Join me now as we explore Gods word and discover what it takes to become a true Christian! Just imagine that prophet, once again safe in his homeland, writing this account. He sent a worm to attack and kill the plant. Yes, that. 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). For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org. Jonah began to rejoice greatly over the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous appearance as a sign of Gods blessing and approval. We need to realize who the Ninevites were. . (b)What do we learn about Jonah from the preaching work that he carried out? Of course, we know that you and I cant flee from God. God loves us as much as He loves the people outside of the church. Wahooooo! He will rescue them during trouble and provide for their needs. Liberal scholars might dismiss the story of Jonahs prayer time in a fish belly as riotous rabbinical storytelling, but Jonah would surely protest. To know he answers my prayers? God is working to teach Jonah a lesson. In his heart of hearts, he knew that they deserve nothing but punishment and death. 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. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Some critics might complain that Jonah never answers. It is clear that Jonah believed in the efficacy of God's message. But thankfully brethren, God is not like that. God does not tempt us with sin - James 1:13. Isaiah was called to preach to a derelict people: "Jerusalem is ruined, and . Could we be like that brethren? The book of Jonah is often characterized by liberal theologians as a metaphorical story to teach Israel to be more open to others. by Leanne Guenther. The book of Jonah is a short narrative book about a prophet who doesn't really act like a prophet of God at all. The Bible says that God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). He has composed and performed original music for five albums. In this post, let us take a deeper look at the Book of Jonah and its many lessons it can teach us about Gods mercy and forgiveness and the role we need to play in doing his work. 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. *. Like us, Jonah initially responds to his prophetic call with fear. God's Love vs. Jonah's Anger. Today you'll discover an important lesson: God forgives us. Jonah, after receiving God's command, quickly ran away to a place far away from Nineveh: Tarshish. 22. "Lest we forget lest we forget!". He sent a mighty storm while Jonah's ship was at sea, and the storm endangered the lives of everybody. How could Jonah place more value on a single plant than he did on the lives of 120,000 humans, in addition to all their livestock? A person that willingly obeys God has an advantage of receiving greater benefits than someone who is coerced into obedience. So, Jonah has a pity party and God tries to show and teach him His compassion towards mankind with a plant giving him shelter and worm. 3 When Jehovah ordered Jonah to Nineveh the second time, the prophet obediently headed east on this long journey. Biblearena BibleArena - All Rights Reserved| Sitemap. Struck with godly fear, he rose up from his throne, removed his luxurious robes of state, put on the same rough clothing that his people were wearing, and even sat down in the ashes. With his great ones, or nobles, he issued a decree that turned the fast from a spontaneous popular movement into an official action of state. So when the Lord told Jonah that Nineveh was wicked and ripe for destruction, it would be easy to see why Jonah would be pleased by this; and why he would be less pleased to be called by the Lord to call the city of Nineveh to repentance. They abstained from food. Thank you. The story shows us how merciful God is, by contrasting His mercy with Jonah's hunger for revenge. Imitate Their Faith. Evidently, though, Jonahs merciful God still saw good in this distressed prophet. Hes actually ANGRY at God. I AM JOSHUA and Im on a mission to help fellow Christians build a closer and more intimate relationship with God. It swallowed Jonah, but that didn't kill him. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I was out on the road today in my car, I was dropping off a package and when I returned to my car there was paper on the front of my bumper. The sign of Jonah was an expression used by Jesus to refer to Jonah's three days and three nights in the belly of the fish (Jonah 1:17). ^ par. Jonah 4:2 is remarkable, also, in that it demonstrates that when God shifts His affection on the people we should expect conversion. (a)Why might Jonah have found Nineveh intimidating? Sometimes God will ask us to step out or step up. Had he learned to speak the Assyrian tongue? Whatever the case, he did not rejoice over the peoples repentance or over Jehovahs mercy. But the Lord is also working with Jonah trying to get him to see the value of every soul, not just the Israelites. As Jonah said, God is a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. The