Jonah Series Pt.1 (The Prayer of A Desperate Man)

God cares about lost people and he cares about His church. God will go to
great lengths to save them both.
Asleep In The Light
Is this really a lesson on delivering a message or being delivered
from a message? Jonah reminds me so much of what is
happening in the body of Christ. God has and is speaking but
know one wants to deliver the message.
Is the book of Jonah really about a reluctant prophet failing to
do his job? Is it about an evil city on the verge of judgment? Or
is it about God and His patience with mankind.
The things we can learn from the life of Jonah. I believe that as
we start this series on Jonah we will see it really is a typology of
the church of Jesus Christ. Thank God for the book of Jonah it
is also a for shadow of the gospel being preached to the
gentiles. We find that with Gen 18: Sodom and Gomorra
No wonder Jonah was against it!
Nineveh was well known in the ancient Near East for the brutal
atrocities it inflicted on its war captives. Assyria was a ruthless
enemy that practiced brutality on men, women, and children.
Their armies destroyed and looted; they buried their enemies
alive and even skinned them alive; they impaled people on sharp
poles and left them to burn in the sun. This city was also known
for its idolatry; it had temples dedicated to many gods; the
Ninevites also worshiped Ishtar, a goddess of love and war.
V: 4 The Lord sent a great wind on the sea. The creativity of God,
in what He will do to win a city to himself. I wonder how many
storms do we need to go through that are really are wake-up
calls for us to return to what God has called us to do.
V: 5 The sailors represents a world crying out, while Jonah like
the church is passing out. Oh yes we’re saved, delivered, and
set free, But we don’t have the time or heart for anyone else.
The sailors cried out each one onto his own god. This is religion
without relationship.
These were hardcore sailors when you see them panicking you
can be sure this was a bad storm.
2
I always find myself after listening to some awesome miracle of
survival or rescue and hear no thanks mentioned to God.
V: 6 The world is asking the church “how can you sleep” when
Hell is being fueled by the souls of men and women.
Nineveh was an Assyrian Empire with a population of about
120,000.
Look at the signs Jonah is getting to obey (God spoke to him,
God sends a storm, the casting of lots fell on Jonah).
V: 10 what a great conversation piece to share with people your
running from the Lord. I believe there are many Jonahs around
us running from the Lord. How many of our sons and daughters
are running from the call of God on their life.
V: 11 It’s funny how disobedience will cause the heat to be
turned up in our lives. The sea around them was raging begging
for a response. Maybe your circumstances seem like a tossing
waves is God trying to get your attention.
V: 12 Here was the first time we see Jonah facing up too his
responsibility for others. You know God will even use the world
to rebuke us. Do you think that at times our sins or disobedience
affects more than maybe just us?
Look at Jonah’s downward spiral here.
Jonah went down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the
sea, and down into the great fish. Disobedience always leads
downward.
V: 13 -15 These men still tried to find another way around other
than throwing Jonah over board. Sometimes the world seems to
have more compassion than we do.
V: 16 The world is watching as you go through your trials and
tribulations. Jonah ran from God but he could not run from
God’s presence.
Even though verse 17 is in the first chapter, it really should be
placed as the first verse in the second chapter.