Answers Bible Curriculum Year 2 Quarter 2 Lesson 10
In this lesson, David Capoccia discusses the account of the prophet Jonah. Some questions covered in this lesson include: Why did Jonah run away from God’s mission? How did God preserve Jonah in the big fish? Why was the repentance of Nineveh a bigger miracle than Jonah’s experience in the fish? What was God teaching Jonah with the plant? And what are Christians today supposed to learn from this book?
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all right it’s 9 30. I’d like to wait till it’s right 9 30. but we’re gonna get started with Sunday School thank you for being here welcome we’re in the next phase of Israel’s history as we move through our Chronological Study Through the Bible we’re in the divided Kingdom Period ten and a half tribes have seceded from the monarchy that is led by David seed and only Judah and the half Tribe of Benjamin have remained loyal but rather than studying about each King going forward in the two kingdoms we’re only going to focus on certain Kings and certain prophets that appear during this period and that’s going to finish um that’s what we’re going to see over the next quarter or so the first prophet we’re going to learn about first important Prophet is Jonah but before we get to Jonah let’s review a little bit last week we saw what brought about the divided Kingdom and that was Solomon’s foolishness and one way is that Solomon first compromise it wasn’t really bad at first but he did some things that were against God’s law what were they yeah Rob he multiplied wives for himself and they were foreign wives what else he amassed gold and silver for himself that was prohibited according to Deuteronomy what else well we’re gonna get to that that that’s where these small compromises lead to leads to idolatry but there are two other things that he did right he went to Egypt and specifically what was he trying to get from Egypt horses that was specifically prohibited don’t multiply horses for yourself and don’t go to Egypt to get those horses because God has said You shall not return that way he did these things he he acted contrary to God’s law these were perhaps what seemed to be small compromises but these especially the multiplication of lie wives they led to an even greater compromise and Joe’s already mentioned it they caused Solomon to turn away from God and to inaugurate idolatry in Israel for his wives and for his people he worshiped and led the worship of false gods Solomon the great king of peace and wisdom he chose to Forfeit both God’s peace and God’s wisdom for the sake of the feelings of the Flesh and for the Treasures of the world the great teacher would not listen to his own teaching God brought chastening to Solomon he rebuked Solomon he raised up Rebels against Solomon he prophesied the loss of the Kingdom to Solomon because of Solomon’s sin but God didn’t bring the loss of the Kingdom in Solomon’s Lifetime and nor did he take away the whole thing and why not it was because of God’s mercy but God cites something in his actions yeah Craig for David’s sake and then he also says for Jerusalem’s sake we didn’t have time to go through the scriptures but God says a number of things about Jerusalem after the temple is constructed he says I’m not I’m going to show Mercy to this city I’m going to set my compassion on this city because I’ve chosen to put my name here so for the sake of Jerusalem and for the sake of David God’s covenant with David he says I will not do it in your lifetime you don’t deserve this kindness but for the sake of David and Jerusalem I will not do it in your lifetime and I won’t take away the whole thing I will preserve David’s line just as I promised to him God was determined to show faithful kindness to David and by extension to Israel and to even us to all mankind by preserving the throne and line of David which one day brought about the Messiah so we see in his dealings with Solomon that God is Holy but he’s also full of Covenant kindness and he shows that questions about last week’s lesson okay well let’s learn about Jonah we’re going to read and discuss the whole book today it’s only four short chapters so we can do it it’s a famous account but what is it really about what does God want to communicate to us through Jonah well let’s find out here’s our outline for today’s class get a little bit of background to the Book of Jonah and the historical circumstances of Jonah will then examine God’s call to Jonah and Jonas Jonah’s resistance famous resistance to that call and then we’ll finish by discussing Jonas fulfillment of God’s calling and Jonah’s reaction to the mercy that he sees from God after he fulfills his calling let’s pray father your word is great please help me to explain it now and to to really get the sense of it and communicate it to your people I pray father that you would work in the hearts of of your people that we would all grow we would all mature in our thinking that we would put aside unprofitable and sinful ways and we would Revel in your wisdom and in your heart in Jesus name amen okay we’re jumping forward in time as I mentioned earlier let’s get a little bit of background here’s a map let’s situate ourselves historically a little bit uh hard to see on this screen maybe you can see it better on the the monitors but we see the divided Kingdom and we see some of Israel’s neighbors Kingdom divides around 975 BC according to Answers in Genesis dating system 931 according to the MacArthur Study Bible so mid 10th Century BC we have the northern kingdom which is called Israel I know that’s confusing because the whole Kingdom is called Israel before but the northern kingdom is called Israel and it breaks away under jeroboam and under jeroboam it immediately plunges into idolatry jeroboam is a very Wicked King though God gave the ten tribes to jeroboam to rule jeroboam quickly turns his back on God and he relies on his own understanding in order to prevent the people from going to Jerusalem remember God prescribed all the heads of households to go to Jerusalem for the different religious Feasts jeroboam in order to prevent the Loyalty of the people switching back to the southern Kingdom people he crafts two golden calves he proclaims them to be Israel’s gods and he puts one in Dan which is at the top of the tribe’s visual you can see it I think on the map and one in Bethel which is at the bottom of the Northern Kingdom of Israel he puts these calves there and he says these are your Gods come here to worship and offer sacrifice don’t go down