Gods mercy trumps every time. Jonah decided it was better to live than to die, due to his discomfort. Jonah hit the warm waters of the sea with a splash. Our present age, the Church age, which has lasted for nearly 2,000 years since the Apostle Paul, exemplifies this fact. He realized he could not escape God and looked to Him for deliverance. When Paul made his defense before the Jews in Jerusalem they listened to him until he uttered the words,And He said to me, Go! Many have questioned that Jesus was crucified on Friday. Soph. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm. The city of Nineveh is represented in Cuneiform by a symbol of a fish within a house. Gods will and plan operates within and accommodates human volition. God is sovereign. What we do, or fail to do, affects others. I do not deserve to live.This is not repentance; it is despair. Each man had cried to his own god (Jonah 1.5). Same God. The sailors were noble. After He calmed the storm, they had declared, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him? Same power. Indeed, it must have been a kind of willful obliviousness for who could sleep through the tumult of a storm threatening to overturn a ship and a crew of sailors crying for their lives? Just my thoughts. The Book of Jonah on Yom Kippur. We read: So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of theLORD. Disobedience does not. Though battered and exhausted, this was their day of salvationthe best day of their lives. The next few verses demonstrate Gods grace and power: 14Then they called on the Lord and said, We earnestly pray, OLord, do not let us perish on account of this mans life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased.15So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 2 Chronicles 36.23; Ezra 7.21; Nehemiah 2.20; Daniel 2.18-19, 37, 44). Jonah is remarkable in that wherever he went, in obedience or disobedience, people were saved. 3 For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current swirled about me; all Your breakers and waves swept over me. The Ninevites repented from wickedness to righteousness. This is another important lesson: in our sin, our defiance, we often bring storms not only into our own life but also into the lives of others. wrote Ninevehwas about sixty miles in circumference and twenty miles across. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple., ut You have brought up my life from the pit, O, Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple (Jonah 2.4). In a remarkable turn in the story, those who are not believers in the God of Israel dress down Jonah,who is to be Gods prophet, unto repentance! L. C. Allen wrote it was a model of literary artistry, marked by symmetry and balance (Joel, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah) and H. C. Brichto described it, from beginning to end, in form and content, in diction, phraseology, and style, a masterpiece of rhetoric (Toward a Grammar of Biblical Poetics). The sailors wrenched to and fro and the wind howled so that the crew screamed to be heard. Jonah became angry. This number is reasonable. He had kept the contract they had made with him. They were saved. But God would have us reach out to the sinner, to correct with love. He did not provide sunlight for it. God commanded Jonah to travel northeast to Nineveh. If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. Perhaps because he cannot see a way out of this hole of wrongdoing, and perhaps because he would probably die anyway, Jonah tells the crew that their only option is to throw him overboard an act that will supposedly appease God and save the ship from the storm. Somewhat like Judas, Jonah and many other sinners do not repent to the Lord but rather are merely ashamed of themselves. The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head. Then, God prepared() a worm to eat the gourd which killed it (Jonah 4.7). It is true, however,that not everyone is willing or able to be corrected. Jesus actually identified Himself with the prophet's three-day sojourn in the belly of the great fish, noting it as a foreshadowing of His own death . 2. Defiance also indicates a lack of faith because it comes from the Latin . Meanwhile, Jonah sleeps in the hold of the ship, oblivious to the clamor and uproar. On whose account has this calamitystruck us? He tried to kick up to the surface, but no air was foundonly waves and water. It is rife with wickedness. They were enemies! He had experienced peace, fast asleep in the hold of the ship, pleased with his decision to sail to Tarshish. He entered the city and proclaimed the message to the inhabitants. Jonahs problem was he could not see beyond his hatred of the Assyrians and his patriotism. Now, God had blessed themand used him to do it. The Ninevites repented from wickedness to righteousness. 11Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals (Jonah 4.10-11). That Jonah thought he could run from God shows his foolishness, typifying mans foolishness in thinking he can escape God (Jeremiah 23.24). The sailors repented from following false gods to trusting the one true God. ; 1 Samuel 14:41; Acts 1:26). 5This raises interesting questions about the nature of reality. We run from Godjust as our first parents did in the garden (Genesis 3.8-10). "Pol minume miror, navis si fracta est tibi,Scelus te et sceleste parta quae vexit bona.". He falls asleep, and then is thrown down into the sea. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. On account of selfishness and sexual misbehavior, many families have been torn apart. Many people today talk about victimless sins,actions that supposedly dont hurt anyone. If a learner starts displaying a skill learned in DTI within natural environment, we might say that the learner: Has generalized the skill from DTI to the natural environment. He belonged to the tribe of Zebulon and ministered during the reign of King Jeroboam II (c.786746 BC). That fear had been realized. It presents two very different stories about repentance. This time, Jonah obeyed. All Rights Reserved, Full Text (in English) of the Book of Jonah. The men did not accept Jonah's offer until they had made every effort to save themselves in other ways. Its another classic example of archaeology confirming the Biblical record. 3Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.. I have a question about the scripture that reads: for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Since Jesus was not dead and buried for three nights, what does in the heart of the earth mean? From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice. God heard his prayer and delivered him. Bulletin for Biblical Research 18.2 (2008) 193207,How Big Was Nineveh? But Jonah is not pleased. The sun arose and God prepared () a violent, withering east wind ( ). b. Jonah is the great story of Gentile salvation in the Old Testament. Finding him asleep, the flummoxed captain said: How is it that you are sleeping? Ive had so many things on my heart lately, everything going on in this world and my own sorrows, and this was exactly what I needed to lighten the load. Tell us, they said, what is your business? Wake up from your delusions. The king hoped for survival. Defiance also indicates a lack of faith because it comes from the Latin dis (against) and fidere (believe). Terrified, His disciples woke Him to save them from sinking. Jonah had gone down () to Joppa (Jonah 1.3), down to the ship (Jonah 1.3), down to the hold (Jonah 1.5). Isaiah 2.2-3, 49.6; Zechariah 8.23). Here, Jonah a prophet who likely understood what was happening might, indeed should have taken responsibility for the storm and prayed to his God to save the innocent sailors. Jonah was one of only four writing prophets that Jesus mentioned by name during His earthly ministry (Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah were the others). Jonah will go finally to Nineveh and there proclaim a message that will be heeded by those who are so lost in sin that they do not know their right hand from their left (see Jonah 4:11). Deliverance-Then they cried to the LORD, We beseech you, O LORD, let us not perish for taking this mans life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit. Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the seas raging abated. But both Elijah and Elisha raised a person from the dead. The Lord knows. Do you have any idea how your behavior, your sins, are affecting the rest of us? 11While given star billing, the sea creature was a prop, not an essential player in the drama. The worms destruction of the gourd was a picture of Gods potential destruction of Nineveh. After having dealt with the entire human race for 2,000 years, God established a new program with Abraham, known as the Abrahamic Covenant. Jonah hated this idea because Nineveh was one of Israel's greatest enemies and Jonah wanted nothing to do with preaching to them! Sign up for a special email series here. In four short chapters, the story of Jonah reveals God's consistent, unchangeable character and is a testament to his relentless love and abundant mercy. Nineveh survived for another 150 years after it heeded Jonahs message. Jonah 1.12, 4.3, 9). Big difference. Rather than trusting God, he brazenly disobeys, foolishly thinking that he can outrun God. Thanks for all. Hence Jonah is not just insubordinate; he is unbelieving and untrusting. Ant. So much suffering, so much expense, so much extra mileage could be avoided if we just obeyed God. 7While I was fainting away,I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. The sailors wanted to return to land butJonah didnt.5. Gamble against God and youll lose. and a cause of grief to others around him. Not one to let a prophet pull a disappearing act, God sends a storm to threaten Jonahs shipand it is a doozy. Some things must ultimately be left to God. It is a prayer well worth careful study. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the. If you wont do it for your own sake, then do it for oursbut call on the Lord! That which I have vowed I will pay. Its always a longer journey when you disobey God. If he was really dead, he had to be resurrected, as I understand the terminology. One of our greatest Christian authors, Charles Reade, known for his book, The Cloister and the Hearth, has called Jonah, "The most beautiful story ever written in so small a compass.". Rather than heed this call, Jonah flees in the opposite direction on a ship to Tarshish, across the Mediterranean Sea (in ancient terms, this is basically the other side of the world). So easily they remain locked in self-deception and rationalizations, ignoring the damage they are inflicting upon others. Despite his sin, Jonah does not lose his dignity. At the end of the day, 6 p.m., his foreman paid each man a denarius. All things are His. Jonah. 1. Thanks be to God! Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple (Jonah 2.4). 270, 271.) I tend to think that the heart of the earth may have a broader meaning. The teaching is clear: persistent and unrepentant sin brings storms, disturbances, and troubles. It reveals God's greatness and man's pettiness. When I read the Biblical account, I see that Jonah actually dies and is resurrected. Yes, God works with the sinner, drawing him back. It provides a foretaste of the fullness of Israels destiny to bless Gentiles anticipated in the great Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12.1-3 cf. There were not. Responding to Gods grace begins by believing Pauls gospel of grace (Acts 20.24): that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Except Jonah. He plays with loaded dice. recognized Gods mercy. No, I am not a pastor. Worldly sorrow brings death (2 Cor 7:10). Such objections impress only the weak minded. The Ninevites werepagan, idolatrous Gentiles. Thus, he said: 9Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw His burning anger so that we will not perish (Jonah 3.9)? One problem with analyses of the size of Nineveh is to assume the city was only within the city walls. , 1 Samuel 14:38,39 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. God planted this question in Jonahs mind to try and bring him to the divine viewpoint (Isaiah 55.8). Jonah slept. With in-depth features, Expatica brings the international community closer together. God pursues each of us to restore our broken relationship with Him (Genesis 3.8-10). Jesus raised Lazarus (John 11) from the dead but Lazarus died later. Distance-He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the LORD. The phrase, or like expression, the word of the LORD came governs the books structure and occurs twice (Jonah 1.1, 3.1). Jonah thought he would drown when thrown into the sea. Jonahs ministry is the greatest exception. Note that Jonahs