Not all of his prophecies are recorded, but one of his major predictions was that the northern kingdom would have peace from its enemies to the North (this was fulfilled later in the reign of Jeroboam II). Perhaps, even us today, we'd be hesitant to go to somewhere chaotic and full of wickedness to preach the Gospel. Kia Ora Gramps.Could you please help to understand what lesson the Lord wanted to teach Jonah about the Gourd and the Worm? And is the founder of Think About Such Things. In this article When we look at Jonah in the Bible you will discover incredible life lessons that can be applied to our daily walk with God. We can almost picture an older, wiser, humbler man ruefully shaking his head as he describes his own mistakes, his rebellion, and his stubborn refusal to show mercy. Dear God, please make me your obedient child. In truth, though, his answer is there. When God speaks, it is up to man to obey. He must learn that God's love is greater and wider than he had ever imagined. He ordered that all wear sackcloth, even the domestic animals. DLTK's Sunday School Lessons Men of the Old Testament Pt 1: Jonah. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fishs belly. 2. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. Jonah was a prophet who supported Israel at a time when Israel was threatened by Nineveh. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. He had prophesied doom and destruction in the name of the Lord, but due to repentance it wasnt going to happen. It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. God gave Jonah a job to do, and he ran away. 5) He is thrown into the water. Jonah would not weep over a people who came close to destruction, but "Jesus, the true prophet, did.". The noise of a whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots! However, anyone who willingly obeys God has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than a person who was coerced into obedience. God plans to bring unity to all things under Christ - Ephesians 1:10. (b)What did the king of Nineveh do in response to Jonahs proclamation? The people of Nineveh repented, and God spared the city. PRIVACY SETTINGS, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/1102013260/univ/art/1102013260_univ_sqr_xl.jpg, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/a/ia/E/wpub/ia_E_lg.jpg, Share 6. As we know it didnt really work too well for him. GOD TAUGHT JONAH THE LESSON OF OBEDIENCE Jonah. RAPTURE IS IMMINENT, CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN 2 Peter, THE ANTICHRIST EVIL MARK OF 666 SYMBOLIZES DESTRUCTION Revelation, GOD HATES SIN; COVET HOLINESS AND STAY STRONG Zechariah, GODS JUDGMENT IS INEVITABLE Revelation, 7 REASONS TO BELIEVE CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD, Subscribing I accept the privacy rules of this site, JESUS PURCHASED THE CHURCH WITH HIS BLOOD Acts, JESUS COMMANDED HIS DISCIPLES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL Luke 9, KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS 2 Kings, THE DEFENSE FOR GODS SERVANTS Jeremiah. Oddly enough Jonah was not too happy about that. This would take him weeks if not months! In chapter 4 of Jonah, we see a man who is angry, because God decided to have mercy. You can read it here on Bible Gateway: Book of Jonah NIV and Book of Jonah NKJ. Jonah couldnt see that and sometimes, we couldnt see that as well. It is all full of lies and robbery. Instead of us being beaten, insulted, and crucified, Yahshua did it for us. The scripture reported, Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. (a)How does Jehovah show that he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful? Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,Lest we forgetlest we forget! Can you elaborate? So what are the lessons we can learn from the book of Jonah? Jonah didn't want to go there because the Ninevites were wicked people (see Jonah 1:2), and Jonah knew that when he came there to preach to the people, they'd repent and be spared from God's impending wrath (see Jonah 4:2). Here is a little quick video to watch For more information please keep reading. Rather than the story being only about Nineveh, or about God's message, all of the lessons seem to be centered in the person of Jonah. Yahweh has given Jonah a job that he needs to accomplish. His spirits lifted. As the days passed, he thought about the destination that he so dreaded, the city that drew closer with each step he tookNineveh. They had believed him. Even if Jonah obeyed God from the start, it would still have been easier to send an angel or to appear as a pillar of cloud. He will establish his abiding presence with his favorite children. Notice, out of the four chapters of Jonah, the words of his preaching was only one sentence. I enjoy the Bible study and I want to be a blessing to others. Instead, the "sign" we are offered is an invitation to die with Christ so that we can personally begin to experience the new life of the Resurrection. Jonah was the son of Amittai, who came from Gath-hepher in Zebulun (called Gittah-hepher in Joshua 19:10-13 ). We read: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.. 