to Jerusalem now this is Wicked This is idolatry this is exactly contrary to God’s law and God judges jeroboam and his house for inaugurating this kind of idolatry however every Northern king after jeroboam follows in his footsteps even when they’re not of the same Dynasty northern kingdom is full of dynastic overthrows and cues but every King almost without exception acts like jeroboam the northern kings are extremely Wicked idolatry also of one form or another pervades the northern kingdom throughout its almost or throughout its history various prophets are sent by God to the northern kingdom calling the people to repentance and we’ll examine some of these prophets but as a whole the northern kingdom never follows after God it’s always compromising God eventually allows the northern kingdom to be conquered and its people led into Exile by the Assyrians they are not featured on the map they would be further to the Northeast Beyond Aram beyond the kingdom of Syria Assyria for the Northeast they conquer and take an exile the Northern Kingdom of Israel around 722 BC so from about the mid 900s to 722 we have the Northern Kingdom of Israel the southern Kingdom you see the southern Kingdom and the yellow here Judah it’s called Judah after the tribe the main tribe of the Southern Kingdom and it is a mixed track record of Devotion to the Lord sometimes the people and the king of Judah do follow the lord and sometimes they don’t there are a number of reformations that take place in the southern Kingdom throughout its history under good Kings and because of these reformations and because these good Kings sometimes the southern Kingdom enjoys Prosperity blessing as the people are obedient to God the southern Kingdom also gets prophets and godly leaders but even Judah does not stay devoted to God after a series of extremely Wicked Kings and widespread evil among the people God allows Judah also to be subdued this time not by Assyria but by Babylon the Empire that takes over after Syria first wave of Exiles from the southern kingdom are taken by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC but the southern Kingdom Rebels a couple times after that and the third time that Nebuchadnezzar conquers the southern Kingdom he devastates the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC and is in this third Conquest that Nebuchadnezzar destroys Solomon’s Temple remember the temple is the symbol of God’s presence the prosperity and the peace that they enjoy because of him that is wiped away so that’s a broad outline of what we see these two kingdoms The Divided Kingdom but where does Jonah fit into this history well pretty much in the middle he appears in the middle of the of the divided Kingdom Period we hear a little bit about Jonah and the one other place he’s mentioned in the book of Kings so actually take your Bibles and turn to Second Kings 14 for a second we’re going to be in the Book of Jonah but turn to Second Kings Second Kings 14.
and we’ll look at verses 23 to 25.
it’s the only other place that Jonah is mentioned outside of the Book of Jonah Second Kings 14 23-25 all right starting in verse 23.
look at those verses in the 15th year of amaziah the son of joash King of Judah jeroboam the son of joash king of Israel became king and Samaria and he reigned 41 years he did evil in the sight of the Lord he did not depart from all the sins of jeroboam the son of nibat that’s the first jeremon which he made Israel’s sin He restored the borders the border of Israel from the entrance of hamath as far as the sea of the arabah according to the word of the Lord the god of Israel which he spoke through his servant Jonah the son of amiti the Prophet who was of gath heifer okay we learned a couple things about Jonah here what do we learn what’s one thing what’s one thing we can observe about Jonah well there’s some basic things he’s a prophet he’s the son of amitai what else yeah where is he from gath heifer yeah we don’t really know where that is or you might not know where that is that’s actually near Nazareth in Galilee so it’s actually um one of the statements in the New Testament it is found to be an error when the Pharisees say look and see for yourself no Prophet ever arises From Galilee they were dismissing Jesus but actually Jonah is From Galilee though his ministry was unique so perhaps they weren’t thinking of Jonah where is Jonah ministering or where does he appear to be ministering say that it is an Israel but which kingdom oh I’m sorry yeah Israel is the name of the northern kingdom it says that he makes a prophecy which is fulfilled by the king of the northern kingdom it says jeroboam restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamas as far as the sea of arabah according to Jonah’s prophecy so it appears to be a prophet to the northern kingdom remember northern kingdom always Wicked very idolatrous but Jonah is a prophecy there a Prophet to that Kingdom and he makes a prophecy which comes to pass by the acts of jeroboam the second does that mean that he lived during the time of jeroboam II could be or maybe slightly before if we try and put jeroboam II and amaziah king of Judah into the into some kind of date we’re talking the beginning of or maybe Midway through the 8th Century BC so Jonah probably lived in the early 8th Century BC so that’d be the early um that’d be like 800 to 775 or so or maybe slightly before okay it’s possible he lived a little bit earlier because his prophecy comes to pass doesn’t say he prophesied this during the reign of jeroboam rather his prophecy came to pass during the reign of jeroboam II all right quick information about the Book of Jonah himself or itself who wrote the Book of Jonah we don’t know probably was Jonah a lot of this information would make sense coming straight from Jonah and it’s not it’s not strange that he writes in the third person if Jonah really did indeed write this book that’s uh it has precedent when was it written well probably whenever Jonah was living which looks like it was the early 8th Century Answers in Genesis States the events of Jonah to about 800 BC okay so we’ve got some background we’ve got the historical context we’ve got a little bit about the book Let’s now take a look at the Texas drone itself so take your Bibles and turn to Jonah surprisingly hard to find book it’s after Daniel it’s after Ezekiel right after Obadiah but it’s such a short book that it can be easy to pass it when you’re looking in your Bibles I’ll give you the page number if you’re using the Bibles that we provide it’s 9 22.
