The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell them to repent. -- he decided to run from the presence of the Lord and get on a ship to Tarshish instead. He discovered that a person Can't escape the presence of the Lord. His disobedience affected everyone around him. (just like Our's does)
Lots more in this book.. The world of second chances.
It's interesting -- when the storm came up -- the mariners knew they were in trouble -- prayed to their gods and got no results -- then they went down to where Jonah was sleeping and asked what he did to get His God so mad because they were All suffering. Not just Jonah.
Hmmm -- maybe We have lots of 'gods' in our lives that are threatening to capsize us. The illustration from the Christmas Eve service -- interesting.
It's interesting -- when the storm came up -- the mariners knew they were in trouble -- prayed to their gods and got no results -- then they went down to where Jonah was sleeping and asked what he did to get His God so mad because they were All suffering. Not just Jonah.
Hmmm -- maybe We have lots of 'gods' in our lives that are threatening to capsize us. The illustration from the Christmas Eve service -- interesting.
He definitely did NOT want to go to Nineveh. and his Real 'adventure' starts while he's in the belly of the great fish that God provided -- just for him.
The Lord told Jonah to go to Nineveh to tell them to repent. -- he decided to run from the presence of the Lord and get on a ship to Tarshish instead. He discovered that a person Can't escape the presence of the Lord. His disobedience affected everyone around him. (just like Our's does)
Lots more in this book.. The world of second chances.
God has put us in a world that'll one day face His judgement, something we should never forget with callous disregard, even if we have other priorities or plans. God loved the Ninevites even despite what they were getting up to and that they were Gentiles. God knew that if they were told, they'd turn to Him. Jonah thought no, send someone else, I'm off!
And when Ninevah turned to God, Jonah was miffed!
The man had a serious attitude problem. I'm assuming his sermon in ch 3:4 is heavily precede but even so I'm guessing he hardly put his heart and soul into it and yet the transformation in this people was still being talked about by Jesus 500 years later Matthew 12:41.
And yet Jonah was expecting, hoping to see a rerun of Sodom and Gomorrah and was miffed when God relented. He even complained to God about wasting His time!!! To him salvation was for the Jews.
Maybe Jonah had not experience or seen or heard of the mercy and grace of God in this magnitude before, to one of the most cruelest and hideous, the tortuous nation of people that ever walked the earth. Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire. The story I believe is an outstanding story of redemption to a people who does not deserve it. A great “Biblical Motif “ of that in which is to come. “The LAMB of God” that taketh away the sins of the world. No matter how hideous a person maybe , they are not beyond forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Lord. I thank you both for reminded us about Jonah and Nineveh.
