Lesson 3: God Of The Second Chance

A. JONAH OBEYS GOD - 3:1-10

1. The God of the second chance. “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time” (3:1).

Who Had a Second Chance?

1. Abraham after a lie to Pharaoh.

2. Jacob after deceiving his father.

3. Ten brothers after selling Joseph into slavery.

4. The prodigal son after squandering his inheritance.

5. Peter after denying the Lord three times.

2. The basis of a second chance. “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they (Israel) have sinned against You, when they pray . . . and confess . . . and turn from their sins . . . then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants” (2 Chron. 6:26-27).

a. Acknowledge. “I have sinned.”

b. Confess to offended ones. “I will go to my Father . . . I am no longer worthy to be called your son” (Luke 15:16-17).

c. Repent. “He arose and came” (Luke 15:20).

3. God’s second direction to Jonah.

a. “Arise,” just as it took activity to backslide.

b. “Go,” fulfill God’s command.

c. “Preach,” the original purpose of Jonah’s life.

d. “According to the word of the Lord.” You have not exercised faith until you obey the Bible.

4. “Preach,” i.e., Kara, means to cast out and warn. Several ways to preach:

Ways to Preach

1. To warn of judgment.

2. To motivate to respond.

3. To announce good news.

4. To explain what God means.

5. To witness your benefit.

6. To prove or defend.

5. Preached loudly with vengeance. “He cried” (Luke 3:4). To denounce.

6. “That great city,” both size and population. Sixty miles around, twenty miles across, walls twenty feet across. (an aggregate of four cities)

7. One man (plus God) against 120,000 people can win a victory.

8. Message. “Forty days and Ninevah will be overthrown” (3:4). Forty was the number of judgment.

a. Forty days of rain.

b. Forty years in the wilderness.

c. Forty-day fast.

9. “So Jonah arose” (3:3). Jonah obeyed.

a. Immediately.

b. Exactly.

c. Completely.

d. Extensively.

e. With intense zeal.

B. NINEVAH REPENTS

1. “The people . . . believed God” (3:5). Their outward actions revealed their inward faith. They believed God would judge them.

2. What sin did Jonah preach against?

a. Their “evil ways” (3:8). The Hebrew word Ra’-r’ meaning, filthiness, nastiness, i.e., sexual sins.

b. Their “violence” (3:8); they tortured others.

3. What caused the revival? “Cry mightily unto God, let them turn everyone from his evil way, and from . . . violence” (3:8).

a. Conviction from God. “And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin . . . righteousness . . . judgment” (John 16:8). Conviction means “to cause to see.”

b. Sovereign, Jonathan Edwards.

c. God uses preaching of His word.

d. Circumstances, was Jonah green and yellow.

4. Can God repent? (3:11).

a. Some say, “No,” because, “I am the Lord, I change not” (Mal. 3:6).

b. “Yes, God changes His mind. When people change their response to God, He changes from punishment to grace. The change in God is man’s view point.

5. How deep was the revival?

a. All classes of people. “From the greatest of them to the least” (3:5).

b. From the top down. “The king . . . repeated” (3:6, ELT).

c. Outward evidence. “Sackcloth.”

d. Prolonged prayer. “A 40-day fast.

e. God honored their repentance.

6. One of the greatest “revivals” in history.

a. The whole city.

b. Is 120,000 total city, or 120,000 children only? “120,000 who cannot discern between right and wrong” (4:11, ELT). Great number of people.

c. Repentance of their social sins.

d. God did not punish them.

7. What will it take for America to experience revival?

a. A consciousness of her sins.

What is America’s sin?

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b. A universal repentance of her social sin.

c. A recognition of God and His authority.

d. The prayer of whole-heartedly seeking God.

e. From the greatest to the smallest.