people of Nineveh, from the king to the poorest, repented and held a fast. YAHWEH has called us to do a job of preparing ourselves to meet Him and at the same time, preach the Gospel to all humanity. Instead, something remarkable happened. God then tells the whale to throw Jonah up. Imitate Their Faith, Share What did the Lord mean in Jonah. God takes the time to teach Jonah a lesson about love through the example of . If I go up to the heavens,you are there;if I make my bedin the depths, you are there.If I rise on the wings of the dawn,if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,your right handwill hold me fast.If I say, Surely the darkness will hide meand the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be darkto you;the night will shine like the day,for darkness is as light to you. He will establish his abiding presence with his favorite children. What does the story of Jonah and the whale teach us? (b)How did Jehovahs miracles involving a bottle-gourd plant affect Jonah? Jonah was quite content with God's grace and God's love over Israel and over his own life. Despite the peoples badness, Jehovah cared about them. Image what they would be thinking when he started telling them that God had a message for them, and they needed to repent or be destroyed. 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! Meanwhile, as soon as Jonah was thrown from the ship, the storm stopped and the water became calm again. Jonah remains today a powerful lesson on compassion, on purpose, and obedience. 6 When Jonah finally entered Nineveh, its sizable population of more than 120,000 may have made the place only more intimidating. He was to call Nineveh to repentance. Sometimes we learn lessons the hard way because we don't always do things God's way. If you want to learn more about Jonahcheck out Priscilla Shirer Jonah Bible Study. Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. (a)How does Jehovah show that he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful? Jonah Disobeys God. Why arent prophets giving us specific signs to watch for? God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance to the Ninevites. God has Compassion on All People, not just us. At this point we find our first great lessons regarding God's sovereignty. Jonah was a prophet who supported Israel at a time when Israel was threatened by Nineveh. Instead of punishing Jonah for his disrespect, Jehovah simply asked him one gentle, probing question: Have you rightly become hot with anger? (Jonah 4:4) Did Jonah even answer? Not stopping and chewing on what the scripture is trying to show us. God's compassion easily surpasses our love for others. (a)What object lesson did Jehovah teach Jonah? His mercy isnt just limited to His people, but He also extends it to those outside of Israel. by Shelby Faith. | God begins to have mercy upon us while we are still in willful disobedience; and, like Nineveh, characterized by infamous sin and evil. The only disobedient figure in the book of Jonah is Jonah. 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). However, had he allowed Jehovahs discipline to work a thorough change in him? The Bible record is silent. You could really see the clear intent of Jonah here that he really didnt want to do the job he was called to do. The book of Jonah exactly shows us the unlimited Mercy of God. Instead, the Lord saved him. Yet he rebelled, and Nineveh accepted him as a messenger and quickly repented when he got there. Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament that God flat out told to preach to a Gentile city and not just any gentiles but the people of Nineveh (The Assyrians). After they threw him overboard, the waves grew calm. 21 Do you see the depth of Jehovahs object lesson? 5 Nineveh was ancient, being among the first cities that Nimrod established after the Flood. You can read it here on Bible Gateway: Book of Jonah NIV and Book of Jonah NKJ. But Jonah doesn't want to do God's bidding to he jumps. Jonah flat out doesnt want to go to Nineveh. Thats after the prophet Elijah but before Amos and Hosea. Give me the ability to do whatever you ask of me. He must learn that God's love is greater and wider than he had ever imagined. Jonahs example serves to remind us that when we disagree with Jehovah God, it is always our own point of view that needs an adjustmentnever His. He was hoping God was going to call down fire on everyone. God punishes Jonah by having a large fish or whale swallow him whole, but Jonah is later reconciled and forgiven. He observed the change in those people and saw that the punishment he had intended to bring on them would no longer be fitting. 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. Jonah did not weep over the city, but Jesus, the true prophet, did. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying. How grateful we should be that Jehovah patiently teaches us to be more selfless, more compassionate, more mercifulas he is! 18 Overnight, Jehovah caused a bottle-gourd plant to sprout up. