The Book Of Jonah
Author- Jonah ( "dove") son of Amittai was a prophet in Israel. Jonah we call the reluctant missionary. He was disobedient, selfish, sinful, had a lousy disposition. He was totally prejudiced; and yet God saw fit to use him - http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/1221
Recipient- Israel and God’s people everywhere
Purposes- To show why destruction of Nineveh and Assyrian empire was delayed by God for almost a century; To illustrate the fact that God’s mercy and salvation are for both Jews and Gentiles who will repent and turn to Him . http://www.tlindman.us/Files_Reference/Jonah_notes.pdf
Setting- Jonah preceded Amos and ministered under Jeroboam II. Both Syria and Assyria are weak, allowing Jeroboam II to enlarge the northern border of Israel. Religion was so ritualistic and increasing idolatrous, justice had become perverted. Spiritually, morally and ethically bankrupt. As a result God punished them by bringing destruction and captivity from the Assyrians 772 B.C
NINEVEH: Near in the Tigris and Khoser river. In Gen 10:11 it mentioned that Nimrod was the founder of the city. Approx. 1,850 acres
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me." It is probably the most famous hymn in history. Though some today wonder if the word wretch is hyperbole or a bit of dramatic license, John Newton, the song's author, clearly did not.
John Newton was a British sailor and Anglican clergyman. He was nurtured by a Christian mother who taught him the Bible at an early age, but he was raised in his father's image after she died of tuberculosis when Newton was 7. At age 11, Newton went on his first of six sea-voyages with the merchant navy captain. Newton lost his first job, in a merchant's office, because of "unsettled behavior and impatience of restraint"—a pattern that would persist for years.
He spent his later teen years at sea before he was press-ganged aboard the H.M.S. Harwich in 1744. Newton rebelled against the discipline of the Royal Navy and deserted. He was caught, put in irons, and flogged. He eventually convinced his superiors to discharge him to a slaver ship. Espousing freethinking principles, he remained arrogant and insubordinate and he lived with moral abandon
"I sinned with a high hand," he later wrote, "and I made it my study to tempt and seduce others." He took up employment with a slave-trader named Clow, who owned a plantation of lemon trees on an island off of west Africa. But he was treated cruelly by Clow and the slaver's African mistress; soon Newton 's clothes turned to rags, and Newton was forced to beg for food to allay his hunger.
However, on a homeward voyage, while he was attempting to steer the ship through a violent storm, he experienced what he was to refer to later as his “great deliverance. He recorded in his journal that when all seemed lost and the ship would surely sink, he exclaimed, “Lord, have mercy upon us.”
Later in his cabin he reflected on what he had said and began to believe that God had addressed him through the storm and that grace had begun to work for him.
For the rest of his life he observed the anniversary of May 10, 1748 as the day of his conversion, a day of humiliation in which he subjected his will to a higher power. “Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’tis grace has bro’t me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
HOW GOD’S AMAZING GRACE IS DISPLAYED…
I. GOD DEALS WITH OUR HEARTS PATIENTLY
A. Jonah Was Resentful
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry
After obeying God to preach repentance Jonah had been childishly upset for the repentance of the Ninevites and for the mercy and compassion God had bestowed upon them. He had been angry for his expectation for the destruction of Nineveh had not been done.
People tend to become like Jonah, when things won’t go in a way they expect, they became angry with God and tend to become jealous for the favour that other people receive especially when they don’t like the person.
B. Jonah Was Doubtful
2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.
Jonah knows already that there is a big possibilities for the forgiveness of sin will abound that the Lord will not continue the destruction of Nineveh for the Lord is gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness, One who relents from doing harm “ which make him decided to run away from God . Jonah felt that the Ninevites don’t deserve forgiveness, instead they deserve punishment from God. Though Jonah knows these characteristics of God, He tends to forget that God is an all knowing God. He knows what He is doing and this is for the good of His people.
Most of us know how good is our God, how gracious and merciful He is. And we must not forget that He is always at work in our lives, His thought is higher than our thoughts wherein every plan He had made is good and perfect.
C. Jonah Was Bitter
3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” 4 Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
When Judgment did not come, Jonah wishes to die rather than to see the Ninevites who had been spared by God from destruction.
In this part, Jonah forgot that he had been rescued by God from death because of God’s mercy, that he also deserved to receive punishment from God for he also disobeyed the Lord and now he prefers to die because of the same grace and mercy that the Lord had given to the Ninevites.
A lesson that we also must learn, that God’s forgiveness was not only for Jonah nor for Israel alone. It extends to all who repent and believe.
II. GOD LEADS US UNTO THE RIGHT PATH
5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a plant[a] and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!"
Jonah was still hoping that God would change his mind, that he went out to the city and made a shelter for himself while waiting for the destruction of Nineveh.
God ministers to Jonah, Israel and to us patiently. He could had punished Jonah from the start but He just taught him a lesson. The Lord knows Jonah’s mind so God made a way in order for Jonah to understand God’s action.
God caused a plant to grow, providing shade for Jonah. Then God caused a worm to eat the plant and destroy it. When God sees that we are walking into the different path, he will make a way in order for us to see clearly the road that we are heading to.
III. GOD SHOWS US THE LOVE AND COMPASSION TO ALL HIS CHILDREN
10 But the LORD said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not laboured, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night.11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
God gave Jonah a lesson through this plant. Jonah was unhappy for the death of the plant. Jonah had compassion to the plant that gave him shade but he didn’t have any compassion for a city of 120,000. Jonah’s compassion was selfish because it cost him something.
God provide us all the things that we need for our living here on earth but sometimes we become too focused on those things that we don’t even care for all the people around us, the people who are dying in their sins. We become more careful about in our comfortable little shaded spot.
And when we did not get what we expect like increment, promotion, approval for car loans, new phone, clothes, or when we lose our treasured possession we became unhappy, for we had place our energy and time and resources into something that is temporary. We didn’t lay up treasures in heaven where thieves can’t steal it.
He was being harsh and judgemental to the Ninevites, but God is merciful than we can ever imagine. God’s compassion does not extent only for those who provide benefits for Him, His compassion is unselfish, God feels compassion for the sinners we want to judge, and make a way to bring them back to Himself.
God wanted Jonah to understand that His love is not just for Him, it’s for all of us. Jesus Christ died not just for you alone but for everyone for us to be saved.
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