Running With God Series

Chico Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

Jonah Series #4

“God Recommissioned Jonah”

“Running With God”

Review

Jonah teaches us both about God and ourselves. We learn about the love of God, the sovereignty of God, the forgiveness of God, the persistence of God. We learn about people; their disobedience, their repentance, their fears and prejudices, their self-centeredness and yet God’s willingness to utilize them in His eternal purposes. As we have been doing the past two weeks I will direct us through the text and then suggest any possible pertinent principles to ponder.

I. God called Jonah – Jonah ran from God

A. God called Jonah

B. Jonah refused God’s call

II. God disciplined Jonah

III. God delivered Jonah - Jonah ran to God in prayer

A. Jonah prayed to God

• God permits life-threatening peril to prompt life-changing prayer.

1. Jonah’s predicament

• God strategically uses trouble in our life to change our life.

• Don’t equate trials and discipline with God’s rejection.

• Never lose hope of restored relationship with God.

• No situation is beyond God’s intervention.

2. Jonah’s perception change

• In the dark times, return to basic truths.

3. Jonah’s promise

• Always do what you promise

4. Jonah’s proclamation

Salvation is from the LORD.

• God is the only source of salvation

B. God delivered Jonah

• Sometimes God delays answering prayer for a greater purpose.

• God controls even the most frightening aspects of nature.

• Don’t begrudge the means God uses to deliver you.

IV. God recommissioned Jonah and Spared Nineveh – Jonah ran with God

God’s plan unfolded and Jonah vowed to do what God asked…

And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. Jonah 2:10

It seems that in the New Testament, Jesus also spoke to some fish. Who knows just what condition Jonah was in. He dreadfully needed a bath. We don’t know how long before God talked to him again.

A. God recommissioned Jonah

Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you." Jonah 3:1-2

The message is nearly the same as before; a three-fold command. Arise! Go to Nineveh! Instead of “cry against” this time God told Jonah to “proclaim to”. This time, God told Him He would reveal a specific message to proclaim to Nineveh. Two possible pertinent principles to ponder immediately spring from this verse.

• God sometimes offers second chances to obey.

• Along with salvation comes responsibility.

The truth is, God often offers multiple opportunities to repent. God didn’t shame him or scold him. He simply recommissioned him. God offered Israel numerous opportunities to return to Him through their history. The Bible records multiple examples of God’s forgiveness and restoration. Samson, Peter, Abraham, Saul, David.

However, don’t presume upon God’s favor. God is longsuffering but will not overlook sin forever.

But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. Numbers 14:21-23

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’” although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. Hebrews 4:1-3

Later in their history, God told Jeremiah not to pray for Israel because He was determined discipline them by allowing them to be carried off into captivity. Paul warned about taking God’s forbearance for granted.

Do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans 2:4-5

We don’t know where those limits lie. This is not an absolute principle. The Bible records numerous times when no second chance was given. Adam and Eve, Cain, Esau, the man who violated the Sabbath by gathering fire wood, Uzzah (2 Sam 6:6), Judas, Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5), those who celebrated the Lord’s Supper unworthily (1 Cor 11), Moses. Paul lived a disciplined life so as not to lose opportunity for ministry.