The Book of Jonah
If you have ruined a person’s life, and find it hard to forgive yourself - deep down, take note of this book……
If you have murdered someone…….
If you have used a girlfriend and got her into a mess, for no other reason than you wanted to sin, see what this book is saying……
If you have had an abortion, have killed your baby, and find it hard to forgive yourself…read this book.
If you have abused a child and realise that it has ruined her whole life, and cannot get away from what you have done……
The loving Father in heaven knows the things that made you do it. We all have to realise that what we are born with is not what God wants. We need to repent, change our hearts and do what is right….
All of us need to repent from our sin. Every last one of us. Some are worse than others, but we ALL have the same problem….SIN.
Jesus came to take away our sins. He will give us heartache if we sin.
THE BOOK OF JONAH
When Israel entered into the Promised Land some of the Israelite Kings did not protect the people. The Syrians to the North East, and especially from the nearest city, Ninevah, realised that it was not being protected and they came over the boarder to rob, rape and murder the people in the farms, and burn their crops and houses. They were decent Israelites, with pure hearted men and women in these farms and in one afternoon the whole family would be killed, raped or mutilated. Those that survived would have the horror of that afternoon with them for the rest of their lives, and often be ruined by the bitterness of it, or broken, without spirit or hope.
Jonah saw all this and hated the Syrians, with all his heart. When he saw the survivors, and what these men had done to them…he hated the men of Ninevah.
The Book of Jonah is about that hate. The book is so entertaining and well written that we might not see the terrible message….that God can completely forgive the murderer, the rapist, the sexual pervert, the child molester. It is a horrible message for decent people, but is very, very true.
The book starts "The word of God came to Jonah, son of Amittai, saying ‘Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city and cry against it "THIRTY DAYS AND NINEVAH SHALL BE OVERTHROWN". Jonah hated that message and everything in him was sickened by it. Not because God would overthrow and kill the people of Ninevah, but because God gave them 30 days. Jonah knew that God was a merciful God and that 30 days was to give them time to REPENT. And if they did, they would go free. God’s forgiveness would not bring back all the people they had murdered, and restore the maidens they had raped.
So Jonah rebelled and, instead of going North East to Ninevah, he went West to Tarshish, on the coast of Spain…About as far away as he could go from Ninevah. He paid some merchant seamen to take him there in their boat.
The boat would hop from port to port until they reached Tarshish and then come back, but almost as soon as they left, a terrible storm arose and for days they struggled to ride the storm out. It got worse and worse and fearing for their lives they threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. Still the storm raged, and thinking that the boat was going to break apart they put ropes round the hull of the ship in an effort to keep the boat in one piece.
They sensed that the gods were very angry with them and did not know why, for they were good men. They drew lots to find out who had sinned against the gods…..and JONAH, their only passenger drew the short straw. He confessed what had happened and, at first they did not know what to do, but Jonah asked them to throw him overboard, and that would save their lives. Asking the Hebrew God not to judge them for their actions, they threw Jonah overboard, and as soon as they had done that there was an immediate great calm. The sailors worshipped the Hebrew God. They had never seen anything like it.
Jonah thought that his life was over, but he was swallowed by a great fish who took him back to Israel and vomited him onto the beach.
The word of God came to Jonah, son of Amittai, saying ‘Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city and cry against it "THIRTY DAYS AND NINEVAH SHALL BE OVERTHROWN". Jonah reluctantly set out for Ninevah. When he reached the city walls he dawdled and took his time so much that the Bible says he was three days getting to the city centre. Probably at about 3.30am, when it was dark and when he thought no one was about he walked to the City Square and said "Thirty days and Ninevah shall be overthrown". And walked away. He went to a hill overlooking the city to see the fire and brimstone come down.
He waited for a few days. Then someone passed by saying that the city was in a state of shock. An Israelite had told them that God was going to kill them all because of their terrible crimes. He said that everyone from the King to the beggar in the street was in deep repentance and wearing sackcloth with ashes thrown over it. (they buried the very poor people in sack cloth and poured ashes on the body to stop disease).
After 30 days, when nothing had happened, Jonah was furious. He just wanted to die he was so angry. Hundreds of Israelite lives ruined by them and they get away ‘scott-free’. These wicked men had murdered, raped and ruined so many lives. He did not know what to do with himself for his anger. In his heart he swore and cursed God, because God was so merciful….and he wanted to die, not to live in this accursed world. The sun was roasting hot and it made Jonah even more miserable on his hill.
Quite a lot of this book is used up by how God showed Jonah his own heart. While Jonah slept, God caused a climbing plant to grow into a bower so that when Jonah woke it shielded him from the sun….all in one day. Jonah had a lovely day. Not only did this plant cover him from the sun, but created a cool atmosphere under it. It was very pleasant and Jonah’s anger cooled down as the day went on.
But the next night, God caused a little worm to eat the root and the plant died. The sun was roasting hot and Jonah’s mood completely changed. He was miserable and cursed God. God said to Jonah, "You were happy and contented yesterday just because of the plant. Today you are miserable because the plant has gone. That is how I felt when the people of Ninevah were killing and ruining lives. My anger was like yours. But now I am like you were yesterday. Their real repentance covered the relentless heat and I am very happy. How silly of me to destroy them now, and see all those lives wasted, and all their cattle.
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