After they threw him overboard, the waves grew calm. . I like this commentary, indeed there are great lessons to learn from Jonah's situation. [1-minute video]. Ninevah was a city in Assyria. The noise of a whip and the noise of rattling wheels, of galloping horses, of clattering chariots! However, Bible scholars have noted that a movement of that kind was not out of keeping with the superstitious and volatile nature of people of such cultures in ancient times. People are important to God. He had tried that before. Because God has shown us mercy, wouldnt He also show mercy to those people outside our Christian faith? Jonah, that prophet that tried to run away from God, continues to bring us lessons on obedience, running away from God's commands, a hatred that stops one from sharing the Gospel, and many more. Jehovah, on the other hand, was the Source of life for those Ninevites and had sustained them, as he does all creatures on earth. The Bible record is silent. 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. When we see people sinning are we quick to say, Wait until you get what you truly deserve?, Oh I cant wait for the time when you fall down!, Oh, this group has cast me out. Don't just take the Ninevites words for it; listen to the Apostle Paul: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hathenabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. They had made no agreement to obey Him like the Israelites had ( Exodus 24:3 ), and God had no obligation to save them. Jonah had experienced God's mercy and was given a second chance in his life. 11 Does this mean that Jehovah decided that his own judgment about Nineveh had been in error? Instead, we see the exact opposite. God gave Jonah a job to do, and he ran away. Jonahs story may help us to take an honest look at ourselves. Thank you, Jesus! (b)How did Jehovah deal with his distressed prophet? How much more will God hear your prayers as you cry out for a wayward child? Jonah 3 & 4. . 3) That obedience to God will always bring God-sized results. As Jonah obeys God the people of Nineveh believe God's message and repent. Amen. Before him lay a journey of more than 500miles (800km), an overland trek that would take him about a month, perhaps even longer. 1) That while our love for others fail, God's compassion knows no ends. Not stopping and chewing on what the scripture is trying to show us. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" In the same manner, God won't give up on us. So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. The commandment to Jonah was to "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me" (Jonah 1:2). Imitate Their Faith. (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]. 4 Jonah did not see Nineveh as Jehovah did. Even in our failures, God can use it for good! When God told Jonah what he would say in Nineveh, Jonah rejected the call. God's Love vs. Jonah's Anger. As we know it didnt really work too well for him. They are just nothing but mere pretension. God caught Jonah in a ship and commanded a fish to swallow him. 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? (b)Why was Jonahs prophecy not a false one? (a)What may have led Jonah into a downward spiral? You can try to hide, move, go away, either physically or even internally with your emotions, but its futile. Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. But did He? Israel on the other hand, was in a "silver age.". The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. He was the earliest of the prophets and close behind Elisha in his place in the Old Testament. [And]Jesus did not merely weep for us; he died for us. However, anyone who willingly obeys God has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than a person who was coerced into obedience. Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. This lesson is based on Jonah's response to God's mercy to the Ninevites from Jonah 4. No; it fulfilled its purpose as a warning. Stay up to date with the latest Christian news! From inside the fish, Jonah prayed: 'I promise to obey you always.'. We could be in the church, but our heart is not in the church. We read: To Jonah, though, it was highly displeasing, and he got to be hot with anger. (Jonah 4:1) Jonah even uttered a prayer that sounds like a rebuke of the Almighty! Here is a little quick video to watch For more information please keep reading. "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. Introduction. Help me to obey your instructions. (a)How was Jonah evidently affected by Jehovahs wise instruction about mercy? Sometimes God will ask us to step out or step up. The paper was a bible page of jonah and these readings. Six Signs We Need to Return to God, Jonah 1. Now that we had a short summarylets get down to business! Jonah repented while in the belly of a fish; God heard his voice and saved him. Jonah thought he was going to die. He tried to run away from the presence of God, and enjoy himself. It has a ton of practical and fun things to print that will help you in you grow in your walk with God! 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 Nineveh had a huge population for that time. Nahum 3:1-4 gives us an idea of just how wicked the people of Nineveh were: "Woe to the bloody city! It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. Sunday School Teacher's Guide - this is just one possible lesson plan. Was the restriction of unclean foods in the Bible a commandment. Could we be like that brethren? He had prophesied doom and destruction in the name of the Lord, but due to repentance it wasnt going to happen. Jonah stays 3 days inside the whale and Jonah cried out to God. (Read Matthew 12:41.) Sometimes we learn lessons the hard way because we don't always do things God's way. 22 The question is, Did Jonah take the lesson to heart? 8 The king too responded to Jonahs proclamation. 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. 