defiance also endangers others. This is why He gave the order of ministry in Acts 1.8. It is too easy for us to wish to destroy those who have harmed us, returning crime for crime, sin for sin. I wonder if (and hope that) the young people who sang it understood its significance for them, too. He asked them if they were evil because he was good. 7Charles Halton. In Jonahs responses, he encountered non-Jews: the sailors and the captain and the Ninevites and their king. Often the last one to know or admit the damage he does is the sinner himself. John, God set aside the Gentiles in terms of His direct contact and blessing. The text reads they feared the Lord greatly, offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and made vows (Jonah 1.16). Proverbs 16:33, "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord" (comp. 3:3). She taught her how to rinse dishes and put them in the dishwasher, how to wipe counters, and how to sweep. The challenge of the book of Jonah for unbelievers is to trust God and believe the gospel. Jonahs evangelistic message was brief. The message couldnt be clearer: Jonah is going in the wrong direction. Jonah had a choice. Thanks so much. God asked Jonah if he should really be angry about the plant, and Jonah said he should be angry, even to death. 2He prayed to the Lord and said, PleaseLord, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? The Lord then taught Jonah about His love for the people of Nineveh. The kings proclamation indicated that like Jonahs sailors he had abandoned his gods and recognized Jonahs God (). But the entire city of Nineveh responded to Jonahs message. Rob, Its a technical point. The other has Jonah alone with God. I have a question on your comment above: If Jonah did die, he was resuscitated, not resurrected. 6I descended to the roots of the mountains. There is abortion, disease, teenage pregnancy, children with no fathers, and all the grief and pain that come from broken or malformed families. It represented Gods throne, where the Almighty sat, as the Tabernacle represented Gods throne complex. In most cases, He allows man to do as he will and manages His plan behind the scenes. While all these storms (which he caused) are raging, Jonah is asleep. IX. We read: 5Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. He revealed he was a Jew and despite his disobedience, he declared he feared the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.4Jonah retained his testimony and witness. When spoken, it brings men to salvation. IV. Yes, sin is usually very expensivebut many seem quite willing to pay the price. The gourd was Gods mercy to Jonah. I knew You would find a way to spare and bless these pagans. The great majority of it. Amid the commotion, the captain finds Jonah, wakes him, and demands that he join the effort to save the ship by calling on his God. Even the fallen deserve our love and respect as fellow human beings. We are currently reading Jonah's story in daily Mass. Some things must ultimately be left to God. The great majority of it. They were threats! Many people today talk about victimless sins,. Ultimately, a king forgives because he chooses to forgive, not because of the actions of a subject. Those who are morally alert do not say such things; those who are in the darkness of delirium, in a moral slumber, say them. The bottom line (if youll pardon the financial pun) is that sinful choices are usually very costly. They recognized Gods sovereignty: You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased. When Jonah hit the water, the storm ceased. God is aware of all man does. This was a large army, even by modern standards. 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. The storm was so violent they knew their ship was about to shatter. The passage reveals Jonahs thinking and motivation in fleeing God. As a result, they cast lots to learn about this strange man. What a wonderful explanation of the Book of Jonah. Every crew member was praying to his god for deliverance. Indeed, many people spend lots of money and go miles out of their way in order to be able to stay in sin. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. Exceptions are Rahab, the harlot, Naaman, the Syrian general, Ruth, the Moabitess, and Nebuchadnezzar. 4 The God of heaven was a term known to Gentiles (cf. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. And should not I care about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons?!. Jonah responded: He said to them, Pick me up and throw me into the sea. And yet, the minute they genuinely repent even though that repentance is, admittedly, self-interested God is merciful. Jonah 1.1-2 should arrest ones attention. To paraphrase: God, I told you they would just repent and you, being a merciful God, would forgive them. The Ninevites' lostness did not greatly burden Jonah. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. She didn't kill Ben, it wasnt her decision or choice, she let them kill Ben. It is of course the children who suffer the most pain and injustice as a result of so much bad adult behavior. The Abrahamic Covenant established that all Gentile blessing would come through Israel. He could feel seaweed wrapping around his head as the waves swept over him. If the plan of God was NOT to go to the Gentiles even as in the Gospels, Jesus said NOT to go to the Gentiles but only to the lost sheep of Israel, WHY did Jonah go to the Gentiles Nineveh? Like the laborers who complained, Jonah could not accept God blessing the Ninevites. Let us cast lots. Too many wander around in a kind of delirium, a moral sleep, talking about their rights and insisting that what they do is nobody elses business. Yet all the while the storm winds buffet and others suffer for what they do. The misfortune of the Israelites at Ai was consequent on the sin of Achan (Joshua 7.). Do not let them eat or drink water. 2, 26-30. Then the LORDcommanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land (Jonah 1.10). From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God. No one is merely an individual;we are also members of the Body, members of the community, whether we want to admit it or not. Jonah had appeared during a time of national distress and its rulers could ill afford divine wrath by aninvading army, famine, earthquake, epidemic, or flood.
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