Jonah 3:1-5 Series

Jonah 3:1-5

Here is the recap ~ God gave Jonah a command, Jonah disobeyed God and fled (Jonah sinned against God), God exerted His will on the wind and the sea and created a great storm in order to cause Jonah to repent, Jonah still did not repent and was still in hiding, God then commanded a fish to swallow Jonah when he was throw overboard in order to stop the storm, and then God commanded the fish to spit Jonah upon the shore.

God's will prevailed as always.

Jonah 3:1-2 ~ Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”

God is giving Jonah yet another chance to repent and follow through with Gods will and repent from his sin.

Romans 9:19 ~ For who can resist God's will? The answer is no one. Once God wills something into motion it will happen 100% of the time if that is what He want's. You can try to resist, you can try to over power God's will, you can run and you can hide but when God wills you to do something you will do it one way or another or it could be His plan is to set you free from Him and that isn't good.

Hebrews 12:3-11 ~ (Christ) Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Jonah, has just been put through a string of God's discipline. Will it make him stronger? Will it make him weaker? Will it do nothing? Will he finally listen to God and do what is commanded of him? Only time will tell.

Do we all believe this is the word of God? Do we all believe when we read it God is speaking to us? Every time we read it God is giving us another chance to do what he says.

Mark 16:15 ~ And he said to them (Jesus), “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

God is speaking to us once again, will we obey His command?

Jonah 3:3-5 ~ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.

It seems Jonah has bent the knee to God finally doesn't it? This is a great sign and first step.

Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

When we speak the word of God those in whom God is speaking to will respond. They will here God's voice and they will respond. And they will respond in the way intended or else they will end up like Jonah having to be persuaded.

There is though another group, those in which God is not speaking to.

Romans 1:24 ~ Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

This is God removing His hand from someone or a group of people. God has spoken and compliance or repentance did not happen thus God said He is done with them. They will not feel God's hand on them anymore urging them along to do His will and God will let them fall to their own desires.