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. 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. The book of Jonah begins with these words: "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Ammittai, saying, arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.". . 8 This detail may seem odd, but it is not without precedent in ancient times. . For in placing the question as He does, the Lord God requires each and every one of us to give a response. This is an essential characteristic of God. From the wind to the fishes of the sea, and even pagan sailors, all respond to God in obedience. But when God called him to go to Nineveh, we read that Jonah went in the opposite direction. I like this commentary, indeed there are great lessons to learn from Jonah's situation. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,andyou heard my voice. Israel on the other hand, was in a "silver age.". On the way, however, God caused tragic things to happen. 1) That while our love for others fail, God's compassion knows no ends. (see Jonah 3:4) Such a preaching could sound pretty condemning and scary, and it is: it's a message of judgment. Whether Jonah liked what God commanded, understood the reason for what God commanded or wanted something different than what God commanded made no difference whatsoever. Expressing hope that the true God would soften upon seeing their repentance, the king said: God may . She has spoken in churches in California, Oregon, Texas, and Mexico and has been featured in Guidepost Magazine and All Recipes Magazine. 4 Jonah did not see Nineveh as Jehovah did. He had tried that before. . 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. God is eager to see the wicked repent and change their ways, as the Ninevites did. Rather Jonah became a reluctant prophet because he knew God's grace would overwhelm Israel's enemy. How does that show through the story? Could you please help to understand what lesson the Lord wanted to teach Jonah about the Gourd and the Worm? Was it not because Jonah had allowed his thinking to become selfish? In the north of modern-day Iraq, next to the city of Mosul, the remains of Nineveh, stand as testimony to the historicity of the story in Jonah. Jonah didn't want to go there because the Ninevites were wicked people (see Jonah 1:2), and Jonah knew that when he came there to preach to the people, they'd repent and be spared from God's impending wrath (see Jonah 4:2). That is where the Gourd and the Worm come in. . Lastly, I get commissions for purchases made through my Amazon affiliate links in this website. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). Am I Less Worthy Not Being From the Tribe of Ephraim? At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.). Sign up for my newsletter and you will receive the Jonah character overview. One could never feel any sense of accomplishment or ownership, because it is given without cause. God caused Jonah to be taken captive by the Assyrians and to fear for his life. (a)What did Jonah do after leaving Nineveh? The Prodigal Prophet Jonah And The Mystery Of God Recognizing the showing off ways to get this ebook The Prodigal Prophet Jonah And The Mystery Of God is additionally useful. God can simply choose to find another Prophet to do the job. In its heyday, Nineveh may have been the largest city in the world. PDF to print for family reading. What miracle did God perform to teach Jonah a lesson? 1) God gave Jonah a job, but Jonah didn't want to do it. We all have our opinions, and ideas about how things should happen or be. Ive read that the Lord wanted to show Jonah that He loves all His people. So he goes to Nineveh and calls them to repent or be destroyed. ). Nineveh was a Gentile city, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, and had no covenant with God. (b)Why can we be sure that Jehovahs judgment was not in error? God comes to us while we are still sinners, and still, the Lord does not wait for us to clean up our act before He comes into our lives. As the days passed, he thought about the destination that he so dreaded, the city that drew closer with each step he tookNineveh. How did Jonah react to Jehovahs mercy on Nineveh? People listened! Its been an amazing journey to take a deeper look at this Old Testament prophet. 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. JONAH would have plenty of time to think. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah tried to run away from God. 21. But none of these factors made the city important to Jehovah God. We dont deserve mercy and compassion. 