Day 257

A Depiction of Jonah in the Belly of the Big Fish

Jonah Introduction

Jonah despises the brutal Assyrian city of Nineveh. So when God tells him to go warn them of their impending destruction, Jonah sets sail in the opposite direction. God sends a storm to fetch him back, and at his own request Jonah is tossed overboard. A huge fish swallows God's prophet and deposits him on dry land. Result: Jonah goes straight to Nineveh. When the people repent, God mercifully withholds punishment. God takes the resentful Jonah to a scorching hill and there teaches him firsthand of his compassion.

But, look at Jonah's Assyrian assignment in perspective. When God asked Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach repentance, it was not an assignment to be taken lightly. Nineveh was a notorious "sanctuary of savagery." Consider what one Assyrian king did to his defeated foes: "3,000 captives I burned with fire and their corpse I formed into pillars, their governor I flayed; his skin I spread upon the wall of the city, from some I cut off their hands and their fingers and their noses and of many I put out their eyes. I formed a pillar of heads against the city gate and 700 men I impaled on stakes." If you had been Jonah, would you have wanted to go?

Scripture

September 13—Jonah 1-4: Jonah, the Disobedient Prophet

Observation

Jonah, commissioned by God to preach an ultimatum to Israel's archenemy Assyria, flees instead and finds a ship headed for Tarshish (present-day Spain). The disobedient prophet wants no part of God's plan to bring mercy to the brutal Ninevites. But God is not finished with Jonah! Using a storm (to get Jonah into the water) and a giant fish (to get Jonah back to dry land), God brings his hesitant preacher to the gates of Nineveh. When the city repents, the prophet responds with pouting rather than praise, prompting God to use a wind, a leafy shelter and a worm to teach him about the mercy of God.

Application

Reading the fourth chapter of Jonah, it is interesting to see a preacher who would rather have seen sinners perish than saved. He is actually angry with God for forgiving and sparing them!

Before being too hard on Jonah, be honest—haven't you ever felt that way yourself? A confirmed sinner who hasn't seen the inside of a church in years walks the aisle during an altar call, tears flowing freely as he finds forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, others look on and sulk like Jonah (or the elder brother in Luke 15:25-30), thinking to themselves, "The preacher never hugged me like that!"

Tonight while dressing for bed, toss one shoe under the bed. In the morning while you're down on your knees looking for it, thank God for his mercy toward sinners—including you!

Prayer

Through obedience to you, Father God, we can ask for anything in your name, and you will do it. We ask you to prepare us spiritually, mentally and physically for any assignment you assign to us. We don't want our own views about the situation to get in the way of fulfilling your purpose. We want to work diligently to reach people who do not know or do not trust your saving grace to repent. Like from the book of Jonah we learned that you love all and want all to receive the gift of eternity. We praise your Holy name for loving us so much. In Jesus' name! Amen!

Be Prepared!

© Odessa Mathis about my Father's business! 2020