Sermon # 47 - Avoid The Hot East Wind Series

Our meditation is based on Jonah 4:8, “After the sun had risen, God sent a hot east wind, and Jonah was about to faint from the heat of the sun beating down on his head. So he wished he were dead. "I am better off dead than alive," he said.” (GNB)

Jonah was a prophet of God who preached the word of God. Nonetheless, Jonah has come to a point where he wished death over life. The reason for this thought was that God had sent a hot east wind which along with the heat of the blazing sun wearied Jonah, and made him feel faint. We may wonder why God allowed Jonah to face such an arduous situation. When Jonah disobeyed God and journeyed in the opposite direction, the Lord graciously provided a huge fish that saved Jonah from destruction. God also used Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh who repented on hearing him. Though God had been so gracious to Jonah, He was annoyed that God relented, and did not punish the people of Nineveh as Jonah had proclaimed to them. The reason the Lord sent the hot east wind was to convict Jonah about the wrong attitude he displayed to the people of Nineveh, who had sincerely repented and turned back to God.

Oftentimes when God extends the grace that we have bountifully enjoyed to others, we too complain and murmur like Jonah did.

We will study some of the people in the bible on whom these kind of hot east wind like situations had to blow, in order to get them back on track.

King Nebuchadnezzar honors God

We read in Daniel 4:1-3, King Nebuchadnezzar sent the following message to the people of all nations, races, and languages in the world: "Greetings! Listen to my account of the wonders and miracles which the Supreme God has shown me. "How great are the wonders God shows us! How powerful are the miracles he performs! God is king forever; he will rule for all time. (GNB)

The above are the words of King Nebuchadnezzar, who was king over the kingdom of Babylon. In Daniel Chapter 3 we read that Nebuchadnezzar set up a huge statue, and commanded all the people of Babylon to bow down to it. However, there were three young men, Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego, who worshipped the true and living God, who refused to bow down to the statue. When Nebuchadnezzar heard that these young men defied his orders, he ordered that they be thrown into a blazing furnace of fire. All three were thrown into the furnace, but the Lord miraculously protected them which astounded King Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar perceived that the God who could protect His own this way was certainly the true God, and hence he declared these words recorded in the verses above.

King Nebuchadnezzar realized that God was ‘supreme’ and that there was no one above Him. He therefore declared that the wonders of God were so great, that He could perform powerful miracles, and that His kingdom stands forever.

Nebuchadnezzar’s pride

Observe what happened to Nebuchadnezzar as recorded in Daniel 4:29-30, Only twelve months later, while he was walking around on the roof of his royal palace in Babylon, he said, "Look how great Babylon is! I built it as my capital city to display my power and might, my glory and majesty." (GNB)

Twelve months later one day King Nebuchadnezzar was walking around on the roof of his palace. The man who had praised God and honored Him just twelve months prior to this, was now boasting about the great Babylon he had built, and prided himself about the power, might, glory and majesty that were his. King Nebuchadnezzar who spoke highly of God, and gave Him the due prominence, was now taking all that eminence for himself.

Sometimes, just loitering without a purpose can become a snare. There are lots of people these days who because of lockdowns have loads of time at their disposal. If we are not watchful, we will find that these entertainments we pursue to pass time can become harmful to us. You remember King David who was idling away his time on the terrace of his palace and landed up in deep trouble.

This pride of Nebuchadnezzar is something that all of us should be cautious about, the pride that prompts us to inflate and elevate ourselves. There are many believers whom when God gives them a raise they become so proud and ego-centered. Whenever, we are tempted with such proud thoughts, be sure that we too will be struck with the hot east wind, only because God resists the proud.

Nebuchadnezzar’s downfall

This was exactly when Nebuchadnezzar had to face the heat of the east wind in his life too.