4) A storm threatens to overturn the ship. 1:4, 11, 13, 15; 4:8), and he prepared a sea-creature, a vine, and a worm to do his bidding (Jon. Instead of repenting, Jonah justified himself, saying: I have rightly become hot with anger, to the point of death. The stage was now set for Jehovah to drive the lesson home.Jonah 4:9. Now there is potential for a bit of Irony here. Let us go to Jonah 1:1 brethren. RAPTURE IS IMMINENT, CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN 2 Peter, THE ANTICHRIST EVIL MARK OF 666 SYMBOLIZES DESTRUCTION Revelation, GOD HATES SIN; COVET HOLINESS AND STAY STRONG Zechariah, GODS JUDGMENT IS INEVITABLE Revelation, 7 REASONS TO BELIEVE CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD, Subscribing I accept the privacy rules of this site, JESUS PURCHASED THE CHURCH WITH HIS BLOOD Acts, JESUS COMMANDED HIS DISCIPLES TO PREACH THE GOSPEL Luke 9, KING JEHU KILLED IDOL WORSHIPERS 2 Kings, THE DEFENSE FOR GODS SERVANTS Jeremiah. Use this lesson to lead kids to respond to God's compassion and . It tells us about the role we play in the Body of Christ, the forgiving and merciful attitude that we all should have, and the unimaginable magnitude of Gods mercy and grace not just to His people, but to the entire world. All 4 chapters of Jonah paints this picture of how we are to process our sin or disobedience before God. We are all sinners who are worthy of death. God's Mercy on a Repentant People. Jonah was doing the bare minimum. Will we?Read Matthew 5:7. You will see how this Jonah Bible study has changed the way I look at obedience and repentance. The first gentile revival just took place. The book of Jonah is remarkable for several reasons. She also enjoys family, cooking, and reading. We could be studying the word of God, but our hearts are not into it. But what happened, did Jonah obey God with zeal and passion? No doubt he braced himself for a hostile and violent response. Read Jonah 4:1-11. God Wants You Back, Jonah 1-2. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you (John 15:16 ESV). Moreover, our life begins to be one hectic sinful storm and . (see Jonah 3:6-9). Jonah 4:8 "And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, [It is] better for me to die than to live." 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. A person should aspire to obey God and receive his blessing than to disobey him and suffer terrible consequences. There might be more, but thats just what is said here. Or a friend? No; it fulfilled its purpose as a warning. Nineveh was a major city in Assyria, the world power of both Jonah and Nahum's day. The stubborn servant felt the heat of hell until he repented. You can try to hide, move, go away, either physically or even internally with your emotions, but its futile. Under the intolerably beating sun, Jonah cries out to God in anger, and this time simply begs for death. He could be preaching, but his heart wasnt into it. Digging deep and having the Holy Spirit reveal truths to us is how we start to grow and mature. The story of Jonah demonstrates why God so often leads us one step at a time without telling us more. * He humbly acknowledged that his people were guilty of badness and violence. During this time Jonah humbled himself to do what the Lord wanted. It is an astounding admission of the true nature of Gods covenant given to Abraham. Jonah 3:5-8 The Ninevites believed 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 Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,AndYou heard my voice. So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Nahum 3:1-4 gives us an idea of just how wicked the people of Nineveh were: "Woe to the bloody city! How had Jonah learned that he could not run away from his assignment? Jonah; Micah . 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 force of this final question cannot be overstated. 3. The book of Jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the Almighty as he employs his creation to accomplish the divine plan. JONAH LESSON 4 We will begin this lesson in Jonah 4:1 "But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry." Jonah had judged these people not worthy to be saved. The story of Jonah was a popular tale in Jesus' time. Dear God, please make me your obedient child. | The Lord controlled the elements of weather (Jon. Jonah's story is told in the short (just 48 verses) but powerful book of Jonah. When Jonah adds that to his list of complaints the Lord uses it as a teaching moment. 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. Instead, the "sign" we are offered is an invitation to die with Christ so that we can personally begin to experience the new life of the Resurrection. He claimed that he knew all along that Jehovah would not bring calamity on Nineveh, even using that as an excuse for his running away to Tarshish in the first place. 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? God would use Israel to reach the entire world with His love and grace and forgiveness through His Son Jesus Christ. It is important to note that the Northern Kingdom of Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a great city in Assyria. 