When it comes to exaggeration, we are reminded of the story of the little boy who was known for his problem with exaggeration. He came home from school one day and said, "Mom, I saw a dog as big as an elephant." The mother said, "Johnny, haven't I told you a billion times not to exaggerate!"
I can assure you, no part of this text is an exaggeration! The story of Jonah and the big fish is a historical fact.
HOW DO WE KNOW IT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY HAPPENED?
We know it is a historical fact because Jesus, Who knows all things, stated that it was true when He compared Jonah's being in the whale's belly three days and three nights, to His being in the tomb three days and three nights, and surviving.
We read in Matthew 12:40, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
You see, if you have a hard time believing in the story of Jonah, you will have a hard time believing in the resurrection of Christ. Christ stated that just as sure as Jonah had been in that whale's belly three days and three nights, so would the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth!
The book of Jonah is one of the most exciting books of the Bible. But contrary to what many think, the book of Jonah is not about Jonah, it is about the God of Jonah.
This reveals to us the kind of God that Jonah served. For example:
I. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CONCERN
Jonah's God is CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYONE! You CANNOT read the story of Jonah and not see that.
WHAT KIND OF GOD WAS THE GOD OF JONAH? He was a caring God!
We live in a world where people, even Christians, are concerned about a few people around them, but do not seem to have any concern for others beyond that small circle in which they live each day.
The lost world can truly say with the Psalmist, "no man cared for my soul."
God is not that way. He is concerned about EVERYONE - even the most despicable humans on this earth.
You may ask, "Can you prove that?" Yes, I can prove to you that God is concerned about people that no one else is concerned about.
Illus: The people of Nineveh were the most despised people on the face of the earth.
Look at Nahum 3:1, the prophet refers to Nineveh as, "...the bloody city."
DO YOU KNOW WHY? Because the people there were the cruelest and wickedest people who lived on earth.
• They were always at war with surrounding nations
• Once they conquered them, it was their custom to cut off their hands, feet, noses, ears, and pluck out their eyes with much delight. They thrived on being able to torture people in different ways
Everyone despised them, and they would all have been thrilled if God would have just wiped them from the face of the earth.
When God appeared to Jonah and told him He wanted him to go to Nineveh and preach repentance to them, Jonah did not want to go.
WHY DIDN’T HE WANT TO GO? Because he knew if they repented God would spare them, and Jonah did not want God to spare them. He wanted God to wipe these despicable people from the face of the earth!
Not only were the Ninevites known for their WICKED DEEDS, they were also known for their IGNORANCE.
Look at Jonah 4:11 we read, "And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand."
Notice, in this case, ignorance and Godlessness went hand in hand.
Illus: Jesus recognized this spiritual ignorance even as He died on the cross. He looked at those who crucified Him and prayed for them. Look at Luke 23:34, we read, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." People who do not know what they are doing are ignorant. Jesus knew this, and so He was telling the Father, "These people are ignorant, that is why they are doing what they are doing."
The surrounding nations knew these Ninevites were WICKED and IGNORANT and were dangerous.
Most of those people would have agreed with Jonah, that the best thing would be for God to destroy these Ninevites.
Aren't you glad that God is not like we are? There are people who once looked at some of the finest servants of God on this earth before they were saved, and thought they were WORTHLESS!
But God did not give up on them. He saved them and made them some of his choice servants.
The book of Jonah reveals JONAH’S GOD IS A CARING GOD. He did not want them to be destroyed, he wanted them to be saved. Also...
II. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CONTROL
This marvelous book, God's Word, teaches us from the beginning to the end, that not only is Jonah's God a GOD OF CONCERN, He is also a God who is in CONTROL.
Now often, in this wicked world, we feel like God has lost control. However, I can assure you, we can see from the example in the book of Jonah, God is very much in control.
Look at three things we see that Jonah's God controlled.
A. GOD CONTROLLED THE WIND AND THE SEA
In Jonah 1:4, we read, "But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken."
It is clear that the storm that almost sank the ship WAS AN ACT OF GOD. That is, it was SENT BY GOD.
When Jonah got on that ship to Tarshish, instead of getting on the ship going to Nineveh, he probably thought, "I am my own God. I am controlling the events of my life." But, Jonah soon found out that God was in control. God sent a mighty wind into the sea and caused a strong storm.
Illus: That storm was not called HUGO, nor ANDREW. It was called JONAH. That storm had Jonah’s name written all over it.
Illus: There may be someone here today who is running from God. You need to understand this, no matter where you run, God is there waiting for you.
God almost had to sink the ship Jonah was on before He got Jonah's attention! Sometime God has to use drastic measures to get our attention.
Illus: God has to do what the farmer did to get his mule to plow. He had to get a 2X4 and smack him between the eyes to get his attention.
And let me tell everyone here today, God can get your attention, even if he has to do it the hard way.
Jonah found out the hard way that God was in CONTROL OF THE WIND. But also---
B. GOD CONTROLLED THE CASTING OF LOTS
Every sailor on that ship was convinced that the storm was no ordinary storm. It was a storm sent by God because He was angry with someone.
Look at verses 7-8 we read, "And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?”
Notice, when they cast the lots, the lot fell upon Jonah.
Illus: Jonah was not like Vice President Al Gore in the presidential election of 2000 who kept asking for a recount.
Jonah knew the storm was no accident, it was no coincidence that it happened when he was on the ship.
Illus: People can disobey God and do all kinds of evil, but when the Judgment of God falls on them they will not be able to deny that God almighty is dealing with them.
