Jonah was a success at being a prophet, but a failure at controlling his own emotions. The LORD provided a visual aid to remind Jonah that – to him, compassion is more important than justice. Even those of us who preach the gospel of grace are sometimes beset with anger over the evil in this world, and would often secretly like to see the bad guys get theirs. God is just, but he would rather see the bad guys get saved.
LORD, help us to temper our zeal for justice, with your love for the lost.
If birds can see that it’s a trap, they will not fall for it. If men can see that their actions will destroy them, they might stop. But we do not see. We think we are wise, but we just jump from trap to trap. That’s why the teachers of wisdom tell us to listen to our parents. They have been there, and they usually know when we are getting set up.
LORD, give us the wisdom to listen to those who warn us.
The king gave his decree after the people had already started showing signs of repentance and humility. I don’t believe this text is out of order. I think it reflects the fact that political rulers are not usually the ones who initiate real change. It’s a grass roots thing. That’s how it happened in Nineveh. After seeing the people humbling themselves, the king realized what was going on. Christians should never rely solely on political activity to change society. Society changes happen from the bottom up.
LORD, change our world, and begin with us.
All we have to do for wisdom is to ask for it, but before we ask, we have to go through the first door. The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. It is just too comfortable to remain in ignorance and self-reliance. Do you dare to imagine that there is a another entire universe where things can go right because we followed the right instructions? Dare to seek wisdom from the only one who can really give it.
LORD, give us wisdom.
Jonah had to get to the point of death before he would surrender to the LORD’s will. Verse 7 says “As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.” He remembered who God is. He remembered the call of God on his life. He knew that he had failed God. Jonah recognized in one brief lucid moment that his will was not supreme, that he was not sovereign. God is.
Jonah repented. Verse 2 records his prayer “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.” Sheol is the place where dead people go to await the resurrection. Jonah was in the belly of Sheol before he was in the belly of the whale. What Jonah was saying was that he was in the ocean, about to drown. That is when he found time to pray.
The whale was actually God’s answer to Jonah’s prayer. Jonah said that God answered him (2). He rejoiced that God chose to rescue him. He rejoiced that God was giving him the chance to return to the center of God’s will. People do not always get that chance. Sometimes disaster strikes and God does not provide a miracle to rescue us. But when he does, suddenly all those reasons you once had to escape from his will do not seem sound anymore. The correct response to the challenges God has place before you is to rejoice that God has given you life to face those challenges.
Three days in a fish gave Jonah the chance to recommit his life to doing the LORD’s will. He thought about the unbelievers in Nineveh who were trapped in slavery to idol worship. He realized that they did not have hope in God’s steadfast love like he did (8). He decided to go back to God’s temple and rededicate himself to serving the LORD as a prophet (4, 9).
Jonah’s story is real. What happened to him really happened. God allowed it to happen because he loved the people of Nineveh and wanted Jonah to preach to them. God also
allowed it to happened because he loved Jonah, and wanted to call him back to himself. The message also speaks to you and me, when we decide to turn our back on God’s call for our lives.
In times of great distress, God is there with an answer.
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LORD. Help us to serve you with unwavering commitment. In times when we are reluctant to follow you, save us from ourselves, and turn us around. Help us to surrender to your will.
The psalms are concluded in such a way as to say to the world: “OK, here’s how we did it, now it’s your turn.” The praise to the LORD and for his wonderful works does not end at psalm 150. It begins there. Now, it is time for everything and everyone else to give a try.
LORD, accept our praises.
Jonah was a reluctant prophet. God had called him to go to Nineveh. He knew the LORD and he knew the message, and he knew his audience. His problem was he didn’t want to do what God wanted him to do. In one sense, he was merely making a vocational decision. He looked at the task before him (warning the Ninevites of their impending doom) and decided that he was not the man for the job. He decided to get out of the way, so that God could send his plan B. What Jonah did not know was that God’s plan B would involve all the aspects of plan A, except that he would be taking a submarine (of sorts) to Nineveh instead of a ship.
LORD, when we are sure of your call, help us to avoid turning down the job.
God’s people have him on their minds, and it results in joyful songs about him. It also results in doing his will, even if that means punishing those who reject him. Even the leadership tasks which are difficult to accomplish are to be motivated not out of anger or resentment, but out of our relationship with God.
LORD, whatever we do, may is spring from our relationship with you.
Joel’s message for you and me today is not to let the present spoil your vision of the future. It may take a long time before you actually see God at work in your life and family. But keep trusting in him. He has a plan, and he is going to fulfill his promises to you. When he begins to act, you will know it. Trust him during the locust swarms of your life. Trust him even during the cataclysmic invasions you will experience. He will never take anything away from you that he does not plan on restoring.
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LORD, help us to trust you during the trying times, and cooperate with your Holy Spirit ministering salvation to all we can reach. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Joel’s message for you and me today is not to let the present spoil your vision of the future. It may take a long time before you actually see God at work in your life and family. But keep trusting in him. He has a plan, and he is going to fulfill his promises to you. When he begins to act, you will know it. Trust him during the locust swarms of your life. Trust him even during the cataclysmic invasions you will experience. He will never take anything away from you that he does not plan on restoring.
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LORD, help us to trust you during the trying times, and cooperate with your Holy Spirit ministering salvation to all we can reach. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Jonah 4
Proverbs 1:8-19
Jonah 3
Proverbs 1:1-7
Jonah 2
Psalm 150
Jonah 1
Psalm 149
Joel 2:28-3:21
