Obey or Run Jonah 1:1-3 Jonah 1:1-3 1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: Jonah 1:1-3 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” Jonah 1:1-3 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. Will we trust God and obey or trust ourselves and run? What is Jonah about? 1. Will we trust God and obey or trust ourselves and run? What is Jonah about? 1. Will we trust God and obey or trust ourselves and run? 2. God’s outrageous love for His people and His enemies Outline 1. The Prophet Jonah 2. The City of Nineveh 3. The Command of God 1. The Prophet Jonah Jonah 1:1 1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai. The Prophet Jonah 1. Jonah is a prophet. The Prophet Jonah 1. Jonah is a prophet. 2. We know when Jonah served as a prophet. 2 Kings 14:23-26 23 In the fifteenth year of Judah's King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 2 Kings 14:23-26 24 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. 2 Kings 14:23-26 25 He restored Israel’s border from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant, the prophet Jonah son of Amittai from Gath-hepher. 2 Kings 14:23-26 26 For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter for both slaves and free people. There was no one to help Israel. The Prophet Jonah 2. We know when Jonah served as a prophet. • Jeroboam was a wicked king. 2 Kings 14:24 24 He did what was evil in the Lord's sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. The Prophet Jonah 2. We know when Jonah served as a prophet. • Jeroboam was a wicked king. • Israel’s borders expanded under King Jeroboam. 2 Kings 14:25 25 He restored Israel’s border from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant, the prophet Jonah son of Amittai from Gath-hepher. The Prophet Jonah 2. We know when Jonah served as a prophet. • Jeroboam was a wicked king. • Israel’s borders expanded under King Jeroboam. • Jonah is referred to as being the Lord’s servant. 2 Kings 14:25 25 He restored Israel’s border from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant, the prophet Jonah son of Amittai from Gath-hepher. The Prophet Jonah 3. Because of 2 Kings 14:25, we know who Jonah’s contemporaries were. The Prophet Jonah 3. Because of 2 Kings 14:25, we know who Jonah’s contemporaries were. • Elijah, 885-853 BC, Northern Kingdom • Elisha, 853-814 BC, Northern Kingdom • Jonah, Hosea, Amos, 782-722 BC, Northern Kingdom • Isaiah, Micah 767-687 BC, Southern Kingdom Amos 3:7 7 Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing his counsel to his servants the prophets. The Prophet Jonah 3. Because of 2 Kings 14:25, we know who Jonah’s contemporaries were. 4. We know what his name means. Jonah 1:1-3 1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai. Jonah’s Name • Jonah = Dove • Dove = Purity, innocence, humility • Amittai = Faithfulness Jonah 1:2-3 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” Jonah 1:2-3 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. 2. The City Of Nineveh Jonah 1:1-2 1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: Jonah 1:1-2 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” The City • Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10). The City • Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10). • Assyria was hostile to Israel leading up to the time of Jonah. “I have made a pillar facing the city gate, and have flayed all the rebel leaders; I have clad the pillar in the flayed skins. I let the leaders of the conquered cities be flayed, and clad the city walls with their skins. The captives I have killed by the sword and flung on the dung heap, the little boys and girls were burnt.” Assyrian King, Ashurnasirpal II “Their corpses they hung on stakes, they stripped off their skins and covered the city wall with them.” The Rassam Cylinder, in the British Museum The City • Nineveh was founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10). • Assyria was hostile to Israel leading up to the time of Jonah. • Jonah knew Assyria would conquer Israel. Hosea 11:5 5 Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. Amos 4:1-2 1 Listen to this message, you cows of Bashan who are on the hill of Samaria, women who oppress the poor and crush the needy, who say to their husbands, “Bring us something to drink.” Amos 4:1-2 2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness: Look, the days are coming when you will be taken away with hooks, every last one of you with fishhooks. 3. The Command of God Jonah 1:1-2 1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: Jonah 1:1-2 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” The Command • Get up! The Command • Get up! • Go to the great city of Nineveh. The Command • Get up! • Go to the great city of Nineveh. • Preach against it. The Command • Get up! • Go to the great city of Nineveh. • Preach against it. • Because their evil has come up before me. Jonah 1:3 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. • v.2, The Command: Get up! In Hebrew —> Quwm (get up) Halak (go) • v.3, Jonah’s Response: Got up to flee —> Quwm (get up) Barach (make haste, go quickly, flee) Jonah 4:1-3 1 Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. Jonah 4:1-3 2 He prayed to the Lord: “Please, Lord, isn't this what I thought while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and one who relents from sending disaster. Jonah 4:1-3 3 And now, Lord, take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. • Jonah disliked the command. Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. • Jonah disliked the command. • Jonah ran Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. • Jonah disliked the command. • Jonah ran • Jonah justified running Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. • Jonah disliked the command. • Jonah ran • Jonah justified running • Jonah forfeited intimacy with God. Case Study on Disobedience • Jonah received a clear command. • Jonah disliked the command. • Jonah ran • Jonah justified running • Jonah forfeited intimacy with God. Psalm 66:8 8 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 1 Peter 3:18 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit Colossians 1:25-27 25 I have become its servant, according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, Colossians 1:25-27 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. Colossians 1:25-27 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. .