let’s look at the first two chapters of Jonah like I said we’re going to read the whole thing starting with the first two chapters follow along with me chapter one verse one the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of amitai saying arise go to Nineveh the great City and cry against it for their wickedness has come up before me but Jonah rose up to flee to tarshish from the presence of the Lord so he went down to Joppa found a ship which was going to tarshish paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to tarshish from the presence of the Lord the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his God and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them but Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship laying down and Fallen sound asleep so the captain approached him and said how was it that you were sleeping get up call on your God perhaps your God will be concerned about us so that we will not perish each man said to his mate come let us cast lots that we may learn on whose account This calamity has struck us so they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah then they said to him tell us now on whose account has This calamity struck us what is your occupation and where do you come from what is your country from what people are you he said to them I am a Hebrew and I fear the lord god of Heaven who made the Sea and the dry land then the Man became extremely frightened and they said to him how could you do this for the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord because he had told them so they said to him what should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us but the sea was becoming increasingly stormy he said to them pick me up and throw me into the sea then the sea will become calm for you for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you however the men rode desperately to return to land but they could not but the sea was becoming even stormier against them and they called on the Lord and said we earnestly pray oh Lord do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us for You O Lord have done as you have pleased so they picked up Jonah threw him into the sea and the Sea stopped it’s raging then the men feared the Lord greatly and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows and the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah and Jonah was in the stomach of the fruit the fish three days and three nights then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish and he said I called out of my distress to the Lord and he answered me I cried for help from the depth of Shield you heard my voice for you would cast me into the deep into the heart of the Seas and the current engulfed me all your Breakers and Billows passed over me so I said I have been expelled from your sight nevertheless I will look again towards your Holy Temple water encompassed me to the point of death the great deep engulfed me weeds were wrapped around my head I descended to the roots of the mountains the Earth with its bars was around me forever but you have brought up my you have brought up my life from the pit O Lord my God while I was fainting away I remember the Lord and my prayer came to you into your Holy Temple those who regard vain Idols forsake their faithfulness but I will sacrifice to you with a voice of Thanksgiving that which I avowed I will pay salvation is from the Lord then the Lord commanded the fish and that vomited Jonah up onto the dry land okay let’s start our analysis of the Book of Jonah with some observations on these two chapters what does God command Jonah to do go and preach to Nineveh where is Nineveh it’s in Assyria the same as Syria that later conquers the northern tribes so that would be to the I’ll show you a map in just a second the northeast of where Israel is situated I know Nineveh is called a great City indeed it was one of the greatest cities if not the greatest City at the time from around 9 11 to 612 BC the the Assyrian Empire was hegemon of the Middle East they were dominating all their neighbors through successful Warfare and brutal subjugations the Assyrians gain control over many regions and they secured great wealth for themselves the city of Nineveh as the capital of the Assyrian Empire was no doubt much enriched by these conquests whoever the Assyrians ninevites included were idolatrous people the same Wicked practices which God forbid from Israel and rebuked Israel for pursuing they were going on in Nineveh and in Assyria they were pagan people they were Wicked people probably even more wicked than than Israel whenever Israel compromised this was what the ninevites knew now normally oh and and I’ll say one more thing Jonah is told by God to cry out against Nineveh because of its wickedness he says its wickedness is great by the way that sounds like what other city that got called out for its wickedness Sodom Sodom and Gomorrah remember he says I’m going to go down see I’ve heard the report the wickedness is piled to heaven I’m gonna go find out for myself a little different with Jonah he says it’s wickedness is great go tell them go cry out against it now normally when a prophet receives a mission from God like this the prophet obeys right away but not Jonah verse 3 says Joan but Jonah contrast word but Jonah rose up to flee to tarshish from the presence of the Lord what’s this God’s Prophet fleeing from the mission fleeing from God’s presence what’s going on well we’ll learn later but in the beginning in these first two chapters we don’t understand this is a head-scratching move from God’s prophet now Jonah flees to tarshish where is tarshish it’s possible that it was in southern Spain the truth is we don’t know