He must learn that God's love is greater and wider than he had ever imagined. Introduction: This lesson is about a man that is in a little bit of all of us. Jonah 4:2 is remarkable, also, in that it demonstrates that when God shifts His affection on the people we should expect conversion. Teach: The Lord had warned (through Jonah) that if they did not repent, they would be destroyed. If they listened to God's warningif they repented then God might spare them, and they would remain a looming threat. 18:7,8. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah tried to run away from God. But here was God wanting them to repent and change their ways. The Bible explains that Jehovahs justice is perfect. The story is probably written between the 8th and 3th century BC. He was then swallowed by a huge fish - his transport to Nineveh. Its victim never departs. ^ par. Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. from the presence of the LORD. A gourd, an easterly winder, and even a worm, all over the Lord without any protests. Jonah remains today a powerful lesson on compassion, on purpose, and obedience. But Nineveh was a very wicked city. Jonah demonstrates how God uses all of His creation to bring about the salvation of one very wicked nation. (See also footnote.) 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. Thank you, Jesus! In the same manner, God won't give up on us. Jonah found Nineveh to be a huge city full of wrongdoing. Could we be like that brethren? God punishes Jonah by having a large fish or whale swallow him whole, but Jonah is later reconciled and forgiven. Jonah later wrote: The true God got to see their works, that they had turned back from their bad way; and so the true God felt regret over the calamity that he had spoken of causing to them; and he did not cause it.Jonah 3:10. Then he asked to die, saying that death would be better than life.Read Jonah 4:2,3. 16 It is easy to judge Jonah for his conduct, but we do well to remember that it is not unusual for imperfect humans to disagree with God. (a)What did Jonah do after leaving Nineveh? He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. Expressing hope that the true God would soften upon seeing their repentance, the king said: God may . Whether Jonah liked what God commanded, understood the reason for what God commanded or wanted something different than what God commanded made no difference whatsoever. He is the weeping God ofJonah 4in human form. At any rate, his message was simple and not likely to win him any favor: Only forty days more, and Nineveh will be overthrown. (Jonah 3:4) He spoke out boldly and repeatedly. Here is a little quick video to watch For more information please keep reading. Because of Gods unending love, He sent His Son to die for us on our behalf. What gets missed is Jonah's repentance . Digging deep and having the Holy Spirit reveal truths to us is how we start to grow and mature. He built a little shelter and settled in to waitand to watch Nineveh. 5) He is thrown into the water. 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. Covenantal-snobbery was, and can still be, a serious problem with Gods people. He asked him to go somewhere Jonah would NEVER want to go. The mandate to preach repentance is inexorably linked to the announcement of Gods grace and forgiveness. Milton has also served as chancellor and president of seminaries and is the author of more than thirty books. Use this lesson to lead kids to respond to God's compassion and . (a)What may have led Jonah into a downward spiral? Instead, something remarkable happened. Instead, the Lord saved him. So, please feel free to drop me a comment or take a look at my similar posts in my Christian Faith Articles page! Some may believe that Jehovah should have prevented a tragedy or that he should have executed swift judgment against the wicked or even that he should have brought an end to this whole world system of things before now. He gets on the boat and flees Jerusalem. Short little Melissa style summary and insight: *If you are not familiar with the story of Jonahspend some time reading it. After all, he felt sorry for the plant only because it had benefited him personally. (a)How was Jonah evidently affected by Jehovahs wise instruction about mercy? He observed the change in those people and saw that the punishment he had intended to bring on them would no longer be fitting. Jonah was called to go and preach the repentance to the Ninevites (And by natural inference, to receive the forgiveness of God). In the north of modern-day Iraq, next to the city of Mosul, the remains of Nineveh, stand as testimony to the historicity of the story in Jonah. His most recent book is a second edition release: Hit by Friendly Fire: What to do when Another Believer Hurts You(Resource Publications, 2022). It is not that Jonah hesitated and, then, refused to go to Nineveh because the task would be difficult (although that is an argument from silence). God has Compassion on All People, not just us. Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. What can we learn from Jonahs attitude toward the repentance of the Ninevites? Jonah needed courage and faith to preach in Nineveh. Give me the ability to do whatever you ask of me. 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. Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. Its easy to be triggered when things dont go the way we plan, but we need to surrender our will to His will. . Tell them that they better start believing in Me and doing the right things I want them to do or else I'm going to send fire down from Heaven to destroy their city and burn them up." But Jonah didn't want to go preach to the people of Nineveh. but how about the Lords mention of His concern about the cattle? I dont select the ads displayed here but generated by advertising software. