Jonah

Background: Jonah was a prophet who received the word of God. He was to go to the hated city of Nineveh and proclaim their destruction in 40 days if they did not repent from their evil ways and turn to God. In spite of his relationship to God, he decided not to fulfill God’s commission in the hope that Nineveh would be destroyed.

Monday, October 12, 2009: Jonah 1:9-10

And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Was there any logic to what Jonah told the sailors and his actions? No, there was no logic to his actions. Where could he run from the God who made the dry land and the sea? What’s surprising is that we try to do the same. Or else, we pretend that God doesn’t see us or know our thoughts.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009: Jonah 1:11, 15-16

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.
Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

What was behind Jonah sentencing himself to death? He realized his sin and his just punishment. So did the sailors when they witnessed the result - the tempest calmed immediately! Do we see signs and ignore them or explain them away as coincidences?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009: Jonah 2:3, 9

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

What did Jonah realize about his condition in the ‘belly (2:2) of hell?’ Jonah realized that God was behind ‘from the frying pan into the fire.’ Thrown into a raging tempest to drown, and now in an enclosed place for three days and nights, he understood that this was his salvation. Do we realize that Jesus Christ used this ‘sign of Jonah’ to tell the Jews that He would be three days and nights in a tomb and then rise from the dead?

Thursday, October 15, 2009: Jonah 3:8, 10

But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
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.

Nineveh repented and turned from their evil ways after Jonah fulfilled his commission. (It is probable that the returning sailors spread the news of Nineveh’s imminent destruction and the prophet they had thrown into the tempest) God saw and turned from His anger. Do we heed warnings and act upon them? To grow as a Christ-one is to recognize God’s discipline in our life. Do not ignore it or explain it away. Search Scripture for the way you must go and follow it.

Friday, October 16, 2009: Jonah 4:1, 5, 11

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Jonah picked a vantage point to view Nineveh’s destruction and was angry that it was not destroyed. What was God’s reason? God wants even the worst sinner to repent and turn away from sin and seek God’s salvation. Beyond this, God wants those who have received salvation not to hate anyone God has placed in their life, no matter how unlovable.