Jonah = dove = a God-spoken irony
It was a dove that flew from the ark and brought back an olive leaf (the symbol of peace) - Gen 8:10-11
It was a dove that appeared above Jesus, the Prince of Peace when the Spirit descended - Luke 3:22
Jesus, having been sent, came in peace on a foal (Matt 21:5), to emphasize His coming to make peace “...and peace on whom His favor rests” Luke 2:14
Who was Jonah, son of Ammittai? 2Kngs 14:23-27
Servant of God, or bond-slave, a prophet, a privileged man, who would stand in the presence of God, and feel the very real pressure of His will upon his spirit. A prophet, servant, bond-slave who would hear God’s unmistakable voice telling him what He was about to perform among the nations. It is through Jonah that God prophesied Isreal’s border restoration despite Israel’s sin and rebellion - as suggested by S. Ferguson, Man Overboard, this is Jonah’s life
Privilege of service - a servant of God, as one called and used by God - a servant, which has in it, a type of affinity, a rich meaning, that is lost on sometimes (and of which, Jesus was declared - Isaiah 53:13
Privilege of a sense of destiny - being sure of one called as a prophet
Privilege of fellowship with others of his calling, destiny, and commitment - following and influenced by Elijah and Elisha, contemporary of Isaiah and Micah, and perhaps having rubbed elbows with the “sons of prophets” (those in service to and trained by the Prophets).
All of this, and still…
This is what makes Jonah’s disobedience so remarkable, this is a man who knew who he was, Whose he was, had committed himself to this call, to this life and ministry, and he knew intimately God’s presence, power, and promise, and had seen it and experienced it.
Jeroboam, the king, ruled in Samaria, and sinned, yet, despite his and all of Israel’s sin, top to bottom, God mercifully relented from blotting out Israel (Isa 10:16-11:16) and used the king to restore Israel’s border - it might be inferred that Jonah had had previous experiences and successes as a prophet.
Antagonism toward Israel, brought upon themselves by their sin and rebellion…
Approximately 200 years after the relative peace and prosperity of Soloman’s reign, Israel’s growing and persistent sin and rebellion led to God’s disciplining them (Isa 10:5-15) and it would be Assyria who turned its expansionist ways toward Israel, taking captive Israelites. This was 10 years before Jonah was sent to Ninevah. And still, over the next approx. 20 years, there would be continued attacks by the Assyrians.
Could that also be said of us? That is the privilege of being called to service, of a sense of destiny, and of a fellowship with others of the same nature and call, ministry and mission, having a wealth of people around us who are set apart for something divine (possessing the Scriptures, preserved and handed down to us, whole and complete; hearing from, being prompted and led by the Holy Spirit of God that indwells us, and moved by His power and presence, His leading and directing. All of this, having received, by mercy this very message of hope - when we were God’s enemies - we sent, AS Jonah, AS Jesus, AS the rest of the saints - with a message of hope for those, who, without Christ, “do not know their left hand from their right”? (Jonah 4:)
We have repeated the question: “Who is my Ninevah?” Who is it that I am being sent to? What is my attitude toward them and why? (Matthew 4:19; 28:18-20)
Jonah: A little longer in, a little deeper into Chapter 1
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God” …because they imitate God, will we realize that it is ours, each, and every one of us, to bring a message of peace. But, will we? Will we?
Jonah 1:1-2 The word of the Lord came to Jonah… for Jonah, clear and concise, Jonah heard and knew, he had experienced this before… “Go to the great city…”
Sometimes “I” wish it was so easy to hear and know!
How do we hear from God? Scripture, an unction, inkling or a still small voice, prayer combines these two, the conscience (not the heart, the gut conditioned with truth stored in the heart - Pr 4:23) TRAINED by Scripture and prayer - to be sensitive to God and God’s will (why trained? Jer 17:9; How trained: Mt 15:18; Lu 6:45; Ro 12:1-4; Heb 5:14); events aligned by God to direct us; sometimes dreams or visions which MUST be prayerfully examined by and in line with God’s word AND wise and godly biblical counsel.
Why isn’t always as clear as God’s command to Jonah? (God’s desire for an ongoing relationship, a partnership - for us to commune with Him to gain His wisdom and discernment, insight and understanding, to walk humbly with Him in obedience (to His word, by the Holy Spirit Who “guides us into all truth” John 16:13
Jonah 1:3-5a “Jonah ran…”
To what lengths was Jonah willing to go to avoid going to Ninevah?
Jonah 1:5b-6 “Jonah slept…”, soundly, so soundly through a raging storm (of his own making) that he had to be awakened…
Questions we must answer for ourselves: How soundly do I sleep? Where do I go to slumber when…? Maybe me, you, it is not sleeping that distracts me, or allows me to be distracted, or, frankly, I would rather be doing… what are those things that gobble my time?
