Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Sep 24th, 2023 The Reluctant Prophet

Today’s Passage – Jonah 1 – 4 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click hereto view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Revelation 1 – 3; Psalms 116 – 120; Proverbs 24)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – 1 Timothy 1:17

Read the “0924 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” – (Jonah 1:17)

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” – (Matthew 12:40)

Introduction

The Book of Jonah is the most well-known of all the Minor Prophets, but it is also the most unbelieved. There are even some Christians that deny the reality of the events that are described in Jonah, claiming that the book is only an allegory. There are ten miracles recorded in this writing, including the survival of the prophet for three days in the belly of the whale. However, the greatest miracle recorded in this book is the conversion and salvation of thousands of people who were previously destined for Hell. This Book demonstrates that God has always had his eye of compassion on the whole world, not just Israel. Jonah is the first prophet to preach repentance to the Gentiles.

            The Miracles of Jonah

            1          1:4 “the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea.”

            2          1:7 “the lot fell upon Jonah.”

            3          1:15 “the sea ceased from her raging.”

            4          1:17 “the LORD had prepared a great fish.”

            5          1:17 “to swallow up Jonah.”

            6          2:10 “the LORD spake unto the fish…it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”

            7          3:10 “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way.”

            8          4:6 “the LORD God prepared a gourd.”

            9          4:7 “God prepared a worm.” 

            10        4:8 “God prepared a vehement east wind.”     

An interesting note – the word “great” appears many times in this Book: great city (1:2,3:2, 3:3, 4:11); great wind (1:4); great tempest (1:12); great fish (1:17); great kindness (4:2)

• The Prophet – Jonah

Not a whole lot is known about Jonah, except:

• He was the son of a man named Amittai.
• He was from Gath-hepher (near Nazareth in Galilee).
• He was a prophet to the northern kingdom during the reign of Jereboam II who reigned from 782 – 753 BC.
• He was contemporary with Amos and Hosea from the north, and Isaiah and Micah from the south.
• His name means “dove.”

An unconfirmed tradition claims that Jonah was the son of the widow woman from Zarephath whom Elijah raised from the dead (1 Kings 17:8 – 24).

The prophet Jonah was referred to by the Lord as a picture, or type, of His own resurrection from the dead. (1:17; Matthew 12:40; Luke 11:29 – 30) Jesus was in the tomb for three literal days and nights, just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale. Jesus also noted in Matthew 12:41 that the people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah.

• The People – The Assyrians (Ninevites)

The Assyrians were a polytheistic people that had been demanding “gifts” (taxes) from the Israelites for some time. Eventually, in 722 BC, they would completely conquer the northern kingdom, and even threaten the City of Jerusalem in Judah. The Assyrians were a very cruel people, especially to those who were taken captive, and they were hated by the Israelites. Jonah, no doubt, looked forward to the judgment of God upon the people of Nineveh, and the last thing he wanted was for the Ninevites to be spared that judgment.

• The Place – Nineveh

Nineveh was originally built by Nimrod (Genesis 12:10) and became a very important city situated on the Tigris River, which eventually (700 BC) became the capitol city of the Assyrian empire. At this point in history, though not the chief city, Nineveh was a very wide, wealthy, and wicked city. The circumference of the city was 60 miles which is a three-day journey on foot (3:3). The city walls were said to be wide enough for several chariots to ride abreast.

The name Nineveh is thought to derive from “ninus,” i.e., Nimrod, and means the residence of Nimrod or “nunu” (Akkadian for “fish”). The people worshiped the fish goddess Nanshe (the daughter of Ea, the goddess of fresh water) and Dagon the fish god who was represented as half man and half fish. (MacArthur, John (2006-10-10). The MacArthur Study Bible, Thomas Nelson.)

Note – Nineveh was also a place where the false gods Ishtar and Assur were worshipped.

Some Concluding Thoughts about Jonah and God’s Calling for Him

Jonah was reluctant to follow God’s clearly stated will for his life. Just as God has a plan for Jonah, He has a plan for all of us:

1. God has a plan, a calling for your life.
2. Much of what God has called you to do is revealed in His Word.
3. God has something specific for you to do, and he has a specific place for you to do it.
4. Whatever God calls you to do, He will equip you to do. (Romans 12:3 – 8)                                                            

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

    5.  Whatever God calls you to do, He will supply whatever you need to do it:

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

    6.  Usually, God will call you to do something that you will desire to do.

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

    7.  However, there may be times when God will pull you out of your comfort zone, and sometimes He will ask you to do something that you downright do not want to do. Your job is to discern the will of God for your life, as well as the specific wills of God for tomorrow, and then cheerfully submit to what He wants. Even Jesus prayed, “not my will but thine be done”. (Luke 22:42) Your life will be miserable until you do.