Jonah
Jonah the son of Amittai lived and prophecied during the reign of Jeroboam II. He is mentioned in this connection in II Kings 14:25. he !orthern Kingdom of Israel at this time "as prosperous and po"erful. Jonah ma# "ell have been $lisha%s successor. &an# people have 'uestioned the authenticit# of this boo( because of the account of Jonah being s"allo"ed b# the great fish. )hrist placed His stamp of approval upon this boo( *&att. 12:4+,.
JONAHS CALL -od instructed him to go to !inevah. !inevah "as the capital cit# of Ass#ria and Ass#ria "as Israel%s dreaded enem#. Jonah "ould have been 'uite pleased to see !inevah destro#ed and in fact. "as displeased "hen -od spared her in response to her repentance. Jonah%s call and commission. though difficult. "as cr#stal clear *1:2,. He "as to be -od%s /spo(esman% to !inevah.
JONAHS DISOBEDIENCE 0ut Jonah *1:1+,. He literatel# refused to obe#. He thought he could flee from -od. 2e must al"a#s remember that /the e#es of the 3ord are in ever# place%. 4avid e5pressed this thought in 6salms 117:897. he path"a# of disobedience is a do"n"ard path"a#. !otice the progression in this stor# 9 He "ent do"n to Joppa *1:1,. He "ent do"n into the ship *1:1,. He "ent do"n into the sea *2:1, and do"n into the sides of the mountains *2::,. ;omans chapter one describes the do"n"ard course of the human race. o go a"a# from -od is to go do"n. He paid the fare *1:1,. < he "a# of the transgressor is hard.= It is true that here is a cost to obe# -od. but there is a far greater cost "hen "e disobe#. hin( of the great price others had to pa# for disobedience and sin 9 *>amson. Achan. &aoni. 6eter. 3ot. >aul, His disobedience caused hardship to others *1:4,. 2e affect others b# our lives. *;omans 14:8,. -od brought circumstances to bear upon Jonah to bring him to a place of "illingness. He sent a might# storm *1:4,. )hapter t"o records Jonah%s repentance and pra#ers. He said. I cried b# reason of mine affliction= *2:2,. Ho" man# times do "e "ait until some calamit# stri(es before "e too are "illing to pra# and surrender to the "ill of -od. Jonah pra#ed in faith *2:4, and believed that -od "ould spare him and he "ould see the temple again. He promised to honour his vo" to -od *2:7,. !o doubt he had once vo"ed to obe# the 3ord. he 0ible has some ver# important things to sa# to us about our vo"s. !umbers 1+:2 4eut 21:21 $ccl. 5:495. In response to this -od miraculousl# delivered him.
JONAHS SECOND CALL - (3:1) han( -od for a second chance. 2e see here the ama?ing grace of -od. 2e thin( of man# others that "ere given a second chance 9 6eter. !aomi. John. &ar(. his time Jonah obe#ed and it must have re'uired remar(able courage *1:294,. he people responded and repented and -od said he "ould spare them *1:591+,.
JONAHS DISPLEASURE
he fourth chapter records Jonah%s reaction to their repentance. It seems hard to believe that he could be angered b# their repentance. $videntl#. he "ould have been happier had the# perished. -od dealt tenderl# and patientl# "ith His prophet to sho" him that He had compassion on these people. -od /is not "illing that an# should perish but that all should come to repentance%. )hrist loo(ed upon a lost "orld "ith love and compassion and so ought "e. -od had special concern over the children *4:11,.
