Lessons from Jonah

Quick summary of the book of Jonah:

Jonah’s fear and pride caused him to run away from God.  Jonah didn’t want to go to Ninevah.  He didn’t want to preach to the people there.  They were a very wicked group of people and Jonah didn’t want them to repent. He didn’t want God to save them.  They were his enemies and he wanted God to wipe them out. 

So, when God called him to go preach to them, Jonah went the opposite direction.  He boarded a boat and sailed away.  Soon a bad storm hit and the people on the boat were terrified.  They determined that Jonah was the problem and they threw him overboard.  Then Jonah is swallowed by a great fish.  He spends 3 days and 3 nights there.  Jonah repents of his sin. (who wouldn’t be praying if swallowed alive by a fish!)  The fish throws him up onto the beach.  Imagine what he looked like – bleached by the acids in the fish’s stomach.  How bad do you think he smelled! 

Jonah starts his trip to Ninevah.  When he gets there, he leads the city into a revival.  The people repent and get right with God – and Jonah gets mad.  He pouts.  He should be thankful but he isn’t. 

Then Jonah sat down outside the city.  God causes a gourd to grow and give him shade.  Jonah is happy.  The next day God sends wind and heat and the gourd dies.  God uses these things to teach Jonah about his mercy.

What can we learn form Jonah?

1. We can’t hide from God and we can’t run from him.  If God chooses to use us to accomplish a purpose – it will happen whether we like it or not. 

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

This verse reminds us that God has plans for us and He will prepare us for those plans.  We need to submit our will to His and allow ourselves to be used by God.

2.  God chooses to love everyone.  His love is not limited to a few chosen people.  John 3:16 says that “For God so loved the world …”  The gift of eternal life is for all people in all times.  My task as a Christian is to allow God to use me to reach others. 

3.  I am not to be resentful of those who come to Christ in “last-minute” conversions.  Remember the thief on the cross.  He was in his last hour when he acknowledged his need for Jesus.  None of us deserve forgiveness or eternal life.  Yet that free gift is offered to all of us. All we have to do is receive it. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

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