Sermon Central
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Jonah's Foolish Freewill Series
Contributed by Robert Baldwin on Aug 2, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Jonah’s foolish attempt to exercize his freewill over God’s will
Jonah’s Foolishness
Intro.
Most everyone is familiar with the book of Jonah. Many deny that it is true. Our Lord believed it was true because he referred to it. We are all like Jonah in certain degrees. What the book does is give us a picture of Christian disobedience and God’s chastisement. The Bible makes it clear if you are God’s child and you rebell he will chasten you. Heb 12:6, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
It also gives a picture of eternal security. God did not cast Jonah away although you and I would have in a moment. But God just caused Jonah to change. God has a way of getting his way. He doesn’t make us do anything against our will he just makes us willing!
The Bible shows us several things about God;
I. We have here a picture of some of God’s attributes and His character.
1. His Attributes:
A. His Omniscience: He is all knowing, some want to speak of God as fore knowing, He is much greater than that He knows our every thought and action, even before we do them. He is all wise, this means He cannot learn. And also let me say He can never make a mistake. His purpose is always right and good.
B. His Omnipresence: God is everywhere; Jonah was foolish to think he could run from God. And yet we have those today that seem to think they can hide their actions from God. David tells us that one cannot escape from God’s presence.
Ps 139:7-10, Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
C. God’s Omnipotence: He is an all powerful God, he can do anything he wishes he controls nature itself. In verse 4, it says, But the Lord sent out a great wind.
Look also at Dan 4:34-35
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
Would we want God to be any less? When I have problems he already knows, He is there and has the power to take control of the situation.
2. God’s Character:
a. His glory: We cannot see God or the glory of His existence. He declares in his word, “there shall no man see me and live.” (Exod. 33:20)
We see God as he is revealed in his precious son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Col 2:9, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”
Jesus said of himself, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” John 14:9
His glory displayed in his will, God has a will of his own and the modern day church is in the shape it is in because they have ignored the will of God. we want to have our own way this is why there are so many fights in churches.
The greatest thing that man can do is to love to glorify God. Ill. William C. Burns was leaving Scotland bound for China. A man said sarcastically, “I suppose you’re going to China to convert all the Chinese?” He replied, “No, I am going to China to glorify God.”
II. It Is God’s Perogative To Do What He Wishes:
It is not always what we would do. Why did he choose Nineveh? Why did he choose Jonah?
1. Why Jonah: God knew how Jonah would react. He is mentioned as a prophet only one other time in the word.
When God told him he knew that Jonah would flee, he was like a bass fish when it is hooked he ran the other way. For the fish the hook is painful and running only sets it deeper in it’s mouth.
There are some in the modern day church that try to teach that God will not interfere with man’s free will. They need to read the book of Jonah. Any God called preacher that had ever tried to run from God knows this is true.
