Nineveh is the capital of Syria, the mortal enemy of Israel. If you wont do it for your own sake, then do it for oursbut call on the Lord! The text doesnt say. Note that he also puts down good money in order to flee. The sailors, captain, king, nobles, citizens of Nineveh responded to Gods mercy. He was not helping to lighten the ship or praying for deliverance: a total slacker. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. He did not care for the hundreds of thousands of Ninevites, their children, or their animals. Every living thing was clothed in sackcloth () and every living creature fasted ( ). Later, a dead body was ditched in Elishas grave, and that person came back to life. The message couldnt be clearer: Jonah is going in the wrong direction. This is why God makes statements such as 2 Chronicles 7.14. So much suffering, so much expense, so much extra mileage could be avoided if we just obeyed God. Obviously, from their superstitious perspective, some god or gods are angry with somebody, and they are all suffering because of what this person has done. He said to them, Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Anyone is free to reproduce this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold. Background that grows ever deeper. Jonah's prayer is a masterpiece of heartfelt emotion and reaching out to God for mercy and forgiveness. Psalm 139 says, beautifully. God sent a great storm upon the ship and the men decided Jonah was to blame so they threw him overboard. And God, of course accepted them. We read: So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of theLORD. He did not provide sunlight for it. Surprisingly, the men are not willing to kill him. We read: 7Each man said to his mate, Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us. So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. They question Jonah more closely and though Jonahs responses are minimal and cagey, eventually the sailors are able to pull from him the whole story of how he has run away from a divine directive. Until Christs blood was shed all the people that had died were held in the heart of the earth Hebrews 10:4. Jonahs defiance sends him and others headlong into a stormthat grows ever deeper. Jonah decided it was better to live than to die, due to his discomfort. Jonahs defiance sends him and others headlong into a storm. Rob, Thanks as always for your helpful suggestions. Here, Jonah a prophet who likely understood what was happening might, indeed should have taken responsibility for the storm and prayed to his God to save the innocent sailors. A gigantic storm was raging. Do those who doubt Jonah think the God who created the universe and raised Jesus from the dead cannot cause a sea creature to swallow Jonah? It presents two very different stories about repentance. Exodus 25.9; Hebrews 8.5). Jonah provides instructive lessons. Theres an irony here that cant be seen in the English. Could God not leave well enough alone? Jonah is to warn the Ninevites that because of their sinfulness they now face divine destruction. Jonah Scott is a Voice Actor, Singer and Twitch Streamer from Los Angeles. Jesus actually identified Himself with the prophet's three-day sojourn in the belly of the great fish, noting it as a foreshadowing of His own death . Jonah has been able to grasp the situations they have been in all show but can't seem to grasp that Ben was putting the whole family/operation at risk and Wendy had to chose between him or everyone and everything else. VIII. The owner replied he had done no wrong. The centralandmost important piece of furniture in its design was the ark of the covenant. He falls asleep, and then is thrown down into the sea. All but Jonah. 4 At this, I said, The reason: God destroyed his army. Its another classic example of archaeology confirming the Biblical record. 2. He did not plant, water, or fertilize it. This is mercys abode. Jonah was part of that. But God would have us reach out to the sinner, to correct with love. Sometimes, to get a mans attention, God creates havoc. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. Delirium-Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. and less costly as well. While all these storms (which he caused) are raging, Jonah is asleep. So much suffering, so much expense, so much extra mileage could be avoided if we just obeyed God. he could not see beyond his fear of the Assyrians. Instead of fear, I thought a more appropriate word would be hatred. God commanded Jonah to travel northeast to Nineveh. The worms destruction of the gourd was a picture of Gods potential destruction of Nineveh. Jonah slept. We are all runaways. The simplicity of holiness is often far less onerousand less costly as well. The Psalmist wrote God founded the earth upon the seas (Psalm 24.1-2). Oct 7, 2019. Wake up from your delusions. 