Concerns of God
“Should I not be concerned about that great city?” 4:11
About The Prophet
He is one of the four Prophets whose ministries Christ referred to.
The only Prophet whose writing was mostly a story not a message.
He’s the only OT Prophet to attempt to _RUN_ away from God.
Simple Outline
Chapter 1 J_ONAH__ P_ANICS_
Chapter 2 J_______________ P_RAYS_
Chapter 3 J_______________ P_REACHES_
Chapter 4 J_______________ P_OUTS_
The Concerns of God
His concern for a _WICKED_ city. (1:2)
Nineveh was the capital of one of the cruelest, vilest, most powerful, and most idolatrous empires in the world! (the Assyrian Empire)
Ashurnasirpal II (883-859) “I stormed the mountain peaks and took them. In the midst of the mighty mountain I slaughtered them; with their blood I dyed the mountain red like wool…the heads of the warriors I cut off, and I formed a pillar over against their city; their young men and their maidens I burned in the fire.”
Sennacherib (705-681) wrote of his enemies: “I cut their throats like lambs. I cut off their precious lives as one cuts a string.”
Ashurbanipal (669-626) described the treatment of a captured leader “I pierced his chin with my keen hand dagger. Through his jaw…I passed a rope and made him occupy a kennel.”
Don’t they deserve God’s wrath and judgement?
(Joel’s story of forgiveness and grace.)
His concern for a few random _SAILORS_. (1:4-16)
Dispite his disobedience, God uses Jonah to help some sailors find the one true God!
His concern for a runaway Prophet. (1:17-2:10)
He provides a storm
He provides a fish
He provides a vine
He provides a wind
His concern for more than 120,000 individuals. (3-4:11)
History records that perhaps God was working long before Jonah went to Nineveh. Nineveh was located about 550 miles from Samaria. It was the second largest city in the Assyrian Empire. It was protected by an outer and an inner wall. The inner was was 50 feet wide and 100 feet tall. Before Jonah went to this seemingly inpregnable city, two plagues had erupted there (765-759) and a total eclipse of the sun occurred on June 15, 763. These were considered signs of divine anger and may help explain why the Ninevites responded so readily to Jonah’s message in 759.
APPLICATIONS / IMPLICATIONS
What does God want us to know?
He’s c_OMPASSIONATE_ and concerned for the lost!
Our God is a m_ISSIONARY_ God!
He goes to e_XTREME_ measures to bring the lost to Himself!
Our disobedience hurts Him and hinders us from sharing his love and grace!
Our sin and disobedience affects others around us! Jonah put the sailors lives in danger of death because of his disobedience to God.
He cares enough about us to d_ISCIPLINE_ us! (2)
He is patient with us and wants the b_EST_ for us! (4)
What kind of people does God want us to be?
Humble, broken vessels filled with His compassion and concern!
Submissive and o_BEDIENT_ to His Word and will!
What does God want us to do?
Admit and confess areas of disobedience or idols that hold us back. (2:8)
Sins to confess (read from fallow ground sheet)
Idols we cling to:
Being a man pleaser
Putting our studies before our relationship with God
Putting sports/ friends/ family before our relationship with God
Being obsessed with our looks
Repent and take action to expressing our obedience to Him.
Personal application: _This week, God wants me to…____________
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SQUIRT SQUIRT
The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once wrote about a town where a fireman lived.
Everyone in the town liked the fireman because he was a nice guy. He made it a habit to be gentle and kind, which was unusual for firemen, who were supposed to be tough.
There was a huge fire one day and the fireman charged to the scene of the fire along with his fellow firemen and heavy equiptment.
As they came toward the fire, much to their surprise, they encountered between themselves and the flames about 200 townspeople. And each of them was standing there with a water pistol, aiming at the fire, going squirt, squirt, squirt.
The fireman asked, “What’s going on here?” A spokesman for the group turned and said, “Well, we all appreciate this wonderful work you are doing in our community, and each of us has come to contribute in some small way to your work.” Squirt Squirt.
The fireman said, “I don’t get it. You are all crazy!”
“Oh we realize that we all could do more, couldn’t we folks? But we just wanted to offer this token of our support.” Squirt Squirt.
“You don’t know what you’re doing! Shouted the fireman
“True, but you have to appreciate the fact that everyone is willing to offer whatever help they can.” Said the spokesman.
And everyone said. “Amen!” Squirt Squirt
At that, the fireman shouted “Get out of here! This is no picnic, this is a fire and a fire doesn’t require well-meaning people who come to make small contributions. A fire is a place where people come to give their lives!”
Sometimes we look a lot like those people.
To God we say “I wish I could spend more time with you but I really need to study” squirt squirt
“I go to Navs every week” squirt squirt
“I don’t have time to follow-up surveys but I’ll pray for those who do” squirt squirt
“I’ll give you this area of my life but I want to maintain control of this one” squirt
“I’ll support missions but I could never be a missionary” squirt squrit
