Jonah 3:1-10

 

So far we've seen God give Jonah a mission and Jonah has run from that mission ever since. He jumped on a ship heading the opposite direction. He asked to be thrown overboard to save the crew from the storm that was there to punish him. And he was swallowed by a giant fish where he had a personal three day spiritual retreat. Now he's been vomited up onto shore and is getting orders again. 

 

  1. God gives second chances (vv. 1-2). … When the fish spit Jonah onto shore, God gave Jonah the same mission He'd given Jonah as before. Go to Nineveh and warn them. It was a second chance, a mulligan, a do-over. We get these too. Sometimes the opportunity to share the Gospel is set up for us and we ignore it. But we also sometimes get a second opportunity to share with the person we were supposed to reach out to before. Take that chance like Jonah does in the following verses. But maybe a bit more enthusiastically and with more optimism. 
  2. Revival can begin with one act of obedience (v. 3). … One decision can change a life and the lives of many others. A simple act of obedience can alter the trajectory of an entire people group. It can affect the lives of everyone around us today and for generations to come. 
  3. No one is beyond God’s reach (vv. 4-5). … Nineveh was set to be destroyed in forty days unless they repented. That's not a lot of time for a whole city that was known for its brutality and evil ways. Jonah was likely concerned he'd be killed for preaching such a condemning message through the city. However, the message reached their ears and went straight to their hearts and they believed. The people of Nineveh, one of the most evil cities in history, repented. God's outstretched arm can reach anyone and pull them out of the pit of despair and bring them to salvation. 
  4. God can do more than you expect (vv. 6-10). … When the king heard this message that Jonah preached, he ordered for the whole city to change its ways. God didn't save just a few people in Nineveh; He saved the entire city. 

 

Everything in Jonah's story is big or great. He is called to go to a big city and reach evil people. He ran and encountered a great storm and was swallowed by a great fish. He went to the big city and declared the great message God had given Him. The city responded in a big way and repented. And all of this illustrates the great reach of God's outstretched arm to save us, the great power of salvation granted to us by the death of Jesus on the cross because of His great love for us. 

 

For Further Study/Resources Used to Prepare This Message

  • The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God’s Mercy by Tim Keller
  • Exalting Jesus in Jonah (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) by Eric Redmond
  • Man Overboard!: The Story of Jonah by Sinclair Ferguson
  • A Gracious and Compassionate God: Mission, Salvation and Spirituality in the Book of Jonah by Daniel Timmer
  • ESV Study Bible