A Look At The Book (Overview Of Jonah)

Jonah An Overview

SERMON OUTLINE:

KEY POINTS:

(1). Fact or Fiction?

(2). Unique or Unremarkable?

(3). A Fish or Forgiveness?

(4). Dead or Alive?

OUTLINE:

Chapter 1: Jonah runs from God.

Chapter 2: Jonah runs to God.

Chapter 3: Jonah is now running with God.

Chapter 4: Jonah runs against God.

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Two guys from Portland, Oregon IN THE USA,

• Liked the Greek word for victory so much.

• That in 1971,

• They named their new tennis shoe company after it.

• You might have heard of them…

• Nike.

• In 1988, Nike first used the slogan ‘Just Do It,’

• It has become one of the most successful advertising slogans,

• In marketing history.

• TRANSITION: God some very similar words to Jonah,

• Jonah, “Go! Just Do It.”

• Jonah replied, “No!”

• And so, begins one of the best-known stories from the Bible.

Ill:

• The story of Jonah,

• Is one of the very first Bible stories children learn,

• And not just Christian kids but Jewish kids as well.

• It would probably have been true for Jesus!

• That this was a story,

• He was told by Mary when he was a young child.

• You remember that Jesus grew up in Nazareth.

• According to, 2 Kings chapter 14 verses 25.

• Jonah came from the nearby village of Gath Hepher,

• Which was located about three miles north of Nazareth.

• In modern days, it is now known as Mash Had.

• e.g. Warwickshire has their local hero, William Shakespear.

• e.g. Nottingham has the local hero, Robin Hood.

• I wonder in the past if Jonah was the local hero of Nazareth?

• I would imagine all the children grew up knowing his story!

• And being warned not to behave like him.

Note:

• According to the Jewish Talmud,

• (The Talmud is the link between Scripture & Jewish practice.)

• The Talmud say there were 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses.

• Some of these prophets are called, ‘writing prophets’,

• That means they were primarily known,

• For their written message/words,

• Rather than their spoken message/preaching.

• Jesus during his earthly ministry mentioned 4 of them by name,

• Question: Can you name the other three?

• Answers: Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah.

Now Jonah received more than just a mention from Jesus.

• Jesus actually identified himself with the prophet,

• Using Jonah’s three-day stay in the belly of the great fish,

• As a foreshadowing of his own death,

• When Jesus would spend three days

• “…in the heart of the earth,” before his resurrection.

• (Matthew chapter 12 verses 39–41).

(1). Fact or Fiction?

• Many people dismiss this story as merely fiction.

• A nice story with a moral.

• A lesson to learn.

• I believe that Jonah was a real person in history.

• And not fictional character in a dramatic & entertaining story.

• Several reasons why.

(a).

• Jonah is mentioned as a real historical person in the book of Kings.

• We can date exactly when he lived from the information given.

• He lived during the reign of reign of Jeroboam II.

• He lived around the 8th century BC (800 years before Jesus).

(b).

• Jonah had a real biological father named as Amittai,

• Both Jonah and his father are treated as a real people,

• In the historical books of the Bible.

(c).

• Jesus treated Jonah as a real person.

• He believed in Jonah and the great fish.

• Jesus on one occasion said,

• “One greater than Jonah is now here.”

• (Matthew chapter 12 verse 41).

(d).

• When Jesus does mention Jonah,

• He mentions him in context of other historical people.

• e.g. the men of Ninevah,

• Will have something to say on the day of judgement.

• e.g. Jesus mentions the Queen of the South,

• (Joke: That's not the Scottish football team,)

• It's the Queen of Sheeba, again a historical person.

• e.g. Jesus talks about Solomon:

• And once again Jonah is placed alongside people in history.

• People who existed,

So, I believe,

• Jonah was a real person in history.

• And not fictional character in a dramatic & entertaining story.

• And that is how I will be teaching the book.

(2). Unique or Unremarkable?

Jonah is a short story, a very short story.

• Only four chapters, 48 verses, just over 1300 words.

• You can read it in 15 minutes.

• Here is what makes Jonah is unique:

• Most Bible books of the prophets contain very little biography,

• They are all about the prophets message,

• But Jonah is different,