that city has actually mentioned a number of times in Scripture it was certainly an important coastal city famed for its Mercantile activity if you look at the reign of Solomon he’s often interacting with tarshish is apparently an important trading center but if Jonas fleeing to it it probably is far from Israel the only reason we think it’s in Spain is because of what a 5th Century Greek historian Herodotus he identifies the city of tarshish as the city of teresis in what is today southern Spain so you can see on the map here if that is indeed the case this would be quite far from where God told Jonah to go Nineveh in the Northwest Northeast Jaffa is the port in Israel that Jonah is seeking to sail from tarshish in southern Spain uh by the way don’t confuse tarshish with tarsis Tarsus is another city and that’s in southern Asia Minor that would be at the bottom of turkey kind of round where the bend of turkey goes into Syria that’s where the Apostle Paul was born that’s a different city okay so Jonah flees from God to tarshish by getting on a boat or at least attemptively but what does God bring on the boat a storm and an increasingly violent storm Sailors do their best but the boat is about to break up so what final out oh uh What alternative do the sailors turn to pray pray to the gods maybe one of them will have mercy on us but Jonah is not doing this he’s asleep they wake Jonah up they say you pray to your God too but then the sailors decide to decide to cast lots remember lots of something like dice or sticks that when you cast them they they communicate some kind of information they cast lots to indicate which Pastor which passenger has caused the storm to come upon them what do you know the lot falls on Jonah that’s not an accident they demand to know of Jonah about him and what he did and he tells them I’m a Hebrew I follow Yahweh and I’m running from his presence they they asked him why he would do this thing and they also asked him what they should do to play Kate Yahweh and what does Jonah say they should do throw them overboard now that’s kind of an odd response Jordan doesn’t say I’m running from the Lord so we’ve got to turn around and go to Joppa I mean that would make sense right I have to go back Jonah doesn’t say well Yahweh has control over the sea so let me pray to God for you let me pray to God for the ship let me repent and I’m sure the storm will disappear no he says throw me overboard if Jonas tossed overboard in the middle of the ocean in a storm no less what’s gonna happen to Jonah he’s gonna die he’s gonna drown he basically says you have to kill me by throwing me overboard the sailors realize this and they try to not go to this alternative they rode to get to land but it’s no use they can’t escape the storm and they finally pray to God and ask God not to hold him accountable for taking Jonah’s life and as soon as Jonah is in the sea becomes calm what do the sailors then do they offer sacrifice to God they fear God says they feared God they make sacrifices and they make vows to God that’s kind of an interesting response these Godless people they have the right response when they see that when they see God obviously acting by calming the storm well it looks like it’s all over for Jonah but it’s not because God commands a great fish to swallow Jonah Jonah is in the fish’s stomach the term can also be translated belly or abdomen three days and three nights and then Jonah prays for what does Jonah ask something basic because of the Poetry it may be a little bit difficult to find what he’s asking for directly but what is he asking for yeah he’s asking for rescue he’s asking for help he says verse two I called out my distress I cried for help from the depth of Shield you heard my voice help me God save me and what does Jonah reaffirm in verse 9 of chapter two yeah he says salvation is from the Lord but what about what is he going to do in response to God helping him yeah he’s going to fulfill his vow he says I’m going to sacrifice you with the voice of Thanksgiving this is these are the words of someone committed to honoring following and obeying the Lord he’s turned around his behavior he says God help me I’ll do what you want me to do I’ll follow after you he affirms he will worship and serve the Lord and right afterwards Jonah is vomited onto dry land vomited gross but he’s alive and on dry land now let’s ask a couple of interpretive questions why does Jonah ask the sailors to throw him overboard instead of instead of telling them to just turn around or to wait for him to pray what do you think uh Judy I think that is the answer yeah I’ll repeat what you said Judy he does not appear ready to repent and he’s actually still trying to run away from the Lord but this time by dying I’d rather be dead than fulfill the Lord’s mission so that’s why he says just throw me overboard and we know he’s not yet repented because it’s only it’s three days he spends inside the fish and then we hear his prayer asking for help talking about his help and it’s right after that that he’s on dry land so he did not appear to be repented yet when he told the sailors to throw him in the sea furthermore we’ll see later in chapter 4 Jonah there asks God to end his life so already escaping life circumstances through death is already or is is certainly an idea in Jonah’s mind so I think some some might not agree but I think we’re led to understand that Jonah is still trying to escape from God when he tells the sailors to throw him in the seat but God can’t be exploded that way God won’t let Jonah die what looked like certain death in the rolling storm waves in the middle of nowhere are in what looked like that God provides a means of miraculous preservation