Jonah 1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from 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 means (dove) He is known as the reluctant

prophet He is from Gath Hepher Date – 782 BC Contemporary with Hosea,

Isaiah, Amos, Micah

Background

Ninevah – capital of Assyria

A cruel powerful enemy of Israel

Ninevah was where the current city of Mosul, Iraq is located.

Background

The story of Jonah is a type of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Matthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Background

Jonah ran FROM God (ch. 1)

Outline

Jonah ran FROM God (ch. 1)

Jonah ran TO God (ch. 2)

Outline

Jonah ran FROM God (ch. 1)

Jonah ran TO God (ch. 2)

Jonah ran WITH God (ch. 3)

Outline

Jonah ran FROM God (ch. 1)

Jonah ran TO God (ch. 2)

Jonah ran WITH God (ch. 3)

Jonah ran AHEAD of God (ch. 4)

Outline

There is always a price to pay when you run away from God– But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from

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

Lessons from Jonah

There is always a price to pay when you run away from God

Rebellion always hurts others– Then the mariners were afraid; and

every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. Jonah 1:5a

Lessons from Jonah

There is always a price to pay when you run away from God

Rebellion always hurts others It is possible to be at rest out of

God's will–But Jonah had gone down into the

lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. Jonah 1:5b

Lessons from Jonah

Faith leads to repentance then to good works– 8 But let man and beast be covered with

sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? Jonah 3:8-9

Lessons from Jonah

Faith leads to repentance then to good works

God's actions toward men reflect man's heart toward God– Then God saw their works, that they

turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. Jonah 3:10

Lessons from Jonah

Faith leads to repentance then to good works

God's actions toward men reflect man's heart toward God

We must make the spritual a priority over the material.

Lessons from Jonah

9 Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!" 10 But the Lord said, "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. Jonah 4:9-10

Lessons from Jonah

11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left--and much livestock?" Jonah 4:11

Lessons from Jonah

FINAL LESSON – GOD DOES NOT CHANGE HIS COMMANDS.1:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me."3 :2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you."

Lessons from Jonah