17,18. How would Jehovah teach this hardheaded man to be merciful? We all have our opinions, and ideas about how things should happen or be. 15 What was troubling Jonah? Michael A. Milton (PhD, Wales) is a long-time Presbyterian minister (PCA) and a regular contributor to Salem Web Network. Instead of punishing Jonah for his disrespect, Jehovah simply asked him one gentle, probing question: Have you rightly become hot with anger? (Jonah 4:4) Did Jonah even answer? Jonah flat out doesnt want to go to Nineveh. The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. God Bless Jonah, of course, tells God, it aint going to happen! and runs away in the polar opposite direction of Ninevah. Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly: Jonah was still in the belly of the fish but he knew it was enough that the LORD had heard his cry ( You heard my voice ). Jonahs example serves to remind us that when we disagree with Jehovah God, it is always our own point of view that needs an adjustmentnever His. The story of Jonah demonstrates how Almighty God has sovereign control over every creature on earth. 2:13-15. (Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3) Nineveh was impressive, with stately temples, mighty walls, and other edifices. Then, God asks a question to Jonah, which echoes through the ages down to our own lives: Jonah 4:10-11 (ESV): And the Lord said, You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. God gave us the ability to choose - Joshua 24:15. Those who hold Jonah as a mythological yarn seek to strengthen their unbelieving position by adding disbelief in a fish swallowing Jonah and, then, spitting the reluctant revivalist onto the shore. Before long, the whole city was talking about Jonahs prophecy of doom. Nineveh was a Gentile city, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, and had no covenant with God. The story of Jonah was a popular tale in Jesus' time. 33:11) Jehovah told his prophet Jeremiah: At any moment that I may speak against a nation and against a kingdom to uproot it and to pull it down and to destroy it, and that nation actually turns back from its badness against which I spoke, I will also feel regret over the calamity that I had thought to execute upon it.Jer. I went down to themoorings of the mountains;The earth with its barsclosedbehind me forever;Yet You have brought up mylife from the pit,OLord, my God. God's Love vs. Jonah's Anger. After paying the fare, he. He tried to run away from the presence of God, and enjoy himself. He decides the best thing to do is leave Israel and go in the polar opposite direction to Tarshish, which is said to be near Spain. 3. Should the Ninevites resume their wicked ways, God would bring the same judgment against them. He will rescue them during trouble and provide for their needs. As soon as Jonah has settled gratefully into its shade, God sends a worm to chew the roots of the plant, killing it so that Jonah is left exposed once again. God is eager to see the wicked repent and change their ways, as the Ninevites did. (John 8:57,58) The truth is, we should never assume that it is impossible for people to repentno matter how vicious they may seem to us. Icried out to theLordbecause of my affliction,And He answered me. God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the Ninevites. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It rocks my world that Jonah is running away from God and causing a huge storm (ahemmess) actually got people to offer sacrifices and make vows to the Lord. Use this lesson to lead kids to respond to God's compassion and . Israel on the other hand, was in a "silver age.". Nineveh was a major city in Assyria, the world power of both Jonah and Nahum's day. Jonah's Disobedience Exposed ( 1:7-10) Jonah's Punishment and Deliverance (1:11 -- 2:1; 2:10) His Prayer of Thanksgiving ( 2:2-9) Jonah Reluctantly Fulfills His Mission (chs. An encyclopedia hit the nail on the head as it described the lesson that God taught Jonah through the worm destroying the plant that gave him such delight in an emotional and tiring time in his life. . Or, are we angry, too? "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 14. Struck with godly fear, he rose up from his throne, removed his luxurious robes of state, put on the same rough clothing that his people were wearing, and even sat down in the ashes. With his great ones, or nobles, he issued a decree that turned the fast from a spontaneous popular movement into an official action of state. You see, the Day of Atonement is a reminder that part of humbling ourselves and repenting of our sins is to do the work God has called us to do. All people will one day glorify God - Psalms 86:9. We cannot know all that went through his mind, but we do know that Jonah had proclaimed doom to Nineveh before all those people. But what happened, did Jonah obey God with zeal and passion? He is just doing it just for the sake of preaching. Now there is potential for a bit of Irony here. Instead of doing our part in preaching the Gospel, are we running away by simply ignoring this command, wasting our time on unproductive things, or focusing too much on the things of this world rather than the things of God? It is clear that Jonah believed in the efficacy of God's message. Where can I fleefrom your presence? Last week we looked at the Jonah 1 & 2 and God's Mercy on a Reluctant Prophet. 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