Jonah 1:17-2:10
Last week- We Looked at the persistently disobedient prophet-
God says Go. Jonah says NO- Mediterranean cruise in the opposite direction.
And we saw it was a downward spiral- down to Joppa, down in ship, ocean.
God pursues his disobedient servant. It is persistent pursuing amazing Grace.
We saw the terror of storm- fear of sailors- We use sanctified, Word controlled imagination to be on board that ship in midst of the storm as we interact with the passage!
Jonah is forced to confess his disobedience- He is running away from God’s will- he has wilfully disobeyed, sinned and now he deserves death. So he is thrown overboard.
Yet God overrules works for the good and glory of his name- pagan sailors cry out in faith to the Lord.
Illustration -Cliff hanger, old Batman and Robin series, always ended on a knife edge. Have you been wondering what is going to happen to Jonah this last week?- You should that is the way the narrative of Chapter 1:1-16 works.
In one sense you should really expect the book of Jonah to be just sixteen verses long. If Jonah had got what he deserved- He would see him drowned for his disobedience, punished for his sin.
The book of Jonah would teach us that God judges sin and there is no hiding, or running away from Him. That is true!
But praise God we another 3 chapters.
God does not deal with Jonah as he deserves. He is God of mighty mercy, Great love and amazing mercy.
Psalm 103.8-12 tells us more than that you cannot run away or hide from God.
Because of His amazing grace the Lord invites sinful people like you and me not to run from him, but to run to Him to find grace, mercy and pardon and forgiveness- THAT IS SIMPLY WONDERFUL
1. A Powerful God Jonah 1:17
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.
Vvs 17 says This sovereign God really does have this universe in his hands. Everything that has happened so far in this book has been under his control. He rules, he governs. His will is being outworked everywhere all of the time.
He controls the big the things the storm, (Vvs 4) the small things lot falls on Jonah! (vvs 7) The sea stops raging at his command. (vvs 15)
This God is not indifferent, impersonal far off. NO!
He is concerned, He is interested, He does care for His people.
EVEN Disobedient prophets!
VVS 17 The Lord prepares a great fish to rescue His sinful, failed prophet.
Do you see what this means? We are in His hands. He is concerned for us and this He can be trusted! He is not going to be caught out, or taken by surprise.
This great God is the one who planed and purposed the salvation of his people.
Just stop and worship at this point!
2. A praying prophet 2;1-9
Question-What is the greatest miracle in the book of Jonah? The storm, the fish, Nineveh repenting?
NO- greatest Miracle is Jonah 2.1-2
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish’s belly.
And he said: “I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. “out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice.
What a miracle- Oh the amazing grace of God! Out of the depths he answered me!
As physically far from God as possible- belly of fish, in the middle of the sea, on the run from God, blatantly disobedient. AND YET GOD HEARS his prayer!
Hallelujah!
What an encouragement to pray.
Abraham Lincoln once said, I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.
When Jonah was totally exhausted at the end of himself…no where else to turn…only then did he cry out for God’s help.
The belly of the fish is not a happy place to LIVE, but it is a good place to LEARN.
In communion with God, like Jonah, we can LEARN so much.
Look again at verse 2. Listen to Jonah testimony
In my distress I called to the Lord and He NSWERED me…from the depths of the grave I called for help and [GOD], You LISTENED to my cry.
Last week I said that this little book of the Old Testament shows us that God SPEAKS but now we see that it also reminds us that He HEARS as well.
When Jonah was sinking deep into the sea; when his life was about to ebb away, he cried out … SAVE ME!
A prayer born out of affliction not affection but God heard even that cry, which is in line with His promises to us. Remember?
In Isaiah 65:24 God says, Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will HEAR!
In II Chronicles 7:14 He assures us, If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways THEN WILL I HEAR from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Think of it! Almighty, omnipotent, HOLY God…waits to hear us address Him. This is why it is so true that no matter how far we run from God…even to the bottom of the Sea, it is always only one step back to Him…
3.A pondering prophet
This submarine trip opened Jonah’s eyes to the folly of his actions. He saw his idolatry.
Look at verse 8
Those who regard worthless idols forsake their own Mercy.
When Jonah talked to God about people clinging to false idols he was talking about himself. You see Jonah had put himself in God’s place.
God had told him he had a job for him to perform and Jonah had told God He had the wrong man.
God had told him he wanted him to go east to Nineveh. Jonah decided to go west to Tarshish.
God told him to go by land. Jonah went by boat.
Everything God said to do, Jonah did the opposite.
Jonah’s stubborn rebellious will became his idol. His will was pu before the sovereign LORD’S will.
Our Idols will always fail and will leave us frustrated and defeated. Because when we put ourselves in God’s place we run headlong into our insufficiency and inadequacy.
Then look at vvs 9 “Salvation is of the Lord.” One of the most important verses in the Bible to remember. The Lord is able to save and able to keep. The Lord Jesus is a great saviour. Trust in Him!
4. Jonah is a powerful sign
Jonah is a sign who points to a greater prophet, who not fail and was not disobedient. In fact this prophet lived a perfect life. He was not in the belly of a fish for three days. But his body was laid in a borrowed tomb. BUT ONLY FOR THREE DAYS.
Why? Because the Lord Jesus died and rose again.
Jonah points us to Him.
Will you not trust in the risen saviour? He is greater than Jonah, He Is Lord, HE is the resurrection and life and the only way.
There is one who is greater Jonah and his name is Jesus Christ.