Repentance on man's part always brings action on God's part. Proverbs 28:13. Man could solve so many of life's problems, if he would only repent of his sins. God is ever waiting and eager to bless man. God's blessings are often blocked by man's disobedience. It would have been better for both Jonah and the fish if he would have obeyed God. God prepared a great fish, 1:17. Jonah made the fish sick, 2:10. the fish was obedient.
I. The Fish
1. The pain of service.
a. Regurgitation is no fun!
b. This fish must vomit in order to obey God.
1) Next time you feel God has been hard on you in obedience, remember the fish.
2) Many times, God gives us unpleasant tasks.
3) Not all the assignments from God are pleasant and easy on the flesh. 2 Timothy 2:3, 9-10, 4:7
4) Jonah was to go to Nineveh. That was something he did not want to do.
c. Obedience to God’s will is not pleasant to the flesh. The cup Jesus took in the garden.
2. The place of service.
a. The fish was to vomit Jonah out upon dry land.
1) The location of service was not a convenient location for the fish.
b. Don’t try to reason with the job description.
1) Philip didn’t. he went to the desert. Acts 8:26
2) Acts 9:10-13, Ananias
c. The fish was a water creature, not a land.
1) The fish could have said, “I will get him close; he can wade.”
2) God ordered, “dry land” Exodus 14:16 – ff
d. Location can be a real test of loyalty in service.
1) Often, we miss out on service because we will not submit to the action.
2) Elijah, “go and there” I will provide.
e. If God sends you to a dry land situation, be sure you go.
f. Obedience not convenience is the hallmark of true service.
3. The Puzzle of Service.
a. If the fish could have complained, he could have said:
1) I see no sense in this command, swallowing Jonah and then vomit him out.
2) It all seemed so dumb.
3) Why doesn’t God make up His mind?
b. The fish’s lack of knowing did not keep him from obeying.
1) Abraham and Isaac, Genesis 22:2
2) Israel ordered to march around Jericho, Joshua 6:3-5
3) Peter in fishing, Luke 5:41
4) All seemed strange to human reasoning when the orders came.
c. Mankind tends to forsake God’s commands when they do not seem to make sense.
1) Beware of our own wisdom vs. God. Proverbs 3:5-6
2) We think God has made a mistake.
a) God is all wise.
b) Authority never has to explain itself.
4. The pleasure of service.
a. You generally feel better after vomiting.
b. Service has its rewards.
c. In the first call to Jonah, he saw an unpleasant assignment.
d. God is not a cruel taskmaster.
e. The pain, place, and puzzle of service is worth it all in the end. Psalm 16:11
II. The Man
1. Jonah; 3:1
2. Jonah’s repentance.
a. A man’s repentance is seen not by his talk, but by his walk.
b. Some appear to repent under duress, but when they face God’s orders again, they react poorly.
c. True repentance make one’s attitude towards God’s orders much different than before.
3. The “second time” shows a wise habit of God.
a. The orders were the same
b. God didn’t get another one to do the job.
1) Same mission
2) Same motive
3) Same message
4. Jonah and God's mercy
a. When God's word came the first time, Jonah rejected it.
b. The fact God's word came a second time is grace and mercy. Revelation 3: 20
c. at some time, we all want a second chance.
d. Joseph's brothers
e. Moses, backside of the desert.
5. Jonah's preaching
a. God told Jonah, “where to preach and what to preach.”
b. It means the message is God's message not man's message.
c. Jonah could not preach what he liked when he liked or where he liked.
d. 2 Timothy 4:2; Isaiah 21:10; Acts 20:27
e. I cannot ignore pet sins
f. A preacher must be prepared to pay a price, to be faithful to the message of God.
III. The Bottom Line
1. What does this message say to me?
2. We can never run away from God. Psalm 139:7-10
3. There are times when God’s orders seem contradictory, strange, or lacking in wisdom.
4. God will bless when we obey Him in serving tough assignments.
5. True repentance replaces an attitude of rebellion with a humble submissive spirit.
