what did god do to teach jonah a lesson
4,5. Jonah's story is told in the short (just 48 verses) but powerful book of Jonah. Let us go to Jonah 1:1 brethren. On this site, you can explore the Bible with me as dig into fun topics, like angels, symbolism, characters, dreams and more. It takes place in part in Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria . Jonah and the Whale Bible Story Study Guide. This is something we all need to be careful of, not to let our own wants and desires blind us to what is truly important. 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. If you want to learn more, read, 13 Best Lessons We can Learn from Jonah.. Join me now as we explore Gods word and discover what it takes to become a true Christian! So, grab your Bible and lets dig in. Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. Jonah was a prophet who supported Israel at a time when Israel was threatened by Nineveh. What miracle did God perform to teach Jonah a lesson? 4) A storm threatens to overturn the ship. (a)How was Jonah evidently affected by Jehovahs wise instruction about mercy? The Bible explains that Jehovahs justice is perfect. PRIVACY POLICY Jonah; Micah . 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. Could you imagine how many times you would hear your kids say. We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. Jonah believes that the Ninevites dont deserve Gods mercy and forgiveness. The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. I read recently that the atonement doesnt cover all sins such as murder which requires a blood sacrifice. He has composed and performed original music for five albums. One could never feel any sense of accomplishment or ownership, because it is given without cause. You could really see the clear intent of Jonah here that he really didnt want to do the job he was called to do. There might be more, but thats just what is said here. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. Jonah was quite content with God's grace and God's love over Israel and over his own life. There are no limits to God's grace and love, and there are no limits to his ways and means of attaining His goals for salvation. What mattered to him were the people. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 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 NKJV). Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" Or, are we angry, too? Only Jehovah can read what lies within the human heart. PRIVACY SETTINGS, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/m/1102013260/univ/art/1102013260_univ_sqr_xl.jpg, https://assetsnffrgf-a.akamaihd.net/assets/a/ia/E/wpub/ia_E_lg.jpg, Share 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? As soon as Jonah has settled gratefully into its shade, God sends a worm to chew the roots of the plant, killing it so that Jonah is left exposed once again. Not stopping and chewing on what the scripture is trying to show us. Jonah was doing the bare minimum. Just like us, brethren, we have also been given a task by God to preach the Gospel to this morally decaying and dying world. A Second Chance with God, Jonah 3. 8 The king too responded to Jonahs proclamation. We can come to think that we are blessed to be in the family of God because of something of value or usefulness that impresses God. 12,13. In faith, Jonah knew that he would be delivered. Three days later, Jonah was vomited out alive onto a beach, an awed and more compliant man.Jonah, chaps. Its easy to be triggered when things dont go the way we plan, but we need to surrender our will to His will. Now that we had a short summarylets get down to business! Jonah's ordeal inside the belly of the whale certainly evokes Christ's death and resurrection over the same time period. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!. TIMELINE: Jonah is a prophet during the reign of King Jeroboam II. but how about the Lords mention of His concern about the cattle? God plans to bring unity to all things under Christ - Ephesians 1:10. (b)How did Jehovahs miracles involving a bottle-gourd plant affect Jonah? The force of this final question cannot be overstated. But none of these factors made the city important to Jehovah God. 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. The truth is that mans sin has a devastating effect upon creation. Jonahs story may help us to take an honest look at ourselves. So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. The Lord called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, but Jonah fled and was swallowed by a great fish. (Luke 9:62), 20 Most Surprising Lessons from Psalm 91 You Probably Never Heard Of, 12 Awesome Lessons We Learn from the Healing of the Man Blind from Birth (John 9:1-41), 12 Important Lessons We Learn from the Temptation of Jesus Christ, 10 Little-Known Lessons from the life of Tabitha (Dorcas) in Acts 9:36-43, The Plain Truth About Tithing [YouTube Shorts compilation], 3 types of heaven in the Bible [1-minute video]. So, God used a plant, a worm, and a wind to teach Jonah a lesson in compassion. (Read Deuteronomy 32:4.) God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. Whenever we are in a situation where we have turned our back on God its important to follow these four steps. 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. Because of Gods unending love, He sent His Son to die for us on our behalf. If you look into history, Nineveh became the capital of the Assyrian Empire and has eventually conquered Israel and drove them into slavery. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. (b)What did the king of Nineveh do in response to Jonahs proclamation? 