Illus: Many years ago a group of people came and joined a church. There were about forty of them. The pastor thought God was really blessing his church, but he later found out God did not send them, it was the devil that sent them. After several years of chaos with this gang, at a business meeting they elected one of their own to become the church treasurer. Several of them went to the pastor and said, “We would like ------------ to lead our singing.” The pastor knew this person well and said, “I am sorry, this person does not attend church regularly, and they have a horrible testimony.” They told him in no uncertain terms, that he did not run the church, and they will show him. The one who was elected to be the church treasurer, went to the church office and tore up every tithe check. But the pastor stood his ground, and the good people of the church stood with him. They all left like they came, like a pack of dogs. But it was only a short time later that the pastor saw this church treasurer in a restaurant. He would have spoken to her, but even though she was an attractive woman in her forties, she had changed beyond recognition. She had become very sick, and in a few months she was dead and buried.
Listen, when the Judgment of God falls on a person, they know they are in the hands of almighty God.
The last phrase of verse 7 says, "...and the lot fell upon Jonah." Jonah knew it was no coincidence that the lot fell on him!
It was obvious that the severe storm would destroy him, and the ship, and the other men, and there was no need for all the other men to die.
• They asked Jonah what they could do to stop the raging sea. Look at verse 12, "And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you."
Notice, Jonah did not say, I am the reason this storm has come. I will jump overboard and the sea will be calm. No! He said, “Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea…”
• Verse 13 - the men did not want to do that - we read, "...the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not..."
• We read in verse 15 that after a lot of agonizing, "So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging."
Notice, God controlled the WIND and the CASTING OF THE LOTS, but also...
C. GOD CONTROLLED THE BIG FISH
Look at Jonah 1:17, "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."
Some of you are saying, "Preacher, do you expect me to believe that Jonah lived three days and three nights in the belly of a fish?"
Why not? God’s Word said he did! If God’s Word said Jonah had swallowed the whale, I would believe that also.
The skeptics say this is impossible for a fish to swallow a man. These skeptics fail to understand that, the Bible says, “Now the LORD HAD PREPARED a GREAT FISH to swallow Jonah…”
God knew what size Jonah was, and God knew what size fish it would take to swallow him and hold him for three days.
Illus: Like D. L. Moody, a man came to him and said, “Mr. Moody, God told me to give you these shoes. What size do you wear?” He said, “If God told you to do it, they will fit, He knows what size I wear.”
And God knew what size of a fish it would take for Jonah, and the Bible says, “Now the Lord had prepared a GREAT FISH…”
Illus: Let me tell you of a greater miracle than that, and it is taking place every day. That is, everyone here spent nine months in their mother's womb and survived. WE CAME OUT CRYING, BUT WE SURVIVED IT!
Illus: This reminds me of the story of the man who said to a little boy, "I hear that you are soon going to have a baby brother or sister." The little boy said, "No sir, we were going to have one, but mama swallowed it, but she did let me feel it kicking the other day."
The Bible says GOD PREPARED A GREAT FISH for Jonah to live in for three days and three nights.
Listen, if men can build submarines for men to live in for days, weeks, or months at a time, we know God can prepare a fish for a man to live in, and He did just that.
However, notice this; after three days that fish had all he could take of that backslidden preacher. The Bible tells us that the fish vomited Jonah up right where he was supposed to be.
Not only did that backslider make that fish nauseated, backsliders also nauseate God.
Illus: The church of Laodica was "lukewarm," and God told them, Rev. 3:15-16, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
The Bible makes it clear that the God of Jonah was a God of CONCERN and CONTROL. Also, the Bible shows us...
III. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CHASTISEMENT
The Bible makes it clear that God will chastise His own.
Illus: Some parents claim to love their children, but they refuse to chastise them. If parents really love their children they will chastise them, because they would not want people to dislike them because they were obnoxious.
In Proverb 13:24 we read, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."
Children are full of mischief, and there is only one way to get it out of them. God not only tells us to chastise them, He tells us how to chastise them. It is...
• Not by taking their allowance
• Not by cutting television viewing time
• Not by taking their dessert from them
• Not by taking your fist and beating the daylights out of them
God says to chastise with a "rod."
Proverb 22:15 says. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."
God loves His own. We read in Hebrews 12:6, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
God does not chastise the way some parents chastise their children. Some of them give their children little taps on the backsides, and the children do not know if they are being congratulated for something or punished.
When God CHASTISES, HIS CHASTISEMENT IS SEVERE, and there is no doubt - you know it is God.
Notice, Jonah deliberately disobeyed God. Could he do that, as a child of God, and get away with it? No!
• GOD PREPARED A STORM
• GOD PREPARED A FISH
• GOD CONTROLLED THE CASTING OF THE LOTS
So Jonah could not get away with sin, NO MORE THAN WE CAN!
God includes all these details in this true story about the God of Jonah, so we can know He is not going to allow His children to live in disobedience, and not suffer the consequences.
The book was written for the purpose that we may come to know THE GOD OF JONAH. And it was written to let us know that we, as God's children, cannot live in sin and walk away from it untouched.
Conclusion:
There is one more thing about Jonah's God we need to consider. That is, when Jonah did not go as God told him to go, after Jonah spent three days and nights in the whale's belly, Jonah's God proved to be a God of the SECOND CHANCE.
That is, after Jonah had disobeyed, God still gave him a second chance.
It may be that some here have messed your lives up terribly. The good news to you is this, God is a God of a second chance. Come to Him today.
I. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CONCERN
II. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CONTROL
III. JONAH'S GOD IS A GOD OF CHASTISEMENT
