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Lesson 11 Jonah 3:3-9
In the message previously we noted that Jonah was recommissioned to go to Nineveh and preach the “preaching that I [the LORD] bid thee” (Jon.3:2). And now we note Jonah’s response to the commission and the people’s response to the preaching of the Word of God. I have heard on two (2) occasions, ministers refer to Jonah as a Baptist Preacher. And certainly he did here have a Baptist message: “Repent”!
I. Jonah’s Response: Jon.3:3—comp. w/ Jon.1:3. Previously Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord. Now this was in vain for it is impossible to flee from the Omnipresent One (Psa.139:8-12). So we read that Jonah went unto Nineveh “according to the Word of the LORD.” I like that phrase in the scriptures. We do find it often (1Cor.15:1-4—“according to the scriptures.” Ex.40:16—“Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.”). Matt.24:35—“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away,” said Jesus. “As it is written” many times in Matthew. Jonah was finally in the will of God. For some time he had been out of God’s will (we know it was at least three days and three nights). It took the hand of God to intervene in order for Jonah to get back in God’s Will (which was to go to Nineveh). And when we flee from God, when we backslide, it will take the intervening of God in our lives to get us back in His will (Acts.11:17--…What was I , that I could withstand God?). Note the power there is NOT when outside of God’s Will and the power there IS when you are in the will of God: Jonah had no power on that ship. He was tossed about like a rag doll. He was cast into the sea and swallowed by a great fish. The fish then held him as its prisoner for 72 hours. Jonah could not release himself. Jonah had no power outside of God’s will. But then when he repented and followed the LORD to Nineveh he had much power! He had the power of God. We know this because he preached the word and the Word of God went forth and it did not return to the Lord void (Isa.55:11,12). And we will have no power if/when we are sinning, but when we are in the will of the Lord following the Holy Spirit of God, we shall have the power of the Spirit (and what power is that? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead!).
II. Jonah was expedient in His duty: Jon.3:3,4—Jonah entered into the city that was three-days journey from one side to the other. He entered into it one day and preached the “preaching that I had bid thee.” He did not go and sit in the streets and get the feel of the people to see if they would accept the Word of God or not. He preached the Word of God. He did not make friends with the people before preaching the Word of the Lord. He preached it. I think Jonah found out “…yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel” (1Cor.9:16). Some wonder what would’ve happened unto Jonah if he wouldn’t have gone the second time to Nineveh. I don’t know. Maybe God would have chastened him again; maybe it would have been a sin unto death for Jonah (1Jn.5:16). I don’t know—if you want to know ask God and maybe He will tell you. If He doesn’t you are only supposing. Jonah discharged His duty. Let us discharge our duty as Jonah did after he was recommissioned. Let us not follow his first example and neglect or flee from our responsibility to the LORD. Flee from Satan; Cling to God (Jms.4:7)
III. The Preaching that I bid thee: (Jon.3:4)—This is the Message that the Lord gave unto Jonah: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Eight words. Now I don’t know if that is all that Jonah said. I don’t know if he only said it once and it sounded throughout the whole city. Perhaps he expounded upon it and perhaps he did not. God took whatever was preached and made it effective in their hearts and lives. This was the message that the Lord bid Jonah to preach and Jonah “cried” it out in the streets (Jn.7:37,38; Lk.13:34,35; Lk.19:41-44). IV. The Condition of Nineveh: (Jon.1:2) Nineveh was a wicked city. Wickedness ripens for destruction. Nineveh had prepared themselves to be destroyed by God. But God would intervene that a great Revival Might take place. God sent them His own prophet and sent them His own word through His prophet “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” God did grant them a reprieve (a postponement of punishment) (2Pet.3:9). If Nineveh would not turn, would not repent from their wickedness they would know that the vengeful sword of the Lord was now even whetting (Deut.32:41; Psa.7:11,12). The Lord had guaranteed them forty days, but the people did not waste it. They began at the first and were quick to repent. Leaving no time between the message being delivered, the message being received, and the message enacting repentance. God said, “Yet forty days…” They were given forty days till the Lord would overthrow Nineveh. How careful were they even though they had a set time. And look at how foolish men, women, boys and girls act today (especially the people of God):
We should be alarmed if we were sure not to live a month, And yet we are careless, though we are not sure to live a day. (Matthew Henry: Jonah Commentary Jon.3:4)
And that is true. God has not guaranteed us tomorrow here on this earth. In fact, He has told us quite the opposite: (Jas.4:17—“whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”). If a doctor told you, you were going to die in 6 months—I’d hope that you would really start living for the Lord. But the fact is that God has not said that tomorrow is even guaranteed and we live as if we have years to go. We’ll take the word of a human doctor over that of the Almighty God. But my point is, Let us live every day for the Lord, believing as the early churches did that Christ was going to come in their day. V. The Fruit of the Spirit of God: Jon.3:5; Rom.10:17; Gal.5:22—“They believed God…” or “They had FAITH in God…” They believed the word of God at the preaching of Jonah. Now what brought this effect that they believed God? First: There was a need: Nineveh’s Wickedness Second: God Intervened: He could have let them go. He could have exacted vengeance upon them, but He chose to save them for whatever means I know not except it was to His good pleasure. Third: God sent Jonah. He sent a man to preach the Word of repentance. This is God’s chosen means. Fourth: Jonah went to Nineveh and preached repentance (Rom.10:13-17). Fifth: The People of Nineveh believed God and repented.
