Jonah Series: "Jonah: The Rebellious Prophet"

This week begins a three week series on the book of Jonah. It will be divided by chapter. Below is the outline for the first message.

“Jonah: The Rebellious Prophet” Jonah 1.1-17

Intro/Background

· Author: Jonah (Despite writing in the 3^rd person- Moses, Isaiah and Daniel also wrote in 3^rd person at times, Jonah wrote whole short book in 3^rd person); During events of 793-753 BC

· Jonah is written as history, but also as a message to Israel (Northern Kingdom)

o God’s concern for the Gentiles

o Unfaithfulness of Israel in missionary work

o God’s sovereignty in carrying out His will

o A rebuke to God’s people as Nineveh repented when Israel did not

o Jonah was a picture of Israel’s disobedience: God’s punishment, Jonah’s repentance & restoration

· Jonah can teach us about servicing God obediently, being willing to repent and God’s faithfulness to those who will receive Him

· Jonah is not a work of fiction- Jesus referred to him as historical fact; nothing in the book is impossible

The Attempted Escape (v.1-3)

· Jonah receives the direction from the Lord: tell Nineveh to repent

· Jonah decides to go to Tarshish- the opposite direction; Nineveh was in modern Iraq, Tarshish in modern Spain

· Jonah tried to run from “the presence of the Lord”

· “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? ⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! ⁹If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, ¹⁰even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalm 139.7-10 ESV)

· Application:

o sometimes we run from God’s call also

o Illustration: Sunday morning, late for church, saw man walking-seemed distraught, made deal with God, God did His part, I didn’t

The Absconder Exposed (v.4-10)

· Definition: Absconder- one who runs and hides from adversity

· As Jonah slept during the storm, the sailors were trying to appease their gods

· When Jonah was alerted and exposed by the lots

· He admitted running from God and testified that His God was the one, true God

The Adversity Evaded (v.11-16)

· Sailors ask Jonah for direction

· He tells them to throw him over

· The sailors seek another way- they seem to be decent men

· Finally they decide to comply, asking God’s forgiveness

· Once Jonah was overboard, the storm ended immediately

· It was a testimony to the Gentile sailors who obeyed, while Jonah and Israel were disobedient

The Appointed Event (v.17)

· God prepared a rescue for Jonah despite his disobedience: the big fish

· Three days in the belly of the fish- not a historic impossibility, especially when God is factored in

· This would also be a picture of the days between the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ

· God sets things up for those He will rescue from sin; God’s will for our lives will come to pass

Closing

When God calls us, we can run, but we cannot hide; we can rebel like Jonah, but it will be fruitless. He is God and his will is going to be accomplished. Christians may run from His calling, non-Christians may run from His mercy, but He will have His way.