Jonah, part 5 God Working in the Middle of Life’s Storms

Jonah 2

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly,  2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.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.4  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.5  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.6  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.7  When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.8  They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.9  But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.10  And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

NOTE: God calmed the sea for those who turned to Him

Keep in mind, the men on the ship had to obey the man of God for God to calm the sea

God can speak through His man even when His man is not fully obeying Him

God will deal with His man, He does not need any help

Jonah’s pride brought about his trial

Proverbs 16:18-20

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19   Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20   He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

It is better to be poor and meek then to be rich and proud – Lowly – poor, humble, afflicted, meek

Haughty spirit – to think of yourself as better or above anyone else –

  1. Strife – to be contentious with the idea of control or gain
  2. To think others cannot be as good as you
  3. Always “right” attitude

God prepared a way out even before Jonah repented

1 Corinthians 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it

Temptation: (Strong’s definition)

  • an experiment, attempt, trial, proving1a) trial, proving: the trial made of you by my bodily condition, since condition served as to test the love of the Galatians toward Paul
  • the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy1b1) an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from the outward circumstances
  • an internal temptation to sin
  • of the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand
  • of the condition of things, or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness
  • adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, holiness1c) temptation (i.e. trial) of God by men1c1) rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were, put to the proof and challenged to show themselves

God already knows you are going to face difficulty as a believer

God already knows you will have times of unbelief

God has already made a way back to Him even before you leave

Repentance is the key back to a close relational fellowship with Him

Sometimes storms are just God’s way of helping us get back on track

  1. Learn to thank God for the storms of life that correct our way
  2. Learn that not all storms are bad
  3. Understands that God DOES send storms into your life.
  4. We often can control how long the storm lasts
  5. Let us be sure we apply
  • humility in all things
  • defer to others
  • prayer of repentance for our own sins and the sins of our nation
  • full obedience  to His every word

Jonah, part 4 The Unredeemed Showed More Grace than the Redeemed

Jonah 1:10-17

10  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.11  Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.12  And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.14  Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.15  So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.16  Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.17  Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

When faced with the truth, Jonah finally owned up

  • Jonah had to admit he was the reason for the storm
  • God needs us to quit blaming everyone else and face up to our responsibility in the storm
  • Is it possible that an unholy church has brought God’s judgment upon this nation?
  • Is it possible that the church has forsaken her first love? –
Revelation 2:1-5

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them  which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent

  • Works apart from obedience is useless
  • We are admonished to follow our first love – Jesus
  • God will remove the light of His church if it continues to run from her responsibility
  • Do people still need to hear the uncompromising gospel of Jesus Christ?
  • Will we arise and go or stay asleep
Romans 13:11-14

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let ustherefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Ephesians 5:13-16

  But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as  fools, but as wise,16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

  1. A sleeping church is a dead church
  2. The evil today is just as evil as it was in the day  of  Jonah
  3. WE ARE THE LIGHT!!!!!
  4. NOTE THE QUESTION: Why hast thou done this?

The world showed compassion

Jonah 1:13  Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them

The world today is rowing hard to solve the problems of this age in which we live

  1. They try hard to be good
  2. They rely on their own effort to satisfy God
  3. They sometime have more compassion then the church
Luke 6:35-40

your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37   Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. 39  And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? 40  The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

Christ’s command to believers

1. LOVE

2. Forgive them

3. Give to them

4. Do not judge them or condemn them

John 3:17-19

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

5. Show mercy

Love is how the world knows we are real

  1. It is hard to love them if we do not love one another
  2. It is hard to be a light when we do not come to the  source of light

   

The result of NOT BEING the light

  1. We are thrown into the stormy water
  2. We become shipwrecked
  3.  We sink to the bottom
  4.  We get swallowed up by the burdens of this life

Jonah part 3 Jonah fesses up

Jonah 1:5-5-10

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.6  So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.7  And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.8  Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?9  And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.10  Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah relaxed in his sin

I Timothy 1:18-20 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck;20  Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

At salvation, our conscience is renewed

Hebrews 10:20-25   By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21  And having an high priest over the house of God; 22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

  • We have been washed by His Holy word
  • We are not to compromise -waver
  • Have we become shipwrecked? – no effect?

Paul actually delivered some saints over to the Devil to be destroyed –

I Corinthians 5:3-7  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7   Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

  1. There comes a time when God uses drastic measures to get one to obey– some storms are avoidable
  2. NOTE: they were still saved, but their physical life was destroyed to bring about repentance and obedience – nothing can separated us from His love –

Romans 8:35-37   Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

  • We are instructed to purge out – to cleanse thoroughly
  • Delivering one is not giving up, but faithfully trusting God to work

Challenged by the world to WAKE UP

  1. The world is frightened by what they see today
  2. We need to be accountable to “not run” but to stand and share
  3. We can not hide our face in the middle of the storm – we must wake up to what is happening around us

When faced with the truth, he finally owned up

  1. Jonah had to admit he was the reason for the storm
  2. God needs us to quit blaming everyone else and face up to our responsibility in the storm

II Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

  1. Is it possible that an unholy church has brought God’s judgment upon this nation?
  2. Is it possible that the church has forsaken her first love?