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? I enjoy the Bible study and I want to be a blessing to others. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. Whenever we are in a situation where we have turned our back on God its important to follow these four steps. Jonah is saying in his prayer, that he knows that God will bring Nineveh into that covenantal relationship. Just like us, brethren, we have also been given a task by God to preach the Gospel to this morally decaying and dying world. Jonah has two different responses to God's . Bible stories and audio Bible listening also come in handy! Jonah tried to initially claim that The Lord deserted him, but it was Jonah that had tried to run from God (Where could he escape God anyway?? In what ways might some find themselves disagreeing with God, and what lesson can we learn from Jonahs example? His life and ministry, recorded in but four chapters, brings so many lessons to Christians old and new. God often only tells us what we can handle at the time. They are the enemies of Israel. PlusFULL access to my printables vault! Nahum 3:1-4 gives us an idea of just how wicked the people of Nineveh were: "Woe to the bloody city! God caught Jonah in a ship and commanded a fish to swallow him. Jehovah, on the other hand, was the Source of life for those Ninevites and had sustained them, as he does all creatures on earth. Did he fear being ridiculed or being labeled a false prophet? It states, "Yahweh scolded him for taking pity on a plant that he did not make grow, while feeling no sorrow for thousands of people in Nineveh." 1) God gave Jonah a job, but Jonah didn't want to do it. (Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3) Nineveh was impressive, with stately temples, mighty walls, and other edifices. Or lets be really honest when we think of Jonah we just think about the whale (or Big Fish). But thankfully brethren, God is not like that. It is the book itself. 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. (b)What did the king of Nineveh do in response to Jonahs proclamation? God then tells the whale to throw Jonah up. 2) So he ran from God. This was an occasion to show divine mercy. (b)How may the account about Jonah help us to take an honest look at ourselves? How does that show through the story? DLTK's Sunday School Lessons Men of the Old Testament Pt 1: Jonah. Then Jehovah sent a huge fish. No. The book of Jonah is a short narrative book about a prophet who doesn't really act like a prophet of God at all. For, Jonah, its an insult to Israel. Thank you for your patience and continued support! His spirits lifted. Introduction. Jonah was the man who prayed to God from the belly of the great fish, seeking God's mercy Praising God because He was a God who heard his prayer The God Who Jonah declared was the one responsible for salvation Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament that God flat out told to preach to a Gentile city and not just any gentiles but the people of Nineveh (The Assyrians). Based on what happened to Jonah's life, we can simply conclude that there's no point in trying to run away from God, from running away from His purposes, and in trying to achieve our own will and not His. Its only 4 short chapters. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! Jonah knew that God was full of grace and mercy, and that was why he was afraid to tell the people of Nineveh. Jonah was under God's observation all along. He sent a worm to attack and kill the plant. Jonah; Micah . As he sank deeper and deeper into the sea, he prayed to Jehovah. JONAH would have plenty of time to think. It may be that Jonah made his proclamation in his native Hebrew and used an interpreter to relate it to the Ninevites. Since we interpret Scripture by other Scriptures, and since our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told the book of Jonah as history (Matthew 12:39-41), so must we. What does a man swallowed by a big fish thousands of years ago have to do with the Day of Atonement? After paying the fare, he. A bad storm happens and Jonah actually has the courage to let everyone know its his fault because hes running away from God. What's wrong with the House of Bishops' proposed same-sex prayers? For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. Jonah did not weep over the city, but Jesus, the true prophet, did. Was the restriction of unclean foods in the Bible a commandment. God begins to have mercy upon us while we are still in willful disobedience; and, like Nineveh, characterized by infamous sin and evil. Was it not because Jonah had allowed his thinking to become selfish? Jonah began to rejoice greatly over the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous appearance as a sign of Gods blessing and approval. I would love to hear from you! When they did throw him into the sea, the storm stopped. 6. God does not want us to forget the lessons of the book of Jonah, nor the destiny of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" The Bible record is silent. The issue in the book of Jonah causes each of us to reflect on this truth: those who curse Christ today could be those who preach Christ tomorrow. Instead, it seems, he was on a downward spiral into a mire of bitterness, self-pity, and wounded pride. God rates his favorite children by their obedience. God comes to us while we are still sinners, and still, the Lord does not wait for us to clean up our act before He comes into our lives. Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! Then all of sudden God decided to come between Jonah and his patriotism. Jonah's obedience to God, albeit reluctant, brought about great results, results that only God could bring. Jonah runs away because he cannot resolve two contradictions: between the categorization of prophecies that do not come to pass as "false prophecies" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) and the revocation of the verdict against Nineveh, in response to its repentance; and between the concept of God as unchanging and resolute (see Numbers 23:19) and His . To begin, he had to choose between the shorter routes and the safer ones and then steadily make his way through valleys and over mountain passes beyond counting. . God plans to bring unity to all things under Christ - Ephesians 1:10. These results are in verse three, that is, one verse before the one that tells of God's special intervention in sending the storm . Let us see what we can gather from Jonahs struggle. God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the Ninevites. As a result of his rebellion, the Lord sent a wild storm. (a)How did the people of Nineveh respond to Jonahs message? No one expects a person to survive inside a fish. Yes, they do, but most of the time, Israel wont repent. These are only 5 thingsthere are more! You have remained in right site to begin getting this info. Hi, welcome to my little piece of cyberspace! After all, we might offend someone or worse, the world might crucify us. Jonah's ordeal inside the belly of the whale certainly evokes Christ's death and resurrection over the same time period. Perhaps, he was angry, because the warning he had given them had not been carried out. Jehovahs righteous anger against Nineveh simply abated. So, Jonah has a pity party and God tries to show and teach him His compassion towards mankind with a plant giving him shelter and worm. Amen. There might be more, but thats just what is said here. (Ezek. 20 Gods saying that those people did not know right from left suggested their childlike ignorance of divine standards. Imitate Their Faith. * He walked for a day, penetrating ever deeper into that teeming metropolis, perhaps looking for a suitable central location to start spreading his message. 15. You see, evidence indicates that Jonah wrote the book bearing his name. Should the Ninevites resume their wicked ways, God would bring the same judgment against them. While the theme of Gods sovereignty and Gods grace is, indeed, the predominant storyline of Jonah, the book is certainly not merely metaphorical. He will rescue them during trouble and provide for their needs. (b)What lesson do we all need to learn? With this understanding, Jonahs choice to flee makes sense (in a very short-sighted kind of way) . You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you (John 15:16 ESV). Perhaps he still clung to the hope of witnessing her destruction. Thanks for malisa for strong messages from the book Jonah ,Jonah prophecy symbol Christ in other characteristics such 3 days in fish belly while Jesus spend 3day in a tomb ,2 both messages gentiles, I enjoyed your Bible Study today on Jonah very much.. it was a blessing. The book of Jonah is often characterized by liberal theologians as a metaphorical story to teach Israel to be more open to others. 17 Unbelievable Bible Secrets No One Has Ever Told You, 12 Unspoken Reasons Why You Should Not Use the New International Version (NIV) Bible, 5 Powerful and Vital Lessons from the Life of Samson, What Does it Mean to Put your Hand on the Plow and Look Back? When God called Jonah to go and warn the violent and . 16. In his mind, they deserve nothing but death. 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. Mark Wahlberg gives lessons on fasting during Lent, Free Church of Scotland condemns 'anti-Christian intolerance' towards Kate Forbes, Ian Paul on why he won't leave the Church of England despite its support for gay blessings, How becoming a refugee host forged a friendship for life, Rate of church closures is higher in low-income neighbourhoods, 'We never stopped praying,' says kidnap for ransom survivor, Medieval Christian women voices that we need to hear. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I was out on the road today in my car, I was dropping off a package and when I returned to my car there was paper on the front of my bumper. We must keep our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness come in. The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. This is a great Jonah and the whale lesson. Lesson 48, November 21-27. . Would you like to read this article in %%? A Heartless Prophet, Jonah 4. God was working in Jonah's life through his fish experience. What did the Lord mean in Jonah4:10-11? Could you imagine how many times you would hear your kids say. Jonah was cast into the sea and did not drown. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying. 