Click HERE to read today's passage.
This amazing book gives us so many amazing lessons that they're almost too numerous to count! I'll try to limit this devotional to about 10 lessons that I see jumping out of these four small chapters that have a huge impact on us today.
So, let's begin!
As you can see, this book is an account of a Hebrew prophet by the name of Jonah who is commanded by God to go to the wicked city of Nineveh and prophesy of its destruction. Now, keep in mind, this was one of the most wicked cities of Jonah's day. In fact, not only did God hate their sinful lifestyle and was about to completely destroy them for it, but they were enemy number one to the nation of Israel and to the prophet Jonah.
So, you might be asking, "If they are so evil, why doesn't God just go ahead and wipe them out of existence?" Here's where the first lesson comes in...
1. God Doesn't See Things Like We See Things
If you'll remember back in the book of Samuel 16:7, God reminds Samuel the prophet, "The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
God knows each person's heart. He knew the heart of the king of Nineveh and the people of Nineveh. He knew that if Jonah went and prophesied a warning against them that they would immediately repent and turn from their sin. As amazing as this might seem, this was obviously the very opposite of what Jonah wanted to see happen. Jonah was looking at the people of Nineveh from a very different perspective - a carnal perspective. He desperately wanted to see the Ninevites suffer for their sins!
So, my question then becomes, "Which is more evil - the sin of the Ninevites or Jonah's unwillingness to obey God and see an entire nation wiped out?" As you'll see later, Jonah (even though He was God's prophet) had a heart that wasn't right with God. In fact, toward the end of this small book we realize his heart is filled with pride and hatred for the people of Nineveh. Jonah needed a spiritual adjustment too!
Jonah knew one amazing truth, but feared it the most...especially when it came to his enemies.
2. God's loves ALL people and is willing to forgive! In fact, the Bible tells us in Romans 5:8 - " But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Remember, we were all sinners before He saved us! Although God is a holy God and hates the sin we commit, He still has a deep love for His creation. Man is the centerpiece of His creation and when Jesus came to die on the cross He died for all men! You see, God loves us, even with our sinful ways. Now, make no mistake about it - He hates and abhors the sin we commit and will punish us if we don't repent of it - but He still loves us patiently. It is His abundant love and His greatest hope that we turn from our sinfulness, repent of our sin, and follow Him in all things the rest of our lives.
This ought to remind us of the powerful lesson Jesus taught the religious leaders one day! As he sat at the house of a wicked tax collector and ate and fellowshipped with them, the religious leaders were looking on in complete dismay. They just couldn't believe Jesus was loving on sinful people! When Jesus realized their befuddlement, He said in Mark 2:17, " I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Jesus came to save sinners from their sin - pure and simple! That's why He was trying to get Jonah out to Nineveh.
Sadly, Jonah didn't want to do it! And, in an attempt to get out of the job he made a gallant effort to flee from the presence of God. Immediately upon hearing what God wanted him to do, he got up and ran in the opposite direction of Nineveh. While running, he made his way to the nearest seaport, paid for a ticket on the earliest ship out of the harbor, and destined himself to the farthest place the ship could take him.
True story: When God put on my heart to start a church in our city, it scared me. I had never been a pastor before, I didn't know one thing about starting a church, and being a pastor was the last thing in the world I ever wanted to become. So, when I was asked by a pastor friend to be his associate pastor in Florida, I took it! I ran from Kansas City to Miami, Florida - about as far as I could get. Sadly, it didn't last long. Things didn't work out and we found ourselves back in Kansas City within the year. Again, God put it on my heart to start a church. I tried to push the idea away from my mind and I even scoffed at the idea with some of my friends about the idea. But, God was calling me and I couldn't escape His call. In the end, God brought four young families who begged me to start a church and with those four families we got started. The church grew rapidly and within a year we found ourselves buying a building. As we continued to grow, we bought up houses and lands. Today, that church is running 5,000 people on Sunday morning and is starting new churches everywhere!
If you feel like you're running from God...stop! He will never take you where His grace can't keep you!
So, what are some other lessons that we can learn from the book of Jonah
3. God’s sovereignty: The book of Jonah teaches us that God is sovereign over all things. Jonah was never going to out run God. God knows exactly what He's doing. While you might not agree with God, if He's telling you to do something - do it!
4. God’s patience: The book of Jonah also teaches us about God’s patience. In spite of Jonah's disobedience, God still took care of Jonah in the belly of the great fish, as well as under the hot sun after he ran from Nineveh. Jonah's pride got the best of him! He knew God was a gracious God, and when the Ninevites repented of their sin, Jonah was more worried that his prophecy didn't come true than in how many people turned to God! How sad! Then, in pity for himself, he runs away and gripes to God about His mercy and grace. Yet, God lovingly takes care of him and answers the questions that plagued his mind.
5. The importance of obedience: The book of Jonah teaches us about the importance of obedience. When we disobey God, God will do what's necessary to get our attention. Why? Because He loves us. He had Jonah swallowed up by the whale to get his attention, and He had the Ninevites scared to death that He would wipe them out if they didn't repent.
Like that old hymn says, "Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
6. The need for repentance: The book of Jonah shows us that repentance is necessary for salvation. When the people of Nineveh repented, God forgave them and spared them from destruction .
7. The importance of evangelism: Additionally, the book of Jonah teaches us about the importance of evangelism. Everyone of us who has given our life to Christ is called to share the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
What do you think God would do to you if you don't go? Are you running from something God is calling you to?
God tells us in 2 Peter 3:9, "He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent."
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