Life Lessons From The Life of Jonah… most of us know the story of Jonah and the whale… however most don’t realize that Jonah was a prophet of God who is mentioned well before the book of Jonah….
2 Kings 14:24-25
One day Jonah was in his prayer closet when he became greatly disturbed at the new assignment God had given him.
Jonah knew what it was like to hear and obey God’s voice; after all, he had proven himself by that prophecy concerning Israel’s borders during the reign of Jeroboam II…
But this particular request was just out of question. He was not going to preach the good news to Nineveh. He might preach to the Egyptians, maybe to the Ethiopians, but never to the Assyrians. They were the enemy and that was that…
The first lesson we learn from Jonah’s life (maybe not his actions but his life) is that
1. GOD DOES LOVE THE WORLD
The word of the Lord cam to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” Jonah 1:1-2
Who could understand the love of God? He had already shown His grace to many in Jonahs generation who just seemed unworthy… surly the Lord of all the earth knew what these people were like how barbaric they were. “That person will never be saved, that would have to be an act of God”
Because Galilee was on the trade route called the Via Mares (the way of the sea), many stories had circulated concerning the wicked people of Nineveh. Stories of how they would carry their captives across the desert, with meat hooks in their jaws, and the brutal torture performed at their gentile hands.
Some merchants even went so far as to call them monsters. No they were not going to hear preaching from this Hebrew prophet, so Jonah would tell himself.
Jonah 4:1-3
Jonah gives God the ultimate “I told you so” – I knew it was a mistake to show love to these people…
Jonah was not the only or the last person to struggle with loving his enemies… we struggle with this today, we struggle with loving those of a different denomination, a different nationality, a different economic status, a different last name; Which is why Jesus addressed this issue in His sermon on the mount
Matthew 5:43-48 = counter cultural…
He called his followers to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them.
Godly love overcomes hatred and jealousy, and grace always subdues disunity and contention. (where there is disunity in your life… allow the grace of God to penetrate your heart and you will come to love even those who have harmed you)
Jonah was put out by God’s commission to preach to his enemies, but he eventually learned a valuable lesson – God loves the world!!!
Romans 12:17-21
If we love God, we are called to love the sinner and hate the sin… pray for those that you are struggling to love… Pray for someone that you are struggling to love and ask God to love them through you.
2. OBEYING GOD’S VOICE MAY BE DIFFICULT
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:3
The trip from Gath-Hepher to the port city of Joppa had never seemed so long to Jonah. As he traveled he did his best to avoid any contact with people who knew that he was a prophet.
How would he answer them if they asked “What has God been saying to you, Jonah?” traveling every back road be knew, he wrestled with the will of God every step of the way, until finally he made his decision; he was going to board a ship destined for the opposite direction of Nineveh… the opposite direction of God’s will…
How many people here tonight have done this very thing… we go out of our way to stay out of God’s will and yet are as we do we are wrestling with the will of God until finally we decide to go in the total opposite direction…
paying to the fare for the ship bound for Tarshish was difficult at first, but the more he thought about how beautiful Spain was that time of year, the easier it became.
waves of conviction poured over his soul but the prophet forced himself to think of other things. As many have had to do, who try to force themselves to stay way from God’s calling… force our thoughts on anything other than Kingdom principles for our lives… and we usually focus our thoughts on the pleasures of the flesh rather than pleasing the Spirit…
Jonah never knew how difficult it was to obey the voice of God, until this voyage of disobedience. It is difficult to obey and even to disobey because God is all knowing…
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. Hebrews 14:13
Could Jonah really flee from God? Had it ever bee done successfully before? (Adam & Eve couldn’t do it) Would God just find another prophet to preach to that forsaken city? (He has not found anyone to replace the calling on your life either)
These questions and hundreds of others plagued Jonah as he paced back and forth across the deck of this ship of discontent.
When we live our lives out of the will of God we often struggle to be content with our quality of life… we are on a ship of discontent as was Jonah… a man can only go so far on this discontented voyage in life before he finally reaches a breaking point.
Boiling point… how long do you have to go before you finally realize you need to be in God’s will? When we stay out long enough we start believing the lie of “I am this way because God made me this way” when in actuality we are this way because of our rebellion to His will…
And we can not hide from it… no one has ever been successful at hiding from God, He is the King of hide and go seek cause He knows where you are physically and emotionally and spiritually
Psalm 139:7-12
To know what is right and not do it is a sin, and to try to run from God is not only impossible, but drives a person to frustration and sickness. the answer for Jonah and the answer for every Christian is obedience.
Are you running from God in any area of your life? Are you struggling with a commission from the Lord? Today is the day to surrender, give up and give in to your Lord and Master.
3. RECEIVING GOD’S DISCIPLINE IS A BLESSING
Jonah thought that he was in control of his own destiny. He had convinced himself that he was the captain of his fate, the master of his soul. he bought the ticket and he made the decision to set sail for Tarshish, but God was truly in control.
the sip steered in the direction of Spain as was Jonahs plan however…
Jonah 1:4
God hurled a great wind at the craft because, then as now, he loves His children enough to discipline them. The scriptures tell us that the winds are God’s messengers, and these gale force couriers were sent to discipline the prophet Jonah… (Inherit the Wind 06.27.07 N/S/E/W winds represent…)
how do we know this is love because as God disciplines he also provides a way back to Him
Jonah 1:17
God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah. the ancient Jewish Rabbis believed that this fish was created from the foundations of the earth for this purpose.
The whale or great fish was an instrument of the Almighty to correct the wayward prophet and to adjust his thinking about the souls that dwelt in Nineveh. just as God has appointed you and I from the foundations of the earth for a purpose… to correct and adjust the lives of others through us… but first we must be corrected as was Jonah.
Jonah 2:10
the Lord commanded and the fish vomited Jonah onto the soil of Nineveh. All the time Jonah was thinking that he was in control of his life, God was directing his surroundings for Kingdom purposes.
the hours spent in the belly of the fish allowed God to speak to Jonah. Then as now, our Lord has many strange ways of getting the attention of His people. (Even send a Seal to seal His will for the Whittier Family)
Jonah 4:6-7
God appointed a plant to grow over the prophet, and it was God who appointed the worm to eat the plant that shaded Jonah. From Genesis to Revelation we find Biblical truth that God disciplines those whom He loves. The Lord loved Jonah enough to hurl a great wind at his ship. He loved him enough to dispatch a whale, enough to grow a plant, and enough to send the worm. All these events were working together for Jonah’s own good.
Come let us return to the Lord! He has torn us to pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now He will bandage our wounds. In just a short time, he will restore us so we can live in His presence. Hosea 6:1-2
How great is God’s love for His people… If you have felt the sting of God’s discipline rod in your life than that is proof the He loves you… show your thankfulness for His care…