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. My honest opinion of why he did that was in hopes that he could escape from Gods presence. However, Jehovah wanted to do more for Jonah than simply deliver him from the heat and from his own petulant anger. Jonah is told by God that he must go to Nineveh and tell the people living there to lead better lives or God will punish them. Because God has shown us mercy, wouldnt He also show mercy to those people outside our Christian faith? He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. Imitate Their Faith, Share 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. ^ par. Jonah was a prophet and the Lord told Him to go and preach against Nineveh, which was the capital of the Assyrian empire. The book of Jonah concludes with a rather enigmatic ending. And now, God is sending Him to them. "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. I have learned 5 keys from the life of Jonah that I want to share with you! When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. 6 When Jonah finally entered Nineveh, its sizable population of more than 120,000 may have made the place only more intimidating. At this point we find our first great lessons regarding God's sovereignty. "Jonah & the Whale" Unit: Splash Into Summer LESSON PURPOSE: The story of Jonah & the Whale teaches us about listening to God's Words and how he is always there to guide us and take care of us. The essential nature of God and His mission in the world should be a powerful motivation as well as a source of confidence as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission. God told Jonah to go preach a message of repentance to the people of Ninevah. Israel on the other hand, was in a "silver age.". We pray, OLord, please do not let us perish for this mans life, anddo not charge us with innocent blood; for You, OLord,have done as it pleased You. Jonah 1:14, Then the fun stuff happens Please observe picture below. Jonah, of course, tells God, it aint going to happen! and runs away in the polar opposite direction of Ninevah. Jonah woke to see this luxuriant growth, with its broad leaves providing far more shade than his flimsy shelter ever could. 3) That obedience to God will always bring God-sized results. (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.) They are the same people who have killed a lot of Israelites. To put the matter in plain words, Jonah did not like grace because it was charity. Today you'll discover an important lesson: God forgives us. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. James Taiwo Click to tweet. Thank you. For, Jonah, this is unthinkable and so, HE FLED! Yes, that means precisely what it says: Jonah was preferring death over the advance of Gods grace to Nineveh. It only stopped when Jonah was thrown overboard (see Jonah 1:15). 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. Greek historian Herodotus noted that the ancient Persians grieved over the death of a popular general by including their livestock in the customs of mourning. 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. What does the story of Jonah and the whale teach us? Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. We all have our opinions, and ideas about how things should happen or be. turn back from his burning anger, so that we may not perish.Jonah 3:6-9. To know he answers my prayers? The story shows us how merciful God is, by contrasting His mercy with Jonah's hunger for revenge. 21 Do you see the depth of Jehovahs object lesson? Talk about Jonah 1: 4-16: This is what it is like to turn away from God. Jonah's lack of response indicates that he got the point. Is it true that it never rained before Noah? If that were so we would never be saved. It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. Whenever we come to think that someone is beyond Gods love, or they have committed acts so vile as to be forever separated from God, then it is time for us to return to the book of Jonah. 22. And he said: I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,and He answered me. 14. The Book of Jonah offers valuable lessons in regards to this fear and shows us how we can become the prophets we are called to be. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. So, I hope my Bible study on Jonah encourages you to take a second look at Jonah. Or did Jehovah grant him that ability through a miracle? 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). Jonah did not like grace because it was not something which one could earn. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Im sure it will bless you like it has blessed me. Jonah was a prophet in Israel (the Northern Kingdom, see 2 Kings 14:25). Whatever the case, he did not rejoice over the peoples repentance or over Jehovahs mercy. Notice, out of the four chapters of Jonah, the words of his preaching was only one sentence. He had prophesied doom and destruction in the name of the Lord, but due to repentance it wasnt going to happen. Yes, that. Only Jehovah can read what lies within the human heart. Jonah would have to travel this by horse/camel. In this post, let us take a deeper look at the Book of Jonah and its many lessons it can teach us about Gods mercy and forgiveness and the role we need to play in doing his work. Sign up for my newsletter and you will receive the Jonah character overview. You can try to hide, move, go away, either physically or even internally with your emotions, but its futile. When thinking about this book as a whole, and what God is trying to teach Jonah, what does this mean for us. We read: "Now Nineveh herself proved to be a city great to God." ( Jonah 3:3) Three times, the record of Jonah quotes Jehovah as referring to "Nineveh the great city." ( Jonah 1:2; 3:2; 4:11) Why was this city great, or important, to Jehovah? The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. Jonah meets big fish, big fish eats him, Jonah decides if he gets out of fish alive he'll do what God says, fish throws up, and out comes a very stinky Jonah.