Jonah: A Word From The Lord

Note: Thanks to Aldon Johnson and Mike Wilkins (The Run Away Prophet) for their thoughts and ideas on Jonah chapter 1.

Title: The Word of the Lord

Theme: Show the importance of following God’s Word spoken to us.

Text: Jonah 1

Introduction

Jonah is mentioned in 2Ki_14:25. He prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II, the king of Israel from 793 to 753 B.C. He may have been a member of the company of prophets mentioned in connection with Elisha's ministry (2Ki_2:3).

2Ki 14:25 He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher.

Jonah

The Word of the Lord

(1) The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

Jesus said, “Man shall not live [Jesus is talking about life here] by bread alone, but on [or by] every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4; Dt. 8:3).

The Word of the Lord

A. That’s serious

B. It’s unescapably

C. Its saving life

D. Its Almighty God

E. It has to be obeyed

1 Samuel 3:1 Then the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no widespread revelation.

Instructions

(2) "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me."

There was a calling on Jonah’s life to do something for the Lord. This is a wonderful calling.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

The Flight

(3) 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.

God had plans for Jonah yet Jonah had other plans. So what did he decide to do, he decided to run from the Lord.

Jonah refused the Word of the Lord

A. He refused to heed to it

B. Wouldn’t obey it

C. He went to flee from the presence

A call to be more public with your faith – but instead you keep your light under a bushel

A call to forgive someone for harm they have done to us – but instead you avoid them at all costs in order to keep your grudge.

A call to quietness and prayer – but instead you fill your life with really important busy things

A call to a specific ministry or use of your spiritual gifts – but instead you put it on the back burner until a more opportune time

A call into relationship with God through Jesus – but instead you throw yourself into the things of the world

The Storm

(4) 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.

What Jonah didn’t realize was that you can’t escape the presence of the Lord.

God sent a great wind

A. The wind was God’s messenger

B. It was preaching to Jonah to get up and obey God

C. But Jonah was sleeping

D. The Word is saying we better wake up and listen and obey God

Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Some of us are headed for the storm of our life because we haven’t consulted God or because we’re not paying any attention to the word of the Lord.

Some of us are in the midst of a severe storm because we opted to go to Tarshish instead of Nineveh—God’s will for our life.

Psalm 139

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, [1] you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

(5) 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, lain down and fallen sound asleep.