Lessons From Jonah
Jonah (12/19/13)
December 19, 2013 • Benham Brothers
Three prophets all in order - Jonah first, then Micah, then Nahum - Nahum got to preach the message Jonah wanted to preach Why? Here's what Ninevah was like - "The Assyrians were brutally cruel, their kings often being depicted as gloating over the gruesome punishments inflicted on conquered peoples. They conducted their wars with shocking ferocity, uprooted whole populations as state policy and deported them to other parts of their empire. The leaders of conquered cities were tortured and horribly mutilated before being executed. No wonder the dread of Assyria fell on all her neighbors! Their capital was Ninevah." vs 3 - When you run from God there will always be a boat to take you the opposite direction (and it may appear to be God's will), but it will cost you something vs 4 - God will chase you down - pay attention to what's going on in the physical, because it's God's way of revealing the spiritual vs 5 - The only way to get away from guilt was to sleep (laziness is a sign of spiritual apathy) vs 7 - Passive Confession vs 7 - Get to the root of the sin vs 12 - Deal with the sin - be brutal with it vs 17 - Mercy in the midst of judgement Jonah 4:6 - Comfort yields to Concern or Concern yields to Comfort - you cannot be led by both Jonah was always looking to be comfortable and how it trumped his concern for a people that God was very concerned about. God's concerns need to be our concerns and our own personal comfort should not be a consideration
Jonah 1:2 (12/15/16)
December 15, 2016 • Benham Brothers
* God wanted to save the Ninevites from their certain destruction. * So He sent Jonah to speak AGAINST them. * This flies in the face of those who say, “We want to be known for what we’re FOR, not what we’re AGAINST.” * God calls us to stand against evil - Romans 12:9 - “……hate what is evil, cling to what is good.” * God loved the Ninevites. * But He couldn’t show them mercy unless they repented. * They wouldn’t repent unless they knew they were doing something wrong. * They wouldn’t know they were wrong unless God’s messenger delivered God’s message. * Just because you preach against evil doesn’t mean you hate people - it’s actually the most loving thing you can do. * Because you’re pointing out the one thing that will keep them from experiencing God’s eternal love. * Notice that if Jonah didn’t do this - speak against them - it meant their certain destruction. * When he obeyed they were saved from death.
Jonah 1:3 (12/13/18)
December 13, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* When sin is in your heart Satan will provide a way for you to accomplish it. * It happened with Paul on the boat with his companions (Acts 27:13). * It happened in Jonah’s case as well. * He didn’t want to go to Ninevah - he wanted the Ninevites to receive mercy AND he didn’t want to ruin his perfect reputation for fulfilled prophecies. * When sin was in his heart, an opportunity to act on it presented itself. * When sin is in your heart it may appear like God is opening a door when in fact you’re going the wrong direction. * Notice the opportunities that present themselves to you. * This could be a way God is trying to show you that something is inside your heart that shouldn’t be!
Jonah 1:7 (12/19/19)
December 19, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Jonah sinned, God brought a storm, but he did not repent. * That is, until he was found out. Look at what happened. * He went the opposite direction, knowing he was running from God. * The storm came, but he didn’t repent. * The men were terrified, but he didn’t repent. * They asked why this could be happening, but he didn’t repent. * They gathered to draw straws, but he didn’t repent. * It wasn’t until he was caught did he repent. * Passive confession is a sign of impurity in your heart. * The book of Jonah ends with Jonah being mad at God. * It’s the “Alex Rodriguez” syndrome - he only confessed when he was caught, but still made excuses. * Vs 17 - God was still merciful in the midst of passive confession.
Jonah 2:8 (12/21/17)
December 21, 2017 • Benham Brothers
* The Ninevites were idol worshipers - this was their problem. * They badly mistreated the Israelites. * Jonah didn’t want God to show them mercy. * This, however, became Jonah’s idol. * An idol is anything that stands between you and God. * Often times it’s a good thing that we refuse to let go of. * In Jonah’s case, he made an idol of God’s justice but refused to desire His mercy.
Jonah 3:4 (12/13/18)
December 13, 2018 • Benham Brothers
* One of Jonah’s biggest problems was his pride over his own reputation. * In 2 Kings 14:25 his prophecy was fulfilled that the Israelites would get their land back. * He was the good prophet with a perfect record, and people seemingly liked him. * He was also a good patriot, fully understanding that the Ninevites were their sworn enemies. * So if he went to Ninevah and they repented two things would happen - his enemies would not get punished AND his reputation would be ruined. * He’d be seen as a false prophet and his Israelite friends would be mad at him for not being a good patriot (he’d be blessing his enemies). * He put his reputation over peoples’ restoration. * If we know the truth that sets people free but refuse to share it because we don’t want to be labeled then we’re doing the same thing Jonah did.
Jonah 4:5 (12/17/15)
December 17, 2015 • Benham Brothers
• Chap 1 - Jonah disobeyed and was disciplined for doing so. • He wanted judgment on the Ninevites. • Chap 2 - Jonah repents and makes things right. • He confessed in chap 1, but repented in chap 2. • Chap 3 - Jonah actually obeyed the Lord's command. • He still wanted justice, not mercy. • Chap 4 - Jonah gets ticked that God didn't do what Jonah said He would do. • His reputation was at stake - he was more concerned about that than God's plan for mercy. • Modern Christianity seems to be stuck between chaps 3 & 4. • Jonah's was letting his selfishness do the leading. • He had repented and obeyed, but his heart wasn't fully in it. • God showed him his selfishness by the vine - he was more concerned about his own comfort than he was about the people of Ninevah. • It's so comfortable to be a Christian today, but are we willing to go outside our places of comfort when God tells us to?
Jonah 4:6-7 (12/19/19)
December 19, 2019 • Benham Brothers
* Jonah fell prey to what so many of us fall prey to as well - thanklessness to God. * God brought comfort to Jonah, but we don’t see him thanking God for it. * He was happy about it, but not thankful for it. * So what did God do? * He took away what Jonah didn’t thank Him for. * Why? * So Jonah could see what was in his heart. * He was more concerned about his comfort than Ninevah’s salvation. * Thanklessness darkens your heart - Romans 1:21. * When you don’t live thankfully to God you will never see people the way He does. * You’ll always put yourself above others - selfishness over servanthood. * Thanklessness is a killer.