2:13-15. Where can I fleefrom your presence? Prophet Jonah disobeyed God and attempted to escape, but God caught him red-handedly. When we begin to reduce Gods response to human sin as judgment without mercy, then it is time for us to open up the book of Jonah, and invite the Spirit of the Lord to cleanse us of self-interests, smugness, and uncaring attitudes and return to the Lord of love. At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.). If God's purpose was merely to save Nineveh, He could do it far more effectively and efficiently without Jonah. I would love to hear from you! Fr. The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. He sent a mighty storm while Jonah's ship was at sea, and the storm endangered the lives of everybody. He mentions one in particular: Far-called, our navies melt away;On dune and headland sinks the fire:Lo, all our pomp of yesterdayIs one with Nineveh and Tyre! Jehovah will satisfy the needs of his faithful children from this earth to heaven. Jonah prophesied in the mid-700s BC, a time when Assyria was not as powerful as they had been in recent years. 4 Jonah did not see Nineveh as Jehovah did. 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. Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. The truth is that mans sin has a devastating effect upon creation. Jonah was under God's observation all along. 10 Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life, 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 6 Truths about Jesus Coming into the World, Inspiring Mother Breaks Down after Earning Golden Buzzer with Celine Dion Hit, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind. Rather Jonah became a reluctant prophet because he knew God's grace would overwhelm Israel's enemy. Visit the Jonah Bible lesson plan for further ideas to supplement this. Im sure it will bless you like it has blessed me. Jonah's lack of response indicates that he got the point. PRIVACY POLICY We could be preaching, but our hearts may not be in preaching. Last week we looked at the Jonah 1 & 2 and God's Mercy on a Reluctant Prophet. 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. Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! Roger J. Landry Columbia Catholic Ministry, Notre Dame Church, Manhattan Wednesday of the First Week of Lent March 1, 2023 Jonah 3:1-10, Ps 51, Lk 11:29-32 To listen to an audio recording of today's homily, please click below: [coming] The following points were attempted in the homily: We're now one week into [] As Jonah said, God is a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.. Nineveh was a Gentile city, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, and had no covenant with God. Biblearena BibleArena - All Rights Reserved| Sitemap. (a)What object lesson did Jehovah teach Jonah? We learned here that both Socratic teaching and rabbinical teaching (by asking questions) was used by God long before educators ever thought about such things. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. (Gen. 10:11; Jonah 3:3) Nineveh was impressive, with stately temples, mighty walls, and other edifices. Yes, that. 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. 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. Because more than anything else, He also wanted to help Jonah see his faults, repent of his selfishness, and change his ways. But here was God wanting them to repent and change their ways. God rates his favorite children by their obedience. Or, are we angry, too? 10 How did Jehovah react to the Ninevites repentance? 7 15. The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of Gods Mercy. Wahooooo! TERMS OF USE What did the Lord mean in Jonah4:10-11? Could you please help to understand what lesson the Lord wanted to teach Jonah about the Gourd and the Worm? God does not want us to forget the lessons of the book of Jonah, nor the destiny of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh. Clearly the Lord knew what Jonah would do, and it seems the Lord was prepared to use that to further His own ends. There might be more, but thats just what is said here. It seems that at this time Nineveh had a sea-oriented religious system and sea-themed Gods. 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. As the days passed, he thought about the destination that he so dreaded, the city that drew closer with each step he tookNineveh. 'You Raise Me Up' Duet Earns A Standing Ovation From The Judges, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan, 3 Bad Church Approaches to Good Money Stewardship, 5 Critical Rules to Teach Your Kids to Help Them Stay Safe, 4 Things You Should Know about Jesus Revolution, Jesus on Adultery: Its More Controversial Than You Think, This site is a proud member of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of, Copyright 2023, Crosswalk.com. We know as a fact for Jonah records his prayer, not a petition that flatters its supplicant: So he prayed to the LORD, and said, Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? 8 This detail may seem odd, but it is not without precedent in ancient times. 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. Thank you for your patience and continued support! Did this make Jonah happy? 12 Jehovah is nothing like the rigid, cold, even harsh God so often portrayed by religious leaders. Why Do We Need to Be Crucified with Christ? Not to mention I did an Old Testament survey on him as well. How does that show through the story? A Second Chance with God, Jonah 3. "Lest we forget lest we forget!". 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 built a little shelter and settled in to waitand to watch Nineveh. In faith, Jonah knew that he would be delivered. The psalmist in Psalm 139 makes it pretty clear: Where can I go from your Spirit? furunculosis in dogs pictures, workday advance auto okta, average food cost per month in sacramento, Unclean foods in the mid-700s BC, a time when Assyria was not as powerful as had... 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