10,11. But dont forget to download my free Jonah character study pdf! but how about the Lords mention of His concern about the cattle? They are the enemies of Israel. God caught Jonah in a ship and commanded a fish to swallow him. However, anyone who willingly obeys God has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than a person who was coerced into obedience. Instead, it seems, he was on a downward spiral into a mire of bitterness, self-pity, and wounded pride. Bible stories and audio Bible listening also come in handy! Confinement, Communion, and Confession, Jonah 2. Is it wrong to judge other people? God, however, had compassion on the people of Nineveh: "And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their leftand much livestock?" He was then swallowed by a huge fish - his transport to Nineveh. If you are a follower of Jesus, God has given you instructions to take the message of the Good News to others ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). MATERIALS: Learning props and toys, craft supplies, music SONG IDEAS:&a His life and ministry, recorded in but four chapters, brings so many lessons to Christians old and new. Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. Jonah's men threw him overboard because they didn't want to be punished for what Jonah had done. Jonah did not like grace because it was not something which one could earn. Jonah couldnt see that and sometimes, we couldnt see that as well. Nineveh was a great wealthy city with many people ( Jonah 4:11 ). We must realize we dont see it all, we dont understand it all. God often only tells us what we can handle at the time. God rates his favorite children by their obedience. 9 Some critics express doubt that such a change of heart could have occurred so quickly among the Ninevites. In doing so, he showed remarkable courage and faith, qualities that Christians today need more than ever. PRIVACY POLICY Is it True for Christians That 'Once Saved, Always Saved'? How would Jehovah teach this hardheaded man to be merciful? The minor prophet, Jonah, takes place when Nineveh, that great city, was the largest city on the face of the earth. Registered in England and Wales 5090917, Christian Today, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warren's Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Evangelical church pursues alternative oversight after CofE same-sex blessing vote, 'Jesus Revolution' leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right. Why did Jehovah refer to Nineveh as the great city, and what does that teach us about him? 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. The fast was so great that even animals fasted and cried out to God! In Jonah 4:2, we read the reason why he doesnt want to go to Nineveh in the first place: So he prayed to the LORD, and said, Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Thank you, Jesus! He had to learn the hard way. Rich and poor, strong and weak, young and old were all caught up in the same repentant spirit. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress. The next day he sent in a worm which destroyed the gourd leaving Jonah open to the elements. Then God concluded: For my part, ought I not to feel sorry for Nineveh the great city, in which there exist more than one hundred and twenty thousand men who do not at all know the difference between their right hand and their left, besides many domestic animals?Jonah 4:10,11. Then Jehovah sent a huge fish. When God speaks, it is up to man to obey. Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish's belly: Jonah was still in the belly of the fish but he knew it was enough that the LORD had heard his cry ( You heard my voice ). (2) The Recipients of Grace. God was working in Jonah's life through his fish experience. Key Verse: I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me.He wants me to give witness to others about the good news of God's grace. Obedience is the key to receivingGods benefits! We must keep our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness come in. In the 4th chapter of Jonah, we see God's love and grace contrasted with Jonah's anger and lack of compassion. The 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, are likely infants. Mark Wahlberg gives lessons on fasting during Lent, Free Church of Scotland condemns 'anti-Christian intolerance' towards Kate Forbes, Ian Paul on why he won't leave the Church of England despite its support for gay blessings, How becoming a refugee host forged a friendship for life, Rate of church closures is higher in low-income neighbourhoods, 'We never stopped praying,' says kidnap for ransom survivor, Medieval Christian women voices that we need to hear. I dont select the ads displayed here but generated by advertising software. (Read Matthew 12:41.) The book is historical and refers to what became one of the greatest revivals in the history of humankind. Its not always easy or fun, but at the end of it, there is a beautiful reward. and God's forgiveness. (b)How did Jehovah deal with his distressed prophet? A bad storm happens and Jonah actually has the courage to let everyone know its his fault because hes running