"The 4 Problems Of The Prophet”

Jonah 4:1-11 "THE 4 PROBLEMS OF THE PROPHET”

I. JONAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS PRIDE

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

A. The Strong Passion Of His Anger - it displeased Jonah exceedingly

1. The Cause Of His Displeasure “But it…”

2. The Course Of His Displeasure “…displeased Jonah exceedingly,…”

3. The Conclusion Of His Displeasure “…and he was very angry.”

B. The Strange Prayer In His Anger

2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

1. Jonah Revealed What He Feared About God While In Israel

“O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country?…”

2. Jonah Revealed Why He Fled From God In Israel

“…Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish:…”

3. Jonah Revealed What He Found Out About God In Israel

a. He Knew He Was A God Of Pardon - “…for I knew that thou art a gracious God,…”

b. He Knew He Was A God Of Pity “…and merciful,…”

c. He Knew He Was A God Of Patience “slow to anger,”

d. He Knew He Was A God Of Provision “…and of great kindness,…”

e. He Knew He Was A God Of Principle “…and repentest thee of the evil.”

II. JONAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS PITY

3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. 4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

A. A Foolish Request For Death

1. The Basis For Jonah’s Request “Therefore…”

2. The Boldness In His Request “…now, O Lord,

3. The Blindness In His Request “…take, I beseech thee, my life from me;…”

B. A False Reasoning From Despair - “…for it is better for me to die than to live.”

C. A Faithful Response From Divinity -

4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?

III. JONAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS PREJUDICE

5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.

Jonah had his own ideas about ;- The People for Salvation, The Place of Salvation, The Plan of Salvation. 7 But God prepared a worm

I. GOD BRINGS REVIVAL THRU THE WIND TO THE MARINERS.

A. They Sought their gods Ch 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep

B. They Sacrificed their goods - and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea

C. They Strived for their goals 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land

D. They Saw God's Grace 16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

II. GOD BRINGS REVIVAL THRU THE WHALE TO JONAH

A. He Understood the Presence of God - Ch 2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

B. He Understood the Punishment of God 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight;

C. Understood the Plan of God 4 yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

III. GOD BRINGS REVIVAL THRU THE WORD TO NINEVEH

A. Jonah had the wrong attitude to God's Will

B. Jonah had the wrong attitude to witnessing (to whom)

C. Jonah had the wrong attitude to praying (trouble, guidance)

D. Jonah had the wrong attitude to the Lost (perish)

IV. GOD BRINGS REVIVAL THRU THE WORM People are more important than Plants

IV. JONAH HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS POTENTATE (His God)

a. His God is a Sympathetic God (4:1-5)

b. His God is a Sovereign God (4:6-9)

c. His God is a Saving God 11 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; and also much cattle?

Luke 15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.