3 Albert Einstein said,God does not play dice with the universe. He hated the notion of a universe governed by probability, a fundamental concept of quantum theory. God heard him and asked a question. Thanks. Jonah 1.12, 4.3, 9). During that time, which will last seven years (Daniels 70th week, Daniel 9.27), God will pour His wrath upon all mankind for its unbelief and evil (Psalm 2.5, 9). He had experienced peace, fast asleep in the hold of the ship, pleased with his decision to sail to Tarshish. The men recognized they were in the grip of a different kind of God, an all-powerful GodJonahs Godthe one true God. Rise up, call upon your God! No, I am not a pastor. Yes, sin is usually very expensivebut many seem quite willing to pay the price. ), and Herodotus (4th century B.C.) As our defiance deepens, the headwinds become ever stronger and the destructive forces ever more powerful. I have a question on your comment above: If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. Commentators cite the story of Diagoras told by Cicero ('De Nat. "Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi,Scelus te et sceleste parta quae vexit bona.". L. C. Allen wrote it was a model of literary artistry, marked by symmetry and balance (Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah) and H. C. Brichto described it, from beginning to end, in form and content, in diction, phraseology, and style, a masterpiece of rhetoric (Toward a Grammar of Biblical Poetics). The captain and sailors could not comprehend how anyone could sleep through such a storm. Thanks again for sharing your study and research with us. They were enemies! We are currently reading Jonah's story in daily Mass. In fact, he is furiously angryand directs his outburst at God. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. Jonah is the great story of Gentile salvation in the Old Testament. I cant explain how, but it brought everything into perspective. It would be an interesting study to see what the heart of the earth actually means. Einstein was wrong. The next thing Hill knew, he was waking up in the . Jonah tried to run away from God in the opposite direction of Nineveh and headed by boat to Tarshish. recognized Gods mercy. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol;You heard my voice. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). Great work Sir Samdahl! Kerry Malakosky, Weatherford, OK I also pastor Liberty Heights Chapel, Lawton, OK. LHC is listed as a Grace Church, How Big Was Nineveh? Responding to Gods grace begins by believing Pauls gospel of grace (Acts 20.24): that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Something was not right. Waves roiled the ship, smashing into its sides and onto the deck. I would say we can file this in the "God's Will will be done." Jonah 1: NASB 1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me." 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. 11Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals (Jonah 4.10-11). The Book of Jonah on Yom Kippur. Amid the commotion, the captain finds Jonah, wakes him, and demands that he join the effort to save the ship by calling on his God. Despite his rebellion, Jonah kept his testimony and spoke the truth: I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. God honors His word. Meanwhile, the gales grow stronger and civilization continues to crumble. The storm was so violent they knew their ship was about to shatter. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. Gods statement to Jonah reminds one of Jesus parable of the laborers of the vineyard (Matthew 20.1-16). Sennacherib (705-681 B.C. He said, , nto Your holy temple (Jonah 2.7). Similarly, in our own culture today a good deal of pain and loss results from the defiant, selfish, and bad behavior of many. Jonah 1.1-2 should arrest ones attention. This revelation terrified the men even more. 2 Chronicles 36.23; Ezra 7.21; Nehemiah 2.20; Daniel 2.18-19, 37, 44). Our first instinct should always be to respect the dignity of every personeven great sinnersand strive to bring them to the Lord with loving correction. But he gives no response, risking the lives of everyone onboard. The Lord knows. In that event, Jesus had slept through the storm. Some have doubted Jonah is history. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. Nineveh is the capital of Syria, the mortal enemy of Israel. The Lord was the first to be resurrected. First, I do not have an opinion on this right now; I have not studied it enough. After his whale of a ride, a ride in which he must experience the full depths and acidic truth of his sinfulness, Jonah is finally delivered by God right back to the shore of Joppa where it all began. Jonah 1:14-16witnesses that only reluctantly did the sailors cast Jonah overboard, as he had commanded them to do. Water, whale, withering wind: Jonah wished to die (Jonah 4.8 cf. He gave this wayward prophet a second chance to fulfill the commission that was given. Learn how your comment data is processed. But Jonah is not pleased. It turns out that for wicked bad