a. Compare Nineveh with Israel: Rom.10:18-20—Nineveh was a people that did not seek God. They issued no “Macedonian Call” (Acts.16:9) that a prophet of God might come over and help them and preach the Word of God to them so that they might repent. No, God did it. It was all of GRACE! It (Nineveh’s Repentance) is a wonder of Divine Grace (Matt.12:41). Yes, Nineveh has condemned the impenitence and obstinacy of Israel. God sent many prophets to Israel and well known ones among the very people of God. He sent them their Messiah who was a prophet mighty in word and deed who was the Greater than Jonah (Lk.24:19). But unto Nineveh only one prophet was sent (Jonah). Yet Nineveh repented and Israel did not. Jonah preached but one sermon, and we do not find that he gave them any sign or wonder that they might believe him that his preaching might be confirmed. And yet, many signs and wonders were wrought upon the people of Israel and many signs were done and they did not believe. How many people think or say, “Lord, if you’ll show me a sign I’ll believe”? (Lk.16:27-31—You wouldn’t believe if God did all sorts of signs and you wouldn’t believe if one from the dead came. You have the whole word of God and you should believe that). Jonah only threatened with wrath and ruin: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown”. While the prophets that God sent set before Israel Blessing and Cursing (Deut.11:27-29; Isa.1:1-31(Vv.18-20)). The Prophets to Israel set encouragement before them and gave them assurance that God would forgive them and have mercy upon them if they would but repent. And yet with all the promises of blessings do we read that Jerusalem (the capital of Israel) repented? Often they did not even though God blessed them with many assurances. Many times God sought to draw them with bands of love and cords of mercy yet they would not. And so the Lord did let them go. Here we read of no such words from Jonah. All Jonah preached was “Gloom and Doom” as some call it. And perhaps that is what needs to be preached more today! People say, “God’s Word isn’t very cheery”. Not to the wicked and those who are against the Lord. God does not beat around the bush when it comes to anything including sin. He hates sin with all of His being and seeks for man not to do it because it is displeasing to God.
The Fruit of the Spirit of God [cont.]: They believed God. This was the first thing that needed to be done. They needed to believe God. Again as we have said before and we cannot say it enough: “Faith and Repentance” are twin graces. And by that we mean this: they are inseparable. Where you find one, you will find the other. People want to split hairs that need not be split; people want to argue over which one comes first. They are like spokes on the wheel; they both turn at the same time. Repentance is a missing note in a lot of pulpits today, but it is not missing from the Bible (Acts.20:21; Lk.5:32—we don’t call sinners to the font, to church membership, to anything but repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ; Lk.24:47—Repentance and remission of sins go together: you cannot have one without the other). This faith that they had did something. And faith in God always does. It is a living faith, a moving faith, a working faith (Phil.2:12). (Jas.2:14-20; Matt.3:8; Acts.26:20; Jon.3:5-10 (Vv.5-9: the effects of faith on men lead to certain works; Vv.10—those certain works, God does respond to).
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