albeit uncomfortable miraculous preservation Jonah will be held in a fish until Jonah is ready to obey the Lord now what kind of fish swallowed Jonah a big one can we be more specific not really we don’t know what kind of fish it was the the term isn’t isn’t that descriptive some think it may have been a whale certainly whales are big and they could kind of be qualified as fishes they’re technically anatomically not really it’s possible it’s a whale though the Hebrews do have a term for whale and it’s not used here could have been a whale a blue whale big whale giant shark some other aquatic creature that no longer exists or maybe that we’ve never discovered or one that was specially created for the task whatever it was it was a big fish it swallows Jonah hole and holds Jonah in its belly now how did Jonah survive for three days and three nights inside this fish by the grace of God does this naturally happen or is this Supernatural his survival is Supernatural first of all being swallowed by the fish that set of circumstances is miraculous enough but his survival is miraculous because he would not have survived otherwise either God caused the creature that swallowed him to behave unnaturally in some way that allowed Jonah to survive or God prevented the conditions that normally would kill Jonah to not do so because normally being swallowed by a fish even if Jonah did not die by whatever digestive processes are inside this fish he would have had no air to breathe if Jonah were swallowed by a whale for instance whales have a separate respiratory and digestive system they’re not like us where we breathe and eat through the same Avenue through the mouth whales don’t do that whales breathe to the top of their heads and they only eat through their mouths there’s no way for air to actually get into their stomachs so if he were swallowed by a whale there would be no way he could survive or presumably no way he could survive but maybe the fish did something special maybe the fish had Jonah only in its mouth or regurgitated him periodically and the fish came to surface and opened its mouth to give Jonah Heir or something but that would be completely unnatural that’s not normal for our fish to do but even that perhaps would not have been enough to spare Jonah from what would have killed him it’s also possible that God simply supernaturally provided for Jonah inside that fish that just like when God provided for Daniel’s three friends when they went to the fiery furnace it didn’t harm them in the same way God may have done something for Jonah so that he was not killed by digestive processes and he had air to breathe God provided something whatever he did it was miraculous for Jonah on normal conditions Jonah would have died now perhaps some of you have heard stories about certain modern people who have survived being swallowed by whales or by fishes these are unfortunately just stories they’re not true or at least there’s there’s no reason to believe that they’re true they’re not verifiable there are plenty of things that contradict these stories and as we’ve just mentioned physically it’s impossible to survive being inside a whale There’s No Air there’s no air for one to breathe and but keeping Jonah alive no problem for God the all-powerful God if you can miraculously bring a storm on Jonah’s ship caused a lot to fall on Jonah calm the sea is Jonas as soon as Jonah’s in the water God can certainly keep Jonah alive in the great fish’s belly now someone suggest that Jonah actually does die and God brings him back to life that’s the way that God supernaturally provides I suppose that might be possible it does fit with a parallel that Jesus makes to Jonah which we’ll see a little bit later as he Compares his own death to Jonah’s experience but I don’t think this is the case because Jonah’s prayer as we’ve looked at it paints a picture of nearly dying not of actually dying one of the words I thought was particularly helpful verse 7 in Chapter 2 while I was fainting away I remember the Lord so he was I was in the process of distress things were looking bad for me and I remember the Lord and you provided salvation for me moreover if Jonah died how could he offer a prayer asking for God to help him he’d be dead he couldn’t offer any prayers so I don’t think that’s what happened but whatever God did it was miraculous and it was merciful to Jonah questions so far yeah Rob OT okay I want to save him yeah nothing yeah yeah that’s a great point we’ll come back to that point a little bit later on no one can presume to experience what Joan is experiencing the mercy The Sovereign mercy of God but when God chooses to show compassion and mercy on someone there’s nothing that can stop him Jonah tries to kill himself God says I’m not gonna let that happen I’m determined to be compassionate to you and to cause you to repent that is a very great thing from God other questions yeah really that’s a great Point boy we’ll come back to that one as well but it’s really interesting Jonah is a really successful Prophet even though he really doesn’t want to be like he doesn’t want to be a witness to these Sailors but they end up repenting and turning to the Lord and he doesn’t want to go to Nineveh but as we’re going to see it’s a really successful Ministry in Nineveh as well he’s an extremely reluctant Prophet but we see God his Sovereign power and his kindness he said nonetheless I’m going to make you really successful other questions or comments all right let’s keep moving so Jonah vomited up on the shores back to square one probably perhaps looking a little different from after his experience inside the fish but let’s see what happens next let’s read chapters three and four verse 1 chapter 3.
