Jonah 2:1-10 Jonah's Prayer I. JONAH’S PRAYER A. The Place Of Jonah’s Cry 1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, B. The Person Of Jonah’s Cry 1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God (a) He is Aware of the Presence of God 1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly, (b) He Acknowledges the Providence of God 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. (c) He Affirms the Purpose of God 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. C. The Purpose Of Jonah’s Cry 2 - "I cried by reason of mine affliction." Jonah saw 1. The Source Of his affliction - Sin had brought him here. 2. Severity Of his affliction 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. 3. The Solution To his affliction "I cried" D. The Power Of Jonah’s Cry 2 and thou heardest my voice. Passion in His Prayer - "I cried" Precision in His Prayer - 5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. Praise in His Prayer - 9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; Penitence in His Prayer - 9 I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
II. JONAH’S PENITENCE A. Jonah Saw His Failure 4 - "Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. 1. He had taken God’s Purpose for granted. 4 - "Then I said" 2. God’s Patience for granted. 4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight 3. God’s Presence for granted. I am cast out of thy sight 4. God’s Provision for granted. yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. B. Jonah Saw His Frailty 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.
Jonah prays in Distress. There is an old adage–”There are no atheists in foxholes”.
Jonah prays in Darkness. There is no light in the belly of a fish. Jonah prayed in Desperation. 7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
C. Jonah Saw His Folly 8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy
"lying vanities?" 1. I can Forget God 2. I can Forsake God. 3. I can Forgo God.
III. JONAH’S PRAISE A. Jonah Seemed Anxious To Praise The Lord (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 Seemed Anxious To Pay His Vows - "I will pay that that I have vowed." C. Jonah Seemed Anxious To Preach The Gospel - "Salvation is of the Lord." 1. The Reach of the Message - Save from the guttermost
2. The Reality of the Message - Save even Jonah
3. The Riches of the Message - He could speak from experience. 4. The Relevance of the Message - the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Mt 12:40 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.
IV. JONAH’S PARDON
10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.
