CALLED BY GOD

Jonah- The Minor Prophet

■Four Major Prophets in OT■12 Minor Prophets in OT■A Narrative Book

The Book of Jonah’s Breakdown■ Chpt. 1- God says Go, Jonah says No! The Storm and

the Fish.■ Chpt. 2- Jonah’s prayer of thanksgiving in the belly of

the Great Fish.■ Chpt. 3- Jonah goes to Nineveh, Preaches and there

is a great repentance in the city.■ Chpt. 4- Jonah is angry at God for the repentance of

Nineveh. God teaches Jonah to have compassion on all men through a plant.

The Time Period

■ During the reign of Shalmaneser III (859–824 b.c.) Nineveh became the base of military operations. Assyria warred against Israel and her allies during the northern king Ahab’s reign.

■ In the reign of Ashur-dan III (772–754 b.c.) Jonah preached to the Ninevites and they repented.

■ Shalmaneser V (727–722 b.c.) besieged Samaria and defeated it in 722 b.c., and defeated the Northern Kingdom essentially ending its existence (2 Kings 17:3–6; 18:9–10).

The Time Period Continued

■ Twenty-one years later (in 701 b.c.), Sennacherib (705–681 b.c.) invaded Judah and destroyed 46 Judean towns and cities. After encircling Jerusalem, 185,000 of Sennacherib’s soldiers were killed over-night and Sennacherib returned to Nineveh (2 Kings 18:17–18; 19:32–36; Isa. 37:36)■ Nineveh was destroyed by the Babylonians,

Medes, and Scythians in August 612 b.c.

CALLING

Jonah 1:1–2■ “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah

the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”” (Jonah 1:1–2, NKJV)

A CALLER

“Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.” Isaiah 6:2 NIV

“who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:16

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33, NIV84)

“As for the Almighty, we cannot find Him; He is excellent in power, In judgment and abundant justice; He does not oppress.” (Job 37:23, NKJV)

GOD HAS THE RIGHTS TO YOU AND

THE UNIVERSE

WHAT HAS THE LORD CALLED YOU

TO?

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,” (Exodus 31:1–3, NKJV)

REBELLION

“But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshishfrom the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.” (Jonah 1:3, NKJV)

IF YOU ARE GOING TO JUDGE THEM

WHY DO I HAVE TO TELL THEM?

THE CALLING IS TOO DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS

Difficult and Dangerous Mission

■ History tells us that the Assyrians were a cruel and heartless people who thought nothing of burying their enemies alive, skinning them alive, or impaling them on sharp poles under the hot sun.

– Wiersbe, W. W. (1993).

■ For example, writing of one of his conquests, Ashurnaṣirpal II (883–859) boasted, “I stormed the mountain peaks and took them. In the midst of the mighty mountain I slaughtered them; with their blood I dyed the mountain red like wool.… The heads of their warriors I cut off, and I formed them into a pillar over against their city; their young men and their maidens I burned in the fire”

– Johnson, E. E. (1985). . In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1494). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

■“I flayed [him], his skin I spread upon the wall of the city …” (ibid., 1:146). He also wrote of mutilating the bodies of live captives and stacking their corpses in piles.

– Johnson, E. E. (1985). . In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1494). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

CAN I REALY TRUST YOU GOD?

Proud and Exclusive Nationalist■ “He took him outside and said, “Look up at the

heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it. (Genesis 15:5–, NIV84)

BRING JUSTICE AND VENGENCE GOD

■ “Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. The LORD is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.” (Psalm 10:15–18, NIV84)

REBUKE

“But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” (Jonah 1:4, NKJV)

Three Types of Storms in Life

■Protecting Storm■Perfecting Storm■Correcting Storm

“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows. Now the LORD

had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:15–17, NKJV)

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”” (Hebrews 12:5–6, NLT)

“As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.” (Hebrews 12:7–8, NLT)

“Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.” (Hebrews 12:9–10, NLT)

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11, NLT)

DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR

THINKING ABOUT WHO GOD IS?

DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE A DECISION YOU HAVE MADE FOR

YOUR LIFE?

REDEMPTION

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,” (Jonah 3:1, NKJV)

“The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.” (Jonah 3:5, NIV84)

GOD’S GRACE NEVER GIVES UP ON

YOU

“He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee 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.” (Jonah 4:2, NIV84)

IS THERE SOMEONE YOU WOULD LIKE TO

SEE GONE?

OBEDIENCE ALWAYS LEADS TO WHERE YOU DESIRE TO BE AND

GOD ALWAYS PAYS THE PRICE

Galatians 6:7

■“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7, NKJV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NLT)

“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:13–15, NLT)

“Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:5–7, NKJV)

A TRUST FALL WITH JESUS!!

One Day at a Time!!!