now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying arise go to Nineveh the great City and Proclaim it to which the proclamation which I’m going to tell you so Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord now Nineveh was an exceedingly great City a three days walk then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk and he cried out and said yet 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown and the people of Nineveh believed in God and they called a fast and put on sackcloth and the greatest of the least of them when the word reached the king of Nineveh he arose from his throne laid aside his robe from him covered himself with sackcloth and sat on ashes sat on the ashes he issued a proclamation and it said in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his Nobles do not let man Beast heard or flock taste a thing do not let them eat or drink water but both man and Beast must be covered with sagloth and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his Wicked way and from the violence which is in his hands who knows God may turn and relent and withdraw his Burning Anger so that we will not perish when God saw their deeds that they turned from their wicked way then God relented concerning the Calamity which he had declared he would bring upon them and he did not do it but it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry he prayed to the Lord and said please Lord was not this what I said while I was still in my own country therefore in order to forestall this I fled to tarshish for I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God slow to anger and abundant and loving kindness and one who relents concerning Calamity therefore now oh Lord please take my life from me for death is better to me than life the Lord said do you have good reason to be angry then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it there he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city so the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort and Jonah was extremely happy about that plant or about the plant but God appointed a worm when Dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered when the sun came up God appointed a scorching East Wind and the Sun Beat Down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and begged with all his soul to die saying death is better to me than life then God said to Jonah a good reason to be angry about the plant and he said I have good reason to be angry even to death then the Lord said you had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow which came of overnight and perished overnight should 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 and that’s where it ends let’s make some observations again how does Jonah respond to God’s command the second time he obeys and he goes to Nineveh good job Jonah what is Jonah’s message from God too Nineveh in 40 days what’s going to happen it’s going to be overthrown it’s going to be judged it’s going to have Devastation brought to it probably going to be destroyed how did the people respond they repent they believe and repent and they demonstrate this repentance and praying fasting and wearing sackcloth the least of the greatest of them even the king takes off his robes in Dawn sackcloth this is incredible the capital of Assyria Nineveh the greatest City in the Middle East hears the message of God and repents immediately all of them even the king who might have chosen instead to be stubbornly proud they acknowledge their sin and throw themselves upon the mercy of God this is completely unexpected I would say it’s an even bigger Miracle than what happened to Jonah and the fish the whole city of Nineveh repents and how does God respond that’s right he relents of the Judgment when he saw what they did he saw the repentance how they turned from the evil way he did not send the judgment but what does Jonah think of God’s response he was angry about it now we hear from jono why he fled from God in the first place what was the reason hermana yeah he knew God’s character and he feared that God might relent to the judgment on Nineveh and he would he would show kindness then he feared that if the ninevites repented God’s kindness would cause God to relent to the judgment and it’s seeing it how things have developed Jonah as I alluded before asked God to kill Jonah because death seems better than life to Jonah the fact that you’ve spared this people makes me want to die Jonas says then God creates an object lesson for Jonah God causes a plant to grow miraculously overnight lovely plan to provide shade to Jonah while Jonah watches the city but then causes a worm to destroy the plant the next night and Jonah again becomes angry why does Jonah become angry about the plant well partly we know it’s because he was he no longer had the shade just as you said Shea he’s being distressed by the hot wind and the sun on him this plant had provided extra shade for him and it’s gone and that’s annoying but there’s another reason yeah Danielle yeah he had compassion on the plan God says you have compassion on the plant he liked the plant he cared about the plant and this becomes the basis of a rebuke from God to Jonah God tells Jonah you’re angry about the destruction of this plant even though you didn’t work hard for it and you only enjoyed it for a day you had compassion about the plant you cared about it and you felt pain when you saw this plant this inanimate transient plant destroyed that pained you not simply because you lost your shade but because you like the plants how then can you find fault with me when I have compassion on Nineveh a city so large that there are 120 000 people who do not know the difference between a right and left hand by the way which people are those they’ve got to be small children children don’t know the difference between right and left they’re probably 120 000 children in the city and if there are that many children then we’re probably talking at least a half a million people in this city it’s a huge amount of people and then they’re the animals God even mentions there are many animals in there too God says you have a compassion for a plant that you didn’t even work for don’t you understand why I have compassion on this city these are my Creations they’re made in my image they’re more than a half a million of them many of them are children many of my specially made animals are there too and these people have repented they’ve turned from their sin don’t you see why I have