Summary: JONAH'S CALL

Jonah Ch 1 vs. 1 - 17 1. JONAH'S CALL v.1-3

I. THE COMING . . . OF THE CALL OF GOD. v 1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, (a) This is a . . . PRIVILIGED CALL Ps 45 : 10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. (b) This is a . . . PRE- EMPTIVE CALL. "The word of the \Lord\ came. . ." (c) This is a . . . PERSONAL CALL. ". to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,. (d) This is a . . . PRACTICAL CALL son of Amittai saying Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

II. THE CLARITY . . . OF THE CALL OF GOD. v 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jonah was told :- A. The Place "Arise, go to Nineveh that great city, . . ."

Absolute, imperative final, arise and go are imperatives

Nineveh 500 miles from Palestine, bordered on three sides by rivers, capital of the gentile world, East bank of the Tigris River. One of the oldest cities in the world B. The Plan ". . . and cry against it, . . . " It's Sin, It's Shame, It's Sentence C. The Purpose " their wickedness is come up before Me." Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

III. THE CONFRONTATION . . . With The CALL Of GOD. v 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. A. The Confronation With GOD'S PERSPECTIVE. "But . . . " 1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

B. The Confrontation With GOD'S PLAN. "Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish."

Jonah refused, rejected, & renounced the office of prophet rather than obey God.

C. The Confrontation With GOD'S PRESENCE. from the presence of the Lord."

Ps 139:7-10 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.

D. The Confrontation With GOD'S PATH. So he went down to Joppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish: Either going God's Way Nineveh or Man's Way Tarshish. 3000 miles apart.

2. JONAH'S COWARDICE 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, from being in the presence of the Lord (a) The Reasons for His Rebellion A. Lack of Fear Prov 9:10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. sign outside a city in S Dakota, "30,000 friendly people and a few sore-heads." B. A Lack of Faith Heb.11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Jonah tried to rationalize and reason out everything instead of trusting God to do what was right. Faith says God will do what is right, whether I understand it or not C. A Lack of Forgiveness Jonah was not willing to forgive the Ninevites for the terrible things that the Assyrians had done in regard to the nation of Israel. D. A Lack of Faithfulness But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, (b) The Results of His Rebellion I. Forfeiting the Presence of God

II. Foregoing the Peace of God.

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

III. Forgetting the Power of God

Storm & Fish

IV. Forsaking the Plan of God.

V. Frustrating the Purpose of God.

A. God wants to save a wicked city. B. God wanted to use Jonah to do it. (c) The Reversal of His Rebellion 3. JONAH'S CORRECTION 4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea A. Jonah’s Acknowledgement Before The Lord – 2:1, Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, 2:4, Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 2:7-9 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.

B.Jonah’s Agreement With The Lord – 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. C.Jonah’s Acceptance By The Lord – 2:2, 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. 10; And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land. 4. JONAH'S COMMISSION 3:1-2 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. A.God’s Man Is Changed – 3:3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. This time Jonah is not running from the Lord; he is running with the Lord! B. God’s Message Is Communicated –3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. C.God’s Mission Is Accomplished – 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. GOD’S DELIVERENCE (v.4) “But the Lord”

A. Great Storm (4,12)

The best way to endure a storm is to have Jesus in the boat with you.

B. Great Fish (17)

Not a whale, but a special fish prepared by God for this occasion. God can use a great fish or a little worm (4:7) to get our attention.

C. Great City (1:2; 3:2)

1. Great in Size – More than 120,000 small children (4:11). Three day journey through the city (3:3). The capital of the great Assyrian Empire.

2. Great in Sin – Pagan, perverse, pegged for destruction like Sodom and Gomorrah

3. Great in Salvation – God can save from the guttermost to the uttermost. “Though your sins be as scarlet, you shall be white as snow.” It is estimated that Nineveh had a population of nearly 600,000 at this time.

Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”