Revelation 2:1-5 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2  I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them  which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3  And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

  • Works apart from obedience is useless
  • We are admonished to follow our first love – Jesus
  • God will remove the light of His church if it continues to run from her responsibility
  • Do people still need to hear the uncompromising gospel of Jesus Christ?
  • Will we arise and go or stay asleep

Romans 13:11-14   And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

I Corinthians 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Ephesians 5:13-16   But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.14  Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.15  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as  fools, but as wise,16  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

1. sleeping church is a dead church

2. The evil today is just as evil as it was in the day of                                                                    Jonah

3.WE ARE THE LIGHT!!!!!

NOTE THE QUESTION: Why hast thou done this?

Jonah, part 2

Jonah 1:1-4

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.4   But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Jonah demonstrates the patience of AlMighty God

Jonah went in the opposite direction

Jonah fled “from” the “presence” of God –

Psalm 139:7 – 10

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

No matter what, he could not escape God’s presence

Jonah resigned, but God refused to accept the resignation

  1. Jonah thought telling God no was the end of it
  2. Jonah wanted to stop preaching
  3. He found comfort in his backslidden condition

The problem with sin is that we can find it enjoyable

We often believe if we say no God will change His mind.

Even in His backslidden condition God was still faithful

Romans 8:28-32 – 28 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29   For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstbornamong many brethren. 30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31   What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

God loves you and me too much to just leave us in that condition.

What is it that leads to a backslidden condition?

A wrong attitude about sin –

Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.

  1. My sin does not affect anyone else
  2. I am saved, so I am safe
  3. God will understand my sinfulness, after all, I am only human
  4. The truth is, your sin does affect others. The lost, younger believers, relationships, eternity

A wrong attitude to who is in charge

He thought he had a better idea

Proverbs 16:17-20

  The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. 18   Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19   Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 20   He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

Matthew 23:11-12

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble

  1. Pride will always lead down
  2. The result of pride is always destructive
  3. The result of pride will always be a fall
  4. The result of our pride will always affect others
  5. Pride is me depending upon my own efforts, not HIS
  6. Pride is me taking credit for the results and not giving Him the glory

A wrong attitude to having a constant testimony

You are always constantly testifying for God or against God- there is no middle ground

Matthew 6:24-25 

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

You cannot turn your Christianity off and on when it suits you –

Matthew 10:32-34

  Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

A wrong attitude toward those who are lost

Jonah saw the lost as the enemy, not a mission field

Matthew 6:27-36 – 27  

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28  Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29  And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30  Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31  And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32  For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

  1. We are to love them
  2. We are to treat them as we would want to be treated
  3. We are to show them mercy
  4. We are to put them ahead of ourselves – Philippians 2:3 
  5. We should desire to see all come to Christ –
II Peter 3:9 

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

We are rewarded when we take them the gospel

Jonah Series: Lesson One

Jonah 1:1-3

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2  Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah was one of the 12 “minor” prophets  called minor simply because they are small books –  all 12 total 66 chapters, Isaiah 66 chapters, NT 66 books  There is nothing minor about any of the books of the bible

2 Timothy 3:16 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Four views of Jonah

  1. Legendary fiction
  2. Parable – a legend, but fiction
  3. Allegory – representative of Israel
  4. Historical fact – factual
Jonah was a real historical person
II Kings 14:23-25 – 23

  In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. 24  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.25  He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.

Jesus referred to Jonah
Matthew 12:38-41- 38

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

The book can be broken down in four phrases
  1.         The prodigal prophet – running from God
  2.         The praying prophet – running to God
  3.         The preaching prophet – running with God
  4.         The pouting prophet – running ahead of God

Two commissions = chapter 1-2 began with disobedience and ended with obedience. Chapter 3-4 – began with obedience and ended with disobedience

THE COMMISSION

  1. Go to Nineveh –  The world power of that day
  2. Cry against it =

THE WHY

It was a very wicked city

THE ACTION  

He fled – Tarsus on the coast of Spain – some 2500 miles from Nineveh – went west instead of east

He hated the Ninevites – Jonah did not want the Ninevites saved  – they were a cruel evil people – believed in torturing people –

Offered their babies to their gods as a burning offering – they would place the babies on the alter of fire and sing and chant

During this time Nineveh was attacking into Israel – they were taking the women captive

Jonah knew God – He preached judgment – His preaching led to repentance and salvation of the whole city – must have been a powerful message

He disobedient to God – ran from the will of God because He did not like the will of God

God never used a prophet to carry the message to the nations around Israel – this was the first time God took His message to the gentile nations – Jonah did in the old testament what Paul did in the new.  He took the word of God to the gentiles

NOTE: the messenger is not the important focus, it is the message that is the important message

God will take His servant to the lowest point necessary in order to get obedience-  God knows that real joy comes from obedience