Rev. David Holwick F
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
February 10, 1991
Jonah 1, 3
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I. Background of Jonah.
A. Best known of Minor Prophets.
1) Fish. (all most people know, period)
2) We have much in common with him.
B. Historical or parable-like story?
1) Many modern scholars doubt its historicity.
a) Impossible for whale to swallow a man. (gullet too small)
b) Impossible for a plant to grow man-tall in one day.
c) No evidence Nineveh repented.
2) Reasons to accept book as historical.
a) It was never doubted before 1800's.
1> Difficulty with miracles is main problem.
b) Jesus Christ accepted it as historical. Matthew 12:39-41
1> Jonah's survival in fish points to resurrection.
2> Repentance of Nineveh accepted.
c) Some whales or big fish can swallow people.
British seaman named James Bartley, age 21.
Thrown into sea while hunting a sperm whale near
Falkland Islands in 1891. He disappeared.
Just before nightfall the dying whale came up.
Its blubber was cut off, stomach removed.
Men noticed the stomach was moving.
They cut into stomach to find unconscious Bartley.
He was in a comma for two weeks.
After a month he was able to tell of being thrown in
the air, seeing great mouth open up and swallowing.
He had been inside the stomach for 15 hours.
His hair fell out and his skin was bleached white.
He lived 18 more years.
Not proof it happened to Jonah, but not impossible.
#636
((Some skeptics dispute this story))
C. Jonah is a dramatic story that goes far beyond swallowing by fish.
1) Shows God's burden for the whole world.
2) Shows how He will break stubborn hearts to get it done.
II. God wants to reach the entire world.
A. Nineveh calls to mind Saddam Hussein.
1) Brutal, militaristic nation.
2) Would later annihilate Jonah's northern kingdom.
B. Jonah was very patriotic Jew. Nationalistic.
1) He prophesied extension of Israel's borders. 2 Kings 14:25
a) He hated Nineveh.
2) But God loved Nineveh, wanted it challenged to repent.
a) (one person was surprised I would pray for Saddam.)
b) God had to break him.
C. God wanted to reach Nineveh.
1) Not obvious from original message: preach against it! 1:2
a) "Forty days until destruction!" 3:4
1> (similar to modern sandwich board prophets of doom)
b) Appearance of being in fish may have aroused interest.
2) God's real intent is always salvation.
a) The Ninevites hoped that repenting might bring forth
God's compassion and forgiveness. 3:9
b) Jonah knew this all along, and was reason he fled. 4:2
1> God prefers love over judgment. 2:9
2> Jonah was bitter for their salvation even after he
had experienced it personally. 2:9
c) Gourd plant used to break Jonah.
1> God loves even those who are ignorant and wicked. 4:11
"Should I not be concerned for that great city?"
III. Application: Concern for those at home is not enough.
A. Criticism of foreign mission emphasis.
1) "Why go to Dominican Republic?"
a) Needs of America is seen as greater than needs overseas.
b) America first! (America only??)
2) Balanced mission.
a) Mission committee sees need for local and foreign work.
1> Money broken up.
b) Opportunities through Billy Graham Crusade.
3) Necessity for outward thrust.
a) By year 2000 more Christians will be in Third World than
in developed world.
b) (Even though missions has only been strong 150 years.)
c) Unreached peoples have no witness.
1> America is crammed with workers.
B. If church does not fulfill Great Commission, it is not
being obedient to Jesus.
1) He explicitly commands us to go to ends of earth. Matt 28:19
2) More important for fulfilling prophecy than any war
in Mideast. Matt 24:14
IV. Our two-fold mission. (Go, care)
A. To reach the whole world, we must go.
1) It doesn't just happen.
2) God could drop leaflets (from B-52's?) but he prefers to
send people.
B. To reach the whole world, we must care.
1) Preaching the message was not enough.
2) Implied in the message, even one of condemnation, is offer
of God's love and forgiveness.
a) We must show God's love with concrete acts.
1> (Build school, church, clinics)
V. We cannot run away from God, or our responsibility to Him.
A. Jonah's disobedience is something we can relate to.
1) Chief problem of Christian is not knowing God's will.
2) Doing God's will is chief problem.
a) Principles in Bible are clear. Do them.
B. We need an accurate view of God, and be committed to him.
1) Jonah knew God was compassionate, was disgusted with it.
a) He cared for his own needs, was blind to those of others.
2) Your understanding of who God is, is revealed by your actions
toward others.
a) Good intentions are not enough.
C. Our God can do great things!
1) He provided a great fish.
2) He saved a great city.
3) He can deliver us - if we are obedient.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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