compassion on them how can you join a censure me and not have compassion on them yourself and then that’s where the account ends with this question with this rebuke from God to Jonah let’s ask a couple of interpretive questions now based on what we saw how does Jonah feel about the people of Nineveh yeah he doesn’t like them that’s a very nice way to put it he hates them he despises them and as you said he does not want to see them repent why does he hate them we don’t know maybe it’s their idolatrous ways that are just so disgusting to him maybe it’s interactions that he or other Israelites have had with the ninevites and the people of Assyria in the past maybe it’s the sins they’ve committed as part of their conquest and hegemony of the other nations but for whatever reason Jonah hates the ninevites and in a very strange but theological twist you might expect that Jonah would have relished the opportunity to pronounced judgment on these people yes God’s gonna get him I can’t wait to tell him but Jonah knew God’s heart too well Jonah feared that if the people repented I know God he’s gonna show them kindness and I don’t want to see that I don’t want to see that at all costs so I’m willing to flee and even die before I see that happen Jonah hates Nineveh but besides what God shows Jonah through the plant how does Jonah show himself to be a hypocrite he doesn’t want to see God’s compassion on the nunavites why is this hypocritical to whom is God very vividly already shown compassion Jonah Jonah was disobedient and God didn’t destroy Jonah he was merciful to Jonah he gave Jonah the ability to repent and yet Jonah will not give the same opportunity to the ninevites he doesn’t want to see The Compassion of God that he received also given to the ninevites God did not do to Jonah as Jonah deserved but Jonah was not willing to desire or show God’s compassion to others who didn’t deserve it now why does this book end the way it does it’s kind of abrupt why do you think it ends that way yeah Donna yeah so you bring up some good points Donna there’s certainly other exhortations in the Bible and the New Testament about showing compassion especially to one’s enemies that we are to imitate God and showing kindness to the undeserving but to get back to my question why does the book end this way Danielle yeah it’s poignant right to end with a question without an answer without Jonah’s response it provokes a response from the reader it provokes the reader to think about that question shouldn’t God show compassion why would I resent if God did show compassion do I show compassion this is very thought-provoking and instructive to the reader it’s a challenge almost not just a Jonah but also to the reader and it causes the reader to examine his own attitude now thinking about the four chapters as a whole why does the author write this book what does he want to show okay everything happens for God’s glory true what is he emphasize throughout this book yes George yeah this is about the compassion of God right we’ll say more about that in just a second what else is this really meant to show the reader not just God’s compassion but what also what other aspect of God to me okay we’ll talk about that too yes this compassion extends Beyond Israel and the fact that this is all happening to the ninevites is actually quite profound to the Assyrians not the Jews but what other aspect besides God kindness is clearly emphasized in this book yeah Andrew I mean kindness right to other gods yeah I think that’s that’s good too to fill out this idea of kindness that has to do also with God’s response to when people repent that God is merciful and he relents of judgment what are we going to say Danny yeah his sovereignty his sovereignty combined with his kindness but his sovereignty nonetheless I’ll just talk about a couple of those ideas this book is clearly meant to communicate to us and cause us to appreciate God’s sovereignty he has total control he controls profits he controls storms he controls the casting of lots it controls fish he controls life and death and the hearts of men no one’s Disobedience or weakness can thwart him God will accomplish whatever he’s determined whether it’s to turn a profit around or to save a whole city but this book is also meant to show us God’s heart God’s kind heart God’s incredible kindness God’s sovereignty leads him to Glorious and compassionate action God didn’t have to send a prophet to Nineveh God didn’t have to spare Jonah when Jonah disobeyed but God chose to be merciful he worked out the whole situation so that he might pour kindness on the undeserving why because this pleases God this is his heart and who’s more undeserving than the ninevites wicked pagans brutal conquerors enjoying the pleasures obtained from others suffering they’re a wicked City and as Dwayne mentioned they’re not Jews they’re outside of God’s special Covenant they’re gentiles but God sends them a prophet and this generation of ninevites and their King repent it doesn’t stay this way the ninevites and the people of Assyria they apparently go back to their old ways a later generation does not follow after the Lord we see other prophecies against Nineveh and Assyria and other Old Testament books after Jonah but this generation in God’s sovereignty experienced unmerited kindness from God this generation of Gentiles outside of Israel far away from Israel we don’t have the map anymore but it’s not even close by to Israel God chose in his kindness to spare them from temporal judgment and also to I think for many of them give them Eternal salvation we’re going to see the ninevites from Jonah’s preaching in heaven but there’s one more aspect of this account that has to do with God showing mercies to the Gentiles and that is what it says about Israel this book is a rebuke to the hard hearts of the Israelites because think about it not only through Jonah do we see Israel have a lack of compassion for others for their neighbors for gentiles they also persist in their idolatry and God is showing Israel through this account I send you profit after profit you’re my special people you have my Feast you have my temple you have my special blessings yet you will not repent you keep on going after other gods you keep on holding to your sin and your worldly ways I send one Prophet one reluctant Prejudice profit to the greatest and most Godless City in Assyria and they all from the least to the greatest instantly repent don’t you see the contrast Israel are you not utterly ungrateful