Jonah - Just Another Fish Story?
Text: The Book of Jonah
The Story of Jonah Jonah was called by God to preach to Nineveh
Jonah sought to avoid the call by fleeing
His flight by ship was met with a fierce storm
He realized he was the cause, and had himself thrown overboard
He was swallowed by a great fish
Jonah was spit up onto the shore three days later
He travelled to Nineveh and delivered God’ Word
The people repented, believed in God, and forsook their sinful ways
Jonah was displeased and angry because God showed them mercy
God used a vine and a worm to teach Jonah compassion
What Jonah Learned
You can flee from God, but You cannot escape His pursuit
Disobedience to God is costly
God sovereignly controls all things to accomplish His will
God responds to faith and repentance even in the darkest times
God cares about people who do not know Him
Is this story true?
JESUS BELIEVED IT WAS TRUE. (Matthew 12:39-41)
But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
What can we learn from this story? (same thing Jonah did)
You can flee from God, but You cannot escape His pursuit
Disobedience to God is costly
God sovereignly controls all things to accomplish His will
God responds to faith and repentance even in the darkest times
God cares about people who do not know Him
What else can we learn?
God rules over the nations All mankind is accountable to God’s moral law People can change
True repentance is evident in changed behavior
No matter the circumstances, there is always hope