19,20. (Read Jonah 3:1-3.) Just like us, brethren, we have also been given a task by God to preach the Gospel to this morally decaying and dying world. The Bible explains that Jehovahs justice is perfect. . 19 Once more Jehovah asked Jonah if he was rightly angry, this time over the death of the bottle-gourd plant. Jonah prophesied in the mid-700s BC, a time when Assyria was not as powerful as they had been in recent years. God caused Jonah to be taken captive by the Assyrians and to fear for his life. Jonah, after receiving God's command, quickly ran away to a place far away from Nineveh: Tarshish. 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. How had Jonah learned that he could not run away from his assignment? If you want to learn more, read, 13 Best Lessons We can Learn from Jonah.. After all, we might offend someone or worse, the world might crucify us. Some critics might complain that Jonah never answers. Its Not What You Think! Fr. And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,and He answered me. ^ par. The Lord controlled the elements of weather (Jon. 21 Do you see the depth of Jehovahs object lesson? God used the bottle-gourd plant to teach Jonah a lesson in mercy, 20 God reasoned with Jonah, saying that the prophet was feeling sorry over the death of a mere plant that had sprung up overnight, one that Jonah neither planted nor caused to grow. God punishes Jonah by having a large fish or whale swallow him whole, but Jonah is later reconciled and forgiven. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. Jehovahs righteous anger against Nineveh simply abated. He likely had to skirt the vast Syrian Desert, ford such rivers as the mighty Euphrates, and seek shelter among foreigners in the towns and villages of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Assyria. Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. These are only 5 thingsthere are more! Notice, Nineveh is northeast of Israel and Tarshish is in the west. Let us go to Jonah 1:1 brethren. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. A Heartless Prophet, Jonah 4. 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. PRIVACY SETTINGS, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/1102013260/univ/art/1102013260_univ_sqr_xl.jpg, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/a/ia/E/wpub/ia_E_lg.jpg, Share This is covenantal language of the highest order. Since we interpret Scripture by other Scriptures, and since our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told the book of Jonah as history (Matthew 12:39-41), so must we. If that were so we would never be saved. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Did they repent when a prophet preached to them? 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. So, I hope my Bible study on Jonah encourages you to take a second look at Jonah. Imitate Their Faith. As the days passed, he thought about the destination that he so dreaded, the city that drew closer with each step he tookNineveh. He sent a worm to attack and kill the plant. One could never feel any sense of accomplishment or ownership, because it is given without cause. Jonah had never done a thing to take care of that plant. *. For Jonah a whole city was ready to repent, but for that to happen he would have to leave his comfort zone. Don't just take the Ninevites words for it; listen to the Apostle Paul: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hathenabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. He sovereignly orchestrates creation by appointing it to do his will. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. This was an occasion to show divine mercy. The truth is that mans sin has a devastating effect upon creation. 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. The pagan city of Nineveh, the capital of an Ancient Near Eastern Empire, Assyria, was the epicenter of antagonism toward Israel, and yet, this enemy of God became the object of God's love and grace. Jonah is mad at the Lord, so the Lord tried to teach him. Visit the Jonah Bible lesson plan for further ideas to supplement this. Or lets be really honest when we think of Jonah we just think about the whale (or Big Fish). He must learn that God's love is greater and wider than he had ever imagined. He mentions one in particular: Far-called, our navies melt away;On dune and headland sinks the fire:Lo, all our pomp of yesterdayIs one with Nineveh and Tyre! Jonah was doing the bare minimum. If you want to learn more about Jonahcheck out Priscilla Shirer Jonah Bible Study. A gourd, an easterly winder, and even a worm, all over the Lord without any protests. There are no limits to God's grace and love, and there are no limits to his ways and means of attaining His goals for salvation. Jonah needed courage and faith to preach in Nineveh. Because God has shown us mercy, wouldnt He also show mercy to those people outside our Christian faith? And that response is nestled within the greater framework of Gods plan for the ages: from Paradise Lost(Milton, 1667) to Paradise Regained (Milton, 1671). * He humbly acknowledged that his people were guilty of badness and violence. As soon as Jonah has settled gratefully into its shade, God sends a worm to chew the roots of the plant, killing it so that Jonah is left exposed once again. "Lest we forget lest we forget!". Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! I went down to themoorings of the mountains;The earth with its barsclosedbehind me forever;Yet You have brought up mylife from the pit,OLord, my God. The book of Jonah begins with these words: "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Ammittai, saying, arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.". Long story short they toss him overboard, but before doing so they ask God to forgive them. I AM JOSHUA and Im on a mission to help fellow Christians build a closer and more intimate relationship with God. Then God concluded: For my part, ought I not to feel sorry for Nineveh the great city, in which there exist more than one hundred and twenty thousand men who do not at all know the difference between their right hand and their left, besides many domestic animals?Jonah 4:10,11. One of those is the way the historical account is conceived and recorded. Thats all that was recorded in the preaching of Jonah. He gets on the boat and flees Jerusalem. So, grab your Bible and lets dig in. To top it off Nineveh is 800 miles away. 17 The despondent prophet left Nineveh and headed, not home, but eastward, where some mountains overlooked the region. 10 How did Jehovah react to the Ninevites repentance? Jonahs example serves to remind us that when we disagree with Jehovah God, it is always our own point of view that needs an adjustmentnever His. from the presence of the LORD. If you look into history, Nineveh became the capital of the Assyrian Empire and has eventually conquered Israel and drove them into slavery. Then he sent a parching east wind until Jonah began swooning away because of the heat. Lesson 48, November 21-27. God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. 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. (Luke 9:62), 20 Most Surprising Lessons from Psalm 91 You Probably Never Heard Of, 12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41), 12 Important Lessons We Learn from the Temptation of Jesus Christ, 10 Little-Known Lessons from the life of Tabitha (Dorcas) in Acts 9:36-43, The Plain Truth About Tithing [YouTube Shorts compilation], 3 types of heaven in the Bible [1-minute video]. 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? 9) What did God do to teach Jonah a lesson? And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, 'Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. So he goes to Nineveh and calls them to repent or be destroyed. 4 Jonah did not see Nineveh as Jehovah did. The story shows us how merciful God is, by contrasting His mercy with Jonah's hunger for revenge. Jonah found Nineveh to be a huge city full of wrongdoing. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the Ninevites. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.). Though we run away from Him, He patiently waits for us. 15. We read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.. How did Jonah show faith and courage as he preached in Nineveh? He will establish his abiding presence with his favorite children. Covenantal-snobbery was, and can still be, a serious problem with Gods people. This would take him weeks if not months! Though Jonah ran away from God, God wasn't finished with him yet. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? 1) That while our love for others fail, God's compassion knows no ends. When they did throw him into the sea, the storm stopped. Short little Melissa style summary and insight: *If you are not familiar with the story of Jonahspend some time reading it. Jonah runs away because he cannot resolve two contradictions: between the categorization of prophecies that do not come to pass as "false prophecies" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) and the revocation of the verdict against Nineveh, in response to its repentance; and between the concept of God as unchanging and resolute (see Numbers 23:19) and His . - Dylan. 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?"