Transcript THE JONAH SAGA Lesson 4 for July 25, 2015 “He [Jeroboam II] restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath.

THE JONAH SAGA
Lesson 4 for July 25, 2015
“He [Jeroboam II] restored the territory
of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to
the Sea of the Arabah, according to the
word of the Lord God of Israel, which He
had spoken through His servant Jonah the
son of Amittai, the prophet who was from
Gath Hepher.” (2 Kings 14:25)
Jonah is introduced as the son of Amittai
(Jonah 1:1), a Galilean prophet who was
born in a village close to Nazareth.
He is a successful prophet. His prophecy
about Israel was fulfilled (Jeremiah 28:9).
Jonah had both great strengths and great
weaknesses.
He was stubborn and rebellious, but he
was willing to learn. He was faithful to
God, courageous and a praying man.
Nevertheless, he was narrow-minded,
selfish and vengeful.
God is willing to use us despite our faults.
“Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly,
and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took
vows.” (Jonah 1:16)
God told Israel that the Gentiles would be drawn to them and converted by Israel’s
example (Deuteronomy 4:5-6; Isaiah 56:7). However, Jonah was called to go to the
Gentiles’ and to preach the message of salvation there.
He was asked
to go to the
east by land,
but he decided
to go west by
sea.
He disobeyed
God, but wind
and sea
obeyed their
Creator.
He was
sleeping, but
the sailors
asked him to
pray.
He didn’t want
to talk about
God, but he
was forced to
testify to his
faith and
mission.
The sailors on that boat were the first converted pagans in spite of Jonah’s
attitude. How great is the love of our God!
“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to
swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly
of the fish three days and three nights.
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from
the fish’s belly.” (Jonah 1:17-2:1)
According to some writing of that time, “three days and three nights” was a literary
figure of the time it would take for someone to go to Sheol (Jonah 2:2).
Jesus used Jonah’s story as an example of
Him being “in the heart of the earth”
(Matthew 12:40). He would then
resurrect from the death like Jonah was
vomited from the large fish.
“Now the Lord had prepared a
great fish to swallow Jonah.
And Jonah was in the belly of
the fish three days and three
nights. Then Jonah prayed to
the Lord his God from the
fish’s belly.” (Jonah 1:17-2:1)
Jonah faced an imminent
death. He trusted God’s
forgiveness and he
believed God could save
him. He repented
before Him
(Jonah 2:6-9).
God showed His mercy to Jonah. That
was the same mercy that moved Him
to forgive the Ninevites.
“‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the
message that I tell you.’ […] And Jonah began to enter the city on
the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, ‘Yet forty days,
and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’” (Jonah 3:2-4)
“God’s messengers in the great cities are not to
become discouraged over the wickedness, the
injustice, the depravity, which they are called
upon to face while endeavoring to proclaim the
glad tidings of salvation. The Lord would cheer
every such worker with the same message that He
gave to the apostle Paul in wicked Corinth: ‘Be not
afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am
with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt
thee: for I have much people in this city.’ Acts
18:9, 10… In every city, filled though it may be
with violence and crime, there are many who
with proper teaching may learn to become
followers of Jesus. Thousands may thus be
reached with saving truth and be led to receive
Christ as a personal Saviour.”
E.G.W. (Prophets and Kings, cp. 22, pg. 277)
“So he prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Ah, Lord, was not this what I said
when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for
I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and
abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.’” (Jonah 4:2)
Unbelievable! Jonah is the only person
in the Bible who accused God of
offering grace, of being compassionate,
slow to anger and full of love. He
complained that God forgives instead of
sending calamities. What was Jonah’s
problem?
His problem was selfishness. Jonah was
unable to care about someone but
himself. His own fame and welfare were
more important to him than the
salvation of more than 120,000 people.
Are we as blind as Jonah was? Are we
aware of our mission—working for the
salvation of our neighbor? Are we
willing to joyfully fulfill our mission?
E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, cp. 74, pg. 606)
“All are required to labor to diminish the
ills and multiply the blessings of their
fellow creatures. If we are strong to resist
temptation we are under the greater
obligation to help those who are weak and
yielding. Have we knowledge, we should
instruct the ignorant. Has God blessed us
with this world’s goods, it is our duty to
succor the poor. We must work for others’
good. Let all within the sphere of our
influence be partakers of whatever of
excellence we may possess. None should be
content to feed on the bread of life without
sharing it with those around them."