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. The book of Jonah is often characterized by liberal theologians as a metaphorical story to teach Israel to be more open to others. The lesson for us is that God will not convince us of the matters of faith through powerful and Hollywood-like public manifestations of God's greatness. (Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3) Nineveh was impressive, with stately temples, mighty walls, and other edifices. Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. Thank you for having available online. Though He is now in Nineveh, he was just dragging his feet to preach to the people. I hope these 5 keys have made you hungry to dive more into Gods word. The first gentile revival just took place. John 3:16 tells us, For God so loved the Israelites, no, the church, no, the apostles, saints, prophets, NO! To top it off Nineveh is 800 miles away. Fr. Here is a perfect heartperfect in generous lovenot excusing, not harshly condemning. Even if Jonah obeyed God from the start, it would still have been easier to send an angel or to appear as a pillar of cloud. Ive read that the Lord wanted to show Jonah that He loves all His people. . He will rescue them during trouble and provide for their needs. by Shelby Faith. So, please feel free to drop me a comment or take a look at my similar posts in my Christian Faith Articles page! Jonah rebels, gets swallowed by a great fish, repents, and, at last, fulfills his mission. The Lord provided a gourd or plant that protected Jonah. Jonah was called to go and preach the repentance to the Ninevites (And by natural inference, to receive the forgiveness of God). (a)Why might Jonah have found Nineveh intimidating? However, had he allowed Jehovahs discipline to work a thorough change in him? The people of Nineveh, from the king to the poorest, repented and held a fast. He wants to show His love to everyone. What did God do to teach Jonah a lesson? 3 - 4 ) Jonah's Renewed Commission and Obedience ( 3:1-4) The Endangered Ninevites' Repentant Appeal to the Lord ( 3:5-9) God's command to him remained the same; he was still to preach repentance to Nineveh (see Jonah 2:10-3:4). Learn More. We need to learn from him and his mistakes. 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 . Under King Jeroboam II, the nation expanded its borders and enjoyed an age of splendour that . 19,20. Rather Jonah became a reluctant prophet because he knew God's grace would overwhelm Israel's enemy. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? This is a great Jonah and the whale lesson. 6 It has been estimated that Samaria, the capital of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel, may have had some 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants in Jonahs dayless than a fourth of Ninevehs population. 1. Introduction. So, I hope my Bible study on Jonah encourages you to take a second look at Jonah. You see, the Day of Atonement is a reminder that part of humbling ourselves and repenting of our sins is to do the work God has called us to do. No one expects a person to survive inside a fish. . As we know it didnt really work too well for him. 1,2. For You cast me into the deep,Into the heart of the seas,And the floods surrounded me;All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Why does God allow good people to suffer? However, as the story unfolds we can see how the Lord draws him from fear . The book of Jonah concludes with a rather enigmatic ending. Rudyard Kipling, the great English poet of the first part of the 20th century, considered the strengths and influence of the British Empire but warned his fellow subjects of the crown that empires are fleeting. A Heartless Prophet, Jonah 4. Because more than anything else, He also wanted to help Jonah see his faults, repent of his selfishness, and change his ways. He is the weeping God ofJonah 4in human form. This is both an indictment of Jonah and all who treat Gods grace as proprietary, and a challenge to begin to see the world through the eyes of God who created it. Knowing that the people of Nineveh were wicked, Jonah naturally wouldn't want to go there to preach. He knew, because of Gods incredible and unfathomable deep level of mercy, He would forgive them if they repent! It seems that at this time Nineveh had a sea-oriented religious system and sea-themed Gods. God Bless People are important to God. To know he answers my prayers? Jonah was under God's observation all along. Im having trouble understanding the story. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). After all, he felt sorry for the plant only because it had benefited him personally. How well are we doing our job? There are treasures to be learned and applied in every chapter. Then Jehovah sent a huge fish. God let Jonah eat lavishly, then sent him to a place of famine. In what ways would you like to imitate the faith of Jonah when you receive corrective counsel? 20 Gods saying that those people did not know right from left suggested their childlike ignorance of divine standards. What does the story of Jonah and the whale teach us? For, Jonah, its an insult to Israel. Jonah was a prophet and the Lord told Him to go and preach against Nineveh, which was the capital of the Assyrian empire. There is a multitude of slain, a great number of bodies, countless corpses - They stumble over the corpses - because of the multitude of harlotries of the seductive harlot, the mistress of sorceries, who sells nations through her harlotries, and families through her sorceries.". Imitate Their Faith, Share Could you please help to understand what lesson the Lord wanted to teach Jonah about the Gourd and the Worm? 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