Intro: Top 10 THINGS TO DO INSIDE A BIG FISH
10) “Can you hear me now?” 9) Pray the fish is ….. bulemic 8) Bonfire and a fish fry! 7) Open a sushi bar 6) “Consider it pure joy” 5) Floss . . . the whale 4) Finally get motivated to read Moby Dick 3) Listen to tapes of your preacher’s old sermons 2) Call your mother 1) Run and run and run and run and run . . . until you’re all pooped out.
Now you are laughing and unfortunately that is what many do with the book of Jonah. Often this booked is laughed off and not taken seriously. Some discount it as an allegory only good for teaching a lesson while others simply discount it as a fairy tale copied from other made up stories from the time. What we find if we honestly examine the book is a real life encounter with a follower of the living God. It pulls no punches and clearly communicates the rebellion and mistakes of one of God’s own. The story of Jonah also shows a God who never turns His back on a wayward prophet. The story also reveals God’s great grace toward a people that deserved judgment and destruction.
In this book we find out why bad things happen to good people. We also discover why the consequences are so drastic when we disobey God. Here is a book where a loving God sent a prophet with a message of judgment in order that the people would repent and be saved. This is the answer to how can a loving God allow such things to happen. This is a beautiful moment in history of God dealing with His people. We see God’s sovereignty even as He allows Jonah to deny and disobey a direct call. We also learn that Jonah was faithful because God was involved in his life at every stage of Jonah’s life.
I. A moment in History
A) The prophet Jonah
Jonah’s name means dove. He was meant to be a messenger not only to the people of Israel but also to the people of Assyria. God had a special plan for Jonah. 2 Kings 14:25 says that He prophesied that Israel would regain land that was lost due to Babylonian and Assyrian invasion. Jeraboam 2nd fulfilled this prophecy about the time that this book was written. Jonah is also mentioned in the book of Tobit. This is an apocryphal book dating about 200 BC. Jesus himself mentioned Jonah in Matthew 12:39-42 and Luke 11:29-32. He said just as Jonah was a sign to Nineveh Jesus would be a sign to Israel. Jonah was a sing to Nineveh by surviving the belly of a big fish. Jesus didn’t speak of Jonah as allegory or story but as an historical person. God had a plan for Jonah.
The correct way to respond to a call and direction of God is obedience through faith. Jonah responded with religious, national, political, and racial pride. We must be careful to guard our hearts from these types of pride because they blind us to our true spiritual purpose. We should learn from Jonah to guard against a false moral superiority. God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. We see a great truth in Jonah’s response to God. You can know God and be completely misguided and mistaken. Jonah was mistaken that he could flee from God’s presence. Jonah was misguided about the intentions God had for the people of Nineveh.
B) The people
1) Israel – God’s chosen people. The plan was for them to share the light and love of God with the world. They failed in this purpose.
2) Nineveh – Israel’s political and social enemy. They were oppressive and violent. The kings of Nineveh recorded horrible torture and post war atrocities. They burned children alive and did horrible things to captured and defeated enemy soldiers. It was to this group of violent people that God sent Jonah.
C) The place – Ninevah
1) Its size
The city was said to be a three day’s journey from side to side. The walls of the city were so wide that chariot races could be held on the top of them. The city was old as well. Genesis 10 records the beginning of the city it was at least 2000 years old. From man’s point of view the city of Nineveh was great size, culture, resources, money etc. The Assyrians and the city of Nineveh were not known mainly for their large city, great culture or great history but their brutality and violence.
II. The mission for God’s servant
A) Tell them judgment is coming
Arise and Go! Tell them judgment is coming. This mission was supposed to override any thoughts or ideas Jonah had about the people he was sent to. Jonah 3:3-4 clearly told them destruction or judgment was coming. Church we were given the same mission in Matthew 28:19-20. Acts 1:8 and other passages. Arise – be active in telling people the reality of a life that rebels against God.
B) Tell them why judgment is coming
Sin, wickedness rebellion. Sin is not a popular word to speak about today. God’s desire is not destruction of sinners. If this were the case then instead of a savior he would have sent a war chief. God desired for Nineveh to repent and be saved from the destruction to come. However as God is holy if sinners chose not to repent the only other option is judgment.
III. The mess because of disobedience
A) The big storm
1) Storm of perfection
2) Storm of correction
Jonah was facing a storm of correction. Because of His disobedience the sailors also encountered the storm. Our choices have consequences not just for ourselves.
We should learn from Jonah when we run from God when we get where we are running
Jesus will be waiting for us.
B) The sailors
Reveal what is hidden in the heart of man. Look closely at verse 4. The storm that the Lord hurled at the ship threatened to break the ship apart. The one that could do something about it was in the ship asleep. Church are we asleep as others’ lives are breaking apart? We see in verse 5 that they were afraid for their lives and cried out to their various gods (little g). Folks people are still looking for a god to help them when times are tough.
IV. The might God bigger than all
The big fish is mentioned 4 times, the big city is mentioned 9 times, the prophet is mentioned 18 times, but the God who is bigger than all of them is mentioned 38 times. When we read and study the story of Jonah don’t let the other big details distract you from the real God who is in control of the details. This is His story.
This is the story of God’s sovereignty over man’s disobedience, of God’s forgiveness over man’s sin, God’s love over Jonah’s lack of compassion.
Don’t let people distract you from the care and compassion of God with misunderstandings of who God is.
What was God trying to reveal about Himself by constantly chasing Jonah and directing him toward Nineveh. He is clearly saying Jonah is worthy saving, the 120,000 infants are worth saving, the city of Nineveh is worth saving. . . you are worth saving.
What can we learn about God from this portion of Jonah?
1) God can use anything including our disobedience
2) God is sovereign He rules and overrules everything.
3) God invites us to dialogue with Him and even dispute what He says. However, He does not invite us to disobedience.
4) God pursues us even when our personal choices lead us down and away from Him.
