This book has captured my thoughts and taken me into the arena of my mind's unhealthy and unbiblical thought life. Our purpose is to love people and obey God in the process of loving. We so often want to inject our justice and reward system. I pray this book speaks to you as it has me.
Jonah
V1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,
V2 "Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me"
There are some historical and cultural reasons for Jonah's hesitation. Nineveh was Israel's enemy. God so often has us pray for those who have wronged us; we groan as we stand back and watch God bless them without any punishment for their sin. Isn't that the heart of God toward us! We so quickly forget how He so graciously forgave us.
Job 42
V8 "Now therefore , take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and My servant Job will pray for you. For I will accept him so I may not do with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken of Me what is right, as My servant Job has."
V10 The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and this increased all that Job had twofold.
Jonah
V3 Jonah runs from the challenge. He catches the nearest ship, running from God's request to go preach in Nineveh. Can you wonder a minute at what it is like to be a Pastor or Prophet in this day, to this (Nineveh) society? I'm sure they would rather be on a long boat trip. Another thought on this verse: I have been under great conviction about the wickedness in our culture, the church culture in particular. The church is so overwhelmed by the culture that Pastors now have to defend themselves when they try to uphold biblical truth. Can you imagine that a Pastor would be considered "controlling" if he inserts himself with biblical truth into the lives of his own parishoners. These things are happening! Don't think for a minute that God is okay with that. Frankly, I am a little nervous (very nervous) that maybe God has allowed us to sin and mock Him for as long as He can tolerate. I believe with all my heart that our sin has come up before Him and He is sending out the prophets to warn us. Read on.
V4 The Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.
V5 Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.
When we are God's children we become so confident that He will never leave us or forsake us that we take liberties with disobedience that we shouldn't. Our sin effects everyone around us, even in the church we attend, our families and friends. The storm that Jonah caused by his rebellion caused a crew to throw much needed supplies overboard. It caused that ship's crew to be in torment as they thought they were facing certain ruin.
Notice Jonah sleeps through their anguish.
V6 So the captain of the ship approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish."
V7 Each man said to his mate,"Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
The people that cause problems aren't the ones seeking God; but the people around them sure are, out of desperation! Wouldn't it be great if we could cast lots! You feel the effects of rebellion (the storm) but don't know who's causing it until they leave the church, or God puts them in a fish.
V8 They question him.
V9 He said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land."
V10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
V11 So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"-- for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy.
V12 "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you."
V13 However, the men rowed desperately to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming even stormier against them.
V14 Then they called on the Lord and said, "We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for You, O Lord, have done as You have pleased."
V15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea and the sea stopped its raging.
V16 Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
V 17 the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.
Chapter 2
This whole chapter is a cry to God, a prayer, an acknowledgement of who God is. Take some time and read it.
V2 I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me.
I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.
He ends with this:
V9 "But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord."
V10 Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto dry land.
Chapter 3
V3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days' walk.
V4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and cried out and said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown."
V5 The people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least.
Read what the King does in verse 6.
V10 When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And he did not do it.
Pray with me that God would give us a chance to repent. That He would sweep over our church with a revival fire that would purify us!
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