Jonah 1:4-15 “God sent a great wind…, …a great storm…” Who was Jonah willing to put at risk to escape?
Those with whom Jonah sailed suffered terribly! Yet, from Jonah, there is no care, no consideration, no courtesy, no matter, and only taking responsibility when finally confronted - when cornered… again: the testimony of the good God Jonah served??
Now, were the merchant sailors completely innocent? No. They knew Jonah was avoiding his “God” and took him anyway. In that sense, they were accomplices, or at least reticent or cavalier about Jonah and his flight from God, and their part in helping him escape. But, one must add, they did not know Jonah’s God - the Person, the Power, the sovereignty, of Jonah’s God - but they would see, experience, fear, turn, and worship Him
Questions we must answer ourselves: Do I recognize the peril my running puts others in? Do I realize the effect my sin has on others? Do I see what my sin and rebellion do to God’s name (Eph 4:1; 5:1-2), that is my life and word’s testimony of God’s working in me?
Jonah 1:16 the sailors turn from their gods to Jonah’s God… God displays His sovereignty over all creation and making, saying, repeating, in essence, “I AM, (GREAT) and there are NO other gods beside me!” (1Chr 16:25; 29:11; Nahum 1:3;m Ps 48:1; 96:4; 145:3)
We might say: “But, but, they all turned to God! Why then should I be disciplined??” Romans 9
Questions we must answer ourselves: What will I do to avoid the one to whom I am called? What excuses do I use to not go? What is it that I think of them, feel about them, that is holding me back? To what lengths have I, or will I go, to not only not go, but to avoid, or even go the other way, to avoid them and share with them what God desires them to know, receive, and be?
Who am I willing to put at risk to avoid my call and responsibility, my PRIVILEGE to exercise my PRIVILEGE to be a beloved child of God - by grace (afforded to me God’s mercy on me)? My PRIVILEGE of being God’s ambassador, His representative?
The question has also arisen: “What if I’m someone else’s Ninevah?!” What if someone has been sent to me and they will not “go”? How would I feel if I were to find out what lengths they have and will go to not share with me an encouragement, an instruction, a message of hope?
We who are blessed and beloved… having received mercy from God and salvation by grace, the good gift of Jesus offering His life for us, puts our disobedience at an even greater level than that of Jonah, who was not looking back on God’s ridiculously gracious gift of life through the Messiah as He (actually) would be, but forward to a hope of something he could not fully grasp (1Peter 1
Jesus speaking of Himself said “...something greater than Jonah is here…” Jesus speaking of us, His disciples, also said “...you will do greater things…”
Jonah 1:17 “God provided a great fish…” God grants mercy to Jonah, much like He had and did to Israel, despite Jonah’s/Israel’s sin and rebellion… WE MUST REMEMBER: discipline and warning, correction and rebuke, are part of mercy… and often, it is not until we reach the bottom, as we see our own sin, and sense God’s “heavy hand upon us” that we finally “come to our senses” and look up, to God… “...3 days and 3 nights…” just in time, just long enough, for God’s merciful discipline to do what it is going to do!
Jesus grants mercy to all… in hopes that may come to repentance and faith in Him… Isaiah 30:18; Eze 33:11; Romans 2:1-4; 2Peter 3:9
Habakkuk 3:2 “LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Let us see, take some time: Jesus grants mercy to all… in hopes that may come to repentance and faith in Him… Isaiah 30:18; Ezekiel 33:11; Romans 2:1-4; 2Peter 3:9
Matt 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matt 42-48 “44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matt 12:7 “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent…, …48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Mark 12:33 “29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. e 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ f 31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” 32“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
Luke 6:36-38 “...36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Romans 12 “...1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
James 3:17-18 “17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
Matthew 18:23-35
Mercy: pity, compassion; loyalty to God’s covenant (made with us, from him) by trusting and loving obedience to the spirit and conditions of the covenant: covenant-love and loyalty: I have had mercy shown me, I am now to show mercy
Mercy = God’s toward sinners - a readiness to help those in trouble - me: have we forgotten God’s mercy on me? That, though I deserved wrath and judgment, He restrained Himself to give me time and space to see and respond to His grace offered in and by Jesus - thus granting us, me, grace, forgiveness, and eternal life?
Mercy = men toward men - having been shown mercy, we are to show mercy, and to not, is to be ungrateful to God for the mercy we’ve received, to take it for granted or even assume that I am somehow entitled to it - that God owed me. When in fact, God’s mercy was given to me, in spite of me, instead of what I deserved from a holy God - judgment. If this is how the Holy God treated me, how much more should I treat the person who sins against me - me being in the same state - having sinned against and hurt others?