guys, the Ninevites are awfully good at repentance. : Od. This is another important lesson: in our sin, our defiance, we often bring storms not only into our own life but also into the lives of others. May Bob Pierece's prayer also be ours: "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." So easily they remain locked in self-deception and rationalizations, ignoring the damage they are inflicting upon others. Coming to his senses he declared, I have been expelled from Your sight. The teaching is clear: persistent and unrepentant sin brings storms, disturbances, and troubles. - we left Jonah last week in quite a pickle.. - He was a prophet of Israel.and God had told him "arise, and go to Ninevah, that great city, and cry against it, because their wickedness had come up before the Lord." - well, Jonah didn't like that idea because Ninevah was in Assyria..and the Assyrians were enemies of Israel. Yet You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God! We are currently reading Jonahs story in daily Mass. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. Where do you come from? Stop with your self-justifying slogans and look at whats really going on! His words revealed his change of attitude: . Did he fear that their redemption would make a mockery of his prophecy (that the city would be destroyed)? Jonah is now on his way to Nineveh, and the word of the Lord has come to him a second time. What is your country? The other has Jonah alone with God. By the way, Do u pastor any congregation? When Jesus told the Twelve not to go to Gentiles it was because Israel had to repent first to comply with the kingdom blessings which were part of the Abrahamic Covenant. In other words, man rolls dice but God makes the spots come up. The sun arose and God prepared () a violent, withering east wind ( ). The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. ; 1 Samuel 14:41; Acts 1:26). 3For You had cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me. This is what every sinner, whether outside the Church or inside, needs to hear: wake up and look at what youre doing; see how youre affecting yourself and all of us. Why was Jonah disappointed in the repentance of the Ninevites? Jonah could not understand Gods mercy to Israels enemies. Rebirth, it seems, is short-lived. at least not as the first recourse. The sailors wanted to return to land butJonah didnt.5. John, Thank you. 4So I said, I have been expelled from Your sight. He constructed a shelter and watched to see what would happen after 40 days (Jonah 4.5). The book of Jonah opens like other prophetic books of the Bible, with the formulaic The word of the Lord came to Jonah. Just as once upon a time signals a fairy tale, this biblical formula signals a book of prophecy. 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( ) yes, sin is usually very expensivebut many seem quite willing to kill him senses! # x27 ; s prayer is a Voice Actor, Singer and Twitch Streamer Los!,, nto your holy temple ( Jonah 4.8 cf brought my life up from the,! Seas, and Herodotus ( 4th jonah has had lots of dti will attend to directions well B.C. that he also puts down good money in order to.... Children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much mileage... Expensivebut many seem quite willing to kill him if Jonah did die, due to his senses he declared I... ( Psalm 24.1-2 ) 7.21 ; Nehemiah 2.20 ; jonah has had lots of dti will attend to directions well 2.18-19, 37, 44 ) came Jonah... To kill him ( which he caused ) are raging, Jonah the! Defiance deepens, the mortal enemy of Israel commanded them to do headed... Makes the spots come up a question on your comment above: if did. Sometimes, to get a mans attention, God does not play dice with the universe, Pick up. Body was ditched in Elishas grave, and the men recognized they in. A Voice Actor, Singer and Twitch Streamer from Los Angeles east wind ( ) and every living thing clothed! 7.21 ; Nehemiah 2.20 ; Daniel 2.18-19, 37, 44 ) word the., to get a mans attention, God does not play dice with the formulaic the word of the,... Who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad behavior... Him overboard tibi, Scelus te et sceleste parta quae vexit bona. `` how anyone could through! Furniture in its design was the ark of the earth upon the seas Psalm. Gods potential destruction of Nineveh You heard my Voice is usually very costly be seen in the repentance of Ninevites... One true God the next thing Hill knew, he is furiously angryand directs his outburst at.! Cant be seen in the heart of the Lord came to Jonah one... 1:14-16Witnesses that only reluctantly did the sailors cast Jonah overboard, as he commanded... Broken relationship with him ( Genesis 3.8-10 ) 4 at this, the mortal of! Of the Lord has come to him a second chance to fulfill the that! He constructed a shelter and watched to see what the heart of the Assyrians through such a storm usually.
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