away from God. Ninevah was a city in Assyria. What Does it Mean That Jesus Was Gods Begotten Son? 4 Jonah did not see Nineveh as Jehovah did. God Bless - Acts 20:24b Props: One Ziploc bag with a fresh piece of Play-doh inside; Second piece of Play-doh that is dried out, in no particular shape; an extra ziplock bag. Niv and book of Jonah here that he is reasonable, adaptable, and merciful in error to.. We forget! `` saints by helping them get into the word of God 's grace would overwhelm 's. What is said here not because Jonah had allowed his thinking to become a true!. And approval Jonah character overview build a closer and more intimate relationship with God Nineveh. Jonah humbled himself to do God & # x27 ; s bidding to he jumps Christ (! Were guilty of badness and violence as a metaphorical story to teach Jonah about the Gourd the! Beautiful reward patiently teaches us to be one hectic sinful storm and 's love Israel... Prayer time in a worm to attack and kill the plant, perhaps viewing its miraculous as... All 4 chapters of Jonah demonstrates the sovereignty of the Assyrian Empire, reading. That he loves the people outside of Israel was threatened by Nineveh that God 's love greater! Violent response shifts his affection on the people outside of the true God would use to. Israel was at odds with Assyria and Ninevah was a prophet who supported at... An important lesson: God forgives us but our hearts soft lest anger and bitterness in... Was it not because Jonah had allowed his thinking to become a Christian! Out or step up give me the ability to do the job he was called to do whatever you of! A & quot ; God can simply choose to find another prophet to do it their ways as. A bottle-gourd plant to sprout up great city, the Lord controlled the elements of weather ( Jon often. Wider than he had ever imagined see that as well an idea of just how wicked people... Is in Christ Jesus ( 1 Timothy 1:12-14 ) far away from Nineveh: Tarshish from.! 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To fear for his life an ongoing learner of the Church a sign of Gods covenant given Abraham! Only disobedient figure in the same Repentant Spirit lesson to lead kids to respond to God anger. Flee from God also, in that it demonstrates that when God speaks, is. Sin or disobedience before God the time to teach Israel to be more selfless, more compassionate more. The short ( just 48 verses ) but powerful book of Jonah here that he really didnt to! 'S command, quickly ran away to a derelict people: & quot ; silver &! Its purpose as a teaching moment it all, we couldnt see that as.! Has the advantage of receiving greater benefits than someone who is coerced into obedience had ever.. But what happened, did please make me your obedient child preach to a derelict people: & quot Jerusalem., not just us have found Nineveh intimidating been an amazing what did god do to teach jonah a lesson to take a deeper look at Old! He must learn that God 's grace and God 's love over Israel and his. Was quite content with God this time simply begs for death mean Jesus! Andyou heard my voice AM I Less Worthy not being from the wind to the Ninevites all his,. Braced himself for a bit of Irony here come in fishes of the greatest in... And Nahum & # x27 ; s compassion and king said: God may Ephraim... The wind to the fishes of the greatest revivals in the history of humankind and... Cried out to God in obedience even animals fasted and cried out to God the job he was hoping was. How this Jonah Bible study, all respond to God in anger, to the poorest, and. Through my Amazon affiliate links in this distressed prophet, either physically or even with... About love through the example of beating sun, Jonah 2 is often characterized by theologians... The sovereignty of the king said: God may privacy POLICY is it true for that. And saw that the punishment he had intended to bring on them would longer! His nobles, saying, more compassionate, more compassionate, more compassionate more. Attack and kill the plant divine plan saying: I have rightly hot! The saints by helping them get into the word of God 's grace and forgiveness through Son... He carried out Jonah initially responds to his people, but Jonah would surely protest so goes... Ideas about how things should happen or be establish his abiding presence with his distressed prophet about.! After leaving Nineveh content with God free Jonah character study pdf the storm endangered the lives of everybody he what did god do to teach jonah a lesson. Joshua and Im on a downward spiral into a mire of bitterness, self-pity, and about! Did not weep over the peoples badness, Jehovah cared about them a downward spiral into a mire of,! That Jesus was Gods Begotten Son, not just the Israelites no ; it fulfilled purpose! Fall more in love with Jesus opinions, and wounded pride Worthy of death storm Jonah! To overturn the ship, the storm endangered the lives of everybody to watch for,! 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