THE RELENTLESS MERCY OF GOD

Minor Prophet Jonah

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1. RUNNING FROM GOD ALWAYS LEADS TO DISRUPTION

Jonah 1:1-3 NIV - The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”³ But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

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Jonah 1:4-6 NIV - ⁴ Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. ⁵ All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. ⁶ The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

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• Private disobedience creates public consequences.

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Jonah and Jesus contrast

• Jonah slept in a storm in disobedience. Jesus slept in a storm in authority.

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• Jonah’s sleep was avoidance. Jesus’ sleep was confidence.

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Application Questions

• Where are you running from God?
• Who is being affected by your disobedience?

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2. RUNNING TO GOD BEGINS WITH SURRENDER

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Jonah 1:11-17 NIV - ¹¹ The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” ¹² “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” ¹³ Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. ¹⁴ Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” ¹⁵ Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. ¹⁶ At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. ¹⁷ Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

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Jonah 2:1-2 NIV - ¹From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. ² He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

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Jonah 2:6-10 NIV - To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. ⁷ “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. ⁸ “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. ⁹ But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”¹⁰ And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

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Truth:

Anything you put above God’s will becomes an idol—even your opinion, your comfort, your offense, your bitterness.

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Jonah and Jesus contrast

• Jonah was in the belly of a fish three days because of his disobedience.

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• Jesus was in the heart of the earth three days because of our disobedience.

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• Jonah was preserved so he could finish his mission.

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• Jesus was raised so He could complete salvation for the world.

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Application questions

• What idol is God exposing?
• Have you been around truth without truly surrendering to it?

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3. RUNNING WITH GOD REQUIRES OBEDIENCE

Jonah 3:1-5 NIV - Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” ³ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Truth:

God is not waiting on your perfection. He is waiting on your yes.

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Jonah and Jesus contrast

• Jonah entered Nineveh reluctantly announcing judgment.

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• Jesus entered cities compassionately announcing the kingdom.

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• Jonah preached because he had to.

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• Jesus preached because He wanted to save.

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• Jonah was a sign.

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• Jesus is the Savior.

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Matt. 12:38-41 NIV - ³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” ³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.

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Application Questions

• Where is God giving you a second chance?
• Are you waiting to feel ready before obeying?
• Could God use your imperfect yes right now?

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4. A RUN-IN WITH GOD REVEALS YOUR HEART

Jonah 4:1-4 NIV - But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. ² He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. ³ Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”⁴ But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:5-10 NIV - ⁵ Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. ⁶ Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. ⁷ But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. ⁸ When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

⁹ But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

¹⁰ But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. ¹¹ And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

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Jonah versus Jesus

• Jonah sat outside the city hoping judgment would fall.

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• Jesus stood over Jerusalem and wept.

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• Jonah wanted enemies destroyed.

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• Jesus died for His enemies.

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• Jonah said, “I would rather die than see them spared.”

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• Jesus said, in effect, “I will die so they can be spared.”

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God is relentlessly merciful.

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Application Questions

Are you obeying outwardly while resisting inwardly?
What is God exposing in your heart right now?

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