Diving into Jonah Chapter One
Jonah’s a different guy. Of all the minor prophets, the beat of his drum is NOT like the others. While the rest encourage us to rise and respond to God, Jonah only gives us his example: rise and run.
But I get him.
The Bad News
The Israelites at that time are the underdogs of the ancient world. Assyria is on top. To call them “bullies” doesn’t begin to describe the terror they caused. They were bad dudes. The skins of their enemies hung on their city wall—no longer a stone wall but leather. They likely laid siege to Jonah’s hometown. Who knows what Jonah—or a loved one—may have encountered.
Then God calls Jonah to go to Assyria’s capital city of Nineveh and tell them that in 40 days, God’s done with them. They’re going down.
Jonah should’ve been fired up for this. Justice is coming.
But Jonah knows God. And he knows God will relent. Which means he also anticipates the Ninevites repenting. And although that would be the biggest, greatest conversion of all time (even bigger than anything Paul would ever do), he wanted no part of it. He wanted them to go down.
Wouldn’t you—if the hurt was raw enough? If the wound was big enough? If the scars were deep enough?
I think his were.
God is stretching him farther than he thinks he can go. Jonah’s nearing his breaking point.
The Good News
God knows us better than we know ourselves. I’m certain God cared about healing Jonah’s heart just as much as he cared about eradicating the world’s biggest bullies—simply by changing the hearts that made them tick.
Listen to my full 20-minute sermon on all four chapters of Jonah here: February 25, 2024 – Jonah: Rise and Run (youtube.com)
Sidenote: For the children’s time, my daughter was the only child there. Another lady on our preaching team—and a whole bunch of college kids—came up to sit with her, so she wouldn’t be the only one.
Sidenote 2: It just so happened this year’s VBS deco fit perfectly with this sermon.
If you liked this post, check out our other sermons: Do I Really Love God: A Litmus Test,
And check out our Jonah lesson for kids at Jonah’s Viny Twist: Teaching Kids Jonah Well. Grab our freebie here:
Enjoy!
And remember: No matter what territory you’re navigating, keep on pioneering the legacy!