and wicked you have multiple prophets you’re my people you won’t repent they have one Prophet it doesn’t even like them and they all repent Jesus makes the same point during his ministry in the New Testament Matthew 12 38-42 it says and some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him that’s Jesus teacher we want to see a sign from you validate yourself but he answered and said to them an evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster so will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah and behold someone behold something greater than Jonah is here and then there’s another mention the queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it because she came from the ends of the Earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon and behold something greater than Solomon is here what’s Jesus’s point namely this wicked Gentiles instantly responded to the half-hearted preaching of Jonah but when the Messiah God’s son comes to Israel with the message of Salvation they will not believe and they constantly ask for more signs furthermore a gentile Queen was willing to travel across the world just to hear Solomon’s wisdom and yet Jesus says to his audience why are you so unwilling to listen to my wisdom the wisdom of the Messiah the wisdom of God himself is your heart not utterly dark so this book is not only an intimate look at the sovereignty of God and his kindness his incredible kindness It’s also a look at the hardness of Israel and of mankind those who claim to follow after God and yet persist in Wicked Ways by the way Jesus’s words are significant in another way some claim that this book and what happened to Jonah are not to be taken literally this is all appointed allegory or it’s a myth you can’t actually believe that someone survived inside a fish for three days well Jesus treats Jonah and the events of this book as actual happenings and Jesus Is God and cannot lie cannot say that Jesus was merely accommodating the false understanding of the people of his own day Jesus States plainly that Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights and that the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching if that’s not true Jesus is lying and if Jesus is lying he’s not God moreover Jesus uses these historical happenings as the basis of his own statements if Jonah didn’t actually spend three days and three nights in the fish then will the son of man actually spend three days and three nights in the earth if one didn’t happen how do we know the other’s gonna happen it only works one really did happen or if Jonah never preached and if Nineveh never repented how can Jesus rebuke the Jews for not believing his greater word there would be no basis for his rebuke for his comparison no this is history Jonah’s history it’s miraculous God involves history but it was written down as history to benefit Israel to benefit us so how can we apply the Book of Jonah we see God’s heart we see God’s sovereignty we see the hard-heartedness of Israel how can we apply it today a number of ways but let me just pose to you a series of questions to get us thinking about application God’s word in the real world ask yourself these things as you consider the Book of Jonah first do you love God for who he is do you love God for his heart we see his great patience and his compassion in this account do you love God for this heart that he has that he’s actually also shown towards you you’re like Nineveh you’re like Jonah you’re disobedient and yet God had mercy on you he gave you his word he sent you his revelation he saved you if you’ve come to know him have you or do you love the Lord for his kindness for his heart have you encountered God’s heart do you love God another question are you indeed more like Nineveh or are you like Israel even though you’re here in church is your heart far away from God are those that come out of obviously sinful backgrounds putting you to shame because you have not yet set aside your hypocrisy another question do you have compassion on people even those that seem Unworthy of it or are insignificant or are there certain people because of what they’ve done to you how they spoke to you because of what culture they come from or what ethnic background they have because of their past sinful Behavior or life these people you want nothing to do with you don’t want to show them compassion they don’t deserve it you don’t even want to see it happen to them you may even secretly desire that evil fall upon them you want to see things you want to see um hurt come to them is that true do you have compassion for other people or do you feel like some are not worthy of it and then On a related note are you apathetic to the plight of your fellow men for God are you more sympathetic to mistreated planets and animals than humans who need God’s rescue are you unwilling to be God’s Messenger to the world are you on your own ship to tarshish away from man’s great need away from your mission that’s God given are you trying to flee from God’s presence please consider these questions we are to be like Nineveh not Israel we’ve got to repent let us learn the lesson of Jonah let us behold love and imitate the Compassionate Heart of God let’s repentance of the wrong attitudes that we’ve had and live differently quick questions or comments before we close got maybe two minutes all right well that’s it for Jonah next week we turn to another prophet Elijah look at how God uses Elijah let’s close in prayer father this is a very poignant book and it is a it is a serious rebuke to be considered God because we can be very much like Jonah we can think about our relationship with you consider ourselves one of your people and yet walk so hypocritically and unlovingly towards our fellow man we cannot care about them we can refuse to share the gospel with them we can be so apathetic we can get so caught up in our own Pursuits would I pray that you would do the soul surgery that is necessary Lord we want to repent of these things we don’t want to live this way anymore we want to follow after you as you have meant us to be because if we’re not obedient God to you God we don’t belong to you despite what we say despite whatever Christian Heritage we might have we show whether we belong to you when we repent of our sin so God I pray that you would work repentance where it’s necessary that you would encourage your people where they are already doing right and that we would uh we would learn the lesson of Jonah in Jesus name amen