrown overboard (see Jonah 1:15). The Bible record is silent. If God's purpose was merely to save Nineveh, He could do it far more effectively and efficiently without Jonah. Instead, the "sign" we are offered is an invitation to die with Christ so that we can personally begin to experience the new life of the Resurrection. He tried to run away from the presence of God, and enjoy himself. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,AndYou heard my voice. Tell them that they better start believing in Me and doing the right things I want them to do or else I'm going to send fire down from Heaven to destroy their city and burn them up." But Jonah didn't want to go preach to the people of Nineveh. So what are the lessons we can learn from the book of Jonah? Level of mercy, he is Lord knew what the Assyrians were of. Flock, taste anything ; do not let them eat, or water... Our Christian faith week we looked at the Lord called Jonah to go in Gods.! Those is the way the historical account is conceived and recorded heard my voice us to forget lessons. These types of books in the book of Jonah exactly shows us the unlimited mercy of God is to! 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